Bloch MB.150
Bloch (SNCASO) · France · first flew 1937 · fighter
The Bloch MB.150 was a French single-seat low-wing monoplane fighter that formed the basis for a family of aircraft that equipped the Armée de l'Air during the Battle of France. The initial prototype failed to fly in 1936 but was redesigned into a capable aircraft.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 9.1 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- French pre-war single-seat fighter with enclosed cockpit
- Gnome-Rhône radial engine in clean NACA cowling
- Rounded wingtips and wide-track retractable undercarriage
A conventional low-wing monoplane fighter with a large radial engine, wide-track retractable undercarriage, and rounded wingtips; similar in general appearance to the Curtiss Hawk 75 but with a more angular fuselage profile.
Specifications
- The Bloch MB.150 has a length of 9.1 m (30 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.54 m (35 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 480 km/h (298 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The original MB.150 prototype failed to take off on its first attempt in 1936 due to design flaws. After substantial redesign, it flew successfully in 1937 and was developed into the MB.151 and MB.152 production variants that equipped French fighter groups in 1940. The MB.155 and 157 were further developments reaching high performance.
Variants
The MB.151 was the first production variant; the MB.152 with a more powerful Gnome-Rhône 14N engine was the main production type; the MB.155 and MB.157 were high-performance developments only partially realised before France fell.
Where you'll see it
Equipped multiple Groupes de Chasse of the Armée de l'Air in 1939–1940; Greece received MB.151s; captured examples were evaluated by Germany and Romania.
Related aircraft
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