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BLOCH MB152

 


Technical Specifications
Type
Mono-seat Fighter  with low wings
Date first flight
Décembre 15, 1938
Wingspan
10,542m 
Lenght
9,104 m 
Height
3,960m 
Wing Area
17.32m2 
Empty Weight
2158Kg 
Max. Takeoff Weight
2748 Kg 
Cruising Speed
km/h. 
Maximum Speed
510 km/h at4500m 
Climbing Speed
4000m in 6mn 12s 
Service ceilling
11050m 
Range
540kms at5500m
Crew
1 Pilot
Motorization
1 Radial Engine Gnôme & Rhône 14 cyl 14N49 de 1050ch at 3600m
Armament
2x machine-guns MAC 34 de 7.5mm in the wings
2x 20mm cannons Hispano Suiza HS-404 in the wings

 


Production

750 Bloch of the MB 150 series have been built since the date of the first flight on May 4, 1937. They are divided into:

  • 136 Bloch MB 151 with Gnome Rh�ne 14N35 engine: 25 for Greece, 30 for naval aviation, 85 for schools and 4 for SNCASO for testing
  • 555 Bloch MB 152 broken down as follows :
    • 203 aircraft with Engine Gnôme-Rhône 14N25 or 14N39 (Serial nb from 9 to 300)
    • 352 aircraft with Engine Gnôme-Rhône 14N49 (nb 301 to 431, nb 497 to 500 and nb 501 to 696 )
  • 1 Bloch MB 153 : From cell no. 434
  • 1 Bloch 154 with Engine Wright 1820 from cell no435
  • 3 Bloch MB 155 of pre-series : on the cells of Nos. 16,194 and 262
  • 44 Bloch MB 155 with Engine Gnôme-Rhône 14N49 (No 701 à 744)
  • 1 Bloch MB 157

To date, of the 743 aircraft manufactured, 541 are listed in the list below

 


History

In 1934, the "C1" plan was launched for a single-seater fighter, which stipulated that the new fighter should be able to fly at 450km / h. The machines presented by the various manufacturers are the Loire 250, the Dewoitine 513, the Nieuport 161, the Morane 405 and the Bloch 150. The latter is equipped with a Gnome & Rh�ne 14Kfs radial engine of 14 Cyl. developing 900 Cv. This aircraft, designed by the engineer Roussel and his team, presents on the ground, a very picked look due to a compact landing gear.

The first tests were not very glorious: the MB150 did not manage to take off on its first flight, October 8, 1936 ... Its competitor Morane 405 having been ordered in series, it was not until early 1937, that The state was again interested in this project. It undergoes many modifications: an enlarged wing surface, a new Messier train, and a more powerful engine. This prototype MB150 n � 01 flew on September 29, 1937. Its behavior is judged globally healthy, but its speed does not exceed 434km / h. It underwent a second wave of modifications: increased span, enlargedrudder, unique radiator placed between the legs of the train, and several engines were tested to give the MB 152, MB153, MB154 (see chapter "versions"). 25 pre-series aircraft are ordered, followed by another 450 by the end of 1939. These orders form part of plan "V", intended to supply 950 modern aircraft in one year.

The Bloch MB150 proved very unsuitable for mass production. The modifications made: reduced wing area, new profile, reduced armament to 4 7.5mm machine guns, single radiator moved under the left wing, new GR14 N-11 engine of 920 Cv, gave birth to the Bloch MB151. Its first flight took place on August 18, 1938, and highlighted the major problem of the aircraft: engine cooling. The engine hood, which is very rugged, does not allow efficient cooling. While the MB151 continued to be produced, its replacement, the MB152 was born. On a cell of MB151, a 14 N-21 engine was grafted, and the armament modified in 2 guns of 20mm and 2 machine guns of 7.5mm. His first flight of December 15, 1938, showed that the problems of cooling were far from over. There followed a wave of various tests with hoods and cones of different diameters.

The production of the MB151 starts very slowly, a hood of a diameter mast is adopted on all the models: this improved the cooling, but penalized performances already unflattering. The Bloch MB151 is relegated to training, while the production of the Bloch MB152 follows its course with two different engines: either a GR 14 N-25 of 920 CV or a GR 14 N-49 of 1050 CV (See details production chapter). After a difficult start of equipment due to a lack of equipment, particularly propeller, the delivery of the Bloch MB152 accelerated and, at the end of the fighting, 632 Bloch 152 and derivatives were taken into account by the Air Force , Including 9 Bloch MB155.

This last version, based on the MB152, is profoundly reworked (see chapter versions). The first MB155 series was stolen on April 3, 1940, but only 10 out of the 400 ordered were completed before the Armistice. The occupant nevertheless authorizes the construction of 19 cells almost completed on the assembly lines.

The latest in the family, the Bloch MB157 is built around the engine Gnome & Rhone 14 R-Meteor. This version is described on the page dedicated to this aircraft.

The result of the losses, at the end of the Battle of France, was 80 Bloch MB152 lost, 8 of which by accident, to which must be added 4 Bloch MB151 of which 2 lost per accident. The balance sheet of this aircraft is 150 sures victories for 36 likely, which is far from negligible given the superiority of the Luftwaffe.

The Bloch 152 remaining after the Armistice have equipped the Fighter Groups maintained in the Free Zone. Thus, during the invasion of the free zone by the Germans in November 1942 after the disembarkation of the Allies in North Africa, there were still nearly 300 aircraft of the series. The Germans recovered about 180 for its training equipment, or to equip its ally, Romania.

 


Versions

MB 150

The MB 150 made its first flight on May 14, 1937 in Villacoublay. The armament is composed of 2 20mm cannon and 2 machine-guns of 7.5mm. After the first tests, he received a new Messier train, his 14fs engine was replaced by a 14N07 which allowed him to reach 434km / h. After the official tests at the CEMA, the wingspan passes from 10.02 to 10.13m, the radiators of wings are replaced by a central and receives a motor 154N-01 of 940 cv. New tests lead to new modifications: increase of the surface of rudder, and more powerful engine: a 14N21 of 1030hp. Three prototypes were ordered in 1938, followed on April 7, 1938 by 25 aircraft, and then a larger order of 450 machines ... This plan was never followed, and a new cell was designed to allow rapid production by SNCASO: This gave rise to MB 151-01

MB 151

The main differences with the MB150 are: a span increased to 10m54 and a wing surface reduced to approx. 15m2 thanks to the reduction of the rope, the adoption of a 14N11 870cv engine and a more enveloping hood; A armament of 4 MAC34 of 7.5mm. The oil cooler is installed under the wing. The first flight on 18 August 1938 in Villacoublay revealed from the start serious problems of stability at high speed and cooling. In addition, the desired 480km / h was never reached, despite the adoption of different types of flaps or tailplanes, both on the prototype and on the standard versions, equipped with more powerful engines: 895cv. Cooling is immediately apparent as the weak point of the aircraft, which will still limit already low performance.

MB 152

The Bloch MB152 was developed in October 1938, from the cell of No. 433. It adopted a 14N-21 engine of 1030hp with which it was hoped to reach 520km / h. Its armament is composed of 2 20mm cannons and 2 MAC 34 machine-guns of 7.5mm. From the first flight, on December 15, 1938, the same problem of overheating appeared, limiting the speed to 480 km / h In 1939, many hood diameters, from 0.75 to 1m were tested, but production being late, Finally, in January 1940, the hood of 0.85m was adopted definitively and the Bloch 152 received exhaust pipes copied on the Curtiss H75. In addition, the cooling surface of the oil cooler is increased to 8m�. The engine for its part, is a Rhone GNOME 14N49 driving a Chauvière propeller model 371

MB 153

At the end of October 1938, cell No. 434, received an American engine Pratt & Whitney R19830 SC3-G "TWIN WASP" and a Hamilton propeller. He made his first flight on 8th April 1939 in Villacoublay and was then evaluated by the CEMA. Despite the modifications made following the official tests, his performances were not much better than those of the Bloch 152. A model 154 was envisaged with a Wright Cyclone engine, but the engine did not arrive in time ...

MB155

The MB155-01 prototype was prepared from the cell of MB152 No. 449. It is distinguished from the MB152 by a more aerodynamic nose, a cockpit moved backwards to insert a 720l tank and a better protection of the windscreen. Its cannons are fed by strips. The stabilizer loses its support mats, and the engine is a Gnome-Rhone 14N49 of 1100hp. He makes his first flight on December 3, 1939, and the first series aircraft flew to Déols on April 3, 1940: if its performances are better, they remain inferior to those of the best German aircraft. Some aircraft were delivered in Squadron before the armistice and two were destroyed on the ground on June 18th.
The cell of the MB 157 was created around the engine Gn�me Rh�ne 14 R-4 of 1700cv with turbocharger 2 stages. The construction began in December 39 in Villacoublay, but events slowed down its development and its factory was bombed in June 1940. The aircraft was evacuated to the south but was captured and transferred to the SNCASO in Bordeaux where the plane was completed. The first flight took place in March 42 and revealed a aircraft with amazing performances: 710 km / h and only 11 minutes to climb to 7900m ...

 


Bibliography

1) _ Editions LELA PRESSE ; Collection "Histoire de l'Aviation"
- Le Bloch MB 152
From Serge Joanne

2) _ Editions LELA PRESSE ; Collection "Les Ailes de la Gloire"
- No3 :Bloch 150 / 151 / 152 / 155 / 157 et 700 C1
From P. MARCHAND / J.TAKAMORI

 


Photos Album

 


Drawing 3 views


Sources

- Sources Mrs Jean-Paul ROUX et François IUNG
- Book : "Le Bloch MB152 " From Serge JOANNE - Editions LELA Presse
- Book : "No3 :Bloch 150 / 151 / 152 / 155 / 157 et 700 C1 " From P. MARCHAND / J.TAKAMORI - Editions LELA Presse
- ...