Bloch MB-140
Before the war were three families of multi engine Blochs
- the 130 (mediocre twin engine recon aircraft of 1934). (in the end the 134 was the best in the family, but after a huge redesign. It the end, it looked like a scaled-up MB-175).
- the 160 (4 engine airliner, later the MB-161 Languedoc)
- the 170 (twin engine recon / bomber 174 and 175).
The 160 had a bomber derivative, the 162 (for the B5 category, bomber with a crew of 5)
Both the 130 and 170 gave birth to 4-engine light bombers.
The 4- engine derivative of the mediocre 130 was the MB-135. It was better, but still inferior to the Amiot 354 and Leo 451 (despite having 4 engines instead of two!) so it was not produced.
The MB-174 and MB-175 were superb aircrafts. The 174 was used for recon over Germany, and proved immune to the Me-109s (see Flight to Arras
)
The MB-175 was a bombing variant of the 174, with a decent weapon bay. It came too late, but was used by Vichy, and later by the Aeronavale until 1950.
the MB-140 (here we go!) was to be the four-engine derivative of the MB-175.
Most powerfull engine at the time was the Gnome& rhone 14N with 1080 hp. The 14R was planned for 1942 or so, rated at 1600 hp (this engine ended in failure in 1949).
Performances of the MB-140 were to be superior to the MB-175. It seem that the layout fully benefited from the more engines.
The plane could have carried a 3000 kg warload at 600+ kph over 3000 km. It would have fitted nicely between the Mosquito and "Heavies".
Prototype was started in 1939, and was near completion in june 1940 in a dedicated hangar. Sadly, all was destroyed before the German could seized it. No photos nor plans seems to have survived...
Before the war were three families of multi engine Blochs
- the 130 (mediocre twin engine recon aircraft of 1934). (in the end the 134 was the best in the family, but after a huge redesign. It the end, it looked like a scaled-up MB-175).
- the 160 (4 engine airliner, later the MB-161 Languedoc)
- the 170 (twin engine recon / bomber 174 and 175).
The 160 had a bomber derivative, the 162 (for the B5 category, bomber with a crew of 5)
Both the 130 and 170 gave birth to 4-engine light bombers.
The 4- engine derivative of the mediocre 130 was the MB-135. It was better, but still inferior to the Amiot 354 and Leo 451 (despite having 4 engines instead of two!) so it was not produced.
The MB-174 and MB-175 were superb aircrafts. The 174 was used for recon over Germany, and proved immune to the Me-109s (see Flight to Arras
) The MB-175 was a bombing variant of the 174, with a decent weapon bay. It came too late, but was used by Vichy, and later by the Aeronavale until 1950.
the MB-140 (here we go!) was to be the four-engine derivative of the MB-175.
Most powerfull engine at the time was the Gnome& rhone 14N with 1080 hp. The 14R was planned for 1942 or so, rated at 1600 hp (this engine ended in failure in 1949).
Performances of the MB-140 were to be superior to the MB-175. It seem that the layout fully benefited from the more engines.
The plane could have carried a 3000 kg warload at 600+ kph over 3000 km. It would have fitted nicely between the Mosquito and "Heavies".
Prototype was started in 1939, and was near completion in june 1940 in a dedicated hangar. Sadly, all was destroyed before the German could seized it. No photos nor plans seems to have survived...
