Bloch MB-152 and related fighter aircraft

Three main French-built fighter aircraft faced the Luftwaffe in 1940. The Bloch MB-152 was probably the least successful of them, ordered into production largely because of delays to more promising aircraft. The MB-152 was the third and main version of the aircraft, after the original MB-150 was found to be unsuited to mass production and the MB-151 underpowered. A variety of attempts were made to improve the aircraft. The MB-153 and MB-154 were designs that used more powerful engines. The MB-155 was a lighter, better armed aircraft that had entered production before the French collapse. The MB-156 was a similar aircraft using a more powerful engine. Finally, the MB-157 was designed specifically to use that engine, the Gnome & Rhone 14R radial, and was by far the fastest French fighter of its time, with a potential top speed of over 440mph. Sadly work on the MB-157 had only reached a very early stage when it was captured by the Germans.