Bloch MB.200
Bloch · France · first flew 1933 · bomber
The Bloch MB.200 was a French twin-engine monoplane night bomber that equipped the Armée de l'Air as its primary heavy bomber during the mid-1930s. It featured a distinctive angular slab-sided fuselage with extensive glazing.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Slab-sided fuselage with angular glazed nose |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- French inter-war twin-engine biplane night bomber
- Slab-sided fuselage with angular glazed nose
- Served as main French night bomber in mid-1930s
A large angular monoplane with two radial engines, a boxy fuselage with prominent gun positions, and the unmistakably 'square' cross-section of Bloch's inter-war bombers.
Specifications
- The Bloch MB.200 has a length of 16 m (52 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 22.45 m (74 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 285 km/h (177 mph).
- Typical crew: 5.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in 1933 and entering service in 1934–35, the MB.200 was produced in substantial numbers and served as the backbone of French bomber aviation for several years. It was exported to Czechoslovakia and Romania.
Variants
Production variants included aircraft built by multiple manufacturers under licence; Czechoslovak and Romanian export versions were also produced.
Where you'll see it
Served with the Armée de l'Air through the late 1930s, and with the Czech and Romanian air forces; largely obsolete by the outbreak of WWII but still in inventory in 1939.
Related aircraft
- Bloch MB.131
- Bloch MB.210
- Bloch MB.170
- Aero A.100
- Boulton Paul P.75 Overstrand
- Curtiss A-12 Shrike
- Dornier Do 13
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