oldcrowcv63
Tech Sergeant
The Arsenal VG33 according to wikipedia (the ultimate authority on all aircraft matters)
"Somewhat underarmed (1 x 20 mm 4 x RCMG) compared to the Messerschmitt Bf 109, the VG-33 matched it in speed and manoeuvrability and was somewhat faster (at 347 mph) than the Dewoitine D.520 (also listed as 347mph ???). 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."
The VG33 thus seems preferable if compared to the D.520 which Eric Brown calls a nasty little brute with poor handling qualities. unless wiki has mislead me... perish the thought.
Of course Capt. Brown never let his national pride nor his personal predjudices stand in the way of making an objective judgement regarding aircraft.
whereas the Bloch 150 which I like probably because of its resemblence to the P-36, wiki says:
During World War II, the Bloch MB.152 had destroyed at least 188 enemy aircraft, and lost about 86 of their own. They proved tough aircraft, able to stand considerable battle damage, and a good gunnery platform,[2] but with many problems: poor agility, poor weapon reliability, poor range (600 km, but here the Bf 109E was only slightly better, around 660 km), and were notably underpowered.
"Somewhat underarmed (1 x 20 mm 4 x RCMG) compared to the Messerschmitt Bf 109, the VG-33 matched it in speed and manoeuvrability and was somewhat faster (at 347 mph) than the Dewoitine D.520 (also listed as 347mph ???). 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."
The VG33 thus seems preferable if compared to the D.520 which Eric Brown calls a nasty little brute with poor handling qualities. unless wiki has mislead me... perish the thought.
Of course Capt. Brown never let his national pride nor his personal predjudices stand in the way of making an objective judgement regarding aircraft.
whereas the Bloch 150 which I like probably because of its resemblence to the P-36, wiki says:
During World War II, the Bloch MB.152 had destroyed at least 188 enemy aircraft, and lost about 86 of their own. They proved tough aircraft, able to stand considerable battle damage, and a good gunnery platform,[2] but with many problems: poor agility, poor weapon reliability, poor range (600 km, but here the Bf 109E was only slightly better, around 660 km), and were notably underpowered.
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