Your favorite French fighter?

[JugBR]

dont know too much about ww2 french fighters, but im a great fan of mirages

 

[Oreo]

My favorite is the MS 406, it was the principal fighter of the battle of france with the american Curtiss H75.

The Dewoitine 520 was better but it was little used, consequence of the pitiful french organisation.

Morane Saulnier 406:

Nice photo, Celerite. I did not realize there was an MS 406 still flying.

 

[Célérité]

Nice photo, Celerite. I did not realize there was an MS 406 still flying.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuSC5Je8X6k

 

[Soundbreaker Welch?]

That's one little tough looking aircraft.

 

[Marcel]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuSC5Je8X6k

Ah would like seeing that one flying. Is it flying in France?

 

[Célérité]

Unfortunately it is based in Switzerland but he flies often in france.

Other photos :

www.airpic.net :: View topic - MS 406 - "HB-RCF" - Charlie Fox

 

[Juha]

I voted for D.520.
Nice video clip but IMHO not on M.S. 406, the fixed radiator is a give away. Probably Swiss built D.3801 or much more unlikely M.S. 410.

Juha

Addition, in the You Tube link on the right there is 2 documentary clips on M.S. 406s from 1939-40 period which clearly show the typical retractable radiator of 406.

 

[B-17engineer]

I am going D.520 Like JugBR said.....I really don't know that much about French Fighters

 

[Célérité]

You are right Juha, it's MS 406 D 3801 built under license in Switzerland.That is why he has not a retractable radiator.

 

[merlin]

I believe that too much of the French aviation industry (including engines) was in usable condition by Germany. Why weren't factories destroyed?

Fortunately, the Germans didn't make enough use of them. Rather than keep them going, they looted them of machine tools etc.

Its curious that the Germans could use the Czech made equipment but not French! Sure there were some utilization of French Aircraft factories, but nothing like there could have been IMO.

 

[merlin]

My favorite is the MS 406, it was the principal fighter of the battle of france with the american Curtiss H75.

The Dewoitine 520 was better but it was little used, consequence of the pitiful french organisation.

Morane Saulnier 406:

Well you are entitled to your own opinion, but personally for the pilots I think it was suicidal.
The only good MS 406, was the Finnish model when they put captured 1,100 hp Soviet engines in - the Super-Moranes.
It would have been competitive with the 109B C, but it mainly fought the 109E!

 

[merlin]

It was a hard choice, but I went with the AG 33 series. Even with a small engine, it still got a decent speed, and it had development potential.

 

[Célérité]

Yes merlin, but what makes the charm and heart of a plane that are not its performance but the image that it conveys. Its history, the vicissitudes of crews, the mark that he leaves in time...

 

[Juha]

Hello Célérité
I think that I didn't in my previous message thank you enough for the video URL, so Thanks a lot. More so because with that URL I found those two WWII MS 406 clips and a modern Hawk 75A clip. Finnish AF also used those two types.

Thankfully
Juha

 

[dennis420b]

I always had a soft spot for the VG 33. It looked formidable, and great performance on so little horsepower. What could it have developed into, we will never know.

 

[VG-33]

Hi

I always had a soft spot for the VG 33. It looked formidable,

It does not only looked, it was formidable...from CEMA and CEV tests.

and great performance on so little horsepower. What could it have developed into, we will never know.

We will: why not ? It was intended to be developed in

-VG-34
Arsenal VG-34 - Chasseur - Un siècle d'aviation française

-VG-35
Arsenal VG-35 - Chasseur - Un siècle d'aviation française

-VG-36 (my favorite with Leduc effect – so called "Meredith" for english...)
Arsenal VG-36 - Chasseur - Un siècle d'aviation française

VG-37, 38

-VG-39
Arsenal VG-39 - Chasseur - Un siècle d'aviation française

VG-40 series with RR Merlin, VG-50 with V-1710 Allison etc...

Some weight is possible to be saved using soviet Delta Drevisina or american Hugues patent for wooden composites...

So a very promissing plane, bur unlike french propaganda suggested at time, not destinated to be the main french fighter, as assembled in virtualy all cabinet marking workshop...

Required very skilled and qualified labour, at opposite.This means a limited production.
Not the miracle "wooden wonder" solution, but can help...

An excellent site
Sommaire

Regards

 

[ToughOmbre]

I didn't know that the French had any fighters.

Just kidding!

I don't have any favorites.

TO

 

[dennis420b]

I have always put it into the He-100 category, but it seems the VG 33 wouldn't have had the same problem of being so closely tailored to its engine and thus development would have been fine. Although being a largely wooden aircraft does play against it. The difference in the development experience can be seen by comparing the Mosquito and the ta154. One was a world better, the other a beautiful flop. How would it have played out if France had the time? Thanks for the info VG-33!

 

[Timppa]

Of the French "too late" fighters the Bloch M.B.-157 seems to have claimed the most impressive performance.

710 km/h ( 441 mph) at 26,000 ft.

Bloch M.B.157 - fighter

Edit:

My favourite: Morane-Saulnier with Klimov M-105 engine and MG 151 cannon

http://www.kolumbus.fi/kari.stenman/

 

[Lucky13]

Always thought them French machines were sometimes odd looking.... Can't decide between some of these, always had a soft spot for the Potez 631 and the Arsenal VG 33 isn't too bad either...