Bloch MB.131

infobox Aircraft
name = MB.131
type = Reconnaissance-bomber aircraft
manufacturer = Bloch / SNCASO


caption =
designer =
first flight = 29 June 1934 (MB.130) 16 August 1936 (MB.131)
introduced = June 1938
retired =
status =
primary user = French Air Force
more users = Polish Air Force Luftwaffe
produced =
number built = 143
unit cost =
developed from =
variants with their own articles =

The Bloch MB.130 and its derivatives were a series of French monoplane reconnaissance-bombers developed during the 1930s. They saw some limited action at the beginning of World War II, but were obsolete by that time and suffered badly against the Luftwaffe. After the fall of France, a few were pressed into Luftwaffe service.

Design and development

The MB.130 was developed in response to the August 1933 French Aviation Ministry request for a reconnaissance and tactical bomber aircraft. It was an all-metal twin-engined low-wing monoplane with retractable landing gear, and armed with three flexible machine guns, one apiece in the nose, dorsal turret, and ventral gondola. It first flew on June 29 1934, and despite very ordinary performance, soon entered production, 40 machines being ordered in October 1935. An improved version, the MB.131 was first flown on August 16 1936, but still needed more work to overcome its deficiencies. The radically revised second prototype which flew on May 5 the following year eventually formed the basis for series production, with aircraft being manufactured by SNCASO, the nationalised company that had absorbed Bloch and Blériot. Total production (including prototypes) was 143.

Operational history

Entering service in June 1938, the MB.131 went on to equip seven reconnaissance "Groupes", six in metropolitan France and one in North Africa. Upon the outbreak of the war, the metropolitan "Groupes" suffered heavy losses in attempts at daylight reconnaissance of Germany's western borders. They were subsequently restricted to flying night missions, though they still suffered heavy losses even then. By May 1940, all metropolitan units had been converted to Potez 63.11 aircraft, with only the African groupe retaining them for first-line duty.

After the Battle of France, the planes left in Vichy possession were relegated to target towing duty. 21 planes were reported captured by the Luftwaffe in inoperable condition, but photographic evidence suggests at least a few flew for the Nazis.

Variants

;MB.130.01:Original prototype.;MB.131.01:First prototype.;MB.131.02:Second prototype with revised wings, tail, and fuselage;MB.131R4:Initial versions with one central machine gun, 13 built. "Note: Breffort and Joiuineau say that 14 R4 aircraft were built.";MB.131Ins:Dual control instructor version, 5 built.;MB.131RB4:Four-seat reconnaissance-bomber aircraft. Internal bomb bay and revised equipment. 121 built, including two prototypes refitted to this standard. "Note: Breffort and Joiuineau say that 100 RB4 aircraft were built.";MB.133:Prototype with redesigned tail, 1 built.;MB.134:Prototype with two 820 kW (1,100 hp) Hispano-Suiza L4 AA engines, 1 built.

Operators

;FRA
*Armée de l'Air operated 141 aircraft.;flagicon|France|vichy Vichy France
* Vichy aviation operated some aircraft.;flag|Germany|Nazi
*Luftwaffe operated captured aircraft in restricted roles.;POL
*Polish Air Forces in exile in France
**Groupe de Bombardement Marche Polonais

pecifications (MB.131RB.4)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?= plane
jet or prop?= prop
ref=
crew= Four
capacity=
length main= 17.85 m
length alt= 58 ft 7 in
span main= 20.27 m
span alt= 66 ft 7 in
height main= 4.09 m
height alt= 13 ft 5 in
area main= 54 m²
area alt= 581 ft²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 4,690 kg
empty weight alt= 10,340 lb
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 8,600 kg
max takeoff weight alt= 18,960 lb
more general=

engine (prop)=Gnome-Rhône 14N-10/11
type of prop=14-cylinder air-cooled radial engines
number of props=2
power main= 708 kW
power alt= 950 hp
power original=
max speed main= 349 km/h
max speed alt= 188 knots, 217 mph
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main= 1,300 km
range alt= 702 nm, 808 miles
ceiling main= 7,250 m
ceiling alt= 23,785 ft
climb rate main= 5.1 m/s
climb rate alt= 1,004 ft/min
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
armament=
* 3 × 7.5 mm MAC 1934 machine guns in flexible mounts in the nose, dorsal turret, and ventral gondola.
* 800 kg (1,764 lb) of bombs
avionics=

References

* [http://www.dassault-aviation.com Dassault official home page]

ee also

aircontent
related=

similar aircraft=

lists=
* List of aircraft of the Armée de l'Air, World War II
* List of military aircraft of France