Military Archives - Page 9 of 39 - Destination's Journey

Bloch MB.480 Floatplane

Designed as a twin-engined torpedo-bomber/reconnaissance floatplane for the French Navy, the Bloch MB.480 first flew in June 1939. Although testing was successfully completed, the Navy had decided to use landplanes for its intended role. The navy placed an order for 68 of the much faster Lioré et Olivier LeO 451 although none of these were delivered before the armistice.

Of the two prototypes built, one was destroyed in a collission with a pier on Étang de Thau on 23 June 1940. The second was placed into storage in Jul9 1940 and later scrapped.

Bloch MB.700 Fighter

The Bloch MB.700 was a light-weight fighter designed for the French Air Force. It used a wooden frame, to conserve strategic materials and a 700hp Gnome-Rhône 14 M6. First flying on 19 April 1940, it subsequently undertook a series of evaluation flights. When German forces occupied the airfield it was based at, they burned it. A second partially built aircraft was never completed.

Douglas XSB2D-1 Destroyer

The Douglas XSB2D-1 Destroyer was designed as a replacement for both the Douglas SBD Dauntless and the new Curtiss SB2C Helldiver. It was fitted with a bomb bay and underwing racks for up to 4,200 lb (1,900 kg) of bombs or one torpedo (typically the Mark 13), while defensive armament consisted of two wing-mounted 20 mm (0.79 in) cannon and two remote-controlled turrets, each with two .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns.

Not long after its first flight on 8 April 1943, the US Navy requested torpedo bomber be developed from the XSB2D-1. This resulted in the Douglas BTD Destroyer. Only two prototypes of the XSB2D-1 were built as the production order was converted to BTD Destroyers instead.