arsenal-vb-10-02-side

The first production VB 10 made its maiden flight on November 3, 1947. The aircraft was powered by two Hispano-Suiza 12Z-15/16 engines that were rated at 1,300 hp max and 1,150 hp continuous. It was armored with only four 20mm cannons but had provisions to carry one 1,100 lb (500 kg) bomb under each wing. The production aircraft went on to achieve a max speed of 323 mph (517 km/h) at sea-level and 435 mph (700 km/h) at 24,600 ft (7,500 m).

For the VB 10, the beginning of the end occurred on January 10, 1948 when the second prototype, VB 10-02, caught fire while over southern Paris. The pilot, Pierre Decroo, was forced to bail out. He survived but suffered burns. On September 15, 1948, the first production machine crashed in much the same fashion, killing the pilot, Koechlin. Six days later on September 21, 1948, the Arsenal VB 10 contract was cancelled. At the time of cancellation four production VB 10 aircraft, including the one that crashed, had been built. All remaining VB 10s, the first prototype, and three production aircraft were scrapped.