Bloch MB.200
| Industry | Aerospace |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1930s |
| Headquarters | France |
The MB.200 was a French bomber developed during the 1930s by the Societé des Avions Marcel Bloch. This twin-engine, high-wing monoplane featured a fixed landing gear and served in excess of 200 aircraft within the French Air Force. Although it was also produced under license in Czechoslovakia, the model rapidly became outdated and was mostly retired by the onset of the Second World War.
Development and design
Created in response to a 1932 French Air Force specification for a bomber capable of day and night operations, the Bloch MB.200 showcased an all-metal cantilever high-wing monoplane structure with a rectangular fuselage. It was powered by two Gnome & Rhône 14Kirs radial engines. The aircraft included a fixed tailwheel undercarriage and an enclosed cockpit. Its defensive weaponry comprised turrets located at the nose and dorsal positions, along with a ventral gondola.
The prototype's maiden flight occurred on 26 June 1933. As one of the successful contenders—alongside the larger Farman F.221—an initial batch of 30 units was ordered in January 1934, with operational deployment commencing later that year. By late 1935, the MB.200 was assigned to 12 French squadrons. Total production in France surpassed 208 units, manufactured by several companies such as Bloch, Breguet, Loire, Hanriot, SNCASO, and Potez.
Operational history
In the mid-1930s, Czechoslovakia chose the MB.200 to upgrade its air force capabilities. Due to limited prior experience with large all-metal stressed-skin airplanes, licensed manufacturing began in 1937 through Aero and Avia, producing approximately 124 examples. These Czechoslovak versions closely resembled their French counterparts but featured differences in armament and equipment.
Shortly after the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, the Second Spanish Republic obtained two MB.200s and subsequently received an additional 30 units assembled locally at Prat de Llobregat. Around one-third of these were lost during early combat; surviving aircraft were tasked with defending the Republican east coast but none endured until war’s conclusion.
After Germany occupied Czechoslovakia, remaining MB.200s were absorbed into the Luftwaffe, with some units transferred to Bulgaria.
In 1941, during the Allied invasion of Lebanon and Syria, Vichy France deployed an MB.200 squadron conducting daylight bombing raids targeting British naval vessels.
Variants
- MB.200.01
- initial prototype model
- MB.200B.4
- primary production variant powered by two Gnome-Rhône 14Kirs engines
- MB.201
- equipped with a pair of Hispano-Suiza 12Ybrs powerplants
- MB.202
- fitted with four Gnome-Rhône 7Kdrs engines
- MB.203
- powered by two Clerget 14F diesel engines
Operators
- Bulgarian Air Force – Received 12 ex-Czech MB.200s from Germany in 1939; mainly utilized for training.
- Czechoslovak Air Force
Armée de l'Air (service from 1935)
Luftwaffe (operated captured aircraft)
Slovak Air Force (one aircraft)
Spanish Republican Air Force operated 30 units supplied by France; few survived through the conflict.
Sources
- Angelucci, Enzo. World Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft. London, Jane's Publishing, 1981.
- Green, William and Gordon Swanborough. "Balkan Interlude - The Bulgarian Air Force in WWII". Air Enthusiast. Issue 39, May–August 1989.
- Shores, Christopher S. and Cristian-Jacques Ehrengardt. "Syrian Campaign, 1941". Air Pictorial, July–August 1970.
- Taylor, Michael J.H. Warplanes of the World 1918–1939. London:Ian Allen, 1981.
Bibliography
- Comas, Matthieu. "Les bombardiers polonais de Lyon-Bron". Avions, September 2000.
- Fernandez, José. Series on Le Bloch MB 200, Avions, October–December 1993.
- Abellán García-Muñoz, Juan. "Galería de aviones de la Guerra civil española (1936–1939)". Instituto de Historia y Cultura aeronáuticas, Ministerio de Defensa 1996.
External links
- "Military Bloch aircraft : MB 200". Dassault Aviation. Retrieved 23 August 2008.
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