The Bloch MB.150, which was subsequently designated as MB.151 through MB.157, was a French fighter aircraft that was developed and manufactured by Société des Avions Marcel Bloch.
Following assessment, it was determined that the early deliveries were not suitable for combat operations, mainly due to issues with the tailplane; arrangements were made for the initial 157 production fighters to be kept in storage pending modifications, while further production units were constructed with the necessary corrections.
Initially, the aircraft type was restricted to training roles only; before the onset of the Second World War, only one squadron, assigned to the 1st Escadre de Chasse, had received this type.
On the brink of the conflict, approximately 249 aircraft had been produced; of these, about 123 had been accepted by the Armée de l’Air.
Nevertheless, very few of these were deemed airworthy, as most were lacking their gunsights and propellers.
On September 26, 1939, the initial modified MB.152s were supplied to the French Air Force; the allocation to active squadrons commenced by early October, and by mid-November 1939, two Groupes de Chasse (fighter wings) had been outfitted with 26 MB.152s each.
At this stage, the aircraft still exhibited some undesirable flight characteristics, particularly during steep dives.
An increasing number of MB.151 aircraft were being sent to squadrons for training in preparation for their transition to the MB.152.
During the early Phoney War, there were very few confrontations between the MB.152 and Luftwaffe aircraft; during this time, only the downing of a Junkers Ju 88 was documented.
During the Battle of France, nine Groupes de Chasse were equipped with MB.151s and MB.152s; the MB.152 was the most prevalent aircraft still in operation during the final weeks leading up to the signing of the Armistice on 22 June 1940.
These aircraft demonstrated remarkable durability, capable of enduring significant battle damage, achieving high speeds quickly during dives, and serving as stable platforms for gunnery.
However, in aerial combat, they were consistently outperformed by the Messerschmitt Bf 109E in nearly every aspect and were also slower than the twin-engine Messerschmitt Bf 110.
All Bloch units experienced substantial losses.
Between 10 and 17 May, it became almost routine for a Bloch squadron to launch with eight or nine aircraft, only to return with just two or three.
The pilots of the MB.152 claimed at least 188 enemy aircraft, while approximately 86 Blochs were lost.
By the third week of May, the Bloch units had endured heavy losses and were withdrawn to the Paris area for reorganisation.
In contrast to its French counterparts, aviation author Michel Cristesco noted that: “the MB.152 was the least successful in combat and incurred the most significant losses.”
This aircraft had several deficiencies; among these were poor manoeuvrability, unreliable armaments, a limited range of 600 km (370 mi) compared to the Bf 109E’s 660 km (410 mi), and a notable lack of power.
Discussing its shortcomings, Cristesco identified two primary factors contributing to its performance issues: insufficient manoeuvrability and limited range.
After the Armistice, six groups remained operational within the Vichy French Air Force until its dissolution on 1 December 1942, at which point the aircraft were transferred to the Royal Romanian Air Force by the Germans.
By April 1941, the German Armistice Commission had concurred with a plan to standardise the Vichy Air Force with the Dewoitine D.520, leading to the retirement of all other single-engine fighters.
The Germans confiscated approximately 173 fighters, with 83 reportedly in working condition, which were then integrated into the Luftwaffe’s operations.
Chrisesco claimed that around 95 MB.152s were covertly modified in late 1941 to early 1942 by adding a rear-fuselage fuel tank, thereby enhancing their range to enable crossing the Mediterranean Sea to reach safety.
Although the Greek government had placed an order for 25 MB.151s, only nine had arrived in Greece by the time the Armistice was declared.
The delivered aircraft were still being prepared when the Greco-Italian War commenced, which subsequently led to the broader Balkan Campaign involving various European powers.
The MB.151 fighters were operated by the 24th Fighter Squadron of the Hellenic Royal Air Force, based in Elefsina, where they engaged the Italians and Germans, achieving several air-to-air victories until 19 April 1941, when the final Greek MB.151 was downed.
At one point, the Bulgarian government was negotiating to acquire MB.152 fighters from the Vichy government.
In February 1943, a contract for the delivery of 20 aircraft was finalised, but it was ultimately vetoed by the Germans, who had gained significant influence over Vichy French politics by that time.
Subsequently, Bulgaria received Dewoitine D.520s to fulfil their requirements.
