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Details (scroll down) // Heavy Fighters and Bombers // Alternates // Timeline // Designers // Engine relationships // Production (rough) //
Sources
General
Aircraft of the Second World War: The Development of the Warplane 1939-1945, by Philip Jarrett (Putnam 1997)
Air Warfare - An International Encylopedia, edited by Walter J. Boyne (2002) -- overview
An Illustrated Anatomy of the World's Fighters, by William Green and Gordon Swanborough (Pilot Press Ltd 1981)
Armee de l'Air: A Pictorial History of the French Air Force 1937-1945, by Paul Camelio and Christopher Shores (1976)
Attack and Interceptor Jets, by Michael Sharpe (Grange 2005)
L'ImprimAu Service des Ailes, by Andre Herbemont (L'Imprimerie S.E.F. 1967)
The Aviation Factfile: Aircraft of World War II, edited by Jim Winchester (Thunder Bay 2005)
Biplane to Monoplane: Aircraft Development 1919-1939, by Philip Jarrett (Putnam 1997)
Bombers 1939-1945, by Kenneth Munson (Blandford Press 1969)
The Complete Book of Fighters, by William Green and Gordon Swanborough (2001) -- excellent starting point
Combat Aircraft of World War Two, by Elke C. Weal, John A. Weal, Richard Barker; RAF Museum, Hendon (Arms & Armour Press 1977) -- very detailed specs and order of battle for WWII
Combat Aircraft Prototypes Since 1945, by Robert Jackson (Book Club 1985)
Fighter Aircraft Combat Debuts 1915-1945, by Jon Guttman (Westholme 2014)
Fighters of the Fifties, by Bill Gunston (1981)
Fighters Between the Wars 1919-1939, by Kenneth Munson (Blandford 1970)
Flight Magazine aviation history archive 1909-2004
Flight - 100 Years of Aviation, by R.G. Grant (Dorling Kindersley Ltd 2002)
Foreign Planes in the Service of the Luftwaffe, by Jean-Louis Roba (2009) -- notes on French aircraft used by Germans after the Fall of France
French Aces of World War 2, by Barry Ketley (1999) -- useful for knowing which aircraft were most successful, and which aircraft were flown by aces in exile
French Aviation for cross-referencing
Historical articles by Gerard Hartmann -- good details across the board
International Warbirds - An Illustrated Guide to World Military Aircraft 1914-2000, by John C. Frederiksen (2001)
Jane's All the Worlds Aircraft, by C.G. Grey and Leonard Bridgman (issued 12/1938)
Jet Bombers: From the Messerchmitt Me262 to the Stealth B-2, by Bill Gunston with Peter Gilchrist (1993)
Les Avions Bernard, by Jean Liron (Docavia #31)
The Pocket Encyclopaedia of World Aircraft in colour: Flying-Boats and Seaplanes since 1910, by Kenneth Munson, Illustrated by John W. Wood (Blandford Press Ltd 1971)
Rocketing into the Future: The History and Technology of Rocket Planes, by Michel van Pelt (2012) -- minor notes
Soviet Aircraft and Aviation 1917-1941, by Lennart Andersson -- French aircraft tested by the Soviets -- very minor notes
The Talisman: The Autobiography of Marcel Dassault, translated by Patricia High Painton (1971)
War Planes of the Second World War: Fighters, Volume 1, by William Green (Hanover House 1960)
Warplanes of Yesteryear, by Kenneth Munson (Arco 1966)
Wikipedia to develop a rough skeleton and identify primary sources
X-Planes and Prototypes, by Jim Winchester (2005) -- some details accounted for that were not present elsewhere, mainly the Espadon prototypes
X-Planes: Research Aircraft 1891-1970, by Hugh Cowin (Osprey 1999)
X-Planes of Europe - Secret Research Aircraft from the Golden Age 1946-1974, by Tony Buttler and Jean-Louis Delezenne (Hikoki 2012)
Specific
Bloch 151 & 152 (Profile No.201), by Michel Cristesco
Curtiss Hawk 75-A Airplane, by Curtiss-Wright Corporation -- the original manual issued with the aircraft listing all engine/armament options
Docavia 6 (Breguet) -- good details
Docavia 12 -- recon/bombers
Docavia 13 (Dassault) by Jean Cuny -- excellent detail
Flight Magazine archive where indicated -- engines as of 1947 -- many excellent details from the Paris Air Show and tours of production facilities
Le Fana de l'Aviation, No.35 (July 1972) -- SE.580 details
Le Fana de l'Aviation, No.246 (May 1990) -- Arsenal VB-10, Arsenal VB-15 details
French Fighters of World War II in action, by Alain Pelletier (2002) -- good details
French Bombers of World War II, by Alain Pelletier (2003) -- good details
Loire 43, 45 & 46, by Jacques Moulin (Avia Editions 2004)
Nieuport-Delage Ni-D 29 & Ni-D 62 family, (French Wings 2), by Jose Fernandez (2011 Stratus)
Nieuport 1909-1950 (Docavia #38), by Leonard Rosenthal, Alain Marchand, Michel Borget, Michel Benichou
Reusable Man-Rated Rocket Engines: The French Experience 1944-1996, by Christophe Rothmund, Snecma Moteurs, France (2004) -- good notes on SEPR development and use in Espadon, Durandal
Rolls-Royce - The Merlin at War, by Ian Lloyd (1978 Macmillan Press Ltd)
Not used
Docavia 31 (Bernard)
Two Roads to War, by Robin Higam (2012) -- didn't use; essentially the story of how Britain was prepared for World War II and France wasn't.
Premiums, alternates, gift planes (tiers approx):
Tier | Fighters | Fighters | Fighters | Fighters | Heavy/Attack/2-seat | Foreign |
I |
SPAD S.51 (06/1924) SPAD 91 (08/1927) |
D.271/273/53 (1928) |
GL-30 (1920-1927) many Bernards many Wibaults more |
Potez 25 (1924+) LN.140 (1936) |
||
II | M.S.325 (1933) |
NiD-120 (07/1932) |
D.371 (1932) D.372 (1932+) D.560 (1932)
|
GL-482 (02/1932) Bernard 260 (09/1932) Wib 313 (11/1932) ANF-M 170 (11/1932) Wibault 313 (11/1932) H.110 (04/1933) ANF-M 180(02/1935) |
Potez 390 (~1930) Ni.D-140 (03/1935) |
|
III |
Loire 46 (09/1934) Loire 250 (09/1935) |
D.513 (01/1936) |
|
|||
IV |
ANF-M 190 (07/1936) F.K. 58 (07/1938) R-30 (08/1939) |
Hanriot H.220 (09/1937) 2 Romano R-110 (03/1938) 2 LN.401 (07/1938) SNCAO CAO.600 (04/1940) 2 SNCAC NC.600 (05/1940) 2 D.750 (05/1940) R2 Arsenal-Delanne 10 (1941) |
Martin 167 Maryland Martin 187 Baltimore |
|||
V |
SNCAO 200 (01/1939) Po.230 (03/1940) |
D.770 (06/1939) 2 Bloch MB.175 (07/1939) 2 LN.42 (06/1940++)
|
||||
VI | SNCAC NC.900 (Fw 190) | |||||
VII | Bugatti 110 (1939) | Nord 1500 (08/1947) | ||||
VIII |
Arsenal VG-90 (09/1949) |
SNCAC NC.1080 (07/1949) Nord 2200 (12/1949) Nord 1601 (01/1950) |
||||
IX |
|
|
|
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X |
Dassault Etendard II (07/1956) Breguet Taon (1957) |
SNCASE SE.5000 Baroudeur (1953) SNCASE SE.212 Durandal (04/1956)
|
F-84F (06/1950) |
Country of origin: U.S.A. / Britain / U.S.S.R. / Germany / other colors indicate development relationships / bold indicates major development or use
Old versions
Version 4.01 -- relationships and continuity revealed with color and 'railroad tracks'
Version 4.00 -- interim version; updated to include medium bombers
Version 3.03 -- interim version; goal = detail saturation and accurate placement at each tier based on chronology, engine progression, designer, role
Old notes
Used
key = (first flight) [horsepower] {Production}
Line 1 | Line 2 | Line 3 | Line 4 | |
I | NiD-42 (1924) [450-600hp] {882} | |||
II | D.500 (6/1932) {101} | S.510 (1/1933) [692hp] {61} | Potez 25 (1924) {2500} | |
III | D.510 (8/1934) {120} | S.710 (4/1937) [860hp] {1} | Potez 390 (1/1930) {112+} | |
IV | MS.406 (8/1935) {1176} | MB.150 (10/1937) {663} |
Potez 631/63.II [2x](4/1936) Bre 693 (1938) [2x700hp] |
|
V | D.520 (10/1938) {~990} | MB.152 [1050hp] | VG-33 (4/1939) {<50} |
Potez 671 MB.175 (~7/1939) [~1164hp] |
VI | D.551 {12} [1300hp] | MB.155 [~1164hp] | VG-39 | SE.100 (3/1939) [2x] {1} |
VII | MB.157 [1580hp] | VB-10 (7/1945) [2x1150hp] {6} | ||
VIII | Ouragan (2/1949) [Nene 102/104/Atar] | Narval (4/1949) [Jumo 2250hp] {2} | ||
IX | Mystere II (~10/1951) [Tay/Atar 101C/D/F] | |||
X | Super Mystere (3/1955) [Avon/Atar 101G] | Durandal (4/1956) [Atar 101F] {2} | Espadon (~11/1948) [Nene/Tay] | Vautour IIA (10/1952) [2xAtar 101] |
Obvious problems:
1) F4U-7 is American and anachronistic, not necessary
2) jet-heavy to cover the occupation gap, not necessary
3) jet progression could be better based on the engines used
4) Espadon anachronistic
5) Moraine-Saulnier doesn't have to be chopped to fill Tier IV for Dewoitine, it could instead fill as much as I-V on its own
Remedy:
1) S.580 project (a Dewoitine development) to replace F4U-7
2) more
Not used
key = (first flight) [horsepower] {Production}
single-seat fighters
Tier | higher interest | lower interest |
I |
GL-30 {500+} / NiD-52 {135} / NiD 62 SPAD S.51 {~60} SPAD 91 {~6} / D.271/273/53 {6/7} |
Bernard 74 {3} / MoS-121 {1} / Loire 210 / F.1010 / SPAD S.61 Bernard 15 {1} / Bernard 20 {1} / Bernard H.52 / Bernard H.110 |
II |
NiD-120 {5} / Bernard 260 {2} / ANF-M 170 {2} / ANF-M 180 {1} / H.110 {1} |
|
III | D.513 {2} | |
IV |
Curtiss Hawk 75-A1,2,3,4 {100+} / C.714 {~90} / MS.410 {5} / LN.161 {3} / NC-600 {2} / ANF-M 190 {1} / R-30 {1} / Po.230 {1} / VG-30 {1} / |
Koolhoven F.K. 58 {~21} |
V |
MS.411 / MS.412 / MS.450 {1/0/1} MB.700 {1} / R-120 / Potez 230 {1} SNCAO 200 (1/1939)[860-1100hp]{1} Bugatti 110 (more / more / more) (1939+) [2x450hp] {1} |
NC.900 (1945) {~100} |
VI |
SE-520Z (1942+) [1600hp] {1} VG-40 / VG-50 / VG-60 [1000-1500hp] {0/0/0} |
MS.406 Swiss variants (1940+) [950-1500hp] Mörkö-Morane Finnish MS.406 (1940-1943) [1100hp] |
VII | SE.580 (more) [2000-2500hp] {0} |
P-51D recon / P-47D / F4U Corsair / Yak-3 / Yak-9 |
VIII |
SNCASO M2 (4/1949) [1xDerwent V] {1} Arsenal VB-15 |
He-162 (5/1945+)
Pulqui I (8/1947) [Derwent 5] {1} |
IX |
SNCASE Mistral (9/1943) {251} Dassault Ouragan (2/1949) [Nene 102/104/Atar] {370+} SNCAC NC.1080 (7/1949) [Nene] {1}
SNCASE Aquilon(4/1951) {121}
|
Meteor (1948) [2xDerwent?] Pulqui II (6/1950) [Nene] {5} Breguet Vultur (8/1951) [Nene 103] {2} |
X |
Dassault Mystère IV (9/1952) [Tay/Verdon/Atar] {411} SNCASE Baroudeur (8/1953) [Atar 101C/D] {5} |
Griffon (9/1955) [Atar 101F + ramjet] {2} Breguet Taon (1957) [Orpheus] {2} |
everything else
Tier | higher interest | lower interest |
I |
Breguet 27 / NiD 43 / Weymann 80 / PL.5 / PL.6 Avimeta 88 / Buscaylet-Bechereau 2 Levasseur P.L. 5/6 / Brunet 3/4 Potez 23 / Potez 31 |
|
II |
ANF-M 113 (1931)[860hp]{~285} ANF-M 180 (2/1935)[690hp]{1} Ni.D-140 (3/1935)[690hp]{2} |
D.750 (5/1940) [2x500hp] {1}
|
III |
|
C.670 (1935) [2x220hp] {10} |
IV |
Hanriot H.220 (SNCAC NC.600) (9/1937) [2x710hp] {2} Romano R-110 (3/1938) [2x450hp] {1} LN.401 (7/1938) [690hp] {68} Arsenal-Delanne 10 (1941) [860hp] {1} |
SNCAO CAO.600 (3/1940)[2x680hp]{1} |
V |
D.770 (6/1939) [2x1050hp] {2} LN.42 (late 1939) [1100hp] {1} Breguet 700(2/1940+) [2x1070hp] {1} |
Dauntless |
VI | Skyraider | |
VII | SNCAC NC.1070 (4/1947) [2x1600hp] {1} |
|
VIII | SNCAC NC.1071/1072 (10/1948) [2xNene 101] {2/0} |
|
IX | ||
X | SNCASE SE.2415 Grognard (4/1950) [2xNene 101/Tay] {2} |
Investigate
M.S.200-224, M.S.350, M.S.430, M.S.435
SO.6000's jet engine
VG-60's supercharger
trace Hispano-Suiza cannons
Aces in exile -- England, USSR, ...
technology in exile -- Argentina, USSR, Switzerland, ...
company mergers -- 1936, others
secret projects *** // SNCAC //
Payen ***
resources *****
French aircraft captured by Germans
Romano aircraft, Romano 10
Loire-Nieuport 20
Arsenal VG 50project to use tandem engines
Rateau A.65 turbojet development started 1939 -- Rateau engineers later comprised the majority at SNECMA
SNCAC NC.3020/3021 Belphegor -- used 2x Daimler Benz engines, look for armament
Omitted
Leduc 0.10 / 0.21 / 0.22 assembled at Breguet; unarmed; the Leduc 0.10 was heavily damaged in a bombing raid the same month that the Me262 became operational; eventually repaired, first prototype flight Apr 21, 1949; exceptional rate of climb. --> Nord 1500 Griffon prototype without ramjet useable but still unarmed
Dassault Mirage prototype Mach 1.3
Hirsch experimental research aircraft
work in progress (these things need to be figured out before Tier IX and X can be resolved)
1. investigate the extent of development achieved by Hispano-Suiza and Gnome-Rhone prior to Jumo 213
-- Hispano-Suiza 12Z, 24Z
-- Gnome-Rhone 14R ..... 14S? 14U? as possible extension for Tier VII
2. investigate the Jumo-derived engines
-- Arsenal 12H, 24H
3. investigate the early jet engines, and jets that lack aerodynamic refinement
-- Junkers Jumo 004B -- used in Arsenal VG-70 and SO.6000; SO.6000 described as an unarmed 2-seat jet trainer, confirm; VG-70 no armament on record, confirm.
-- DH Vampire and Sea Venom built under license
-- Turbomeca engines -- 1949 TR.011, more / 1956 article
-- early ram jets
4. mitigation strategies
-- 85-octane fuel (French) vs. imported 100-octane fuel (American)
Edited by J311yfish, 29 October 2018 - 08:15 PM.