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Bloch MB.162

1943 WORLD WAR 2 X-PLANE

History

MB. The 162 is a rare French four-engine heavy bomber developed before World War II. The aircraft originated from the original "MB.160", an express/passenger aircraft developed in the mid to late 1930s and first flown in 1937. MB. The 160 was designed for French colonial routes in global Africa, but only three were eventually built before the start of World War II (1939-1945). MB militarized bomber form.

The 162 was far worse, it was a single example, the airframe was taken over by the invading Germans in 1940 and requisitioned by the Luftwaffe as a long-distance transport.

In the post-war world, the series continued with civil (Air France) and military (French Air Force and Navy) service with 100 completed Sud-Est (SNCASE) SEs. 161 Languedoc aircraft. These were produced from 1945 to 1948 and operated from 1946 to 1964.

Military Mind MB. The prototype of the 162-Bomberform was named "MB.162.01" and made its first flight on June 1, 1940. The aircraft will be mass-produced under the designation "MB.162 B5" and will be classified as a heavy bomber with a four-engine layout covering the required war load and range.

Power comes from 4 Gnome-Rhone 14N-48/49 series 14-cylinder dual-row air-cooled radial piston engines, each producing 1,100 hp. On the leading edge of each wing main aircraft there are two engines driving three-bladed propellers in the usual manner.

Recorded performance includes a top speed of 342 mph, a range of up to 1,500 miles and a service ceiling of up to 30,000 feet.

In addition to a war load of up to 8,000 pounds of throwing weapons, the aircraft will be defended by a combination of machine guns and automatic cannons placed at key positions on the fuselage. The nose and ventral positions are armed with 2 x 7.5 mm MAC 1934 machine guns, while the ventral and dorsal positions are armed with 2 x 20 mm Hispano-Suiza HS.

404 series automatic cannon.

Structurally, the fuselage has an overall length of 71.10 feet, a wingspan of 92.1 feet, and a height of 12.3 feet. Curb weight is 26,160 lbs and maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) is 42,000 lbs.

The aircraft has a stepped cockpit layout to clear the nose for the bombardier/navigator/front gunner. The nose glass is thick, the cockpit is above and behind, and the pilot's crew has a good view (five crew in total). The fuselage is streamlined for aerodynamic efficiency and is covered at the rear by a split vertical stabilizer assembly that slopes horizontally upwards. The main wing of the aircraft is mounted low on the side of the fuselage, and the overall appearance is relatively straight.

A conventional rear tow landing gear (retractable) is installed.

MB. The 162 has what it takes for a powerful wartime bomber to rival the wartime types of the interwar period. However, the outcome of the French campaign against the French in May 1940 resulted in the only MB. The 162 prototype fell into the hands of the invading Germans - who quickly restored it as a dedicated transport in their ranks. This example was run with an I/KG 200 between 1943 and 1944.

Despite this major setback, the proven nature of the design later influenced the French aviation industry to modify the aircraft to SE. Airliner 161 in service in the postwar world.