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French Fighters

List

Dewoitine D.525C.1 Bourrasque
Introduced 1941

General characteristics
Crew: 1
Length: 9.6 m (32 ft 5 in)
Wingspan: 10.5 m (34 ft 5 in)
Height: 2.57 m (8 ft 5 in)
Wing area: 17.65 m² (190 ft²)
Empty weight: 2,550 kg (5,621 lb)
Loaded weight: 3,400 kg (7,495 lb)
Powerplant: 1× Hispano-Suiza 12Z liquid-cooled V12 engine with two-stage Turbomeca supercharger, 1,650hp

Performance
Maximum speed: 657.5 km/h (355 kn, 408.5 mph)
Range: 1,500 km (932 mi)
Service ceiling: 11,500 m (37,730 ft)
Rate of climb: 20.8 m/s (4,100 ft/min)

Armament
- 4 × 20 mm Hispano-Suiza HS.404 (60-rounds) cannon

Variants:
- HD.790: Seaplane fighter variant.

Image by Claveworks (click to see full view).

Arsenal VG.60 Revenant ("Ghost") fighter
Design and Development
The Arsenal VG.60 was a clean-sheet design started in early 1937 to provide a potential follow-on aircraft for the VG.30 and its variants. While the "Thirty Series" saw mass production up until 1941, with the VG.39bis serving as the ultimate variant, the design was often critiqued particularly in comparison to other aircraft on the international scene. Arsenal's designers drew on their experiences both with the failed VB.10 and the more successful VG.30. One of the main concerns, as a result of difficulties with Thirty-Series, was designing the VG.60 for ease of mass-production at the new Arsenal factory under construction at Châtillon-sous-Bagneux, which was designed to produce five hundred aircraft per year. While this emphasis on ease of production drove much of the VG.60's design, a conscious effort was made to reduce unnecessary weight through use of materials such as duralumin; and improve performance with additions such as the Meredith radiators, similar to those used on the VG.30 series. The final aircraft featured a bubble canopy (as installed on the final VG.39bis models) for high pilot visibility, with a protective sheet of armour and armoured glass behind the pilot's seat.

Specifications
Wingspan: 10.7 m (35.1 feet)
Length: 8.86 m (29 feet)
Height: 3.14 m (10.3 feet)
Wing Area: 18.8 m² (202.36 ft²)
Empty weight: 2445 kg (5,390 lbs)
Loaded Weight: 3274 kg (7,218 lbs)
Engine: 1 × Hispano-Suiza 12Z (1,650 hp takeoff)
Crew: 1 (pilot)

Performance
Max speed: 668 kph (415 mph) @ 7,000 meters
Range: 994.5 km (618 miles)
Service ceiling: 11,650 m (38,221 ft)
Power to weight ratio: 0.228 hp/lb
Wingloading: 174 kg/m² / 35.7 lb/ft²
Rate of climb: 18.5 mps (1,115 fpm)

Armament
- 1 × 23 mm HS.406 motorcannon with 90 rounds
- 4 × 13.2mm Hotchkiss in wings with 300 rounds each or 2 × 20mm HS.404

Variants
- VG.60: Initial production version armed with one HS.406 23mm cannon and four 12.7mm Hotchkiss machine guns.
- VG.61(N): License-built version by Societie Nord and produced concurrently to the VG.60. Armed with three HS.404 20mm cannon. Otherwise identical to the VG.60.
- VG.61(H): License-built version by Hanriot. Armed with one HS.406 23mm cannon and four 12.7mm Hotchkiss machine guns; uses a Farman HS(F)-12Z engine (license-built HS-12Z).
- VG.61(A): License-built version by Amiot. Armed with one HS.406 23mm cannon and four 12.7mm Hotchkiss machine guns. License-built starting May 1941.

Arsenal VG.64 Revenant ("Ghost") fighter
Design and Development
The Arsenal VG.64 originated with the preceding VG.60 Revenant, with Arsenal's designers aiming to draw even higher performance out of the existing airframe. The aircraft received the latest Hispano-Suiza V-12 inline engine, the 12Z-55, and a Turbomeca two-stage variable speed supercharger. Significant aerodynamics and ease-of-production lessons were applied from the VG.60. The VG.64 gained 140kg but proved to be substantially faster than its predecessor. Another major change was the adoption of tricycle landing gear, which improved the plane's ground-handling characteristics. However, the forward landing-gear strut suffered from production quality issues, and several VG.64s were damaged or written off when the forward strut collapsed during hard or rough-field landings. Production switched over to the VG.64 in December 1941, although Amiot continued manufacturing VG.60s until April 1942.

Specifications
Wingspan: 10.7 m (35.1 feet)
Length: 9.1 m (29 ft 10 in)
Height: 3.14 m (10.3 feet)
Wing Area: 18.8 m² (202.36 ft²)
Empty weight: 2585 kg (5699 lbs)
Loaded Weight: 3434 kg (7571 lbs)
Engine: 1 × Hispano-Suiza 12Z-55 (1,800 hp / 1,342 kW takeoff) with two-stage variable speed Turbomeca supercharger
Crew: 1 (pilot)

Performance
Max speed: 705 kph (380 knots, 438 mph) at 7,000 meters
Range: 1100 km (683 miles)
Service ceiling: 11,750 m (38,549 ft)
Power to weight ratio: 0.237 hp/lb at loaded weight
Wingloading: 183 kg/m² / 37.4 lb/ft²
Rate of climb: 19.2 mps (3780 fpm)

Armament
- 1 × 23 mm HS.406 motorcannon with 90 rounds
- 4 × 12.7mm Hotchkiss in wings with 300 rounds each

Variants:
- VG.66: Equipped with a 37mm DEFA cannon in place of the 23mm gun.

Image by Claveworks (click to see full detailed view).

The Bloch MB.1050 Milan is a carrier-based fighter aircraft designed for service by the Aeronavale. The Milan was a development of Bloch's earlier radial-engined fighters, such as the MB.152 and MB.155, and was developed between 1937 and 1940, concurrently to but separately from the Bloch MB.157. Bloch and his design team developed the Milan to be one of the preeminent naval fighter planes in the world, and made every attempt to design a high-performance, rugged, reliable, long-ranged plane. At the time they entered service, the MB.1050 was the fastest carrier fighter in the world, and later versions maintained comparable performance figures to other carrier aircraft.

Quoted

Dassault MB.1050 Milan ("Kite") carrier fighter
Preproduction Aircraft

Specifications
Wingspan: 12.0m (39.4 feet)
Length: 10.4m (34 feet)
Height: 4.5m (14.8 feet)
Wing Area: 27.5 m² (296 ft²)
Empty Weight: 3,698.5 kg (8,154 lbs)
Loaded Weight: 5,034 kg (11099 lbs)
Max Takeoff Weight: 6,431.5 kg (14,181 lbs)
Engine: 1 × Gnome-Rhone Mistral Titan 18k (1,850hp / 1,379.5 kW takeoff)
Crew: 1 (pilot)

Performance
Max speed: 650 kph (403.9 mph)
Cruising speed: 563 kph (350 mph)
Combat Range: 1,327 km (825 miles)
Service ceiling: 10,900 m (35,800 ft)
Rate of climb: 15.9 mps (3129.6 fpm)

Quoted

Dassault MB.1050 Milan ("Kite") carrier fighter
Production Aircraft

Specifications
Wingspan: 12.0m (39.4 feet)
Length: 10.4m (34 feet)
Height: 4.5m (14.8 feet)
Wing Area: 27.5 m² (296 ft²)
Empty Weight: 3,698.5 kg (8,154 lbs)
Loaded Weight: 5,034 kg (11099 lbs)
Max Takeoff Weight: 6,431.5 kg (14,181 lbs)
Engine: 1 × Gnome-Rhone Mistral Titan 18k (2,240hp / 1,670.4 kW takeoff) with Turbomeca two-stage supercharger
Crew: 1 (pilot)

Performance
Max speed: 685 kph (370 knots / 425.6 mph)
Cruising speed: 563 kph (350 mph)
Combat Range: 1,327 km (825 miles)
Service ceiling: 10,900 m (35,800 ft)
Rate of climb: 15.9 mps (3129.6 fpm)
Wing Loading: 183 kg/m² (37.5 lb/ft²)
Power to Weight Ratio: 0.332 kW/kg (0.202 hp/lb)

Armament
- 4 × 20 mm cannon in wings with 925 rounds
- 2 × 750lb (340 kg) bombs

Variants:
- MB.1050: Standard carrier-based fighter (1941)
- MB.1050CN "Milan Noir": Carrier-based night-fighter variant of the MB.1050, equipped with SDA-5B air-intercept radar in small wing-pod
- MB.1051: Version with non-folding wings proposed for Armee de l'Aire.

Quoted

Dassault MB.1050D Milan Royal ("Red Kite") carrier fighter
Although Bloch's original MB.1050 Milan saw good success, with adoption by the French, Atlantean, and Brazilian naval air arms, Bloch continued pushing for higher levels of performance. The MB.1050D variant, which first flew in November 1941, saw a number of small modifications, including the use of spring-tab ailerons and the Breguet-designed SGM [1] engine management system, similar to that used on the Fw190 and the Br.890 Epaulard. One of the most significant alterations was the adoption of automatically-adjusting combat flaps, which adjusted the flaps automatically based on acceleration.

Specifications
Wingspan: 12.0m (39.4 feet)
Length: 10.4m (34 feet)
Height: 4.5m (14.8 feet)
Wing Area: 28.75 m² (309.5 ft²)
Empty Weight: 4,108 kg (9,057 lbs)
Loaded Weight: 5,545 kg (12,224.6 lbs)
Max Takeoff Weight: 7,015 kg (15,465 lbs)
Engine: 1 × Gnome-Rhone Mistral Titan 18k-41 (2,470hp / 1,842 kW takeoff) with Turbomeca two-stage supercharger
Crew: 1 (pilot)

Performance
Max speed: 708 kph (382 knots / 440 mph) at 6,000 meters
Cruising speed: 563 kph (350 mph)
Combat Range: 1,400 km (870 miles)
Service ceiling: 10,200 m (33,464 ft)
Rate of climb: 17 mps (3346.2 fpm)
Wing Loading: 192.8 kg/m² (39.5 lb/ft²)
Power to Weight Ratio: 0.332 kW/kg (0.202 hp/lb)

Armament
- 4 × 23 mm HS.406 cannon in wings with 90 rounds per gun or
- 6 × 13mm Hotchkiss in wings with 450 rounds per gun
- 2 × 750lb (340 kg) bombs or rockets

Variants:

Notes:
- Note [1]: SGM stands for Système de gestion de moteur, or System of Engine Management

Quoted

Bloch MB.1050G Milan Gargouille

General characteristics
Crew: One
Wingspan: 12.35 m (40.5 ft)
Length: 13.1 m (43 ft)
Height: 4.7 m (15.4 ft)
Wing area: 33.8 m² ( ft²)
Empty weight: 4,890 kg (10,781 lb)
Loaded weight: 7300 kg (16,094 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 8,282 kg (18,259 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Gnome-Rhone Typhon 21k-20 (2,900hp / kW takeoff) with Turbomeca two-stage supercharger with two contra-rotating 3-blade adjustable-pitch propellers

Performance
Maximum speed: 697 km/h (376 knots, 433 mph) at sea level; 750 km/h (405 knots, 466 mph) at 7,000 m
Cruise speed: 305 km/h (165 knots, 190 mph)
Combat radius: 2,197 km (1,365 mi)
Ferry range: 3,102 km (1,927 mi)
Service ceiling: 11,250 m (36,909 ft)
Rate of climb: 18.7 m/s ( ft/min)
Power to Weight Ratio: 0.29 kW/kg (0.175 hp/lb)
Wing Loading: 233 kg/m² (47.8 lb/ft²)

Armament
Guns: 4 × 23 mm DEFA cannon with 125 rounds per gun
Bombs: 2,200 kg (4,850 lb) of payload on four external hardpoints and an internal bay; may include 2 × 1,040 kg aerial torpedoes, 16×105mm Brandt T-10 unguided rockets, 2× underbelly drop tanks, or 2× rocket pods with 18×37mm rockets each

Arsenal VB.20 Rafale
This aircraft was the long-delayed total redesign of the Arsenal VB.10, re-engined with the Hispano-Suiza 24Z engine. The plane would enter production in the middle of 1942 to serve as a long-ranged high-altitude escort fighter, although its high-altitude performance made it useful as a fast reconnaissance aircraft and a high-altitude interceptor as well.

General characteristics
Wingspan: 14.5 m (47 ft 7 in)
Length: 11.2 m (36 ft 9 in)
Height: 4.8 m (15 ft 9 in)
Wing Area: 32 m² (345 ft²)
Empty weight: 3,600 kg (7,937 lbs)
Gross weight: 4,550 kg (10,031 lbs)
Max Takeoff Weight: 5,700 kg (12,566 lbs)
Wing Loading (Gross): 178.125 kg/m (36.4 lb/ft)
Power to Weight Ratio: 0.35 kW/kg (0.21 hp/lb)
Engine: 1 × Hispano-Suiza 24H (2,000 kw / 2,682 hp at 5,000m) driving two three-bladed contra-rotating propellers
Crew: 1 (pilot)

Performance
Max speed: 730 kph (453.6 mph) at 8,000m
Cruising speed: 525 kph (326.2 mph)
Range: 1,700 km (1,056 miles)
Service ceiling: 11,600 m (38,057 ft)
Rate of climb: 22 mps (4330 fpm)

Armament
- 4 × Hispano- Suiza HS-406 23 mm gun swith 160 rounds per gun
- 10 × 105mm rockets

Variants
- VB.20: Original production model with HS-24H-9 engine.
- VB.23: Improved production with HS-24H-12 engine, capable of 750kph at 8,000m.

Hanriot H.312 Roussette Strike Fighter
In the late 1930s, the French Aeronavale believed the future of carrier strike aircraft lay in large carriers with air wings of larger planes, including twin-engine fighter and strike aircraft. This resulted in the construction of the large Bucentaure and Vengeur class aircraft carriers, designed to easily accommodate twin-engine aircraft. Most of the twin engine designs proposed to the Aeronavale through 1941, however, failed to impress either the pilots or the technical investigators. Only the Breguet Br.695, developed as the navalized variant of a ground-attack aircraft, saw active service aboard the French carriers prior to 1943, although a proposal to modify the twin-engine Arsenal VB.10 into a carrier fighter came close to fruition (despite the type's weaknesses). Improvements in the power and reliability of French radial engines allowed the Aeronavale to field large single-engine carrier bombers, although an interest remained in twin engine types. The Armee de l'Aire similarly pushed for a more modern twin-engine night and day fighter that could replace the Bloch MB.178N.

In late 1940, the private design firm of Vasseur et cie in Paris proposed a long-ranged twin-engine carrier fighter to the Aeronavale. The small design team, led by Bruno and Marie Vasseur, presented a radical design using a continuous-aerofoil profile. Although the French Navy rejected the design due to its size, they awarded Vasseur et cie twenty thousand francs to continue developing a twin-engine carrier fighter. In January 1942, in order to acquire access to high-speed wind-tunnels as well as more funding, the Vasseurs entered into a joint development contract with the Hanriot firm, which attempted to tailor the design to match more potentially lucrative night fighter contracts for the Armee de l'Aire. Vasseur et cie's design team, lacking any means of production, found themselves at odds with Hanriot over the direction of the project, and launched a legal action. In July 1942, before the lawsuit could reach court, Hanriot offered to buy the project out from Vasseur et cie.

Despite Hanriot's interest in offering a night-fighter to the Armee de l'Aire, the Aeronavale remained their primary customer. Hanriot presented a quarter-sized prototype to the Aeronavale in August 1942, and optimistically assured the French Navy that the plane could achieve four hundred fifty knots and a range of three thousand kilometers, yet still be able to fly from a carrier deck. The Aeronavale was skeptical of this claim, but was sufficiently impressed at the model that they ordered three prototypes for testing at the Centre d'Essais en Vol in Brétigny-sur-Orge. The Armee de l'Aire, more cautious about the design, determined to wait to see the results of the French Navy's tests before committing to their own testing.

Although the aircraft, designated the H.312 Roussette, was generally orthodox in layout, several design elements were unusual. The original design called for each of the engines to power a contra-rotating propeller, but this was only used on the first prototype, as it was a serious maintenance hassle that the French Navy did not want. Tricycle gear was also used, as this was the Aeronavale's preference for use on carrier catapults. Hanriot additionally replaced the glass nose cone of the original Vasseur design with a shaped fiberglass cone that allowed for the installation of a forward-looking radio-teledetecteur array, turning the aircraft into a potential night-fighter.

Hanriot delivered the first H.312 prototype to Brétigny-sur-Orge in January 1943. The Aeronavale dubbed it the "Roussette", using the French vernacular for a bat as well as a species of shark (Scyliorhinidae or catshark). Testing quickly demonstrated that the H.312 could not live up to Hanriot's promised speed, range, and fight ceiling capabilities, although test pilots enjoyed the plane's handling, particularly at lower speeds. The RTD setup, which Hanriot advertised as the plane's greatest strength, proved to be one of the type's most significant issues, as no second crewman was provided in the original design to operate the set. The pilot had to operate the radio-teledetecteur controls by reaching over his left shoulder and watching the screen which was next to his right knee. This resulted in pilot fatigue as the lone crewman attempted to juggle radar operation with actually flying the airplane. Hanriot eventually gave up and provided a seat for a second crewman, who served as navigator and radar operator.

The Aeronavale ordered a number of Roussettes in 1943 and 1944, and the cautious Armee de l'Aire placed an order in December 1943. Despite its origin as a carrier aircraft, most Roussettes did not serve aboard carriers; they instead were incorporated into land-based squadrons assigned for fleet protection. All Roussettes used in carrier operations were of the twin-seat variety, assigned to the carriers Bucentaure or Conquerant as a dedicated night-fighter squadron. Even aboard these large carriers, the Aeronavale found the H.312 to be a challenging plane to operate successfully. The Armee de l'Aire instead became the definitive user of the Roussette, ordering several hundred two-seat planes for use as night fighters.

General Characteristics
Crew: one
Length: 11.52 m (37 ft 9 in)
Wingspan: 15.37 m (50 ft 5 in)
Height: 5.16 m (16 ft 11 in)
Wing area: 35.32 m² (380.04 ft²)
Empty weight: 6,400 kg (14,110 lb)
Loaded weight: 7,900 kg (17,416 lb)
Powerplant: 2 × Gnome-Rhone 18k air-cooled R18 engines, (2,240hp / 1,670.4 kW) with two-stage variable speed Turbomeca supercharger or 2 × Hispano-Suiza 12Z-55 liquid-cooled V-12 engines, (1,800 hp / 1,342 kW takeoff) with two-stage variable speed Turbomeca supercharger

Performance
Maximum speed: 708 kph (382 knots / 440 mph) at 6,000 meters
Cruise speed: 500 km/h (308 mph)
Range: 2,800 km (1,740 mi)
Service ceiling: 10,000 m (32,808 ft)
Rate of climb: 3,850 ft/min (19.58 m/sec)

Armament
- 2 × 23mm DEFA 501 revolver cannon with three hundred rounds
- 1 × 37mm belt-fed cannon with forty rounds
- 750kg underwing stores (bombs, torpedoes, or rockets)

Variants
- H.312 Roussette: Initial variant, equipped for carrier operations.
- H.313: Night fighter with two-man crew.

Dewoitine D.800 Flèche

General characteristics
Crew: One
Length: 9.69 m (31ft 9.5in)
Wingspan: 11 m (initial version, rounded wingtips) or 10.50 m (final version, squared wingtips) (36ft 11in)
Height: 3.39 m (11ft 1.5in)
Wing area: 19,70 m²
Empty weight: 2,358 kg (5,198 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 3,600 kg (7,937 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Rateau A.62 centrifugal turbojet, 15.7 kN (1,600 kgf / 3,527.4 lbf)

Performance
Maximum speed: 720 km/h (447 mph)
Range: 900 km (559 mi)
Service ceiling: 15,500 m (50,855 ft)
Rate of climb: 20.8 m/s (4,094 ft/min)
Power to weight ratio: 0.444 lbf/lb at loaded weight
Wingloading: 182.7 kg/m² / 37.43 lb/ft²

Armament
Guns: 4 × 23 mm Hispano-Suiza HS.406 cannon with 125 rounds per gun

Notes
This is the historical FMA Pulqui I, which was designed in Argentina by Emil Dewoitine and some Argentine co-workers. Used with Hood's permission.
First flight February 1944, entry into squadron service around September or so. Probably retired from service by 1946-47.
Estimated quantity manufactured: between 50-100, no more. Production will probably run from July to December of 1944, after which it will be ended.

North American P-51 Mustang
Twenty-five of these aircraft were acquired for the use of the Ecole guerre aérienne des Alliés (Allied Aerial Warfare School) as adversary-instructor aircraft.

General characteristics
Crew: 1
Length: 9.83 m (32 ft 3 in)
Wingspan: 11.28 m (37 ft 0 in)
Height: 4.08 m (13 ft 4½ in)
Wing area: 21.83 m² (235 ft²)
Empty weight: 3,465 kg (7,635 lb)
Loaded weight: 4,175 kg (9,200 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 5,490 kg (12,100 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Orenda Merlin liquid-cooled supercharged V-12, 1,490 hp (1,111 kW) at 3,000 rpm;[74] 1,720 hp (1,282 kW) at WEP

Performance:
Maximum speed: 703 km/h (437 mph) at 7,600 m (25,000 ft)
Cruise speed: 580 km/h (362 mph)
Stall speed: 160 km/h (100 mph)
Range: 2,755 km (1,650 mi) with external tanks
Service ceiling: 12,800 m (41,900 ft)
Rate of climb: 16.3 m/s (3,200 ft/min)
Wing loading: 192 kg/m² (39 lb/ft²)
Power/mass: 300 W/kg (0.18 hp/lb)

Notes:
These aircraft are all unarmed.

Arsenal VG.640 Graoully fighter

Specifications
Wingspan: 10.7 m (35.1 feet)
Length: 9.06 m (29.7 feet)
Height: 3.14 m (10.3 feet)
Wing Area: 18.8 m² (202.36 ft²)
Empty weight: 2,500 kg (5,511 lbs)
Loaded Weight: 3,319 kg (7,317 lbs)
Engine: 1 × Gnome-Rhone Curtana ATR-001 axial turbojet 9 kN (918 kgf / 2,023 lbf thrust)
Crew: 1 (pilot)

Performance
Max speed: 750 kph (466 mph) @ 9,000 meters
Range: 550 km (314 miles)
Service ceiling: 12,250 m (40,190 ft)
Rate of climb: 20.5 m/s (4035 ft/min)
Power to weight ratio: 0.276 lbf/lb at loaded weight
Wingloading: 176.5 kg/m² / 36.2 lb/ft²

Armament
- 2 × 23 mm HS.406 with 90 rounds in nose

Variants
- VG.640: Single-seat fighter
- VG.640T: Twin-seat advanced trainer

Notes
This is based off the Russian Yak-15/Yak-17 concept.
First flight May 1944, entry into service October/November 1944.

MD.450 Ouragan I.