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#Post#: 12158--------------------------------------------------
Plane of the Week: Bloch MB.152
By: vonofterdingen Date: August 10, 2020, 3:24 pm
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France was just not quite prepared for WW2. They prepared to
fight a ground war in the style of WW1 and were behind other
nations in their development of modern aircraft. These were two
fatal errors. With a couple exceptions, like the Dewoitine 520,
French fighters and those they bought from the US were obsolete
at the war’s start. The Bloch MB.152 is an example of how the
French went wrong.
From Wikipedia:
On 13 July 1934, the Service Technique Aéronautique
(Aeronautical Technical Service) of the French Air Force issued
the "C1 design" requirement for a new and completely modern
single-seat interceptor fighter. Envisioned to make use of a
monoplane layout and a retractable undercarriage, the
prospective fighter aircraft was to serve as a replacement for
the French Air Force's existing inventory of Dewoitine D.371,
Dewoitine D.500, and Loire 46 aircraft. Amongst the various
aviation companies who took interest in the specification, to
which the potential for a large production order was attached,
was French aircraft manufacturer Société des Avions Marcel
Bloch.
The design team, headed by Maurice Roussel, was assembled at
Bloch's Courbevoie facility in Paris. They designed an all-metal
stressed skin monoplane, powered by a single 930 hp Gnome-Rhône
14Kfs radial engine and armed with a pair of wing-mounted
Hispano-Suiza-built HS.404 cannon. During September 1935,
construction of the type's first prototype, designated as the
Bloch 150-01, commenced.
Although the C.1 competition was ultimately won by a rival
design, the Morane-Saulnier M.S.406, it was decided to
independently continue with the design's development. During
1936, these efforts culminated in the first attempted flight of
the MB.150.01 prototype; unfortunately, the aircraft proved
unable to leave the ground during the attempt. In the ensuing
disappointment work on the design was temporarily halted, but
development was resumed during early 1937. Following the
implementation of various modifications, consisting of a
strengthened wing of greater area, revised undercarriage
arrangement and the installation of a 701 kW (940 hp)
Gnome-Rhone 14N-0 radial engine with a three-blade constant
speed propeller, on 29 September 1937, the MB.150 finally
conducted its maiden flight.
Months later, the MB.150.01 was handed over to the Centre
d'Essais du Materiel Aerien (CEMA) for service trials; during
one such official test flight in December 1937, a maximum
recorded speed of 434 km/h (269 mph) was attained. As a result
of the CEMA flights, the prototype's performance proved to be
sufficiently interesting as to warrant further development. This
brought, at the beginning of 1938, a small increase in the
aircraft's wing span, the replacement of the twin wing-mounted
radiators by a single unit installed between the wheel wells,
and the installation of an improved 14N-7 engine, which led to
the prototype being re-designated as the MB.150.01M (M standing
for modified). During spring 1938, further trials of the
modified aircraft were performed by CEMA.
By this point, wider circumstances within France, such as the
declining diplomatic situation between the European powers and
the enactment of several urgent re-equipment programmes for the
French Air Force, proved favourable for the MB.150.
Specifically, on 15 March 1938, one such programme, referred to
as Plan V, was adopted, calling for the near-unrealistic
delivery of 940 modern fighter aircraft to the Air Force within
the space of a year. Even the most optimistic projections saw
285 M.S.406 fighters delivered; while the MB.150 was deemed to
have not yet completed development, it was decided to include
the type within the production.
Accordingly, on 7 April 1938, upon the completion of trials
in late spring 1938, the newly formed manufacturing consortium
SNCASO received an initial order for a pre-production batch of
25 aircraft which, upon successful completion of the MB.150's
development programme, was followed by the confirmation of a
sizable order for 450 aircraft.[4] Initially, 300 aircraft were
to be delivered to the French Air Force by 1 April 1939; this
was later cut down to 206 aircraft. In reality, only a single
aircraft had been delivered by the prescribed deadline; other
aircraft types also proved similarly unable to attain the tight
delivery dates.
On 26 September 1939, the first modified MB.152s were
delivered to the French Air Force; the first of these fighters
were allocated to active squadrons by early October and, by
mid-November 1939, two separate Groupes de Chasse (fighter
groups) had been equipped with 26 MB.152s each. At this point,
the type still demonstrated some unfavourable flight
characteristics, such as during steep dives. Meanwhile,
increasing numbers of MB.151 aircraft were being delivered to be
squadrons for training purposes in advance of their anticipated
conversion to the MB.152. During the initial stage of the
conflict, known as the Phoney War, very few engagements between
the MB.152 and the aircraft of the Luftwaffe occurred; in this
period, only a single kill of a Junkers Ju 88 was recorded.
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During the Battle of France, a mixture of MB.151s and MB.152s
equipped nine Groupes de Chasse; the MB.152 was the most
numerous aircraft remaining in service during the final weeks
prior to the signing of the Armistice of 22 June 1940. They
proved to be tough aircraft, able to withstand considerable
battle damage, rapidly reach high speeds during a dive, and
functioned well as a gunnery platform; in air combat they were
outmatched by the Messerschmitt Bf 109E on almost every count
and proved slower than the twin-engined Bf 110. All Blochs units
suffered heavy losses. In the week of heavy air fighting between
10 and 17 May, it was almost commonplace for a Bloch squadron to
take off with eight or nine aircraft and come back with only two
or three. On their side, the pilots of Bloch MB.152s claimed at
least 188 enemy aircraft, for the loss of about 86 Blochs. But
on the third week in May the Bloch units had been decimated and
were pulled back to the Paris area to reform. In comparison
with its other French contemporaries, according to aviation
author Michel Cristesco: "the MB.152 was the least successful in
combat and the one that suffered the heaviest losses". The type
suffered some numerous issues and shortcomings; these problems
included poor agility, unreliable guns, a relatively low range
(600 km [370 mi] compared to 660 km for the Bf 109E) and being
considerably underpowered. Writing of its faults, Cristesco
attributed two major points for its short performance; its
inadequate manoeuvrability and its range.
Following the Armistice, a total of six groups continued to
fly in the Vichy French Air Force until this was disbanded on 1
December 1942, the aircraft being passed over to the Royal
Romanian Air Force by the Germans. By April 1941, the German
Armistice Commission had agreed with a proposal to standardise
the Vichy Air Force onto the Dewoitine D.520, resulting in all
other single-engine fighters being phased out. The Germans
seized around 173 fighters, 83 of which being reportedly
serviceable, which were impressed into service with the
Luftwaffe. Chrisesco alleged that around 95 MB.152s were
secretly modified during late 1941 – early 1942 with a
rear-fuselage fuel tank, giving them the range to cross the
Mediterranean Sea to freedom.
Though the Greek government had ordered 25 MB.151s, actually
only nine of these were actually exported to Greece by the time
of the Armistice being signed. Those that were delivered were
still in the process of working up when the Greco-Italian War
broke out, leading to the wider Balkan Campaign between the
major European fighters. The MB.151 fighters flew with the 24th
Moira Dioxis (Fighter Squadron) of the Hellenic Royal Air Force,
stationed at Elefsina against the Italians and Germans, scoring
several air-to-air victories until 19 April 1941, when the last
of Greece's MB.151s was shot down.[17] At one stage, the
Bulgarian government was in the process of negotiating the
acquisition of MB.152 fighters with the Vichy government. During
February 1943, a contract for delivery of 20 aircraft was
signed, but this was vetoed by the German authorities, which by
now had a controlling say within Vichy French politics. Instead,
Bulgaria later received a series of Dewoitine D.520s to meet
their needs.
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In game…
In my experience the Block MB.152 is best experienced in game
as an adversary. For those that like early war/fall of France
scenarios and also love a challenge, this is your ride.
Personally I like Phony War and Battle of France campaigns, but
I would prefer to be in just about any other aircraft on the
allied side. The Bloch also served in Greece but alas, that
theater is underrepresented in the campaigns we have available
currently. But the Bloch is underpowered, under-gunned, and
difficult to fly, at least in my experience. Even a Bf-110 will
find the Bloch an easy target. Still, it serves us as an
interesting bit of history.
#Post#: 12171--------------------------------------------------
Re: Plane of the Week: Bloch MB.152
By: cafs Date: August 12, 2020, 10:43 am
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"But the Bloch is underpowered, under-gunned, and difficult to
fly, at least in my experience. Even a Bf-110 will find the
Bloch an easy target. Still, it serves us as an interesting bit
of history."
The plain truth, the classic "A good looking aircraft is a good
aircraft" does not apply to this plane.
#Post#: 12174--------------------------------------------------
Re: Plane of the Week: Bloch MB.152
By: vonofterdingen Date: August 12, 2020, 4:34 pm
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That made me laugh, and oh so true Cafs.
#Post#: 12186--------------------------------------------------
Re: Plane of the Week: Bloch MB.152
By: ben_wh Date: August 13, 2020, 4:51 pm
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von,
Thanks for the write-up. The 152 is an underdog even among the
French fighters during Battle of France (e.g. compared with
D520, Hawk-75, MS206) - so an underdog among underdogs.
In game, though, if flying against Bf-109E-1 (which was still
common in BoF) this is not as much as a sitting duck as you'd
expect. Part of the reason is the engine overheating issue of
the early 109s in-game, and the E-1 also had an armament issue
in-game.
Cheers,
#Post#: 12187--------------------------------------------------
Re: Plane of the Week: Bloch MB.152
By: vonofterdingen Date: August 13, 2020, 6:20 pm
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That's interesting Ben. The Greeks has Blochs too, didn't they?
Does anyone happen to know how they fared against the italians?
#Post#: 12188--------------------------------------------------
Re: Plane of the Week: Bloch MB.152
By: ben_wh Date: August 13, 2020, 8:22 pm
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von,
Not sure how the Greek 152 fared against the Italians, but per
your notes above the Greek had only several 152s operational so
not sure that would have made a substantial difference. That
said, the Royal Hellenic Air Force overall had a good showing
against the Italian's initial attack though.
Thanks again for the write-up.
Cheers,
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