The Arsenal VG-33 was a fast French light fighter aircraft which arrived too late to see service in the Armée de l'Air during the Battle of France.
Somewhat underarmed compared to the Messerschmitt Bf 109, the VG-33 matched it in speed and manoeuvrability and was somewhat faster than the Dewoitine D.520. In larger quantities, this plane could have shown the Luftwaffe a rough time, but as was the case for most French planes, production problems plagued the VG-33 such that only 160 aircraft were close to completion before the Armistice, with just 19 of 40 produced actually taken on by the Armée de l'Air. Just two machines ever flew in an active group, the piecemeal GC 1/55 which began life on June 18 and conducted missions for just a week. After the fall of France twelve VG-33s were confiscated by the Luftwaffe, perhaps for fighter training.
