of World War II

in action
By Alain Pelletier
Color by Don Greer and Darren Glenn
Illustrated by Dave Gebhardt

o
o
I It-...,

• Aircraft Number 189

squadron/signal publications
 COI'YRIGHT 2003 SQUADRONISIGNAL PU8L1CATIONS,INC.
1115 CROWLEY DRIVE CARROLLTON, TEXAS 15011-5010
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval syslem or lrJIl'-
miued in any form hy means eleclrical. mechanical or otherwise, without wriucn permission of the pub-
lisher.

ISBN 0·89741-458-9

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Eenl-l y nae eCTh ¢loTorpaqnHt CaMOnCTOB, BOOpy)KCHl-lSl, COJIjlaT llJnt

Two Liore & Olivier LeO 451 bombers fly to attack German armor formations advancing
through central Belgium in May of 1940. The aircraft were assigned to the 1st Escadrille
(Squadron) of Groupe de Bombardement (Bomber Group) t/31 (31st Escadra'Wlng). This
Escadrille was the first operational leO 451 unit and was based at Connantre, France
when German forces invaded Western Europe on 10 May 1940.
Kopa6JleA m060A eTpaHhI, OC06eHHO, eHllMKt1 apeMen BoAHbl,
no.nenHTeCb C HaMH " nOMOfHTe c.nenaTh Hoabie KIHITlf H3.naTenbCTaa
3CKa.nPOH/Cl1rHan elll.e I1HTepeCHee. Mbi nepeClH1MeM aaUlI1
<pOTorpa¢l"" 11 aepHeM opHfl1Hanbi. HMeHa npncnaaUHiX CHnMKlI
6ynyT conpoaO)KnaTb Bee ony6nHKoeaHHble ¢lOTorpa<pIHt..
nO)KanyAcTa. npl1cbIJlaATe <pOTorpa<pI1Vl no anpecy:

Acknowledgements SqoadronlSignall'uhl>Calions. Inc.

IllS Crowle~' Dri\'e
Carrollton, 'I'X 75QlI.5Q10
Michel Benichou SNECMA (Societe
Paul CameJio
,
Nationale d' Etude et de *
..me. ~Ifl_"jl(. ±. lIIC':t t'd)'!';A Ii- "f~ L. 'U" t,tt o:tit: p t, ") L. -\" Hi. <t ,t.;/» ? t: Q)IIM
to d)"t b M:/l't'-f, fl'1ft r.p I:.~ ~ ttl;: b 0);/)( nl:Jl \ ld)'C'1", Squadroll/SignalllO'.lWIt't oflln~
Pierre Cortet Construction de Moteurs 4.:i:n 1 "(, .: '" l He 'lJ=AU f#iI '8! - ,.;t~ L.. 00 Il4: i'Ji <l' 0 .: l:: 1')("('!< ;. .... ~ 1rl: 1:1 .iX 'J Jlf \ 1 ~
Jean Cuny (+) d'Aviation) 17AU:. ~:!;d)lttJJI.! l ~ It.:: L. t T. ~ew.!f!;"p f:1fA HtJR L. t:.l;A *l~, £.'t'tttUN" t.llH:' '!J11C.
~ 1H m: tt ::t 1'. t.>~"lir:e.4:.:'I.Ht <t!. ~ 1\,
Pierre Gaillard CEV (Centre d'Essais en
Jacques Moulin Vol; Flight Research SquadroolSignal Publications. Inc.
Center), Bretigny-sur-Orge, 1115 Crowley Urin!
Jean-Jacques Petit Carrullton. TX 7501 I-SOW
Pierre Riviere (+) France
CAC (Camouflage Air Club), SHAA (Section Historique
Three L10re & Olivier LeO 451 bombers assIgned to the 2nd Escadrille (Squadron) of
Marseille, France Artllee de {'Air; French Air Groupe de Bombardement (GBj Bomber Group) V25 (25th Escsdrtr; Wing) fly In formation
in late 1940. This was a unit 01 the Armee de rAfr de f'Armlstlce (Armistice Air Force) of
ECA (Eqllipements & Force Historical Section) Vichy France, as identified by the White aft fuselage stripe. GB \125 was stationed at EI
Conduiles Awomatiques) Aouina, Tunisia after the fall of France In June of 1940. This Escadre had WhIte numerals
In the 21 to 40 range painted on the aft fuselage of 2nd Escsdrll1e's aircraft. Aircraft
assigned to GB 1125's 1st EsciJdrllfe had numerals In the 11 to 20 range. The LeO 451 was
the standard French medium bomber when the Germans attacked France on 10 May 1940.

2
•
3
Introduction
On I April 1933. the French Army's AirorulUliqu~ Mjfjl(lir~ (Mihlary AeronaulIcs) ",a~
renamed the Aml/t' de /'Ajr (Ami)' oflhe Air; French Air Force). (This sen. ice became mde-
pendent of the Army 00 2 July 19J4.) New French Air Mmister Pierre CO( asked Armlt' de
fAir Chief of Staff Gentral Victor Denain 10 prepare a fi~'e-)'ear llirCTaft procurement plan in
May of 1933. Plml d'Equif~n1t'nt I (Equipmem Plan One) was intended to replace all aircraft
in the Annie dl: l'Air lO\'cntory and had sc\C'raltechnical objectives. 1bese included the wide-
spread usc of radio equipment and the introduction of high rate of fire automatically fed
machine guns. FilWlCi3.1 difficulues due 10 the Greal Depression caused the Miru5/he dl' {'Air
(Air Ministry) 10 postpone: P/tm I for the momenL
Germany wilhdre.... from both the Disamwnent Conference and the SOClite dc'S Nmi()lls
(League of Nauons) al Geneva. Switzerland on 14 October 1933. Rtichskmdu (Reich
Chancellor) Adolf Hlller's Nazi regime was now totally free to rearm. In defiance. of the 1919
Treat)' of Vcrsailles. (Gennany and the Allies signed this tRaty - \\hose proVISIOllS strictly cur-
tailed Germany's armed fortes -to formally end World War One OIl 28 June 1919.) 1bc Air
Ministry soon adopted Plan I, but the French Parliament did 1101 allocate the necessary fund-
Ing for its tOlal fulfillment. Despite thIS setback. the Air Ministry placed several orders for
bomber aircraft in late 1933 and early 1934. including 40 Amiot 1405,50 Bregue:t 413/414s.
and 32 Bloch 2005.
Violent nght ....ing demonstnnions occurred in Paris in February of 1934. This led to the for·
matton of a new French government, with GastOll Doumergue as Premier and Gin/raJ Denain
as Air Minister. The finaocial situation was Wot'SC than e\'C'T and the Annie de I'Air budget was
funher reduced while the Nazi threat grew daily. On 17 April 1934. France withdrew from the
Disaml3mcnt Conference and new defense budgets .....ere adopted the following July. lbese
budgets calk."d for the procurement of 170 new :tircrnft by the end of 1934 and 450 more in
1935. Consequently. the Mmjsljre de /'Air ordered 84 ncw bombers between August of 1934
and January of 1935.
011 16 March 1935. Gennany officially revealed the Luftwaffe. which has beell secretly
formed months before. The French gO\'emmcnt rcacled to this de\clopment by allocating addi~
tional funds for procuring 309 airo:rafl. Glnhal Denain signed intent leiters for 520 addition-
al aircraft a few ",ecks later. These called for the delivery of 452 aircraft before the year's end.
Meanwhile, the Elot-InOJor de {'Annie d~ I'Air (EMAA; French Air Force High Command)
revised their aircraft requirements. 11ley called for 1508 new aIrcraft (528 fighters. 620
bombers. and 360 reconnaissance aircraft). 11le Air Ministry presented a m(l(lLfied Plan I (Pllm
dt!J 15(0) to the Parliamenl. but it was 1101 adopled due to budgetary oonsln.ints. This Minisrry
studied a new procurement plan calling for 1173 3.lrcraft. oot increasing financial difficultlCS
redoced this to 1023 aircraft bcf~ it was adopI:ed on 16 July 1935. Due to the Luftwaffe's
rapid expaa~ion. Plan 1 was modified to authori,.c: procurement of 1151 aucraft on 9
December.
Gennan troops reoccUpIed the Rhineland - demilllan7.e<1 Germsn territOf)' west of the Rhine
River and facing France - on 7 Mart'h 1936. ThIs :tet was In defiance of both the Versailles
Treaty and the 1925 Locamo Pact. ",hleh broug.ht Germany into Western Europe's mutual
security ner.... on.:. Allhough French forces .....ere stronger than Germany's at Ihis lime. the
French did lIOlhing to stop Hitler's move. 11le Mi",sllrc de I'AJr subscque:ntly awarded the last
production COlltJaCts under Pion I. New Prcm}Cr Leon Blum appoinled Pierre Col as Air
Minister on 6 June. COl helped de\'elop a new procurement program (Plan 11). which the Air
Mmistry adopted on 26 October 1936. This plan called
for a considerable increase in Annee de "Air strength by
This Bl6riot 127M was one of 34 examples bullt whieh
entered AlfronlJutfque MilfrlJf", "rvice from April of
1929. These aircraft were assigned to the Escadrilles
de Profecf/on (Defense Squadrons) 01 the 11 th
Esc.drlJ de Bombardefrum! (Bomber Wing) at Met%.
Numerous fatal accident. plagued the Bleriot 127M's
service life and led to the Introduction of several
modlflcellons. Theae modifIcatIons proved ineHec·
live and the French grounded the massive Blerlots in
1933. Cocardes (roundels) were painted only on the
wings of French military aircraft prIor to 1940. The
center disc was Roundel Blue (FS25090). with a White
(FS27780) Inner ring and a Roundel Red (FS21105)
outer ring. Rudetera were striped (from front) Roundel
Blue, White, and Roundel Red.
the end of 1939. Among the n.-questcd assets were 1099 bombers. which were divided into 984
medium bombers and 115 hea\'y bombers. French aircraft firms "'ere due to deliver 250
bombers against Pwtlilduring 1938. including 24 Farman r.Z22s.. liS Bloch 210s. and III
Bloch 131s. The mdustry was unable to n'leet these needs. partly due to bol:h political instabil-
ily and the consequences of aircraft industry nationalization on II August 1936. Vanous firms
were consolidated into regional SocMtes Nationa/e de COllStrut'/ians A!rOlWll/;qUI'S (SNCAs:
National Airenft Construction Conlpanies). The ,mended production efficiency increase did
oot occur after nationalization.
By January of 1938. the most advanced of the 157 bombers on sirength were 119 Amiot
143l\·1s and 144 Bloch 2105. which were obviously outdated. The growing Gennan thrcalled
to a reevaluatioll of French defcllse policy and led to a llew aircraft equipment program (Pion
V)..... hich the Air Ministry hastily approved on 15 March 1938. l1s objccth·e was to increase
the number of firstlillc Ilrcraft m the in\'entOl')' to 2617. inclUding 876 OOmbcrs. with I reserve
of 2122 aircraft. including 614 bombers. This plan was scheduled for completion within three
YCllrs. Edouard Daladier - appointed Premier in April of 1938 - gave top priority to aircraft
production and "IWI V .. quantities were con... tafltly modified during the following months.
UnfonunalCly. French aircraft industry output remained slow. On 1 June 1939. onl) 88S air-
craft had been produced against the 'iCheduled 1305! 11Ic daily .....orscmng of the European Sil-
uation prompted the making of new aircraft procurement decisions on 13 June 1939. A modi- A few llore & OlivIer leO 20 bombers replaced agIng Farman F.60 Gollaths from May of
1928. leO 20s equipped three bomber wings: the 12th (Rhelms), 21st (Naney), and 22nd
fied Pion V (Plol/ V relljQrd; Reinforced Plan V) ..... as adopted. which called for 3575 aircraft
(Chartnls) Escadres de Bombard6menL Each ESClJdre consisted of two Groupe.. while
10 be dcll\cred by I January 1940 and 3938 additional aircraft to be delivered the following each Groupe was formed of two E$CJIdrille£ BkK:h 200a and AmJot 143Ms replaced the
year. Tht'5e unrealistic productIon programs were oe\'er fulfilled. First-liue Ann« de I'Air leo 20a from 1935: IIowevei'", several leO 20s were still in the Armee de fAir InventOf)' at
UMS ..... ere equipped with only 322 bomber'.> when German forces launched their assault ()Il the outbreak of World War Two In september of 1939. This LeO 20 BN3 was paInted over-
France and Western Europe on 10 M:lY 1940. Thcse aircrdft induded 90 Bloch 210s. SO Ami(l( all Chocolate Brown (FS20117).
143s, 21 Farman 22In22s. 94 Lri) 45s. 54 Brt'guet
691/6935. and J3 AmMlt 354s.

Bloch 200 No 193, White 6 (E-202), was assigned to

the 32nd ESClIdre de 80mbBrdement at Tours. tt was
a ahmly and reliable aircraft with reasonable perfor-
manee when it entered Armeede I'Airservke In 1934.
hs two 760 HI' Gnbme & Rh6n. 14Kdrs radial engines
powered It to a maximum speed of 215 KaIH (134 11I1'11).
The Blocll 200 carried a 1500 KG (3307 pound) bomb
load and was armed with three 7.5tolM Oame machine
guns located In single mounts In the nose, dor'sal,
and ventral poaltions. Bloch built 208 Bloch 2OOs,
with 92 of them stili In service at the outbreak of
World War Two. This bomber was painted overall
Oark Green (FS24058), with natural metal cowlings.
The matrlcu/(f mflitare (military regIstration number)
was painted In White across the wing undersurface.
This practice WIS dIscontinued on French aircraft
bunt after 13 January 1940. (M. Benlehou)
 •

Development
Amiot 143M Lion~ & Olivier LeO 451
L ,j -j
•

Bloch 210 Breguet 693

•
Farman F.222 Bloch 175

Bloch 131 Amiot 354

6/{i;]A
O
~ ~Ej}~~GJ+=H=l:::j:::q::J=J<f
n

6
Amiot 143M
The Freoch Air Minislry's &rdu Ttchni'lllt Airontmtrqllf! (STAI!': Aeronautical Technical
Sen ice) issued a ~pecificalion for- a twin-cngined. foor~seal. all~mctal multipurpose l1KWIoplane
aircraft ill 1928. Se\'cr.d manufactureni SUbmitted ploposals and the Ministry awarded con-
tracts for four proIOlypc:S: the Klenot 137M (Muff/piau; Mutli~Scat). the Rrf'gul'C 411M. the
SI~A 30. and the SEeM (Amwt) 140M. Felix Amiot led the Soditl d'Emboutissogt er de
COllstrnct;OII Mec(IIliqlle (SEeM: Stamping lind MechaniClll COllstruction Corporntion).
whose design bureau .....as headed by Alldre DUlanre. The Amiot 140M introduced the ~trcssed
skill principle......hlch provided a lightened airframe and conseqUCnll)' beller performance with-
001 needrng additiOfl3I horsepower. Amoog the AmiOl: 140M's many distiocli\·e features was a
100 M l (1076 square foot) lA'mg. which allo....lXI a relati\'e1y low landing speed of 85 K.\fI1 (53
\!PH), and It rectangular cro~-SCCIion fuselage filled with a deep gla7.cd gondola. Four r1l3chioc
gun stations wcre installcd and the typical bomb load con~isted of ~Ixtcen 50 KG (110 pound)
bombs. It was planned to install two 700 IlP Lorraine 18Gad Orion 18-cylindcr.liquid-cooled.
inlioc cnglOCS, but this powerplant was nOl. ready in time for the first flight. The Amiot 140 "'as
subsequently equipped with two 650 HP Hispano-Suil..l l2Nbr 12-cylindcr, liquid-cooled,
inline englOes.
Thc first protol)'pe (Amiot 140 No 01) made its maiden flight at Etampes on 12 April 1931.
After a fcw fljghL~, three-blade Ratier propellers replaced the two-blade Levasseur propellers Amiot 140M No 02 Is displayed at the 12th Salon de /'Avlation (Air Show) In Paris In late
in ordcr to reduce vibmtions. During thc following Junc. the prOlotypc was !'>Cnt to the Celltre 1931. The empty engine nacelles were designed lor 700 HP Lorraine 18Gad Orion, 18 cylin-
d'F.$slJ;s dlj Mmiril'l Aerie" (CEMA; Air Material Researcb Center) at Villacoublav for o(fi- der Inllne engines. Amiot designed the airframe tor the simplest possible construction.
elaltests. The second Amiot 140 was displayed at ltv: 12th Salon de rAvia/ion (Air Show) III Large riveted panels covend the rectangular fuselage frames. (L 'Aeronaut/que)
Paris. during November and December of 1931. It wa.~ due 10 receive all the modifications The fuselage of Amiot 143M No 01 Is rolled out of the SEeM factory at CoIombes, near
found necessary while testing No 01 prototype and was filled wilh the long a",ailcd Lorraine Paris In 1934. The wing center section employed a tubular strvc:ture to combine light
18Gad Orion engines in Novcmber of 1932. No 02 was soon rctrofinoo WIth Hispaoo-Suiz3 weight with strength. Windows along the lower fuselage provided full viewing for the
12Nbrs, but ncver flew. Mcanwhilc. the flying lC~t program continued with No Ot. crew, The front turret wal originally designed for two 7.5M'" Dame machine guns, but one
7,5MM MAC 1934 replsced these weapons on production Amiot 143Ms.
Aftcr CEMA trials, thc aircrnft participated in night mancuvers ;tt Nancy in July of 1933,
llk.-se flighls prompted the Armel' de "Air to n.:quesl se\'cml inlprovemcms. 1llcse ineluded
mSlailing a cupola O\'er the nose gun !Mallon. moving the bomb bay 10 the port fuselage side
and CTe<lting a crew access cat walk 10 starboard. and increasmg the ~urface of lower fuselage
",indows. 1bese modifications resulted in lhe AmiOl 140'5 redesignation as the Amiot 141:
ho.....evcr. this varium nevcr came to fruition. Militat)' au,horities considcrrd .he Amiot 140 to
have fulfilled most of their requirement.. for what they now callcd It BCR (BombardfnlfTJI,
Cll(lsse ('/ Rec(JIm"is_~IIIl{"t'; Bomber. Fighter and Reconnai~sancc) anemft and the Armel' tie
I'A;, ordered a first balch of 40 machioes on 23 No~ember 1933. It \lias then w..'Cided to lxuld
two protOCypcs as soon as possible. 11le first 0flC was the Amiot 142, ",hieh \lias powered by

Amiot 143M

7
--
The Amiot 143 No 01 Is paril:ed at Villacoublay during its IIIght test program In August of
1934. Armament was Installed in the three gunner stations: nose, dorsal, and ventral. An
enclosed turret on production Amiot 143Ms replaced the prototype's open dorsal posi-
tion. Engine cowlings were located Immediately forward of the wing leading edge. The
This Amiot 143M No 7, White 5 (E-166), was assigned to Groupe de Bombardement (G8;
Bomber Group) 11122 at Chartres. A stylized blue bird Is painted 0f1 the yertlcalstabillzer,
while a White diagonal band is painted 0f1 the tuselage. This aircraft is belie>nd to be
painted In the standard ovet1ll11 Chocolate Brown (FS2G117) scheme lor Amiot 143Ms.
(Tranchant Collection)
prototype's engine Installation near the wing leading edge was moved 25 CM (10 Inches)
forward on the Amiot 143M. This aircraft's color scheme Is believed to be overall Dark
Green (FS24058), with natural metal cowlings. The nose mounted test data probe wa. not
mounted on production aircraft.
two 860 liP Hispano-Suiza 12Ybr cngines. The second prototype wa~ designated Amiot 143
and filled with t\\-o 800 liP GnOme & RhOne 14K Misual Major l4-cylindcr. air-cooled radi-
als. Deli\cry of lhe AmiOl: 142 was scheduled for 23 July 1934, but numerous delays resulted
in its first flight not occurring until January of 1935 - five months after lhe Amiot 143's m:ud-
en flight in August of 1934. Littlc test flight mfomllltion exIstS on the Allllot 142 prototype.
which the Amlle de J'Air soon caocelled to divcrt all liquid CQOlcd engines to fighters.
TIn: Amiot 143 prOtOlypc was originally powered by 700 liP Gnome & Rhone 14Kars
(port)/Kbrs (starboard) radials, which were soon replaccd by the specified 800 liP 14KdrslKgrs,
and replaced in tum by 850 liP 14KirslKjrs. Gnome & Rhone 14 series engmes were handed.
so the port engilk" turned clockwise and the starboard engine turned counterdockwise. This
inward Illotion countered cngme torque and reduced aircraft yawing in the e\'ent of one engine
shullmg down during flighL Flight tests With CEMA at Vilbcoublay began during October of
1934.11le prototype demomlr.Ued a Illuimum speed of 293 K.\tll (182 MPIl) 31 4000 M (13_123
feet) during these trials. 11le Amiot 143 prototype was returned 10 Amiot aftcr CEMA lesllng
to have its cngines moved forward 25 CM (10 inches), which altered the aircraft's center of
gravily and improvt'd lIS stability. This protolype was 1hcn redesignated Amiot 143M.
The firsl 40 Amiol 143Ms were 17.91>1 (58 feel 8.7 inches) long, while ~uh!;Cquent llin:rllft
were 18,2 M (59 fect 9 Inches) long. The 29.2 eM (11.5 inches) nose addition funher modified
the center of gr.wity for improved Sl..1biJily. All Amiot 143Ms had a wingspan of 24.5 M (SO
feel 5 ulChes) and a height of 5.7 M (18 feet 8 inches). It weighed 6092 KG (13.430 pounds)
empty and 9687 KG (21,356 pounds) fUlly loaded. 1'..... 0 850 HP 14Kirs (port)IKJrs (starboard)
engines po'o"'ered 11 to a maximum speed of 310 1'.\111 (193 MI'U) 314000 \t (13,123 feet), lIS ser-
vice ceiling was 7lX1O \t (25.919 feel) and its maximum range amounled to 1995 I'M (1240
White 2 was Amiot 143M No 81 (E-304), which flew with the section de Pilotage sans OB 111/22 (later IlI22) at Orleans was the first operational Amlol 143M unit, receiving its first
VisJbllit. (SPSV; Blind Flight Training Unit) at cazaux. This Amk)t 143M WIS later trans- aircraft In 5eptembet" of 1935. This Groupe was redesignated GB 11/22 the following 1
fened to GB IVJ4 at Polx and survived the Battle of France In May and June of 194{1. The December, while an existing GB 11122 was renamed OB 1/15. The 22nd E$CMJre's other
Grou".'s red and whfte insignia is painted on the aft fu~. Groupe, GB 1122, transltioned to the Amiot 143M in January of 1936. Four Amiot 143Ms of
OB 11122 are parked on or beside the concrete dispersal at Chartres, while Potez 540
miles). bombers are partted aft of the Amiot aircraft. (G. Grod Collection)
This aircraft was amted with four 7.5MM MAC' 1934 Amiot 143M No 100 (E-327) made a long-range night from France to Indochina (now Vietnam, Utos, and Cambodia) in the
machine guns. One each was mounted in the nose tUITeI. fall of 1936. This aircraft departed from VlI1acoublay, near Parls, on 20 OCtober and arrived in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City)
lhe dorsallurrel. lhrough Ihe forward fuselage noor hatch. on 1 November. Along the way, it made stops In Rome, Italy; Tunis, Tunisia; Benghazi, Ubya; Cllmascus, Syria; Cairo,
and on the vcntrnl step. Outboard wing {;lcks held four 100 Egypt; Jask, Iran; Karachi (now In Pakistan), and Calcutta, India. Soon after arriving in saigon, the bomber flew back to
KG (220 pound) or two 200 KG (441 pound) bombs, while France, reaching Villacoublay on 15 December. Insignia from the various countries this Amiot 143M vIsited during this trip
adorn the f\Jselage. (P. GaIllard Collection)
the bomb bay held a maximum of 880 KG (1940 pounds)
of bombs. This bay held a combination of one 5{X) KG
(1102 pound). four 100 KG. four 220 KG (485 pound). six-
Ittn 50 KG (110 pound). or sixty-four 10 KG (22 pound)
weapons. A five-man crew - pilot, CO-plIOllna\"igator. nose
gunner. radIO operalorJ\'entrlll gunner. and dorsal gunner-
operated this bomber.
The fi~t four Amiot 143Ms of the inillal prodllCtion
balch were delivered;n July of 1935 - olle full year behind
schedule. The Air Ministry placed a second COlltraet for 73
aircrdft in April of 1935. but delays and fimlOcllll difficul-
ties resulted in the first llin,;mft of this ball;h nOl entering
service until April of 1936. In 1936. a third batch of 25
Amiot 143Ms was ordered. Amiot 143M prodocllonended
with the I78th ;urcraft - the 13SI of 76 1l1achines from the
final production batch - in 1937.

1MAC; N~'" J'A __• • a"'..rlJmnJr. CNleIkrauk \\ caro-~

MDIlfaewnn, CompllllY
 -1

o~

II Amiot 143M Specifications

, --
Wlngspan:
Length:
24.S .. (80 feet 5 Inches)
18.2 M (59 leet9 Inchell)

I ,
I- Helght: 5.7 M (18 feet 8 inches)

~
l00 ..2 (1076 square leel)
f:: Wing Area:
Empty Weight: 6092 KG (13,430 pounds)
f::: Maximum Welght: 9687 KG (21,356 pounds)

~
Powerplant: Two SSO HP Gnome & Rhone 14Klrs (port)lKjrs (slarboard), 14-
cylinder, air-cooled, radial engines.
~
Armament: .•....•........One 7.SMM MAC 1934 machine gun with 800 rOllrtds in nose
IUIT9I, one 7.S- MAC 1934 machine gun with 1200 rounds
it !?, I
I
- in dorsal turret, one 7.s.. MAC 1934 machine gun with 600
rounds on 'leJl:lble mount firing through halch In flCIOt" of for-
I- ward fuselage, and one 7.S- MAC 1934 machine gun with
1= 1200 rounds on fteKlbIe mount In vtmtral step. Mnlmum
bomb load of 400 ItG (882 pounds) on outboard wing racks

, f::: and 880 ItG (HMO pounds) Inside bomb bay.

t ~ -
Performance:
Maximum Speed:•. 310 KMH (193 MPH) lit 4000 III (13,123 feet)
r Service ceiling:••._.7900 III (25.919 teet)
M8.imum Range:_l995 KM (1240 ml~s)
Crew:•.•.•..•.••...••....•..•FIve

I-

- --
• _"f" - -
~ r :E

10
Amiot 143M in Service and Combat
The first Amil)( 143Ms were dcli\crt:d to GroUfN de Bombardem,"' (GB: Bomber GrouP)
OR IIIn2 (22nd 1:.~·callr...: Wing) at Orleans in September of 1935. This unil was soon redes-
ignated OB IIn2 and began lransilioning to the I'ICW type in January of 1936. On 15 December
1936.72 AmiOb eqUIpped frontline units while 12 more were IK:ld In resenc. The m\cntory
increased to 122 aircraft In January of 1938. Amiot 143Ms equipped OB In2. 0811122. GS
U34. OB 11/34. GS 1/35. GS 11135. and the 14th Groupe Au/Onome (Autonomous Group). The
obso1csccnl Amiot 143M constituted the backbone of the French IJombcr force when Frauce
declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939. They equipped Gil U34 at Abbe\'ille. OR
11/34 at Poix. GB 1U35 at Poowhcr, GB V38. GB 11138. and OB IU63 al Sttif. Tunisia. The
first war mIssion was undcnaken on 15 September, when two GB JU34 AmiOl:s new a TCCQfl-
naissance mission along the Germ/In OOrOCr. These aircraft dropped thousands of propaganda
Icaflcts during this mission. while the erews were strictly ordered not to firc on Gennan air-
craft unless fired upon. On 9 October. GB 1/38 deployed from TOnJsia to Troyes-Barberct, fol-
lowed a few days later by Os I1I3S, which wcnt 10 Au:\:erre.
Only 67 Amiot 143Ms ... ere still in Annif! d~ l'Alr service on 10 May 1940. when Gennan
forces atlacked lhe Netherlands. Belgium. and Luxembourg. This tolal included 50 aircraft
equipping four bomber groups: OS U34 at Montdidier. OS 11/34 at Roye-Amy. OS 1/38 at
Troycs-Barberet. and OS Iins at Chaumoot-Semootiel'!l. The remaining 17 machint:!> Wl'fC sta- Amiot 143M No 45, White 5 (E·266), files on a training mission in tM late 19305. with two
tioned III French Nonh Africa. Loflwaffe bomber.> allacled Men airfield just before sunrise on 100 KG (220 pound) bombs mounted on the starboard wing rack. The port and starboard
10 May lind dc~troyed the hangar that sheltered Os 1U34's Amiot 143/1.1s. The following night. wing racks carried up to 400 KG (882 pounds) of bombs, supplementing the 880 KG (1940
the slow Amiots flcw their first bombinll mission over Gcnmmy. pound) internal bomb loltd. This aircraft was assigned to the 2nd E&cadrif/e of Groupe de
Reconnalsunce(GR) Ll51 at Tours, (P, Gaillard Collection)
Oemlan forces coming through the Ardennes ForeSI rcxhcd Sedan, France on 13 May. 1llcy
Amiot 143M No 58 (E·280) was assigned to the 3ni Escadritle of GB 1V35 at Lyon-Bron In
launched pontoon bndges across the R,VeT Meuse and began mo\'ing SOIlthWardS with hun-
1938. Its nose turret happens to be turned to port wtll~ this aIrcraft Is parlted. This unit
dreds of tanks and arrnon:d vehicles. Annie de fAir chief Ginlrat Joseph Vuillcmin ordered laler moved to Pontartier, where It was stationed at the outbreak of World War Two. GB
all available aircraft 10 allack the German crossing. Nineteen slow and highly vulnerable 11135's Amiot 143Ms began flying nlgtlt reconnaissance missions over Germany on 10
Amiots - nine from OS U34 and 11134. and lcn from GS U38 and JV38 - and nine Uolt & September 1939_
Olivier LeO 45s wen: assigned 10 this desperate miSSIon. The bombers .....ere anned ",ith 50 KG
and 100 KG bombs and weTC to rendezvous with their escorting Morane-Sauln~rMS4Q6 fight-
ers al 1230 houn>. GB U3S's aircraft werc unahle to make lheir rcndczvou~ and fie ...· back 10
lheir base. This left only nine Amiots and the leO 45s to fly under fighter e.<;corllO lhe target.
When the Amiots re:u:hed lhe Sedan area, the Gennans were wailing for them and several
Messerschmilb dived towards lhem, 1llc Germans shot down fi"e Amiot 143Ms and oomaged
the other foor bombers, some beyond repair. Gennan lmops crossed the Meu"C unimpeded
aftcr repelling lhe air attacks.
On 16 May,lhe Frcnch f\mlY requeslcd that Amiot 143Ms :.hould be send 10 the MontcOTllCt
area of nol1heaslem France to support French tanks commanded by Gin/rol Charles de
Gaulle,' Gin/rill d' ASlier de la Vigerie, commander of lot" (l'Opjrations Airil'n"f!s dll Nord
(ZOAN, Nonh Aerial Opcrallons Zone), refused to commit the vulnerahle bombers during
daylight. Amiot 143Ms fiew only night bombing missions until Ihe end of May, then were
commined 10 special missions during the first days of June, Se\-eral aIrcraft fiew low allitude
fllghb dropping food and munilion.~ to French ground fQfct's endrclcd b)' lhe Wl'hrmachl
(Gennan Armed Forces). Advancmg enemy forces fon:ed lhe French bomber unit!> to retreat.
The 34th ES<.'/ulre (If! Bombordeme"l (Bomber Wing) crossed the Mcdilerrnne:lIl with a few
t Dc G:ooIlle .....mIO: It..trr of lht FlU F""DCh f~ ~tk, F...,.,'s ...,,,,n<It1" 10 .... (;o,m_ ... J...... of 19o1O
 This Amlol 143M, No 43 (E-264)
made a hard landing, which
sheared ott Its fixed main land-
Ing gear. The afrer.ft's sturdy
construction limited damage,
which Increnect the likelihood
of)t being re~lred and returned
to HfYQ. The .xtent of any
crew injurl.. wa. unknown.
TMs Amiot I. believed 10 be
assigned to the Centre
d'lnstructJon au Bombard«nent
(CIB; Bomber TJ1Iinlng center)
at Marrakech, French Morocco.
Defenslvll armament was oelet-
ed from this Instructional air-
craft. (G. Grad Collection)

(Below) Amiot 143M No 12, While 11 (E.171), lands at a French airfield. This bomber was assigned to the 220d Escadre de Amiot 143s and some faclory fresh Amiot: 354s OIl 20
Bombardemenl Despite Its obsolescence, the Amiot 143M WIIS Involved in numerous daytight and night missions against June. Between 12 April and 17 June. Amiot 143Ms
I German communications and armored columns. This machine had the original short nose typical of the llrat 40 production from 34lh Escotlre flew 247 missions and dropped 153
Amiot 1431.45. The nose made these early aircraft 29.2 eM (11.5 Inches) shoner than the standard Amiot 143M length of 18.2 .. MT (I ffJ tons) of bombs. During the same period. the
I (59 feet 9 inches). (P. Gaillard Collec1lon)
38th &cadre conducted 197 missions. and dropped 119
m(l3llons)ofbombs.
When the Franco-Gcrman Armislice was signed al
I Retbondes2 . France on 22 June 1940.52 Amiot 143Ms
remained in France's Un<licr"Up,ed Zone}:lnd 25 were in
North Africa_ The Annh de rAir de rAnnutlu
(Armistice. or Vichy Air Force) used them In the trans-
pon role. When the Germans invaded France's
Unoccupied zone on 13 No'<cm!:lrr 1942. the)' found II
Amiot 143Ms. of ",hich onl)' Ihrec ....ere air'A:orthy.

lTbe Fnonco--GeI'TTl:tll Annl'llce _ ~lgnW a/:M............ lroaoJ <_ In 1M

~ "rC"",plexne. whefe Iht Am\Ullceud'lII Work! W... One: ...-as
"pe<!oooI1 NO\~mbcr 1918
In.,~ UOO<<UfI'ed Zone be<:ame lhe F"""'h Sl~. or VIChy F"""'e. wier
tho: roc's ,.131 of Vic"}
Amiot 143Ms are parked at La Bourget airfield neu Paris during French maneuvers prior An Amiot 143M, No 52, Red 9, lUes over North Africa on 23 January 1941. ThIs ,Ircraft was
to World War Two. Most of these bombers lack unit Insignia, although the second aircraft ..signed to Groupe de BomblJrdement V38, which receIved their Amlots from GB 1122 duro
from right on the far row haa the GB 1V34 inalgnla on Its aft fuselage. Armee de I'Afr offi· Ing the fall 01 1938. Wheel fairings were discarded to reduce weight and ellSe mainte-
cers gathered on the hardstand wear Louise Blue service uniforms with white cap covers nance. This 1I1rcrafi Is painted in the French three-tone camouflage of Khaki Green
during the summer months. (FS24087), Chocolate Brown (FS20117), and Dark Blue Gray (FS36176). (M. Benichou
CollecUon)
Amiot 143 Variants and Derivatives
In OclOber 1933. AmiOl: began designing an improved AmiOl: 143M variant.
1lle resulting Amiot 144 featured a retracuhlc landing gear. a redoced wing
area, 300 an increased aspect ratio (win~pan divided by chord or width of
wing). Wing naps .....ere illstalled and the nose turret was di~carded. The pro-
lotype first new 011 18 January 1936 and the Air Ministry ordered 25 produc-
tion aircn.ft in due course. but the Ami()( 144's performance proved highly
disappointing. ThIs order was subsequently transferred to AmiOl: 143M pr0-
duction and th( Amiot 144 program was cancelled:n the end of 1936. A fe .....
AmiOl: 144 variants .... im diffeTCnt powcrpl:tnts were also considered. 'The
Amiot 145 was 10 be fitted with t....o 1100 HP Hispano-SUlu 14Har inlinc:
engines. The Amiot 146 was due: to receive 1100 lIP Gnome & RhOne 18Lal"li
radials. while the Amiot 147 was to be powered by 880 lIP Hispano-Suiza
12Ydr inJine engines. NOllc of the:.e three aircraft were ,",uil!.

The Amiot 144 was an improved derivative of the standard Amiot 143M. Its
main feature was the Installallon of a retracting landing gear. This proto-
type wss originally built with a nose turret, which was later deleted and
faired over. The French Air Minls1ry ordered 25 Amiot 144s In september
of 1936; he_ver, this was cancelled due 10 the slrcraft's poor perfor-
mance during trials. (N. Benichou Collection)
Bloch 210 BNS
In 1932, the AironoUliqll~Naml~ (AirtHlomfr. French Naval Air Arm) is~ued specifications
for a new torpedo-bomber inlended to replace the obsolelC Farman F.60 Goliath noatplanes.
Quile cotncidenlally. this requiremenl was similar w the Airfm(lutiqu(' Mifitalr~'s specification
for a new heavy night bomber 10 replace the ancieOl Liort & OlIvier LeO 20 Bombtlrdt'nU'nr
di' Nllil - Cmq-Pfoce (ONS: Fi\'c-Seat Nighl Bomber). Awoos Man.-el Bloch engineers look
advantage of their cltpcncnce gained with the Bloch 200 high-wing, t..... o-engine day bomber
III dl.'siglllng the new aircraft. designated the Bloch 210. ThiS was a sturdy. but crude all-melal
monoplane featuring an angular fuselage and a (hick trapelOidai one-piece low-mounted wing.
Tbe type was proposed both as a flo3lplllnc and as a fixed ull(krcamuge landplane. Amlamclli
comprised three 7.5MM MAC 1934 lIlachine-guns in three manually-operated tUTTCtS and up to
1600 KG (3521 pounds) could be carried in the bomb bay.
Construe-lion of lwo protOlypeS began in 1933. The finot mllcilLne (Bloch 210 No 01) was fit·
led with two 800 Ill' GnOme & Rhone 14Kdm;pon)IKgn (siarboard) Mislral Major. 14 cylin-
der. air-eoole(l. radial engines and featured a fu.ed undercarriage. On 21 July 1934. this aircrafl
was uansponed by lrUCk from Courbevoie to Villaroublay from where il flev.. for the fin;llime
on 24 November. Numerous mochficalions ""'ere found neces~. including a rede.o.Igned lail
assembly and a rcposiliooed dorsal tUTTCI. RIght teStS resumed OIl 15 January 1935. bul addi-
tional modifications \\ere soon required. Tbe s\\eepback angle of lhe oUleT wing pancl~ was
increased and a retr1lC1able ventral tumt was fitted. ~ prot.Olype was then Oo\\n 10 tbe C~nm~
d'Esso;:; du Mmirid Airit'n (CEMA) al Villacoublay. where offiCIal flighllCSIS \Ioere miliated
on 14 February. 1llese were successful enough for lhe prolotype 10 receive its full annament
and be scnlto Cazau.\ to undergo armamenl trials a month later. The French Na\'y'~ need for
a floalplane resulted in the Bloch 210 No 01 being flown to Maneille-Marignane. where it was
fined with two large pontoons. 11 flew from Berre Lake during January of 1936. hut no further
Bloch 210 noalplanes were built.
The second Bloch 210 prototype was fIned with two 860 HP Hlspano-Sulza 12Ybrs engInes
and became tha Bloch 211 BN4 No 1. Front-mounted radiators were installed fOf'the IIq·
uld<ooled powerplants. The Bloch 211 wss re-engine<! with Hispano-Sulza radial engines
.nd became the Bloch 212 No 01 In 1936, but its devek>pment was soon abandoned.
Bearing the designation moeh 211. the second prouxypc was po\\-ercd by IWO 860 liP
Hisp:mo-Suiza 12Ybrs.. l2-cylinder. liquid-cooled. 1ll11ne cngmcs. It was eventually sent to
Villacoublay for nighllesling. but il did not fly before 16 April 1935. The proIOl)'pe perfonned
wcll dunng these 1esl.S and reached a maximum level speed of 316 Dill (196 \4.PII). bul Its per-
formance was not significanlly dlffcrenl from thai of the Bloch 210. "The Bloch 211 was not
produced; howe'<cr. II wa~ e\'entuall)' equipped wllh HI~p:mo-Suiza 14AaOl,1;.l2 englllcs and
redesignated Bloch 212. whIch also did not enter productIon.
AcCOfl1illgly 10 Pion J. the Ar17l1t' de l'Air placed orden; for 130 Bloch 210s in April and May
of 1935. The first production aircraft was nown by Andre Cur...alc on 10 December 1935 and
reachedlhe speW of 335 KMII (208 MPIl) at 4000 \01 (13.123 feel). ThIs differed from Ihe pro-
1000ypc by cmploying 810 liP Gnome & Rhone 14KirstKjrs radial engines turning three-bladed
...ariable-pitch Raticr propellers. It also fe,Hured a rearward partially retracling unden:arriagc.
l11C second production aircraft. which was delivered during April of 1936, differed slightly
from iL~ predecessor in having an increa"cd dihedral in the outer wing panch. This modifica-
tion was evc1l\ually introduced on all production aircrafl. lhe wing area measured 12 \12 (715
square f~I).
The prodUc."1100 Bloch 210 BN5 had a wingspan of 22.8 M (14 feel 10 inches). a length of
18.9 M {62 feet}, and a height of 6.1 M (22 feel). 11 wtlghed 51)(X) KG (13.206 pounds) emply
and 10.200 KG (22.487 pooncb) fully loaded. It was po\\cred by t\\·o 910 lIP Gn6me & RhOne
14 10 (ponYII (swboard) 14.<'yhnder. air-cooled. radial cngines. The Bloch 210 had a max·
imum srced of 322 I{.'\IH (200 '\tPH) at 35<Xl M (11.483 feel). It had a sen Ice celhng of 9900 '\I
(32.480 fccI) and a maxnnum range of 1100 KM (1056 miles).
It wa.~ anned with three 1.5~l'\I MAC 1934 machIne guns in nose. dorsal. and \'entrnllum:ts.
Each weapon was provided wilh 800 rounds of ammunillon. Its 1600 KG (3.521 pound) maxi-
mum bomb load came in combinations of eight 200 KG (441 pound). IhirtY-IWO 50 KG (110
pound). two 500 KG (1102 pound). or one hundred twenty-eight 10 KG (22 poond) bombs. The
Bloch 210 was crewed hy five men: pilot. co-pilot/navigator. nose gUl1llcr. r.ldio operalorlven-
tral gunner. and dorsal gunner.
Dclivcrie) of production aircrafl were much ~lowcr than expected. mainly due to a shortage
of variable.pitch propellers. Subsequently. Bloch deh\'cred only 23 Bloch 210s to the Armee
de l'Air in 1936. Meanwhile. addilional batches lotaling 36 aircraft were ordered. At the same
lime. Rumania ordered 24 Bloch 21Ds (later reduced 10 len aircrafl). \\hich \\ere powcred by
GnOme & Rh6ne 14N 10111 engines. SNCASOI. SNCAG. and S 'CAOl wc~ conlracled 10
buill 61 adlhtional aircrafl lllhe cnd of 1936. Alllhese aircraft we~ inlended 10 be Bloch 210
BN5s. Prodocllon concluded wuh the 253rd aircraft in early 1939.
IS'«:ASO" s.xoll/ ."<11-...1 tk C-........_ ""_nqw$'" s..J-Ow-JI: '-:IoooaI A,,,,rafi C_~ c...np..) ~
thr Sou"'--'-
2SNCAC ~"'rI "'t>IJtMI>1 <k c .....,.....,..... M.-.-"'''l..... <hi eM/fro Nallo..",r A,nnfl COIlSUlKUUIf COOllJ"I"r ~ thr
C~m~
)SNCAO_ $<xi/Ii NanOllal d, C;NUII'.c";"" AhtHW"I'qw. "" ro-sf; NalKmaI AJ"'raI'l Co)fl)lrU<,-'J()fI COllIpaoy or the
w(<I
Bloch 210
LoL
 •
The 'Irst producllon Bloch 210 performs a teat flight In 1936. An unknown number of early
production alrere" were 6.9 M(22 feet 8 inchea) tall, due to taller vertlcallail sUrface•. This
height was approximately 0.2 M (8 inches) taller than the majority of Bloch 210•. Its ser-
vice ceiling was 9900 M(32,480 leet).
Bloch 210 No 1 (E-341) WIS named VERDUN, after the famous French 'ik:tory in Wood War
One. This name was painted on the forward hJselage, aft of the nose. An air data probe I.
mounted on the nose to collect test dala. It was not lltted on Bloch 21 Os In operational ser-
vice. This medium bomber had a 1600 KG (3527 pound) bomb carrying capacity.
External reinforcement ribs were titted to Ihe Bloch 210'8 wings and funlage. This was 8
feature carried over from the eartler Bloch 200 bomber. The first production Bloch 210 and
all subsequent machines were painted overall Dark Green (FS24058), with bare melal
engine cowlings and froot engine nacelle••
Six Bloch 2108 assigned to the 19th ESCMJ~ de Bomba,dem~tare lined up at a French
airfield. The commander'. aircraft at froot has the combil'led insignia ot the Wing's two
Grou~s painted on the aft fuselage. The remaining aircraft belonged to GB 1119 and di.-
play the Group Insignia. White lightning botts are painted along the fuselage sides of GB
1/19'. Bloch 210s, which have white Roman numerals on the tall. (P. Gaillard Collection)

·- -
( ,
Bloch 210 No 258 (l·210) warms up Its engines at Toulouse-Blagnac in 1938. It was
assigned to the 4th Escadrille 01 GB 11/23 and Is identified both by • Whlle B on the fuse-
lage and by a White 14 on the vertical stabilizer. The barely discemable Groupe Insignia
on the fuselage depicted a white rabbit on 8 red disc. (P. Cortel CoUacllon)
Bloch 210 No 33, White 4 (E'375), of the 2nd ESClIdril,. of GB 1V21 Is parked at Its home of
Bordeaux-Mertgnac In 1939. The Groupe Insignia represents an owl on. crescent moon;
both are white on 8 black backgrourtd. A Roundel Blue (fTont) and Roundel Red diagonal
band Is painted across the eft fuselage. (5aboureau vi. J.J. Petit)
Bloch 210 BNS in Service
1llc Arme~ de l'Air had accepted 125 Bloch 2105 during 1937, but numerous teething trou-
bles delayed deliveries to operational units. A number of fatal accidents due to cngmc o\'cr-
hCllling and carburetor failures caused the French Air Force to ground all Bloch 210s on 24
Septcmber 1937. This prompted Bloch 210 crews to nickname tttcir aircntft Ihc "Flying
Coffin:' All Gnome & RhOnc 14KirslKjrs engines Ilo'erc replaced by improved 910 liP GnOme
& RhOne 14NIOIllsor4N20121s.
When France declared war on Gennany on 3 SCptember 1939. 238 Bloch 21lh equipped 12
bomber grou~ 1bc:se iocludcd ten groups stauoocd in metropohtan Fral1CC' CGB 1/11. OB
II/II. GD 1123. and GD 11123 at TOtIlouse: OS Vl2 and OS 11112 at Rhelm.); 081121 and GB
11121 at Bordeaux: OB 1/51 aoo OB 11151 at Tours). Two groups (GB 1119 and OB 11119 usual-
ly stationcd ill Bordeaux) were conducting maneuvers at Kalaa-Djcrda. Tunisia. TIle Anm!e lie
I'Air considered the Bloch 210 obsolete at the ,inle and withdrew these groups frOIll firsl line
service. These units and their aircraft were redeployed to !>Outhem France for swift conversion
10 modem bombers.
On 10 May 1940. only OB 1123 al ISlre... was fully eqUipped with Bloch 21Qs. This group was
pan of Grvupettumt de 8o",bordemellt No 7. GB 11/23 at Le Vallon was tflllbilloning Of) LeO
45 J. AilCrafi of GB 1123 successi...ely based al Ponl-sur, Yonne and Chaumolll flew se...·eral
night attacks againsl targe!.'> in France and Belgium untIl I June. when the group was orderet.l
10 relreat to Orange for re-equipment with LeO 451s. From 18 May. aireraft ofGB 1121 and
Oil 11121 conducled several sorties from La Fenc-Gauchcr airfield agaillst advancing Gcnnan
ground forces. These two groups lost ten Bloch 210s on these mbsions. GB lUI I flew a mi.~
of six Blochs and fifteen I.J..-{) 451 s on sever-II missions against Italy atkr the lalle.r's declara-
tion of war on France on 10 June.
When the Amlistice was sigPed on 22 June, 99 Bloch 210s were in...entoncd In the
Uoocrupied Zone of France and 20 more aircraft were "'lit based III French onh Afnca.
1bese aircraft were quickJy withdrawn from use. storttl. or scrapped. l1\e Vichy Air Force
refurbished six Bloch 210s (or na\'igator training duties in 1942
Bloch 210 in Foreign Service
Right·wing army officers led a revolt against the SpaOl~h Republic on 18 July 1936. TillS
acllon led to chil war in Spain and both the insurgent Nallonalists and the Republicans ..aught
combat ain.TIIft from vanous countries. Fra!lCC'S Popular Front gO"emment initially supponed
the Republic aoo Bloch 2JOs WCTC among t!1c amnft acqUired by Republican forces.
French tC'it pilot Lionel de Marmicr femed a Bloch 210 (believed 10 be lhe finot productIon
aircraft) 10 Spolin in lale July or early Augusl of 1936. ThiS bomber 1I1itially new with the
blXlnll (Spa1l1) Squadron before its reassignmenllo Gn/PO tGroup) 72. Two addllloo;l1 aireraft
(idc11lilies unknown) were flown from Bloch'~ Marigllanc factol)' 10 Republican-held territo-
ry the following September. The Republican Air Force had 15 Bloch 210s in service by May
of 1937. lbeir vulncrability to lighters led to their re~triction 10 night missions later in 1937.
Rernaming Bloch 210s were assigned to Gn/PO II de Bombardeo Noctunlo (11th 'ight
Bomber Group) by 1938; howe...·er. funher inform31ion on their Spam~h service IS unknown.
Rumania's len Bloch 2105 were assigncd 10 Escodn/ll 82 bombardament (82nd Bomber
SquadTon) at Cralo...·a. 11lese aut:rafl flew day and night bombing mIssions against Soviel tar-
gelS when Rumama jomed Germany's Illvasion of the So"lel Union on 22 June IIJ.tI. Five
Bloo;:h 21Qs .....ere lost in combat and accidents during Ihis campaign. The remaining Bloch 2105
were replaced by March of 1942

Several crewmen pose before an unidentified Republican Bloch 210 of Grupo 11 de
Bombardeo Nocturno (11th Night Bomber Group) at lerlda, Spain In 1938. The crew
access ladder Is extended from the hatch, while engine openings are covered for protec-
tion from the cold. The undersurfaces are painted aUght COIOfj however, the upper sur-
face scheme Is unknown. SPlInlsh Bloch 210s w~ seldom phologrsphed. (Juan Arraez
Cerda Collection)
Gennan forces captured this Bloch 210 after the French surrender In JUI'Ml of 1940. The
7.SwI MAC 1934 machine gun has been removed from the nose turret. A three-tone cam-
ouflage was painted on this bombet. Some black paint has peeled off the propeller blades
and there are dents In the cowling lip. (P. Gaillard Collection)
•
This unknown machine was one of only a few Bloch 210s painted In a camouflage
scheme. Upper surfaces were painted Khlkl Green (FS24087), Chocolate Brown
(FS20117), and Dirk Blue Gray (FS36176), while undersurfaces were light Blue Gray
(FS25189). A large cocarde was PlIlnted on the fuselage side from 13 January HMO. (P.
Gaillard Collection)
One of Rumania's Bloch 210s (White 4) made a wheels up landing In either 1941 Of 1942.
This alrcreft was one of ten aircraft flown by Escadri/a 82 bombardMnMft (82nd Bomber
Squadron) from 1937 until 1942.. Rumanian Bloch 2105 flew day and nlghl bombing mis-
~s against Soviet targets during the opening months of the war on the Russian FronL

Farman F.220 BNS Series
'The srA~ (Aeronaullcal Technical SerVII:c) issued II specification for a Bomborcl~m~m d~
Nuit - QUlJdripfuu (BN4; Four-Seat Night Bomber) in 1929. 1be Mmi$"'f' d,. r.4.ir (Air
Ministry) awarded Fannan a contr.lCIIO design and de\'elop twO BN4 proto«ypes on 31 January
1930. The first of these aircraft wa-~ the Farman F.220, which made its maiden flight on 26
May 1932. This bomber was powered by four 600 lIP Ilispano-Suiza 12Lbr. 12-cylioder, liq-
,I uid-(.'OOled. mline engines. which lo\'cre mounted in tandem pairs (U'3Clor in front. pusher in
rear) under the hlgh'fI1OlIntcd wing. 11Ie s«ond prototype Wb the FamlaIl E22!. ....hich was
) powered b)' four 730 HP Gn6n'K' & RhOne 14Kbrs Mistral Major. 14--eylinder. aIr-cooled. radi-
al engines. It also differed from the earlier F.220 in hllvillg a redesigned vertical tail section
r
and three manually operated gun turrets: nose. dOfS.l11. and yentral. TIle F.221 firsl flew in
November of 1933 and ilS strong perfonnam:e In ST A~ lests led 10 armamenl lrials at Cazaux.
Supc:rcl\arged 800 liP GnOme & RhOne: 14Kdrs engines repl:teed the 14Kbr.i po.... erplanls in
March of 1934. The F.22! resumed nlghtlC!its ill June: and llltllllled a top speed of 290 IOotH
(180 MPH) al 4000 M (13.123 fl"CI). 11le: Minis/~r~ d~ r!\ir ordered len F.UI BN5
(Boil/bar/lenient tie Nuil - CiIU/fJ/(J(:'; Five-Seal Nighl Bomber) aircmrt by lhe end of 1934.
1llc fifth crew member was added to help man Ihe defcnsi\'e llmlament
1Oc: Air Mimsrry recurned F.2ll No. 01 to Farman for installatioll of a relracling landing gcar
in August of 1935. This was the onl)' modification to this aircraft. but il was cnough to war·
rant a dcslgnation change 10 F.222..Q1. which fin;t flew in late 1935. Fannan began 10 build 11
• production F.222.1 BN5s in April of 1936. 1lIcse aircmrt differed from the F.222-01 in haY,
ing 870 liP Gnome & Rhone 14Kirs (port)fKjrs (Slaroo,lrd) radial engines and four additional
• fl.ll.'ltanks. which increased tOla! fucl capacity from 4340 L (1147 gallon~) 10 5860 L (1548 gal-
The Farman F.221 01 !irst flew in November of 1933, one year after the F.220 01's malden
• flight The newer bomber retained the filled unclefcarriage. but incorporated several
improvements. These included 730 HP GnOme & Rh60e 14Kbrs engines, a redesigned ~­
tical tall, and three enclosed gun lurrets. The F.221 prototype Is painted overall Dark
Green (FS24058), with bare metal engine nacelles and cowlings.
• units outsicle MelTopoliCan France in 1939. T o F.222.1s .....ere ddl,'ered to the l'EM:aJril/e
• in October and November of 1939.
Ions). F.222-1 flLght test!> resulted in seveml airfmme changes to the second prodUCIIOf! batch.
which lhe Air Minislry ordered on 16 October 1936. ~e changes included addt.--d dihedral
to the wing outer panels. eliminating lhe slep uncler lite bombardier's ~talion. and lengthening
the forward fuselage by 90 C.\! (35 inches). Four 870 Ill' Gnome & Rh6ne 14N II (ponYl5 (star-
lxwd) engines replaced the 14KlrsfKjrs Of! the second batch aircnfl. ..... hich .....ere designated
1t.222.h. The MilU5tir, (/~ /'Air ordered 16 F.222.2s on 15 December 1936 and the first air·
cmf! began official nighl tests III CEMA (All" Malerial Research Ct'nter) al Vil1acoublay ;n
No\"elllher of 1937. The lasl of approximately 50 producllon aircraft made its maiden flight on
20 May 1938.
1hc: Fannan F.222.2 ..... as an all-mc:llll. higb.~inged monoplane: .... illt fabnc-eovt'red control
surfOCC!i It had a .....ingspan of 36 \1 (118 ft'er I inch), a length of 21.5 101 (70 fect 6 inches), and
a height of 5.2 lot (17 feet I ioch). The alrcrJf!'s wing aTC-a was 186M!(2002 :.quare feci), ils
empty weight was 10,474 KG (23.091 pounds), and lIS mallllnum .... eight amounted to 18.675
KG (41.171 pounds). Its four 950 tU' Gnomc & Rh6ne 14N 11115 14·cylindcr. air-cooled. radi-
al engines were mounted in tandem nacelles under the wing.
This bomber Bad a maximum bomb load of 4185 KG (9226 pouoos) in ils fuselage ba)..
Payload combinations included t....'Cnty 200 KG (.... 1 pound) or fany 100 KG (220 pound). or
combmalions of 200 KG. 100 KG. or SO KG (110 pound) bombs. The airerafr was anned Wilh
three 705M\! M/\C 1934 Illachine guns III single lllounLS in the nose mITct. dorsallUITCt, and
I/cntrJl gondola.
1be Fanllan F.222.2 had a ma}I.lmUI1l spo..'Cd of320 KMII (199 MPII) at 4000M (13.123 fCCl).
Its service ceiling was 8000 \1 (26.247 feet) and its maximunl range: was 1995 "-\1 (1240 mibl.
This bomber- was {'rewed by fi\'e men: piIOl, co-pllOl, nooc gl.lnnerfna\"igatorlbombardler. '"en·
lral gunner. and dorsal gunner.
F.222 in Service
1hc: Ann/~ d~ rAjr asSIgned Ihc: Fann:m F.222s to both Groups of the 15th £SC(Jdr~ de
BOnlhfmlt'nleflf (Bomber Wing) al AI/oro. GB 1/15 'Il"cepted its first E222.ls in April of 1937.
followl,.'d by lhe F.222.2s enlering GB IUI5 service lhe following Dccelllbcr. The Willg had 18
aircroft on slrenglh on I January 1938. TIlis num!lcr increll:.ed 1042 F.222s (not including three
aircnfllosl in accidents) by the cnd of 1938. Adduional Famlall we~ dcli\cred to a pair of
d'/ndochme (Indochma Squadron) in January, hlle three: F.222.2s were:. as<;;igned 10 the 43rd
GrQUJl~ Arrietl AlI/onome (GAA: Autonomous AIr Group) al Thie,... S~negal that July. The lat·
ler unil's aircraft flew allli·shipping and ami·submarine p.nrol.. along the Wcst African C();ISI
GB VIS's aircraft flew the firs! F.222 combal mis..~ion in Europe on lhe c\cning of 22
December 1939..... hen they dropped propaganda leaflets on Ml.Il11ch On 10 May 19-ID - lhe
dale of Gemlany's assault on Weqem Europe - the Annie de l'A,r had 28 F222s In servicc III
Farman F.221 No 8IL·136) was assigned to the 2nd Escadrille of GB 1/15 at Avord. This The 4th E5CM1rille of GB 1V15 flew thIs F.221. No 6 (L-l34), from Ayord In 1936. This
aircraft flew Its first combat mission during the evening of 17-18 May 1940, when it Farman was painted overall Chocolate Brown (FS20117). while engirJe cowlings end
attacked German armored c~umns In the CharfeYille-Hirson area_ II was hit by anl!-alr- nac&lles were natural metal. The Groupe insignia on lhe fuselage consists of a yellow
craft lire Whi~ attacking Friedrlchshaten airfield, but was a~ to relum to saint Van_ The snake on. green flag. BR132, a Breguet 14 bomber squadron during World War One, pre-
Farman was repaired betore it was nown to lliignan on 18 June. tI crossed lhe Ylouaty used this emblem. (5aboureau via J.J. Petit)
Mediterranean three days laler. Strafing Australian P-40s at Kousseri, Cameroon
destroyed F.221 No 8 on 29 June 1941. White 8 was one 01 only 12 Farman F.222-1 BNSa bultl, which were assiglled to GB V1S.
On 10 May 1940, this unit had 11 Farman F.222s on strength, including three F.222.1s (Nos
Mcuupohtan France: II with GB 1/15. ten with GD lUIS, aod seven with other Units. Low ser- 01, 7, and 10) and eight F.222.2s. GB 1V1511ew F.222.1 Nos. 6 and 11 at the same time. GB
viceability meant th3llhe ISlh ucadrt dt Bombardtmtrr(s aircTlllfl flew only 67 sorties dur- V1S was redesignated Groupe de T,..n5porf (GT; T,..nsport Group) V15 - a Vichy Air Force
ing the Bailie of France. This campaign began when sill. aircraft flew a night tlombing mission untt - on 10 OcI.ober 1940.
agalllsl!.he outskms of St:dan on 14-15 May. 1he Wing new additional night bombing mis-
sions against German targets until orckred to North Africa on 15 JunC'. 1lle F.222s dropped 133
~rr (147 10nsJ of bombs dunng this bailie.
The Armlt dt rAir transferred three F.222s to the AirQlllll'ufe (Freoch Naval Air Aml) on
22 NO\'cmher 1939. 11lcsc aircrafl .....cre assiglled to Escadrillt IOEI at Orly. ncar Paris. This
unit redeployed from Orly to French Morocco for Atlantic patmls on 15 January 1940.
Fannan de\'eloped the F.222 further into the NC.22J2 series. Four 910 Ill' Ilispano-Suiza
12Y29 cngioes powered the NC.223.3 BNS. Two examples were: delivered to GB lUIS OIl 24
May 1940 and four \l.ere accepted by GB 11115 in early June; however. none of these aircraft
saw action during th~ B(lttle of Fraoce, Three civil NC.223.4s - featuring twin vcnicultail ~ur·
faces and powered by 1050 HI' Hispano-Suiza 12Y37 engines - were fnlprc~scd iOio the
AirutU/lYlle and assigned to £5cmlri/le B5 3 at Paris·Or]y. Only one of these NC,223.4s saw
operational service. an aircraft named JULES VERNE after the famous French science fiction
novelist. This aircmft made bistory whcn it became (hc firsl Allied aircraft to bomb Berlin on
lhc cvening of 7-8 June 1940. '[lIe Farnmn new from Bordeaux-M~rignac up the English
Channel. skirted the Dutch coost. crossed Denmark (lnd Ihe Bailie Sea. and attacked Ocrlin
from the nonh. JULES VERNE safely returned to Merignac after a 13.5 hour mission.

IE; f,;',plorulU"'; U>n•• R"~ M.rllln.. lI""onna,~<aIK't:.

l"&nl\"" a" ... ~""'" SNCAC d~nna: tl... 1936 I'",,,,,h a~l.11Ofl induW)' Mt>On&loullOO and the" LoIcr arn:ra(l h;ld ,he
I' pn:fi. rq>t"",cd b) NC
38 IlotorbanlnMnr, IlomI:>'R~
A Farman F.222.2 BN5, White 1, la parked al an airfield between misslons with GB 11/15.
F.222.2s were factory numbered 13 to 36. with military registrations l-155 10 L·162 and L-
216 to L-231. Farman F.222s _re the largest bombers In Armtfe de I'Afrserviee during the
A nose gunner/navigatorlbombardler wortl.s In his statoo aboard an F.222.. He Is pulling a
lever that is believed to either operate the bomb bay doors or for bomb release. This crew-
man was proviDed with a bomb sight, a table for navigaUonal duties, and a no....mount·
ed 7.sw. rmt<:hlne gun. French alrcran Interlor surfaces _re usually painted Apple Green
{FS14108), with cockpits in Night Blue (FS35045).
1930s and early 19408. This aIrcraft had a wingspan of 36 M (118 faet 1 inch) and a length
of 21.5 .. (70 feet 6 Inches). The F.222.2 had a maximum speed of 320 IOIH (199 MPH) and a
maximum range of 1995 101 (1240 miles). (M. Bentchou Collection)
this overall Chocolate Brown F.222.2 No 5, White 8 (L-159), was assigned to GB 1V15. A
White diagonal band is painled on the fuselage. F m 2s were armed with three 7.5_
MAC 1934 machlM guns: OM each in Iha nose and dotsal turrets and In ventral gondola.
The aircraft carried I maximum bomb load of 4185 KQ (9226 pounds).
 -
This F.222.1 was one of <'I fe..... examples camouflaged al the outbreak of World War Two.
Khaki GrHfl (FS24087) and Dark Blue Gray (F$36176) patches were painted over the
Chocoillte Brown (FS20117) upper surfaces. Undersurfaces were Aat Black (FS37038)In
keeping with their night bomber role. several airmen gather near the F.222. while a Curti"
Hawk H.75A-2 (export P-36) nghter is parltecl nearby. (M. Benlchou Collection)
An unknown F.222.2 Is parked at a airfield in Vichy French-held North Afriu in late 1941
or early 1942. A,.". de fAJ, cht I'Arrnislka aircraft luid diagonal wing banda painted (from
Inboard) Roundel Blue, White, and Rou~ Red from December of 1941. It truck assigned
to the base'. groul1d crew Is parked under the F.222.2'. nose. (M. Benichou Collectlon)
The Armee de l'Afr transferred F.222.1 No 1 and F.222.2 Nos 16 and 33 to the Aeron""ale
(French Nlval Aviation) In NOWlmber 01 1939. These bomben were used to fonn
E5CIIdritie 10E at arty, near Paris. F.222.1 No 1 was aJlocIIted the Aeronava'ecode 10E.3
when it was based at Orty in November. This Squadron deployed 'rom Orty to French
Morocco on 15 January 1940, when it began flying patrols over the Atlantic (P. Cortet
Collection)
The second NC.223.4 for Air France. F·ARIN JULES VERNE, was Impressed Into the
Aeronava/e when war broke out. This aIrcraft was originally tasked for long·range recon·
nalssance, but was soon reassigned to night bombing missions. JULES VERNE was the
first Allied bomber to attack Bertin on the evening of 7-8 June 1940. The twin-taU NC.223.4
was poWefed by four 1050 HP Hlspano-Suiza 12Y37 engines and had a 5000 lUll (3107 mile)
range. (P. Ropolo Collection)
Bloch 131 RB4
In October of 1933, the EWf-lt/ojor de rAml/t' de l'Air (EMAA; French Air Force High
Command) issued a specification for a lwin-engine BCR (Bomtxm/emem, Cam!Jm,
Hense;gn"ment: Bomber. Combat. Intelligence l ) aircraft. This machine wa~ reqlUred to carry
500 KG (1102 pound.~) 10 1000 KG (2205 pounds) of bombs. ha\C a top speed of al least 350
KMIl (217 ~II'HJ at 4000 M(13.123 feel). and a range of 1300 KM' (808 miles). Eight aircraft .....ere
entered m this cOIupelition: Amiot 144. n10ch 130. Breguet 460. Cou-zinel 190, Dt-.wiline
420, "'annan 420. Potu 541. and SAM 80.
The Bloch J 30 retained the basic la)'out of a lo~ -wing. all'l1le1al monoplane 10 the earlier
Bloch 210. The prototype firslllcw in July of 1934. but AI'ions Marcel810ch hailed Bloch 130
de\'clopmcnt in favor of a nlOR: capable aircnlfl. 1lte firs( dc\'cloped ' .....0 basic \,anants of lhis
RB4 (RecOtlnmssance 8QmoordcfTWnl- QuaJriplau: Four-Seat Reconnaissance-Bomber) air-
craf!: the Bloch 131 I"ith GOOme & RhOne 14Kin (pol1)IKJrs (starboard) radial engines. and
me Bloch 132 with the Hi~p3l1()o-Suiza 14Aa inline: engines. Both all-rnc:tal machines featured
a streamlined ..emi-monocoque fuselage and a highly tapered low canlikl'c:r wing. The AIr
MiniS(ty placed twO OOnlractS with Bloch on I Api'll and 24 April 1936. 1besc called for eight
producuon Bloch 131s. one Bloch 132 pn>lot)'pr:. 12 production Bloch 132s. and one. proto-
I)-pt of the t\loin-finned Bloch lJJ.
The Bloch 131 protocypc: first flew from Courbel"ok on 12 AuguS( 1936. The sexood Bloch
131 w~ displayed in a fil"e-sem ooofiguration althe 15th S<JJon d~ I'A,"wlion (Air Show) In
Paris the fol1o\loing No\·ember. Aircraft No 2 had several impro\"ernc:nts o ...c:r its predecessor.
mduding the deletion of horizontal stabilizer bracing SlnllS. a reduced chord venlcal stabihz-
er. and a reposltJoned dorsal gun tUITe!. This aircraft first new on 5 May 1937 and \lolb joined
by the Bloch 132-01 pn>lOlypc: three days later.
The Bloch 133-01 first fle\lo on I October 1937. bul night teSling revealed difficulties with
tR..u"x--ro' (1J""lb~""'1~feTIN 10 _CIe =on~
The Bloch 131 R4 No 01 prototype rests at Villacoublay during CEUA tests In the early
summer of 1938. This natural metal aircraft has a I'K)se test probe, which was not Installed
on production Bloch 131 RB4s. The EMU (French Air Force High Command) intended the
Bloch 131 to lIy both reconnaissance and bombing missions.
thc retractable under fuselage turret. Whcn this turret wa~ lowcrcd at high speed. buffeling
l:auscd high frequcocy vibrations in the twin tail unit. IJloch ~nginec,.., ck-cided to install a fixed
~treamlined gondola, whose drag reduced the maximum speed f10111400 KMIl (249 Mf'U) to 360
KMtl (224 Mf'U). The Minisl~r~ d~ l"Aircancclled the Bloch 133, oot ordered 44 Bloch 132s and
24 Bloch Dis in Sept:ember of 1936. followed by 30 more aircraft the following July.
All ronlrncts for Bloch Dis and 1315 \Ooocre modified aftcr the Air MiniMry adoptcd Plan
d'Equip€m""t V in March of 1938. These aircraft wcre to lie completed as Uluch 131 RB4s.
~xecpt: for three Bloch 134 B4 bomber pTOl:OIypc:s. The first production Bloch 131 \lo3.5 com-
plcted and flown from Chateauroux-Deols in May of 1938. This and the following 13 aircraft
completed wefC Bloch 131 R4s solely for reconnaissance mis"ions. Bloch thcn produced five
traming aircraft with dual rontrols. with Bloch 131 No 21 and the 100 alrcmft that followed
bUIlt 10 the: full R84 configumlion.
The Bloch 131 RB4 had a wingspan of 20.1 II (65 feet II mchI'S). a wing. area of 52.1 loll
(561 square feel). a length of 17.9 M (58 feet 9 inches), and a height of 4.1 M (13 feel 5 ioch+
es). II weighed 6050 KG (13.338 poundsl empty and 8526 KG (18.796 pounds) full~' loaded. The
powcrplant consisted of two 950 lIP Gn6mc: & RhOne 14N lOllis, 14-cylinder. air-cooled.. radi-
al engines. The Bloch 131 RB4 had a maximum speed of 385 om (239 MPlI) at 4000 M (13.123
feet). a SCrvlce ceiling of 7250 M (23.786 feet). and a range of 890 lOt (553 mIles, with a 400
KG (882 pound) bomb load.
Its bomb bay held up 10 800 KO (1764 pounds) of bombs on Alkan bomb rnl"ks. 1bc:sc \loerc
in combinations of four 200 KG (441 pound). six 100 KG (220 pound). eight 50 KG (110 pound).
or sill:ty-four 10 KG (22 pound) \leapons. Defensil'e annartlUlt consisled of three 7 .5J>1~1 MAC
1934 machine: guns in single mounts in the nose. dorsal tUlTCt, and \"~ntral gondola. The nose
gun was supplied with 500 rounds of anunumllOtl. \lohilc the other t\Oo'O weapon!> each had 1500
rounds. A crew of four men - pilot. bombaf(h~r/llO'le gunner. dOr>a1 gunner. and radio oper.l-
tor/n:ntral gunner - new the Bloch 131 RB4.
1bc: first Bloch 131 was delil'ered to the A""i~ d~ tA" in June: of 1938. \lith the 2200
Es...(u/r~ at Chartres beginning conl'enion to this type: the: follOWing September. By Septem~r
1939. Bloch 131 s eqUipped five Croupt's d~ R,.'tJ~iN"e",~", (GR: Intelligence: Groups) and an
Autonomous Air Group in Metropolitan France and another R«onnalssance Group in North
Afnca. Bloch completed and delivered 138 Bloch I3ls through Sept.embcr of 1939.
Early daylight reconnaissance missions over German lemlOry Tel'eale<! the Bloch I3l's inad-
cquatc performance and the type were relegated to night Ini~sions until replaced by POlez
63.11". The few surviving Bloch 131s left in Viehy Fmnce after the Annisti<:e were converted
into target tugs. All annament was removcd:lOO a winch llnd cable drum lru.tal1ed in a modi-
fied I·entral gondola.
Although the Air Ministry ordcred three Bloch 134 B4 prototypes in March of 1938. only
onc aircraft was complcted. It first flew from Orlfans.Bricy on 22 July 1939 and displayed
improvcd performance ovcr the Bloch 131. but availability of the Liore & Olivier LeO 451
reduced further Ar",t't' de I·Air interest in the Bloch aircraft. Thc Bloch 134 was damaged on
a night test on 21 April 1940. when a main landing gc,lr leg clJlhlpl'ed on landing. The aircraft
was not rcpaired by (he time German force~ ovcrran Orlfans; the Bloch 134'." subsequenl fate
is unknown.
Bloch 131
o
 -
Bloch 131 No 124 (L·379) was assigned to Grouplt de Reconna/s.."ce (GA;
Reconnaissance Group) "55 at Orange-Plan de Oieu In the spring of 1940. The upper sur·
faces are plIinted Dart!: G~n (FS24058), while the undersurfaces are light Blue Gray
(FS25189). Bloch 131. sustained high losses during the 'Phony War' (1939-40), which led
the AtmN de I'AI,to rapidly pttase this type 'rom front.Jlne service. (CAe)
Bloch 131 No 43 (E-298) "Ies • target towing mission from Cueaux in 1940. Allarmamenl
wa. removed and • target winch installed under the fuselage. Three White (FS2n80) and
two Roundel Red (FS21 105) blinds are painted on the aft fuselage to increase the towing
aircraft's visibility. Similarly configured Bloch 131. also flew from Toulouse and Orange.
(M. Benlchou Collection)
Bloch 131 No 12 (E-232) sits sftet". hard landing at Cutres in July of 1940. Its upper sur-
faces were painted in an unusual camouflage pattern, whiet1 consisted of ifTegular patctt-
es of Khaki Green (FS24087). Chocolate Brown (FS20117), and Dark Blue Gray (FS36176).
Small cocsrdea were painted on the wing upper ISUrlaceS and fuselage sides. Bloch 131$
carried up to 800 KO (1764 pounds) of bombs. (P. Cortet Collection)
The Bloch 131'$ pilot sat to port In the cockpit, with his control Wheef mounted immedi-
ately forward of the seat. Flight, engIne, and fuel instruments were grouped on the Ntght
Blue panel. The large opening to starboard provided .«ess to the bombardier/nose gun-
ner's position In the glazed nose. A 1.5_ MAC 1934 machine gun I. mounted in the nose.

Liore & Olivier LeO 451 84
On 17 No\cmber 1934, the Sen'ice Tu-hnique Aironal4liqlle (STAc; Aeronautical Technical
rvice) issued specifications for a new bomber 10 replace obsolete bombers III the Armlr (If'
I'A,r invernol')'. This called for a BomJxmJemenl - Cinqplace (85: Five-Seat Bomber) capable
of flying at 400 K.\1II (2-19 \lPH) at 4000 M (13.123 feel). It~ dcfensh'c armament would consist
,, of fiXL-d f~ard firing machine guns and rearward firing ,,"~apons In the dorsal and \enlraJ
posillonS. The bomb load of 1000 KG (2205 pound~) or possibly 1500 KG (3307 pounds) .....ould
, be intemally eamed. Fi\c 65 proposals were submilled 10 the STAt in late 1935 the Amiot
J41, Bloch IJ4. Lal~re 570. Liori & Oli"ier 45. and RornartO 120. During the evaluation.
the: STAt decided to reduce: the crew from fj\'C to four and 10 use a 20\1),1 Hispano-Suiu HS
404 cannon In the ~1 gun position. TIle modified !JQf/I}xmkmrnl- Quadril,laCt' (84; r·our.
$eal Bomber) specification considered a~'ailable I())O liP engines m calling for a I1la)l:Imum
speed of 470 K.MIl (292 MPU).
TIle Lion!: & Oli\ icr LeO 45 prolOlype was bUIlt al Argenteuil and !he main sub-~uSC'mbries
were Il\Il.':kcd 10 Villacoublay fIX final a55C'mbly. This airnaft was equipped wilh t\\O 1080 HP
Hispano-Suiza 14AA06 (port}llJ7 (swboant) 14-cylioder. air-<'OOled. radIal engines. The pow·
erplanl was enclosed Ilo l!hin NACA cowlings and turned !hrtt-bladed Ilispano-Sui1..3 two-posi-
l10n metal propellers. "The LeO 45 proIotype was designed to allow in5lallauon of 1200 UP
GnOme: & RhOne 14P radials in pl;u;c of the Hisp3no-Suiza engines.
The proIOIypc (LeO 45 No 01) made ilS firsl f1lghl from Villacoublay on 16 January 1937.
nus aIrcraft featured small triangular \crtical fins and early lest nIgh'S revealed ioslabllity dur-
The L.)ore & OIlvM!f L.eO 45 No 01 was modified into the leO 451 No 01 pl'ototype in 1938,
ModlflC8tlonslocluded the Installation of 1030 HP GnOme & Rh6ne 14N2001 radla' engines
under stream1ine<l Mltfeler cowlings. Conical spinners _e installecl over the pl'opellef
hubs,larger venical taUassembnes replaced those originally installe<l on the aircraft. The
first production leO 45,. were virtually simUar to this aircraft.
-
- --
ing take off and climb. New. larger fins with aerodynamically balanced rudders were inslalled
a~ a re~ult of the flight leslS, These modified tail surfaces largely overcame this oonam. An
even greater problem for Uore & Olivier englOcers was engine overheating, which required
changing the GnOme & RhOne 14AAQ6"Q7 engines after a fello' flight hours. lk.spite this con-
cern. thc LeO 45 prototype achieved II maximum Ie~'el ~pced of 480 K.\111 (298 MPH) at 4000 M
and reached 624 KMH (388 MPH) m a dive.
LiOl'l!' & Olivier delh'ered LeO 45 No 01 to lbe C~"," J'Essair Ju M(/flri~1 Alntm (CEMA;
Air Material Research Center) al Villacoublay for official lIials in September of 1937. Early
the 1lC.\1 year. the prototype was relUrnl"d to tbe maouraclurcr for new engme co\\hngs
designed by loUIS Mercier. In July of 1938. the LeO 45 reached a ffiaAimum speed of 500 J(.MII
(311 MPII). Teelhing problems .....ith !he Hispano-Suiza engines continued arKI LI<n & Olh'ier
decided to replace !hem with 1030 liP GnOme & RhOne 14N2OI21 radial engmes. This engine
change resulted in the proIot)'pc's redesignation as LeO 451 1l'lc nighltcsi progrnm resumed
on 21 OclOber 1938 and lasled unlil February of 1939
In the meanlimr:,!he ST Af on:Iered t.....o pre-production alrcnft In May of 1937, OPe was lhe
lAO 450. whIch was powered by 1100'0 1080 lIP HISpaoo-Sulza 14A06J07 engmes. while the
other was tbe lAO 452, which had 1100 liP l-hspano-Sui1..3 14AA 12113 engnJt:S.
The M/1list~rt J~ l'Air granted lbe fin-I LeO 451 producuon conttaCl on 29 November 1937.
after the Mmisuy adopted Plan V. The agrttmenl called for lbe dcli"ery of 20 aircraft b)' May
or 1938. This inilial conlrncl was followed by a second order for 100 more LeO 451s on 15
June 1938.
Prodoction LeO 451s were capable of using cllber 950 liP GnOme & RhOne 14N38139 IX
1140 liP 141\'-18149 engines. This "'35 a sound lechmcal do.--cisioo, but engme deli~e1)' delays SCI
back the Lt..<> 451 No l's initial night unll124 March 1939. Produclion was also hmdered by
lbe lack of specified GnOme & RhOne !hrtt-biaded propellers, which Iloere replaced by less
effiCIent Ratier propellers. This reduced the aircraft·'l ma~imum IC~'cl speed from 500 KloUi
(311 MPI" to 480 K.\IH (298 MPII).
The LeO 451 was an all-metal monoplane. wllh fabric co~ered control surfaces (rudders. ele-
vators, and ailerons). It had a wingspan of 22.5 ~1 (73 feel 10 inches), a lenglh of 17.2 M (56
feet 5 inches). and a height of 5.2 M (17 feet I inch), "The alrcrafl had an empty weighl of 7530
KG (16,601 pounds) and a ma.'\(imum \\elght of 11.398 KG (25,128 pourKIsl. Tbe 14N48149-
powered leO 451 achieved a nla..,imum speed of 480 KMII 3t4800 'I (15.748 feet). Its service
ceiling was 9000 'I (29.528 feel) and ib ma..,imum mnge \\as 29«) K,,\1 (1802 miles).
The main bomb bay in the fuselage held up to I())O KG of Nmb<;. includmg either two 500
KG (1102 pound) or five 200 KG (441 pound) weapons. Ty,o smaller bomb bays located in the
wing roots each held either one: 200 KG or one 100 KG (220 pournl) bomb. The LeO 451'5
dcfcnsi\'c armament included one 7.5MM MAC 1934 machine gun with 300 rounds fixed in the
nose to fire forward. A 20~M Hi"p.lf\o-Suiza liS 404 cannon wilh 120 rounds was mounted in
the retractable dorsal turrel. while another 7.5MM machine gun with 500 rounds wa.s filled in a
retractable ventralturrel. The bomber's crew consi.,tcd of four men: pilO1, bombardier/naviga-
tor, dorsal gunner, and radio oper.ttor/ventral gunner.
Lion! & Olivier LeO 451
 Tbe lit Elcadrflle (Squadron) of Groupe de
Bombam-m/lmt (GB, Bomber Group) 1122 EBCadre
(Wing) flew thil Amiot 143M (No. 351E-194). Thil unl1
_s based at Orleans, France from 1936.

Bloch 210 No. 45 (White 11E~18) was aulgned to

the 2nd EM:lJdrflle of GB 11121 at Boroeaux-Merlgllllc
in 1939. This aircraft flew night reconnaissance mis-
sions .arty in World War Two.

France delivered ten Bloch 2108 10 Rumania In

1937.lncludl~White 6. It was assigned to Escadrila
82 bomblJrdalfMnt (82nd Bomber Squadron) and
ftew on bombing missions against the Soviet Union
in the summer of 1941.

Among lhe Farman F.222.1 s assIgned to the 2nd

EaclJdrllle of GB IV15 was White 7 (l.'49). This unit
was based al Avord from December of 1937 and
tlew night leallet dropping and bombing missions
early in the war with Germany.

Red and white stripes were painted on the aft fUM-

lege of this Bloch 131 (No. 43JE-298) assigned to tar·
get tug duties at CazeauJ: In 194().41. All armament
was ditleted and a target towing gear was fined into
the lower fuselage.

--
 - -- - -
Thlsllore & OlivIer LeO 451 (No. 426) was assigned
to the lsi Escadrille of GB 1111 in 1941. It was a
Vichy French unll blsed at Oran, Algeria. The white
fuselage strIpe identifying Vichy atrcr.n was some-
times made In the form of an arrow.

us forces captured this LeO 451 (OK..ZO) lrom 1M

Germans while adVancing Into Sicily In 1943. The
Luftwaffe commandeered this bomber for tnIinlng
and transport uses. The Americans later used It ••
a squadron 'hack.'

The commander olll'le lat Eacadrlile of Groupe de

BomlMrdemenr d'Asullt (GBA; Assault Bomber
Group) V51 flew this Breguet 693 (No. 74), White 1.
This Squadron anacked German armored lonna-
tions during the Sattle of FrallC8 in May and June of
,.... ~

The 3rd EsciJdrlllll of Groupe de Reconna/sSotnce

(GR; Reconnaissance Group) 11152 11_ this Bloch
175 (No. 111)10 1940-41. This Vichy Air Force unit
was based at Orart-La senl_, Algeria.

The sl.th Amiot 354 wa. one of only 2S elUlmples

delIVered to the Ar"," de I'Alrby 10 May 1940. The
operatlonlll 8ircr8ft ..w little comb8t before the
Freoch-German ArmIstice of 22 June 1940.
The LeO 45 No 01 was powered by 1080 .. HlspallOSua. 14AA060'07 radials during its LeO 451 No 01 banks away from the camera aln:ran during flight testing In November of
flight test program el Villacoublay In hrty 1937. Extended air Intakes to the oil coolers 1938. This publicity photograph il a montage, for it depicts Men:ler cowlings on sn air·
were not installed at the time. this Leo 45 prolotype was eon".rted into the Leo 451 pro- craft powered by Hispeno-Suiza engines. These cowlings were only used on Gnome &
totype in 1938. The aircraft remained with SNCASE until the end of 1942; howtlver,llllinal Rhone-powered producHon elrcraft. This natural metal LeO 451's rudderl are painted
fate Is unknown. (from fronl) Roundel Blue (FS250901, White (FS2nSO), and Roundel Red (FS211 05).
The Air Ministry ordered 100 additional leO 451 s on 20 February
leO 451. undergo final assembly at a SNCASE lactory In 1939 or early 1940. The near aircraft has the early small
1939. followed by 480 additional machines on 18 ArriL Produclion vertleal slabillzer configuralion, while the machine on the left has lowered III venlral gun turret. The French Air
lagged far behind and lhe Amll!"e de fAir hlld accepted only IWO air- Ministry pieced orders wllh SNCASE lor 749 LeO 45seriel aircraft by 3 september 1939. An addltlonal800 LeO
crafl by the end of July. An Esmdrillt: tr£'l,eriml!llfl/tit:m fEvalu81ion 45s were ordered by 10 May 1940, for a total of 1549 aircraft. Only 452 LeO 4511 were completed before the
Flight) was c$lablisned (II Rheims ill carly AugUSI of 1939. This Flight
was a.'isigncd five LeO 451s wilh crews coming from GB (GroU{W dt:
fJf.Jmbardl!ment) V3110 haslen lraining on !he ne..... bomber. Only Icn
. ~
~
-
Franc:o-German annistice of 22 June 1940.
-~~'~ ...:
leO 451s wcre m IOc A,,,,ie de I 'Air m,·cnlOf)' - againsl 749 ain:r.lfl
on order - I'-hc:n Francc decl3rtd war on Gennan)' on 3 Seplembcr
1939. ProdllC1ion orders also mcllKlcd fi,c LeO 457 hlgh-allilode
bombers and ten LeO 458s POl'-cn::d by 1600 liP Wrighl GR-2600-
A5B 14-i:)lmder. :llr-eoolcd. radial engines.
The M""sr!u tlf' rAir placed additional orders fOf 800 leO 45
series ain;raft during the DrOIt' dl! gut'm' (Phon)' War) period (3
Seplember 193910 10 May 19-40). which raised tOlal LeO 451 and
derivativcs ordcre<l from 749 to 1549. This lotal included 68 aircraft
for lhe Aeronill"l/l' (AeronlUltiqlll' Ntll't/It:; French Naval Air Arm) for
deli,·cry octween JUlle and No\'cmocr of 1940. Also among lhe 1.549
machines requested were 400 lAo() 455s powered by Wilh 1375 liP
Gnome & RhOne 14R supercharged engines aoo 200 LeO 458s.
 •
Ic-
I o

Lowered Ventral Turret Early Vertical Tell

o
>.

Liort~ & Olivier LeO 451 84 Specifications

Wingspan: •.•..•....••.•..22.5 M (73 feet 10 inches)
L.ngth:..•_•.•_•..•....... 17.2 M (56 feet 5 inches)
Helght:.•.•..•.•..•..•..•....5.2 .. (17 feet 1 inch)
Wing Area:.•.•.•.•._.•..66 ~ (710 square feet)
Empty Welght:..•......7530 KG (16,601 pounds)
Mllllmum Weight:... 11 ,398 KQ (25,128 potmds)
Powerplant:....•....•....Two 1140 HP Gnome & Rhone 14N48 {poft)/49 (starboard),
14-cyllnder, alr..cooled, radial engines.
Armamenl: One flxed 7.SMM MAC 1934 machine gun with 300 rounds,
-- one 20M" Hlspano-Sulza HS 404 cannon with 120 rounds in
retractable dorsal turret, and one 7.5..", MAC 1934 machine

o o
-- gun with 500 rounds In retractable ventrallurrel. Madmum
o bomb load of 1000 KG (2205 pounds) in fuselage bomb bay
o and 200 KG (441 pounds) In each of two wing-root bomb
bays.
Performance:
MaxImum Speed:... 480 KMH (298 MPH) at 4800 .. (15,748 feet)
Servica Ceiling:..•..9000 .. (29,528 feet)
MllJ.lmum Range: •.2900 KM (1802 miles)
Cr_: F~r

---j'

I
28 u,

o
 ,
r.'
,
- - {

A French crew boards a leO 451 somewhere In North Africa in 1943. This aircraft was believed
10 be assigned 10 GB 1125. A ladder extended from Ihe wing trailing edge for crew access end
egress. It was relracted Into the wing belore flight. The rope mounted Inside the cabin aided
Ihe crew In reaching the side door while the engines are running. A 120-round ammunition box
Is fitted to the 20..... Hlspano-Sulze HS 404 cannon, which is mounted on the extended ctofsal
turret.
The leO 451 pilot's Instrument panel was located In the port cockpit area. This Is from a post-
war LeO 451 E lest aircraft, which slightly differed trom wartime aircraft. The semicircular con-
trol wheel was mounted on a control column arm, which extended from the left side.
Instruments on the upper row Include (from left): the anemometer (air speed Indicator), the
Sperry gyroscope, and the varlometer (vertical speed Indicator). Two fuel pressure gauges are
located under the wheel, with Iwo cowl flap adjustment levers located beside these gauges.
(Author'. Collection)

The pilol'. seat was raised off the cabin floor to allow greater visibility through the
canopy. The retractable dorsal gun turret was mounted aft 01 pilot's seat, while radio
equipment was stowed on racks along the cabin skla. The fus~age bomb bay was
mounted aft of the: radio equipment. A fOUnd window Is fitted Into the oval access
hatch located to starboard. The navigatorlbombardier crawled through the opening
to starboard of the pilot's seat 10 reach hi. sllllion. Interior surfaces were painted
Apple Green (FS14108). with black radio boxes and Night Blue (FS35045) cockpits.

29
 , ,

I
The radio operator manned the LeO 451'8 ventral lurrel, which was hydraulically extended from

\ the lower fuselage. This crewman sat on a cushion at the turret's 'ront. The 7.5MM MAC 1934
machine gun has not been fitted to this aircraft. This lurret generated considerable drag and
was lowered only when necessary on a mission. It was offset to left of the centerline.

One 7.511lM MAC 1934 machine gun was fixed to fire forward under the starboard side nose.
Access panels were removed for servicing this weapon, which was ted with 300 rounds. The
pilot aImed and fired this weapon, usually at enemy fighters approaching from the front. The
MAC 1934 had a muzzle velocity of 750 III (2461 feet) per second, a range of 500 III (1640 feet),

- - - -.......
and a firing rate of 750 rounds per minute. (Author's Collection)

..
A dual control device was installed at the navigatorlbombardier station of this LeO
451 E tesl aircraft after World War Two. Wartime aircraft lacked Ilying controls In this
crew position. A clear escape hatch was located on Ihe upper nose section.
Optically flat glass panels were fined in Ihe lower glazing for clear sighting of the
target. The pilot's Instrument panel and right rudder pedal are mounted to pori.
(Author's Collection)

30
LeO 451 in Combat
GB 1131 entered World War Two wjth a mixed invemory of five L.cl} 4S Is :md eight obso-
lete Bloch 200s. It was based al Connantre and began operatIons by flying reconmLlSsaJlCe mis-
SIonS o\er Gennan)'. It sufferN its IiI1iI comb:u loss on 6 Octobt:r 1939. \\ohen LeO 451 No 6
was altad:ed by Messerschmlll Sf 1098 and was evenlUally do~ ned by Mil-aircraft fire oc:ar
Eusktrchen. Dunng the (ollowing weeks. Bloch 200 and Bloch 210 equipped Groups were
grddu311y withdrawn from operations in onlcr to each receive their full complement of 27 LeO
4515. During this process. OB U12 from AuzainvilJicro; and GB 11/12 at Damblain withdrew \0
OrI~ans·Bricy on 7 September and acceplt:d thcir first LeO 4515 on 13 September and 6
Oclober, respecli\cly. GO 1131 at Connanin' and GB IUJI from Marigny-Ie-Grand withdrew
10 Ltzlgnan. \\hile GB U32 from DiJOfl and OS 11132 from Ousscy reached Orange-Plan <k
Oku. GS VII and OB lUll - both a\ Toolouse-Francv.al moved to Mas de Rue. and GB 1123
and GO IIn3 both went from I~lres 10 Lc Vallon. Allthc:se units were due to reach operational
status by late February of 1940. but this schedule was counting on regulAr deliveries. The
AmH~e (Ie {'Air had accepted only 106 LeO 45 Is by 10 March 1940, with only 59 of these on
unit strength.
When Gemlan forces launchW their attacl on 10 May, the Amite de l'Air had taken 222 leO
45 Is on charge, but only 94 of lhcse w~ assigned to first-lioc bomber units and just 54 of
these 94 were serviceable, 'The Amtfe de rAir held 22 aircraft in resef\'e, while mO~1 of the
106 remaming LeO 451s were either under repair or modification. Only two Groll/)es de Two GB V12 LeO 451s with laler vertical stabilizer. fly over France In mld·1940, The fore-
8ombllf(Iement in France were cornbilt ready: GB 1112 at Sois.sons-Saconin and GO lUll at ground aircraft (Red 6) Is No 234 'rom lhe Group's 2nd Escadrille. II was delivered to lhe
Persall' Beaumont. GB 1/31 am"ed at Persan-Beaumont to reinforce Grollpt'melll (Groupmg) Annee de rAJroo 16 May 1940. lis wingman (Whlle 5) was .sslgned to the 1st ESCMfrll~,
The poor quality of French aircraft paint resulled In rspid deferioratlon of the camouflage.
No 6 on 15 May, but Heinkel He Ills auockcd the airfield four days l:lIcr and destroyed SC~'­
craI u.:Os. By 21 May, the worsening situalion caused the EtlIf.roojor de I"Annif' dt rAlr
It was common 'Of aircraft to show large patches 0' bare metal. (CAC)
(EMAA; French Air Force lIigh Command) 10 widldraw Grollpemellf No 6 southwards for LeO 451 No 222 - fitted with the Ofiglnal llns - was delivered 10 the A""," de fAir on 7
rest. Subsequently, GD 1112 and CD 11112 redeployed to Orleans-Bricy, and GB 1131 and GO May 1940. It was assigned to Centre d'instruetion au BombBrdement (CIB; Bombardment
JU31 m<J\cd to Chartres, Meanwhile, other LeO 451 equipped units were thrown into ball Ie, TrainIng School) at Toulouse and was eventually transferred to the A4ronavllle. It 'lew
GO 1111 arrh'ed from Marigny"le-Gr.lOd and POfIt~sur- Yonne at Etampes (south of Paris) on 23 with E5csdrf/1e 4F 'rom Hyeres, France end Oran, Algeria before being retumed to the
May and entered combat IWO da~s later. when they :illacked Gemlan column.. tn the Bapaume ArmH de fAlranet flown by Groupe de r,anspor1(GT) 1115, (Y. Benlchou Colleellon)
area. The am\<mg GB 11123'!> 13 LeO 451s al Etampes soon reinforced thIS Group.
Grou~melll No 6 recci~ed its complement ofLcO 451s and was back m action 00 28 May.
when 21 aircraft attacked 5e\'eml bridges ncar Aubigny WIth reasonable success. Three days
laler, 20 LeO 451s without fighter escort bombed Gcmlan targets in the Amiem-Abbe\'ille
area. Nme French bombers were lost to Gennan defenscs. EMAA considered this high loss rate
in switching to Olght bombing opcrallons on I June. ThiS change resulted in the redeployment
ofGS 1112 10 Mootbard. G8 11111 to Tavau.\, GB 1131 to Chiilons-sur·Sa8nc, and GB 1113110
Til-Chatel.
The relentless Ckrman ach·ancc \\OI'kned the silUation for the french forces in carly JUrlC.
This prompted the Annie (Ie l'Air to order LeO 451 unitl> to resume daylight mission!> as soon
as possible< The Baltic of France was becoming hopele'.. for the defenders and bomber unit.s
were ordered 10 withdraw 10 French Nonh African bases. GroufWmcm No 6 aircrJft flew
southwards to Istres, while CB 1111 and GB IIrn aircraft ITIO\ed to Bordcault-Merignac on 16
June. Three days later, four Grou/Hs de Bomburd~mell/ .... ere ordered to cross the
MeditClnncan and reach Algeria. Only Groupe~1I1 No 6's units remained In southern Fraocc:
to mount a few allacks against communication targets.
The signing of the Franco-German Armistice at Rethondes on 22 June 1940 meant that 183
,
,I
•
- -
This leO 451 (While 34) Is believed to have been assigned to GB 1111210 1940. large por-
tions of the fuselage camouflage have been peeled off from the unprepared metal skin. A
3O-found ammunition drum is mounted on the breech of the don~al 20,,* Hispano-Sulu
HS 404 cannon. The ventral escape hatch lmmecllatety aft 01 the wing trailing edge is open.
An unidentified Leo 451 Is painted In the Vichy French identification markings required
trom 6 July 1940. It consisted of a White luselage band and I white border 10 the coearde.
The Vichy Roundel Red (FS2110S) Md Yellow (FS13538) cowl and tail markings were
adopted on 24 June 1941. The camouflage pattern varied In large proportions from one
aIrcraft to another. Upper surfaces were usually Khaki Green (FS24087), Chocolate Brown
(FS20117), and Dark Blue Gray (F$36176), while undersurfaces were painted Light Blue
Gray (FS25189). (M. Benlehou Collection)
This aircraft ...,as among 183 LeO 4518 that remained in Metropolitan France at the time
the Franco-German Annlsllce was signed on 22 June 1940. Another 135 aircraft had f1o...,n
to French North Africa by that date. This aircraft ...,as probably kxated In .outhern France
and hal ttl ventral tUlTet lowered. An obsofete Bloch 200 bomber is parked In the back·
ground, (CAe)
LeO 45 I!'> remained in FrJnce and 135 in French Nonh Africa. The Anmfe (!t- I'Air accepted
360 airt,mft and the Alrml(IWllf' lOok 13 machines out of the 452 LcD 451s huilt to that date,
Thc French lost 130 LcD 451 s to combat and accidents.
Modifications were progressiwly introduced 10 all surviving leO 451 s in A mit!" d" J'Air lie
I'Amrh·ticr (Vichy Air Force) service during late 1940 and 1941. These included installing new
enlarged vCniC3ltail assemblies, which were tesled on aircraft No. 51 in Man:h of 1940. They
were retrofiltcd to eltisting LeO 451s from September of 1940, Two rear-firing 7.5w.1 MAC
1934 machine gu"-'i with 750 rounds per '4capon '4erc installed alongside the 2<bol'l cannon in
an AB74 dorsal mount. 1l1c A874 replaced the SAMM-AB26 dofsal moont with only the
2(}o.l\1 '4eapon J'IfC"'iousl)' filled to LeO 451s. Gennan authorilles allo'4ed rc:sumpl1on of LeO
451 production and the Vichy gO\emmem ordered 225 aircl'3ftto be built at Ambtrieu, 11le5e
bombers '4l.'rc paniallr assembled usmg cl(isling pan!'> and subassemblies seized in the German
Occupi•.'d Zone of Fram:e. Only 102 LeO 45h were completed from thiS order by carly
No\ember of 19-t2.
Anglo-American forces invaded French North Afnea (Operation TORCH) on 8 Nm'cmber
1942. The Vichy Air Force in Moroc<.'O :md Algeria scm LeO 451s against the Allied invasion
force. TI1C French lost 11 LcO:s resiSting the landing~. mcluding nine shol down by British
Fleet Air Arm Grumman Manlct (F4F Wildcat) lighters. Vichy FrcliCh forccs ill Nonh Africa
ended h~tihtics wilh the AlIie.s on II No\'cmber.
The pro-Allied Free French established GroufNmell/ Anf,e (Milled GroupIng) No 8 as pan
of the Northwest African Tactical Air Force (NATAf) III February of 1943. This Grouping
coosi<;ted of Ihrcc leO 451-etluipped Groups: GS VII. GB 1V23, and GS InS, These units
l1ew night bombmg missions, beginmng willi one against A xh targels in Neft3, Tunisia on 24
February. Gro/.l~me'" Mixle No 8 opentions continued until the last German and It.alian
t~ in TumS11 surrendered on 12 May 1943.
White 22 was a leO 451 nslgned 10 the 2nd EsCM1rflle of GB 1125. The doful 20NM
Hlsp8no-Sulu HS 404 long barreled cannon Is extended for firing. This highly etrective
gun wal Install&d on a SAMM AB26 power-operated mount and fed wllh 120 roundl. The
HS 404 had a muzzle velocity of 880 M (2887 feet) per second and a firing rale of 700
rounds per minute. This leO 451 hn the later, enlarged vertical stabilizers.
leO 451 No 3n (White 14) of GB V11 Is p8rkecl In a hangar al a Vichy French airfield. This
alrcran was dell.....d to the Ar'" de fAir on 8 June 1940. Nearty all p8lnl on the fuse-
lage has worn away. The Squadron Insignia on the tall shows a golden eagle on a white
oval dropping a bomb. This Insignia was previously used by the BR123 Esudrille In
World War One. (CAC)
-
Four leO 451 Groups remained active In Metropolitan France after the 1940 Armistice,
while the remaining units were disbanded. This aircraft (No 429) - whose fuselage num-
ber Is believed to be 32 - was assigned to GB IV11, one of the disbanded groups. The vam-
pire bat unit Insignia Is painted on the vertical stabilizer. Aircraft No 429 was delivered to
the Armee de I'Afr de I'Armlstlce on 4 september 1940, but its linal late Is unknown.
(BouUe Collection)
A crewman stllnds on the wing of a leO 451, which crash-landed aner British Royal Air
Force (RAF) flghlers attllcked it over Syria In mld-1941. This bomber was believed to be
assigned to GB 1125, which transferred from Tunisia to Syria In June of that year. BritiSh
and Free French forces downed 18 Arm4e de ,.Alr de rArmlstice leO 451s during this
campaign. The Vichy French lost Ilx other leO 451s to accidents and six more during
ferry Itlghts to and from Syria. (Boulle Collection)
,.
•
",
,,
I
" Personnel gather before LeO 451 No 3004 (White 14), which has lost much of Its upper
surface paint to wear. This bomber was built al SNeAO'. Bourguenals factory, whose leO
4515 were numbered In the 3001 to 3046 range. No 3004 was flown succ....ively by G8
Armorers load sa KO (110 pound) bombs lnlo the main bomb bay of a GS I12S leO 451 In
Tunisia In 1943. This aircraft could accommodate twenty 50 KG, five 200 KG (441 pound),
or two 500 KO (1102 pound) weaponlln the fuselage. Two additional wing root bomb bays
each held either one 200 KG or one 100 11.0 (220 pound) bomb.
11125 and GS 1125 at EJ AGulne, Tunisia. The insignia of an unknown E$CMJr/l/e Is painted
on the no... This bomber was abandoned when the North African carnpllign ended In
1943. (Boolle Collectlon)
Two LeO 451. of the A4rOfJll",ale'. EsCMJri11e 68 are prepared for a mission. Vk:hy French
aircraft Wfl'e required to have Roundel Red end Yellow tail and cowl stripes lrom 24 June
1941. Black anchOfS are painted on the fuselage cocardft.. The loreground LeO 451 is
believed to be No 160, which was eventually returned to the Ar'" de rAirand operated
by the Ecole de fAir (Air Academy) at SalOfHle-Provence. (N. Benichou Collectkm)
 • -
The Luftwaffe used LeO 455 No 001 (NT+HW) as a flying test bed for the GnOme & RhOne
14R radial engines. It was destroyed In March of 1944; l\oWeyer. the cause of hs demise
Is unknown. A 1~ Rheinmetall MG 131 machine gun on • O3On31 ring mount ~laeed
the 20MM Hispano-Suiza cannon In the dorul position. (J.Y. LOrant Collection) The dorsal gun position was laired over on the leO 451T transport conversion for the
luftwaffe, This variant also t\ad all armament dew,ted and willdows added to the fuselage
sides. Folding wooden bencnes inside the fuselage held 17 to 23 passengers, Wnen flown
LeO 45 in Foreign and Post-War Service In the tanker role, the LeO 451T fuselaga held eight 200 l (53 9allon) luel drums.

US forces advancing through Sicily captured this German-flown leO 451 (DK...ZD). US
Gcm13n forces seized 94 LeO 45s after invading tht French Unoccupied Zone (Vichy stars _rll paInted over German Balkftflkreuzen and a lIk:owr fin flash replaced the
Frnnce) Of! II No\ember 1942. "The Gcnnans transferred 66 of these ain:raft to the: halian swastika. Upper Sllrfaces were RLM 70 Black Gr1len (FS340S0) and RlM 71 Oar1l: Green
R~RIQ A..rOl'lQutICU (Royal Air r~) ..... hlCh assigned them to !he SI· Gruppo Autmwnw (FS34079), while undllrstJrfaces _re RlM G4 Yeno... (FS33538), The 57th Fighter Group.
BombiJrdam"I1IO r ..rus," (Independent Land Bomber Group) at Bologna and the Rf'pam US Army Air Forees used this leO 451 as a 'hack: This aircraft's ultimate lata is unknown,
(M. Olmsted Collection)
Scuolll d..Jla Sp«;a/ita BornoordolU1I1O (Bomber Specialisl &:0001 Unit). "The Gennan
Luft.... affe wanled to use the 28 remaining LeO 451 s a.~ fast liaiS<ln aod transport aircraft and
the Marscillcs.Marignane planl modified these bombers into LeO 4SIT (Tramport) aircraft.
Deutsche Lufthansa ordered I()() new leO 45 I T~ for Luflwllffc use in 19-13.
l11c French Inventoried at least 67 LeO 451 s in Metropolitan France and French North Africa
when World War Two in Europe ended on 8 May 1945. Only a few of these aIrcraft were read-
ily "Cl"'iceable: ho~e\·er. lhe reformed Arm!t dt I"Alr eagerly SOUghl allt)"pes of aircraft. 11le
Dlr«rion T«IIn/qut' &, Industn"t'Jlt' dt' I'Air (OTIA: Aviation Technical and Industrial
Dirtttor.l1e) asked SNCASE' at Mangnane to refurbish 1-1 LeO 451s. EIe:\cn of these" aircrafl
\\ere used as LeO 451E (Eutjjs: Tesr) flymg t~ bed.. (or missile lest!., while: the aircraft
cngme manufacturer SNECMA2 operated the three remaining aircraft urxier the desIgnation
LeO 455. Simullant.'Ously, thc Atelier hulrulriel de l"Air (AlA: Aviation Induslrial Facility) al
Aigler~, Algeria Illtxlified a LeO 451 wilh 1200 liP Pr:tn & Whitney R-1830·67 radial engines
and seating for six passenger<:. 'l1us LeO 453 varisnt demonstrated a crui,ing speed of 400 KMH
(249 MPH) and a range of 3500 1(.\\ {2175 miles). SlIC{:e~fultesls resulted in an order for 39
additional LeO -I53s, which served in the Armit' de l'Air until 1957.
ISNCASE: S«>hI_.-I1k c..........- .v_nqws" s.J·Esr_ N....-I A«nfl c_ _ c.......} ol1be
~ Uon' II: 01" ......~ UlCOOj....... ,_ SNCASE ...'hen 1be f'....m .... ~ in6lowy _ ~ ..

""
2S'lOCMA Y.cjJ~ fo,,,,,,,,,,,k> J-&...J, .., Jr COOUInorlUJfl Jr
COOW\IChon compo")
MOIrIUS J'A,."",_; S ......... j A"IIl"" Enpno t::leMI" IIld
leO 451 No 538 was deli~ered to the Vichy Air Force on 1 september 1942 and ~,.."I~ed
the war. Aero-englne manufacturer SNECMA used it after the conflict as a flying test bed
for propellers and engines. The Cross of Lorraine Insignia on the vertical stabilizer was
the emblem 01 the Free French forces. This aircraft was e~entual1y registered F·BOXY.
(SNECMAI
This LeO 453S search and Rescue (SAR) aircraft was flown by Escadrilles SASM
(sections d'Avlon5 de SauvetBge en Mer; Air-Sea Rescue Sections) 98 and 99 after World
War Two. This was one of 40 LeO 453s powered by 1200 HP Pratt & Whitney R·1830-67
Twin Wasp radial engines. Red band. are painted on the wings and fuselage ollhls LeO
453S tor greater ~Islbmty In Ihe SAR role. Other LeO 453. were used for liaison, testlng,
and photographic missions. (J.M. Cuny)
Leo 451E No 1 (formerly leo 451 No 199) was used as the mother aircraft for ~ariou.
types of ECA (Equipemltnts & Condultes Automatlqults; Automatic Equipment &
Conduits) flying bombs_ It recel~ed the civil registration F·BDJO. An ECA S20 lIylng bomb
Is mounted under No 7's fuselage In November of 1948. (ECA)
The LeO 455 was fitted with 1590 liP Gnome & Rhllne 14R radial engines. The Bouguenals
factory was to have mass-produced It In 1940, but only three prototypes were built. Two
aircraft (Nos 499 & 500) were modified to leo 455 configuration after the war and used by
SNECMA as Int beds. Virtually no Information on Ihese tests has emerged. (SNECMA)
 •

,
--
•
-
.~
.f ... ,.).
- !
The first Leo 451E (No El. ex-No 449, F-BCDK) was used for ....rious tesls at the Centre (,,'
d'&sa/s en Vol (CEV; Right Research Center) at Bretlgny-sur.()rge, France. It Is seen here fit·
ted with. ventrallunne4, whk:h was used to test v.rious engine afterbumlng (reheat) systems.
The aircraft was painted overall aluminum, wtth black leltering and ROULAND on the nose. This
LeO 451E was named for a French pilot killed during a tesl flight. (CEV)

The CEV used the first LeO 451E (No Ea, F·BCAK) to lest pulse Jet engines similar to those that
powered the German y., (Fieseler FI176) Ilylng bomb. This engine was mounted atop the fuse-
lage, although engIne vibrations and fire hazards were reported durIng test flights. A pulse let
engine eventually equipped the Arsenal Ar•. 5501 target drone, which had a similar appearance
10 the y.,. (CEY)

• • • •:.
Test equIpment was mounteclto the nose and lower fuselage of this LeO 451E (No
493, F·BDJE). The aircraft was used for testing the BHT rltdio-controlled bomb.
Pylons under the fuselage held the weapon in piece before release from the aIrcraft.
Sensors on Ihe LeO 451E measured atmospheric conditions and the BHT's perfor-
mance from release to Impacl on the gtOllnd. leO 451Es were employed on various
tesls until the mid-19SOs.

37
 Breguet 690 AB2 Series
The STAt. issued its Chass~ Trip/au (C3; Three-Seat Fighter) SpeClfit<llion in October of
1934. This called for a three-seal. l\I,o-cngine fighter able to fly c$COn. intercept. and fighter
director missions and armed with forward-firing eannon. M'"C ~Igns .... ere buill in response
to thiS specification: the Breguet 690. Hanriot 220. l.Alire--:"i'icuport 20. Pota 6JO. and
, Romano 110. The Bn:gut'! aircraft .... as desIgned under the IeadefShlp of Georges Ricarrl and
\loa.<; bolh compact and anr.KII\'C. It featurro a short l.apcring ITlOfK:lCClque fuselage and can-
,,, tile\er wings. 1be Breguet 630 was armed with 1\\0 forward finng 2{)\1\l Hispano-Suiza HS
40-* cannon and ooc 7.5MM MAC 1934 machine gun for afl defense. "reguct selected Ihe 680
liP lIispano-Suiza 14AB02 (pofWU3 (starboard). 14-c)'hndcr. air-rooled, ra(llal engine 10
power this aircraft. BOI:h propellers tunled lnlo\'ard to canct"1 oot engine torque and reduce han-
dhng problems if one engine failed in flight.
r Brcguci 690 prolOl:ype consuuction began in 1935. although the Armte de rAlr did not offi-
cinlly order it until 26 Man;h 1937. Meanwhile. the Pote7 630 ",as declared the winner of the
C3 competition. Breguct690 01 construclion was slow due to a tcn llIonth delay in delivery of
the Ilispano-Suiza engines. Thc aircraft was finally compleled In early 1938 and made ils first
night on 23 March 1938. l>rcliminary tests went without serious problems lind Breguet deliv-
ered the prototype to CEMA at Villaeoublay for stale tests in July of 19.18. 'Tllis evalumion
~howed the Brcguct 690 had good performance, which was superior III many areas than the
Patez 630.
Promising test results koJ 10 the Armie de FAir ordering 100 Rr"guel 691 AB2 (As"$(1U1
80nrbardelTlml - Biplaa: Two-Seat Anack Bomber) aircraft on 14 JUl\C 1938. Brcguct engi-
neers had a difficult task in adopling the Breguct 690 fighter into a bomber. A bomb bay .... im
superimposed bomb racks replaced the na\'ig31Of'S station. The starboard 2O\lJoI cannon was
retained, but t"'o 7.5\lJot machine guns replaced the pon weapon. Allthrce nose ""'eapons were
The Breguet 690 No 01 prototype first flew on 23 March 1938. It was powered by two 680
lIP Hispano-SUIza 14AB02I03 14-cy1lnder afr-cooled radial engines. They turned three-
bladed Hamll1on-Standard propel~s In opposite directions to eliminste engine torque.
Two long-baneled 20w1 cannon were mounted low in the nose. The upper nose probe ee»-
lected test data_ (Breguet)
dencctt:d 15" fOf strafing attacks. Other changes included a modified undercarriage, oil cooler
intakes repositioned from the wings to the cngmc nacelles, and a fuel capacity increase from
70S l (186 gallons) to 985 L (260 gallons). TIle first 100 Breguct 69 Is were powered by two
700 liP Hlspano-Suiza 14ABI(W11 radial engines. __ hich were to Ix replaced by 745 HP
Hlspano-Suiza 14AB I '1113s from alrcrnft No 101. 80th engmes turned either Ralier (Aircraft
Nos 1 to 50) or Hamilton-Standard (from No 51) three-bladed. variable pilch propellers.
Brcguct quickly initiated producuon of the Rregucl 691. in contrast to the rest of France'S
acronaulicalmdustry.1lJe prototype first fie", on 22 March 1939 and the lrlllla.l productIon air-
craft __ as rolled out and flo.... n cight Io\~ks later. on 15 May. ~ Hispano-Sull.a 14AB engines
p!O\'ed unreliable and Bn:guet decided to replace them with the Gn6mc & Rh6nt: 14M engine.
despltc its larger diameter lhan the I~AB. The finn pulled Breguct 691 No 19 from me assem-
bly hoe and installed two 700 liP Gn6mc: & RhOne l4~617 engines. It was redesignated
Bn:guet 693 No I and first flew on 25 October 1939. Bn:gucllransfened the aireraft to CEMA
on 24 No\ember, "'here it demonstraled equl\'a1ent perfonnance to the Breguct 691- The
Millis/;r~ de fAir (Air Ministry) orden:d priorily for Breguet 693 production and ended
Brcguet 691 production with airemft No 78, The first production Brcguct 693 made ils maid-
en flight on 2 Mareh 1940.
The Brcguet 693 AB2 had a wingspan of 15.4 M (50 feel 6 inches), a length of9.7 M (31 feel
10 inches), and a height of 3.2 M (10 feet 6 inches). The aircraft weighed 3006 KG (6627
pounds) empty and 4892 KG (10.785 pounds) fully loadcd. Production aircraft were powered
hy two 700 liP Gnome & Rh6ne 14Mn (pon)/7 (starboard). 14-eylinder. air-cooled. radial
engines. The aircraft's maximum ~peed was 490 KMH (304 MPH) at 5000 M (16,404 tl.,"Ct). while
it had a service ceiling of95OO M (31, 168 fcct) and a maximum range of 1350 K.\l (839 miles).
ThIS light bomlxr carried a 400 KG (882 pound) bomb load inside it~ fuselage bomb bay.
Windows fitted in the bomb bay doors gave its ere....' greater lower visibility. It usually carried
a load of eighl 50 1(0 (110 pound) bombs;. 'The: 8rcguct 693 was also armed with three forv.'art!
firing weapons in the nose. Two 7.5JotM MAC 1934 machine guns With 100 rounds per weapon
wen: moumed to port. whIle a 2O\IJoI Hispano-Suiza HS 404 canOOft with 60 roonds was locat-
ed to ~tarboard. A rear firing 7.5\1:\1 MAC 1934 machine: gun WIth IOO-round drums was locat-
ed on a fJe~lb1e mountm the aft eoclpll. A crew of IWO fie.... this bomber. pilot and radio oper-
atorlrear gunner.
'me largest issue facmg the Freneh acronaUIICal IndUStry in the monlhs prior to World War
1'.... 0 was procuring large numbers of engInes. 1lJe Air Ministry requcsted Bn:guct and other
manufacturer.. to dnclop a1temathe varillnL~ of lheir aircraft fitted .... ith Bntlsh and American
powerplanb. Breguet 690 No I was rc-engllled With two 825 liP Pratt & WhJ1ne:y SB4G T .... in
Wasp Junior l4-eylirtdcr radial cngines. 1lle aiTCT1lfl was ~ignated the Breguet 695. This
An\Criean engine had a greater fromal area Ihan the Hispaoo-Suil.a 14AB and required larger
NACA cowlings. 1bc installation resulted in increased drag. lowered pcrformal1<.'C. and a
re~lricted field of view for the pilot. Despite these drawbacks. the MiniSf~re de l'Air ordered
15 pre'produclion Breguet 695s and the firsl aircraft made an uneventful maiden night on 3
March 1940.
Breguet 693
The Breguel 690 No 01 prototype makes a low level high speed flypast. Georges Ricard
led the team that designed It as a three-seal fighter (Trlplace r» Chasse; C3); however, the
Armllie de rAlr decided to empk)y the Breguet 690 .s a two-seat attack bomber (Assaut
BombardemMIt - B/pface; AB2). The aircraft's overall cok)r is unknown, but It Is believed
to be. light gray. (Breguet)
This factory fresh Breguet 693 AB2 No 2 rests between lesl flights at VlIlacoublay In March
of 1940. The aIrcraft was painted In the standard French three.fone upper camouflage of
flat Khaki Green (FS24087), Chocolate Brown (FS20117), and Dark Blue Gray (FS36176).
The Breguet 691 AB2 No 5 Is parked at CEMA. Villacoublay In May 01 1939. This aircran
was the first productiofl aumple rolled out from the Breguet 'ectory. It was taken on
charge during June of 1939 and assigned to the 541h E.cadre (Wing) on 1 February 1940.
The aircraft Is painted glossy Khaki Green (FS14087) on the upper surfaces, with under-
surfacas painted Ught Blue Gray (FS25189).
Under aurfaces were painted Ught Blue Gray. This Breguet 693 has 1.2 M (3 foot 11 inch)
diameter cocardes painted on the upper and lower wing surfaces. (M. BenlchoU
Collection)
,, • \
I

Breguet 693 AB2 Specifications

Wlngspan:..•_..__ 15.4 all (SO feet 6 inches)
Length: _ 9.7 .. (31 'eet 10 Inches)
Helght:...•_...•...•....•...3.2 .. (10 feet 6 Inches)
Wing Area:.•. _..._... ..29..2. (314 square feet)
Empty Welghl:.._.._3006 KG (6627 pounds)
Maximum Weight:..4892 KG (10,785 pounds,
Powerplant:.. .Two 700 tIP GnOme & Rh60e 14M6 (port)17 (starboard), 14-c:yllndef, air-
cooled, radial engines.
Armament: One fixed, forward-firing, 20M.. Hispano-Suiu 404 cannon with 60
rounds, and two fixed, forward-IIrlng, 7.SUM MAC 1934 machine guns
with 500 rounds, artd one rear-lIrlng 7.S- MAC 1934 machine gun with
l0Ck0und drums. Maldmum of 400 ItO (882 pounds) 01 bombs inSide the
fuselage bomb bay.
Performance:
Maximum Speed:.490 KMH (304 ..PH) at 5000 all (16,404leetl
Senrk:e Ceitlng:._.9500 .. (31,168 feet)
Maximum Range:.1350 KM (839 miles)
Crew: ..•..........•.........Two

!
/'
•

I
\ I

40
Breguet 690 Series in Combat
The first production Breguci 69[s were delivered to IheAnnee de I 'Air inlhe fall of 1939.
The 1st ESCill/rille (Squadron) of Groupe de Bombardenrem d'ASSQI// (GBA: Assault Bomber
Group) V54 begall converting [0 this bomber in OclOber of 1939. soon followed by the Group's
(){hcr Escadrille.f. Doth the 51st and 54th Eseadfes (Wings) fonned the 6th Bn"galle de
BQmmlrdcmcnr d'As!i(IIII. On 15 April 1940. this Brigade was disbanded and replaced by
Gru/lpemem d'AswlIl (Assault Grouping) No 18 (GBA 1/54 and GBA IV54j and Grollpelllent
(/'AssllIu No 19 (GBA US I and GBA II/51). Bregucl 693s became available during this period
and GrQllpemenl d'Ass(/lj1 No 18 swiftly replaced their BregucI691s with the newer aircraft.
The Anmi'e de ['Air had 19 Brcguct 691s and 38 Breguci 693s in from-line units when
Gennan forces attacked France and the Low Countries (Belgium. the Netherlands. and
Luxemburg) on 10 May 1940, Annee de I'Air stomge centers held an additional 20 Brcgllet
691s and nine Breguet 693s at the same time. Twelve Breguet 693s of GBA 1/54 flew the
type's first combat mission on the evening of 12 May. when they attacked We!mnac!1I
(Gemlan Anned Forces) units in the Tongres-Looz·Warcrnllles area of northeastern France.
German anti·aircraft fire shot down eight aircraft over the targe!. Two other Breguets crashed
trying to retlllll to base. while two aircraft retumed to base: however, oue of these was dam-
aged beyond repair. The rapid German advance forced GBA 1/54 10 retreat from Montdidier to
Etampes and GBA ll/54 from Royes to Br<::tigny, south of Paris, on 16 May. GrOllpt>me//! This Breguet 693 (White 2) was assigned to Groupe de Bombardement d'Assaut (GBA;
(rA~'s{wl No 19 - equipped with Breguet 693s and Potez 633s - redeployed from Etampes to Assault Bomber Group) 1151 in 1940, This Is the aircraft flown by the Group's command-
Briare on the same day. Thc latter Grouping entered combat on 20 May, when 14 Breguets Ing officer, which has a composite insignia painted on the aft fuselage. The emblem con-
strafed German columns in the Arras-Cambrai·Bapaume area, Breguet 6935 made several sists of the phoenix of the 1st Escadrille (Squadron) and II trumpeting rabbit 01 the 2nd
Escadrille. (CAC)
attacks ou Pallur (AmlOred) forces when the Gennans launched an offensivc along the
Breguet 693 No 65 (White IV) was flown by the 2nd Escadrille of GSA 1/51. The trumpeting
Somme River on 5 June. The French aircraft Ilew 58 sonics and lost only three aircmft in their
rabbit Insignia is painted on fhe vertical stabilizer and the aircraft's individual number on
attempts to halt the Gennan advance.
the aft fuselage is the Roman numeral four. Tnis unit began operations on 20 May 1940,
The final Breguet 693 missions were flown north of Poi tiers and also near Chatellereault on when Its Breguets strafed German convoys In the Arras-Cambrai-Bapaume area of north-
22 June - the day the Franco-German Annistice was signed. The GBAs were assembled at eastern France.
Mont-de-Marsan the next day before they redeployed to Toulouse-Francazal in Unoccupied
(Vichy) France. During the Battle of France. the Breguel.~ new approximately 500 sorties
against the Gennans with varying degrees of succes.~ and heavy losses. The GBAs lost 25
Breguet 691 s, 79 Breguet 693s, and t\.\'o Breguet 695s in action. Production of these aircraft
was halted when Gennan troops reached the Villacoublay and Bourges factories. These plants
had cornp1etl-d 75 Breguet 691 s, 224 Breguet 693s, and 50 Breguet 695s by that time.

Variants
George Ricard and his team considered several derivatives of tbe basic Bregue! 690 airframe.
The first variant was the IJreguet 692 AB2, which was to be powered by 980 HP Gnome &
Rhone 14N radial engines, This aircraft remained on the drawing board and was never built.
The Breguct 694 was a three-seal armed reconnaissance aircraft powered by 710 HP Gnome &
Rhone 14M 4/5 radials aud armed with only two machine gun.~. Belgium's SABCAl agreed to
build 32 aircraft under license for the Belgian Al'imioll Mifitaire (Anny Air Service). Sweden
ordered 12 additional aircraft from Breguet. Neither order was fulfilled, but the prototype was
ISABCA: 5o<-illl "n""Jm~ &!~~ <k Construction. Jllfr",wwtiql<i'.t: Bel~l~n Aircrafl ConSlruchon Pubhc L,ml1ed
Conl~Y·
• 41' • •
•
•
!
A Breguet 693 (White 3) assigned to II'M! 2nd E5cadrliitl of GSA "54 flies oyer eastern
France. The rear gunner has opened his canopy 10 provide a greater field of fire for his
7.SuM m8chlne gun. This unit flew ita first operational mis.Jon on the evening of 12 May
1940, when 11 aIrcraft attacked Wehnnacht motorized columns near Tongeren. Eight of
these Sreguet 693. were .not down. (SHU)
• •
This Breguet 693 AB2, Red 11 (probably No 1011), flew with lhe 2nd Escadrille of GSA 1/51
during the spring of 1940. Tl'Ie Breguet 693 had. maximum speed of 360 IlMH (224 loIPH) at
sea level and 480 kMH (298...-H) at 5000 .. (16,404 feet). It could climb to 4000 .. (13,123 feet)
in 8.5 minutes. (Valentin Collection)
completed and initiall)' flown 00 20 January 1940. Bregoel deli\'cred lhis aircraft
to the: Airrmom/, on I June 19-10: funher details regarding its falc arc unknown.
The Rl"f'guet 696 82 ,,"'as a two-seal bomber powered by IWO 700 HP GnOme &
Rh(mc 14M 6n engines. A single prolO(ype firsl new on ] November 1939; ho.....-
ever, this projeel did not progress further, The 17th 8rcguet691 was rc-engined
with 1070 HP Gnome & Rh6ne 14N 48/49 radials and redesignated the Brcguet
697. It demonstmtcu outstanding performance from its initial llight al Villacoublay
on 19 October 1939. The Breguet697 was intended 10 be the proof of eonn:pt air-
crafl for the 8tt'guet 700 C2 destroyer (heavy fighler). 1be French AIr Minis!!)'
ordered IWO Breguci 700 prototypes on 17 February 19-W, bul the German in"a-
sion the following May prew:nted their C'OfIstrucllon. 11le Rrq;utt 698 Bp2
(Bombartkmf'tl/ f'fI piqui ~ B/pfocf'; Two-Seal Di,'e-Bornber) was 10 he equipped
....ilh di'c-bralr:ing ailcrons, but Ihls eoncept did nO( pass lhe design stage. One final
varian! v.as the 8rq;uel 69'9 81, which was basically a Breguel 696 82 powcrcd
by IWO 825 liP PnItl & Whitney SU4G radial cnginc~. '1lis project did nO( reach the
prototype stage.
This Breguel 693 AB2 was anlgned to the 1&t Escadrille 01 GB lf54. The
Roundel Red (FS21105) and Yellow (FS13538) cowling and tall strIpes were
made mandatory fOl'" Vichy alrcr.h on 24 June 1941. The cowlings were paint-
ed with nine stripes each of yelk)w and red, while both the cowling front sec-
tions and the propeller spinner. were red. 5•. Lleut. l2JLt] De La Porte du Theil
on the nose commemorated a lonner pitat killed in actIon. (Valentin Collection)
The commanding officer 01 GBA 1154 flew Breguet 693 AB2 No 88 in 194142. A compos-
ite insignia of the Groupe's two Esctldrllles - the fighting cock of the 1st Escsdrille and
tha crossed guns of the 2nd Escsdrille- is painted on the a" fuselage. GBA 1154 flaw from
This Breguet 693 AB2 (Red 13) was assigned to the commanding officer of GBA 1151 at
Lezlgnan In March of 1941. The aircraft had just been repainted with full Vichy markings.
including cowling and tall bands. This Breguet 693 is believed to be overall Light Blue
Gray, which was unusual for a ground anack aircraft. The bomb bav doors are opened for
servicing and loading up to 400 KG (882 pounds) of ordnance. Windows fitteel in the bomb
doors Improved lower visibllltv for the bomber's crew. (Valentin Collaction)
Lezignan, France from August of 1941 until disbanded in November of 1942. (Valentin
Collection)
Red 1 was a Breguet 695 AB2 of the 15t Escsdrfl/e 01 GSA 1151 during the summer of 1942.
This Group was stationed at Lezignan during this period and formed Groupement
(Grouping) No 18 with GBA 1/54. The ventral radio antenna extended In flight and retract·
ed for landing. German forces seized GBA 1/51's aircraft In November of 1942 and tranSo
ferred some Breguet 693s and 6955 to IIaIV.
43-

Bloch 175 B3
French military aviation authorities became aware of the Annee de {'Airs lack of a medium
atlack bomber in 1936. This aircraft was ellvisioned to fill the gap between the Bregucl 690
light attack bomber and the LeO 45 84 medium bomber. Henri Ocplante led a learn at SNCA-
SOl Ihal began designing a medium attack bomber in talc 1936. Their study led to the much
170, a multipurpose aircraft intended to meet the requirements of Iwo categories. One was the
AB2 (Assau/-IJombar(/emelll- Rip/ace; Two-Seal Anack Bomber). while the other was the /\3
(Reconnaissance (/"Amu}e - Trip/ace: Three-Seal Armed Reconnaissance).
I The Bloch 170 was an all-melaL low l:anti1cvcr wing monoplane powered by lwo 950 HP
Gnome & Rhone 14N6 (pon)/7 (starboard) 14.cylindcr, air-cooled. radial engines. Andre
~. Curvalc piloted the Blocb 170 No 01 prototype 011 its maidell night 011 15 February 1938. It
made a wheels-up lallding 011 17 March, which severely injured the pilot. 1bc second proto-
type was completed and began test nights shortly thereafter. Bloch 17002 differed from the
first prototype ill havillg a longer canopy, deleted velltral gondola, and revised vertiealtaiJ sur-
faces.
The Minis/ere de I"Air (Air Ministry) ordered an initial batch of nine Blocb 170 AB2s from
SNCASO wben Plan II was adopted in October of 1936. The subsequent approval of Pion V
amended this order in January of 1939 to include one Bloch 175 83 (Bomlxlrdemem
Triple/ce; Three-Seat Bomber). The other eight aircraft under this contract were anned recoll-
naissance machines: $i" Bloch 174 A3s. one Bloch 176 A3, and one 810ch 177 A3. The Bloch
174 prototype - powered by two 1030 flfGn6me & Rhone 14N20121 mdial engines - first l1ew
on 5 January 1939. The Bloch 175 incorporated several major structural changes from the
ISNCASO ab>.ort>etl II""", MJrcel Bloch dunng the .""af! ,nduSlry n'li"".lizauon ,n 1936.
The Bloch 170 No 01 was designed as a twin-englne aircraft for either bombing or recon-
naIssance missions. It featured a cockpit set welt forward and a small bomb bay. The ven-
tral gondola was designed 10 house either a camera or one 7.5MM machine gun, This pro-
totype crash-landed at Villacoublay on 17 March 1938, seriously Injuring the test pilot.
(Bloch)
reconnaissance variants. most importantly the repositioning of the wing spars to accommodate
a larger bomb bay. The Bloch 175 0 I prolotype first new in December of 1939.
The Bloch 175 83 had a wingspan of 18 M (59 feet I incb), a length of 12.3 M (40 feet 4
inches), and a height of 3.6 M (1 I feel 10 incbes). It weighed 4465 KG (9843 pounds) empty
and 8023 KG (17.687 pounds) fully loaded. This n1:lchine was powered by two 1140 HP Gnome
& Rhone 14N48 (port)/49 (starboard) 14·eylinder. air·cooled. radial engines. TIle Bloch 175
B3 had a ma:timum speed of 540 KMH (336 MPII). a service ceiling of 1 L(l(X) m (36,089 feet).
and:l maltimum range of 1800 KM (1118 miles).
This bomber carried a ma"imum 600 KG (1323 pounds) load in its bomb bay, including three
200 KG (441 pound) or four 100 KG (220 pound) weapons. 11 was anned with two filted for~
ward-firing 7.5MM MAC 1934 machine guns with 1000 rounds per gun. Two additional 7.5M~
weapons with lOG-round ammunition drums per gun were located on a nc:tible dorsal mount.
while Ihree 7.5MM MAC 1934s with 500 rounds fired aft from a fixed ventral position. The air-
eraf! had a crew of three: pilot. bombardier/navigator, and radio operator/rear gUMer.
Production of Bloch 174 and 175 aircraft was slow from the beginning. Only one Bloch 174
was built of the 30 aircraft intended for completion on 1 September 1939. Thm same month,
tbe Air Ministry called for SNCASO 10 deliver 814 Bloch 175 B3s between November of 1939
and July of 1940; however. this plan proved overly optimistic, The Armer de I'Air accepted
only one Bloch 174 A3 - powered by 1440 liP Gnome & Rhone 14N48/49 engines- for ser-
vice by 1 January 1940. SNCASO built 50 Bloch 174 A3s. whicb entered .;quadron ~rvice in
March of 1940. A revised production schedule was given in February of 1940. which called
for the delivery 01'660 Bloch 175 B3s and 1550 Bloch 176 B3s between April of 1940 and July
of 1941. Produclion difficulties continued, which resulted in the Bloch 175 B3 's first l1ight not
occurring until April of 1940,
SNCASO built 20 Bloch 175s before lhe German invasion of 10 May 1940: however. none
saw combat during the Battle of France. Twelve of these bombers were assigned to Group.· de
Reconf/(liSS(lnct (GR; R(:connaissance Group) 11/52 and two alhers weill to Groupe Aerien
d'Observation (GAO: Aerial Observation Group) 510. Si" remaining Blocb 175s were locat·
ed at Annie de l'Air depoL<; awaiting squadron delivery.
One Bloch 174 was equipped with 1050 Ill' Pr.ttl & Whitney R-1830 SC3-G radial engines
and served as the Bloch 176 protolype. This aircmfl first new in September of 1939 and the
initial produclion aircraft was completed in May of 1940. Only five airerafl were built before
lhe Franco-Gennan Armistice of 22 June 1940. One Bloch 176 A3 was delivered to GR ll/52
before thc Armistice. The Bloch aircraft were popular with their pilo\.<;, due to their good per-
fomlancc and outstanding maneuverability, After the Armistice. GR 11/52 redeployed to Oran,
Algeria, while GR 11/33 new their five Bloch 176s from Tunis. Tunisia. Allied aircraft
destroyed most of GR II/42's Bloch 175s on lhe ground during the Allied invasion of French
North Africa (Operation TORCH) in No\'cmber of 1942.
The Bloch 177 used 1600 liP Gn6mc & Rhone 14R radials, whicb were eStimaTed to allow a
maximum speed of 700 KMH (435 MPH) for short periods. The sole Bloch 177 first new in the
fall of 1941, but its peJformance did not reacb e"pectations and no further examples were buill.
Bloch 175
o
Bloch 175 83 No 104 (White 12) made a hard landing at Oran·La senia, Algeria in 1941-
This machine was assigned to the 4th ESCMfri11e of Groupe de Reconnaisunca (GR;
Reconnaissance Group) 11/52 at this Vichy French base. Allied aircraft destroyed most of
this Group's Bloch 175s during Operation TORCH, the Allied invasion 01 French North
Africa on 8 NO'l8mber 1942. (J.J. Petit Collection)
Henri !)eplante also conceived the Bloch 178 htgh altitude bomber, which was to be po",ered
hy two 820 HP lii~pJno-Suiza 12Y supercharged inline enl;ines. Assembly of the sole example
was halted when Gemlan forces overran the Coorbevoie factory in 1940.
After World War Two ended in 1945. SNCASO designed one final Bloch 175 variam for the
French AerO/!{J\'ale. The SO 175T (TO/l'jfIalfl'; Torpedoing) was intended to ny Doth torpedo
Bloch 175 B3 No 115 was another aircraft assigned to the 3rd EscBdrille of GR IU52. It is
painted In the slandard three-tone upper surface camou!lage, with Roundel Red and
Yellow Vichy tall and cowling stripes. The pilot's eanopy Is open, while two 7.SuM MAC
1934 machine guns are mounted at the rur canopy position. (M. Benichou Collection)
\
A crew access ladder Is extended from the nose of Bloch 175 No 111. This aircraft was
flown by lhe 3rd ~ri/ltJ of GR 11lS2 at Oran-La seniain 1940-41. The White Vichy fuse-
lage stripe was made into an arrow on this aircraft. with 111 in black on the atl stripe sec-
tion. The 3rd ESCMfri/1e insignia - a man's head with a green hat -is painted on the verti-
cal stabillzet.
bombing and Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) missions. 111e Aironol"Ul.. ordered 100 aircraft.
but only 80 ""ere completed due to budget cuts. 11lese SO I 75Ts were de1i\<ered between 1946
and 1950 and served with the AerOlUlI'ale until 1953.
Bloch 175 B3 No 116 (White 11) files with the 4lh EscBdrme of GR 1V52 In late 1941 or 1942<
Its armament consisted of seven 7.5101101 MAC 1934 machine guns; two fixed to fire forward,
two more on a flexible dorsal mount, snd three aft·flrlng guns In the ventral position. The
Bloch 175's bomb bay held up to 600 KG (1323 pounds) of ordnance, which usually eon·
slsted of three 200 KG (441 pound) or four 100 KG (220 pound) bombs. (P. Galllsrd
Collection)
 Amiot 350 84 Series
The Amiot 341 long-range postal aircraft was considered the perfection of French aircraft
design when it was dCnJonstralcd althe 1936 Salon de '"Aviatioll (Air Show) in Paris. Amiot's
Jean Calv)' supervised ils design by engineers Lambert and Girodin. The designers developed
the Amiot 341 imo the Amiot 370. which was designed to compete in a 1937 race between
New York and Paris, The Minis/ere de ('Air (Air Ministry) later cancelled the race allcmpt as
tog risky. bUl1hc aircraft was completed and first new al Istres on 25 July 1937. Il was !Xlw-
ered by lwo 860 HI' Hispano-Suizft 12Yjrs (pon)fYkrs (starboard) 12-cylindcr. liquid-cooled.
I inline cJlgines.
The Amiot 370 new a series of record-braking I1ighL~. beginning on 8 February 1938, when
it established four world sp<.:cd records ovcr a 2000 KM (1243 mile) ('oursc. Crcwed by
r Commumlarll (Major) Maurice Rossi as pilol and M. Vigroux as navigator, il flew the circuit
unloaded at an avcrage s~ed of 437 KMH (272 MPH). This ai«:raft also set records while flying
the course with 500 KG (1102 pound). 1000 KG (2205 pound). and 2000 KG (4409 pound) loads.
The Amiot 370 - with lhe same crew - broke three world records over a 5000 KM (3107 mile)
closed course on 8 June 1938. This aircrnft avcrngt."<! 401 KMH (249 Mpll) withoulload and set
marks while carrying 500 KG and 1000 KG loads. On 15-16 August 1939. Rossi and radio opcr-
ator M. Emont flew Ihe Amiot 370 when it broke the slraight-line distancc rccord. This aircraft
flew 10.000 KM (6214 miles) in 33 hours at an average speed of 311 KMH (193 MPH).
A panlilel dcvelopmelll of the Amiot 370 was the Amiot 340. a three-scat high perfonnance
bomber. It was powered by two 920 HI' Gn6me & Rhone 14P 14-cylinder, air-cooled, radial
The sleek Amiot 370 lands at 1stres after a test flight. Its cockpit was faired into the stream-
lined nose glazing, similar to the Heinkel He 111. This aircraft made Its malden fUght on
25 July 1937 and was developed in parallel with the Amiot 340 bomber. Commandant(Maj)
Maurice Rossi flew the Amiot 370 on a series of record-breaking flights In 1938 and 1939.
J offsct position to the centerline. Fuselages were made in three interchangeable sections: front,
engines. This aircraft made its maiden flighl from Istres on 6 December 1937. Early test flights
were highly successful and demonstrated its sound design, but concenl over lhe 14P cngines'
reliability led to their replacement by 920 Ill' 14NOII02 powerplanL~. The re·engined Amiot
340 No 01 was flown from Istres to the Centre d'Essais du Materiel Aerien (CEMA; Air
Material Research Center) at Villacoublay, ncar Paris, for official trials on 21 March 1938.
Sen'ice Technique Aeronautique (STAe; Aeronamical Technical Service) technicians
requested a few modifications a... a result of the official test program. These included adding a
fourth crew station and installing contoured engine cowlings to reduce drag. Before Amiot
could make these improvements, tile aircraft was used for an unsche<luled propaganda flight.
General EmSl Udet, director of the Reich Air Ministry's Technical Office. invited General
Joseph Vui1lemin. Chef lI'Etm-m(ljor ill' I"Armte ,Ie I 'Air (French Chief of Air Staff), to visit
Germany. Vuillemin decided to fly to Germany in the Amiot 340 prototype, which was
stripped of its protolype markings. (This would lead the Germans to believe this aircraft was
in squadron service.) The Amiot 340 flew from Villacoublay 10 Berlin on 16 August 1938,
averaging 440 KMII (273 MPH) on lhis journey. General Vuil1emin flew back to France five days
later and the Amiot 340 No 01 soon resumed its flight test program.
The modilicatiolls STAe tl.'Chnicians requested were made and the aircraft was re-engine<!
with 1020 JlpGn3mc & Rh8ne 14N20121 l"'.Idial engines. A twin fin tail assembly replact."<! the
earlier single vertical tail and space was made for a fourth crew member aft of the bomb bay.
11lcsc changes resulted in the aircraft's rcdesignlltion as the Amiot 351 No 0 I. which first flew
in this configuration on 21 January 1939.
Calvy and his design team redesigned the airframe 10 simplify mass production and to allow
the installation of varioos engines alld tail asscmblies. The Amiot 350 was ililended to use two
920 Ill' Hispano-Suiza 12Y28/29 12-cylinder, liquid-cooled. inline engines. Production Amiot
351s were 10 be powered by IWO 950 HI' Gn6rnc & RhOne 14N38/39 engines. while the Amiot
352 would receive two 1100 HI' Hispano-Sui7.a 12 Y50151 s. The 1030 UP Rolls-Royce Merlin
III 12·cylincler.liquid-coo1cd, inline engine was selected for the Amiot 353, while new 1070
Ill' Gnome & Rh6ne 14N48/49 radials would go into the Amiot 354. The Amiot 355 was to
usc 1030 HI' Gnome & Rhone 14Ps and 1130 IlP Rolls-Royce Merlin Xs would power the
Amiot 356. The Amiot 354 and 356 had single fin venical stabili7.ers; the others had twin-fin
tails.
Amiot 350 production series bombers differed from the Amiot 351 prototype in se\'eral ways.
Its wing span was reduced from 23 M(75 feet 6 inches) to 22.8 M(74 feet 10 inches), while its
wing area decreased from 67.5 M2 (727 !>quare feet) to 67 M2 (721 square feet). The lenglh was
increased from 14 M(45 feet II inches) to 14.5 M(47 feet 7 inches), while the height remained
at 4.5 M (14 feet 9 inches). The canopy was lellgthellcd and moved from the prolotypc'S port
center. and tail. Six fucl tanks wilh a total capacity of2798 L (739 gallons) were located in the
wings. The defensive armument consisled of single 7.5MM MAC 1934 machine guns in the
nose and vcntral positiolls and one 20MM Hispano-Suira HS 404 calmon in the dorsal turret,
The Minii/ere lie I'Ai,. (Air Ministry) placed the initial production contmcl in 1938. whi('h
called for 20 Amiot 350 84s (Bombanlemt'1l/ - QUlIdripluce; Four-Scat Bomber) to be deliv-
Amiot 354
ered by I April 1939. Three Io\<~ks laler. this agreement was amend-
ed 10 add 100 Amiot JSI 84s. 1lle contract was soon nKlI,hfied to
include 45 Amiot 350s and 75 AmiOl. 351s. due 10 o\·emealing prob-
lems with !he Amiot 351's GnOme & Rhone 14N engines. The
Mi"ist~r~ (/~ l'Air placed a second contract for 165 addnional Amiot
350 series aircraft in January of 1939. It wlI$lhen clear that Hispano-
Suiza engine produclion lagged behind demand and the firs. agree·
ment was amended include 60 Amiot 351 sand 60 Amiot 353s. A
modification to the second contr.lcl specified 30 Amiot 351~. 100
AmiOl. 353s. and 35 AmiOl. 3~. On 11 June 1939. a !hird contract
was placed for 212 ad(htlooal Amiot bombers 10 meel Plan V
R~nforci requiremenls. 1lle AmiOl 350 was not pul mto prodocuon
and lhe first two AmiOl 351s were compleled in the summer of 1939.
Their great differences from the prolotype required aircraft Nos I and
2 10 undergo full flightlcslS at CEMA from 3 November 1939. Minor
modifications ..ere made as a result of Ihese tests.
Air Mimslry production contracts wen:: modified on 1 December
1939 10 include 880 Amiot ixlmbers: 140 Amiot 351s. 560 Amiot
352s, 100 Amiot 353s. 40 Amiot 354;;. and 40 Amiot 356s. None of
these variants was produced in sufficicnt quamities. 1lle Amlie de
I'Air had acccpted only five Amiot bombers by January of 1940 and Amiot 351 No 01 (X-980) flies low to display its splendId lines to the crowd watching from the ground. This air·
this rose to only 17 aircraft by I March - \\e11 short of the Waircraft craft was converted from the Amiot 340 No 01 and was powered by two 1020 tp Gn6me II RhOne 14N20121 r&d...
expected by that date. EJc\'en of these bombers lacked the 20M~ can- alengines. Provisiofl was also made for an additional gunner with a 7.5MM MAC 1934 machine gun through ave""
non. which was replaced by three 7.5\1M Dame m3Chllle guns :b an Iral hatch aft 01 the bomb bay. (P. Gaillard Collection)
interim measuI'C. 1be HS 404 CllJ1l1OO was nOI installed The Amhn 351 prototype was equipped with a twin fin tail unit when It was evaluated at the end of 1938. These fins were found
until the 47th AmlOl bomber was completed. By I April to be too small and new enlarged fins _re desIgned. The red cocon. (paper horse) emblem painted on the fuselage was the
1940. only 21 Amiol 350 series aircrafl .....ere in the Annh personal Insignia 01 General Joseph V.uiUemln, AtT7M!re eM I'Alrchief of staff. Vuillemln ftew this aircraft on his visit to Germany
d~ rAir inventory. againslthc .cheduled 285 m3Chines. In August of 1938. (P. Galllard Collechon)
This lotal increased to only 37 aircraft one monlh laler. --------------
Despite the shortfalls. some Grouper d(' lJomhardemem
(Bomber Groups) began con\cning 10 lhe ncw aircraft.
1bc AmiOl 354 B4 had a wingspan of 22.8 M (74 feet
10 inches). a wing area of 67 .\12 {nl "({uare fect). a
length of 14.5 M (47 feet 7 inches). and a height of 4.5 M
(14 fect 9 inches). Its empty weight was 4719 KG (10.403
poI.Hlds). \Iohile its maximum \Ioeight was 11.285 K.G
(2-1.879 pounds). This vanam's powerplam consisted of
Iwo 1060 liP Gnome & Rhone 14N48,I49 14-cylinder. air-
cooled. radial engillCs. 'The bomber had a maximum
speed of 480 KMH (298 :-tPll) at 4000 M (13,123 feci). a
s<:rvice ceiling of 10.000 M(32.808 fect), and a maximum
rangc of 2500 KM (1553 miles).
This aircraft's bomb bay held up lO 1250 KO (2756
pounds) of ordnance. which came in combinations of 1\\0
500 KG (1102 pound). six 200 KO (441 pound), tcn 100 KG
(220 pound), Iwenty 50 KG (110 pound). Of eighty 10 KO
el2 pound) bombs. Defel\Sl\e armamenl coosisted of one
7.5MM MAC 1934 machIne gun with 500 rounds in the

This factory fresh Amiot 354 is fined wIth a twin fin tall assembly, but its armament has
not yet been installed. The aircraft appears to have been painted overall glossy Dark
Green (FS24058), with natural metal engine cowlings and propeller spinners. On 1
December 1939, the French Air Ministry had 880 different Amiot bomber variants on order:
140 Amiot 351s, 560 Amiot 352•• 100 Amiot 3535, 40 Amiot 3545, and 40 Amiot 356s. (P.
Galttard Collection)
This unidentified Amiot 354 was built with the c1efinlti~ sIngle talt fin. It and most Amiot
350 series bombers were painted wi1h the standard French three-tone upper sur1ace cam-
ouflage of Khaki Green (FS24087). Chocolate Brown (FS2tl117), and Oar!( Blue Gray
(FS36176). The undersur1aces were light Blue Gray (FS251 89) and rudders wen striped
(from fTant) Roundel Blue, White. and Roundel Red. (M. Benlchou Collection)
n....sc. onc 20\t~' Hispano-Suiza HS 404 cannon with 120 roonds on a dorsal mount. and one
7..5\IM MAC 1934 weapon wilh 800 rouods in the venlral posilion. The Amiot 354 was crewcd
by four men: pilot. bombardier/navigator. dorsal gunner. and radio opcralor/~·cntrJ.1 gunner.
AmIot selected the 12th produclion aircraft from the assembly line to be lined with IWO 1200
Itl' GnOme & Rh6ne 14R2I3 SlJpcrcharged radial engines. This became the Amiot 3.55 proto-
t)·pe. whIch was being pn:pared for flighl lesung al Le Bourget airfidd near Paris in June of
1940. Ad\'llOCing German forces resulted III Ihis ain;rnffs ~y flighl soulh to Pau bcfon:
being placed in stOJage at ClcmlOflt-Femnd. Amiot 356 No 01 made its inllial flIght from
Vlllacooblay in early June of 1940. It was SOOIl c\'ocuated 10 Toulouse, \lohere it remall'led. 1lle
Anllol JS7 was a high·altitude prt:~~urized bomber po.....eR:d by 1\\00 1200 liP Hispano-Suiza
12Z turbo-supercharged engmes-. 11 Wib nearing complelion al Le Bourget \\hen Gemlan
(on::cs occupied the factory 00 14 June 1940.
Amiot 351/354 in Combat
Sellersl Grolll'('s dt' Boml)(mlemem began convening from older Bloch 21Ds to Amiol
351/354 bombers in thc spring uf 1940. GB 1/34 and GB 11/34 al Montbilrd cach received a sin-
gle Amiot on 7 April. GB 1/21 aJld GB 11121 at Avignol1·Chatcaublllnc had SIX ArniOlS between
thcm by 10 May. Thcs.e four GIVJflf!t.'~ fomlcd GrOlIfJt:melll (Je IJOlllbmvlemt'lrl (Bomber
Grouping) No 9. TIle 21st Es('(/(Ire lackcd suffieieJlI AOIiots for full rcequiplllCnt and retained
the Bloch 21 Os for night bombing mi\sions. GrOlf{Jerllenl de /Jomlxtrllemellf No 9's squadrons
were thrown into battlc as soon as their ArniOIS .....ere combat rClldy......hik ~m1UII:ltleoosly Iran·
siliomng mlo the new bombeB.
The firsl operational AlIllot 351/354 mission was an anncd reconnaissance operalion O~'cr
Maasuichl. the Nelherlands. on the evcning of 16-17 May 190m, BOlh Wmgs assembled al
fertf·Gaucher on 19 May for both Innsition trniniJlg and spor.tdic combat missions with lhe
ne\\ AmlOi aircraft. The Gcml:ln OOvall(:e promPled Grou/Hm..nl df' Bombtmlf'nlf'nt No 9 to
redeploy 10 Agen and Bcrgcrac with their reJTl:lJning aircraft on 15 June.
Continuing pnxIuclion dlfficulucs slowed Amiot bomber dcll\'encs during the Banle of
France, The Arm& df' I 'Air had offici:llly aettpted only 61 AmIot 351fJ54 bombers on charge
by 20 June. Sc\'eral other aIrcraft were dcll\ered to operaliooal units withoul complying with
official procedures. SNCACI is behe\ed 10 ha~~ completed 80 10 8.5 Amiot bombers befon:
German forces o\erran the faclory 011 14 June.
The four Groops flew their 37 Amiot 351s13S4s across lho: Mediterranean Sea 10 Oran.
Algcria on 20 June. One oflhe bombers wa~ losl en roUie. but the remaining 36 safely arrived
in North Africa. GrollPf!In"'nf d'" BlJmbtmlf'n1('/If No 9 mo\'cd from Oran 10 Kalaa-Djcrda.
Tuni~ia lwo d:tys later in readincss to an:tck targets in Italy. (Italy dccl:tred \\ar on France on
II June.) No operalional missions were flown before the Franco-German Armiqice was signed
on 22 June. Only 41 Amiot 351s/354s survived this campaign. including 35 in North Africa
(IWO of the 37 were writtcn off in aceidcnl') and seven more in Fmnec.
In April of 1941. Gcrman occupalion authorities allowed the Vichy Government to operate
monthly liaison nights between Unoccupied FrJ.nce and French colonies in Africa. Fi ....e Amiot
aircraft -three Amiot 354s, one Amiot 356. and one Amiot 370 - had their military equipment
removed, were allocated civil rcgi~trJ.tions. and then dcli~cR:d to Air France. Scnlcc began
when Ihe Amiot 370 (F·AREU) flew 5500 KM (3418 miles) fmm Marignane. near Marseilles.
to DJlboull. via Alhens. Greece on 22-23 July. 1lIese nights ended aftcr German forces occu-
pied Viehy France in NovclldJer of 19~2.
IAnOlOt .."", ab§orbc-d ,nIOS,,"CAC d....... lhr: ftlIlKlfWWI... or f~·. ;urrnfl ,...... try ,. 19'6
Amiot 354 84 No 10 was delivered to the Annee de l'Alr on 6 February 1940. Its engine
cowlings appear to be either in natural metal or painted a brIght color for testing. The
Armee del'Airthen assigned the AmIot 354 to the Centre d'instruction au Bombardement
(CI8; Bombing Training Center) at Toulouse. This Amiot 354 was converted to Amiot 356
The Luftwaffe executed a major bombing raid on the Paris area (Operation PAULA) on 3
June 1940. The primary targets Included Le Bourget airfield, where the Amiot 350 series
assembly line was located. The German raid killed ten workers and damaged two aircraft
beyond repair. Among those aircraft lost was Amiot 354 No 85, whose port wing sustained
major damage
configuration - with two 1130 HP Rolls-Royce Merlin X Inline engines - at Clermont
Ferrant·Aulnat In October of 1942. The Germans seized this aircraft in November of 1942
and its lale is unknown. (P. Gaillard Collection)
An Amiot 354 assigned to GB 1V34 is parked at Pont,sur-Vonne in May of 1940. The 34th
Escadre receiYed their first Amiots on 7 April to replace obsolete Amiot 143Ms. A canvas
cover placed over the long canopy prevented glint from giving away this bomber's posi,
tlon to German aircraft. Two Amiot 143Ms (including White 6) are dispersed In the back,
ground.
•I
•
 More World War II Bombers
from squadron/signal publications
=----=·2'-::=-5-----, ....---~~~
MITe. f ...~ B-
\ in action
I

r
T aquad,on~ II<lbIicstkln. .....:: sqLAdrorw'slgnal publlcllnon.
'-- ---"'AI A T Aircraft No. 50

1034 B-25 Mitchell 1050 B-26 Marauder 1063 B-17

SAVOIA MARCHETTI -
8.19 In_acllon Bristol
in action
Blenheim

A FT NO. 11

1071 Savoia Marchetti S.79 1080 B-24 Liberator 1088 Bristol Blenheim
• -
I MOSQU.' Heinkel He U!ton
.1
In action
.... "

If

1127 Mosquito, Part 1 1181 Petlyakov Pe-2 1184 Heinkel He 111

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