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The Arsenal VG-33 was one of a series of fast French light fighter aircraft under development at the start of World War II, but which matured too late to see extensive service in the French Air Force during the Battle of France.

Development

The original specification that led to the VG series was offered in 1936 in order to quickly raise the number of modern aircraft in French service, by supplying a "light fighter" of wooden construction that could be built rapidly in large numbers. The contract resulted in three designs, the VG-30, the Caudron C.714 and the Bloch MB.700. Prototypes of all three were ordered.

Named for engineer Michel Vernisse (V) and designer Jean Galtier (G), the VG-30 was all wooden in construction, using plywood over stringers in a semi-monocoque construction. The layout was conventional, a low-wing monoplane that bore a striking resemblance to the later Italian Macchi C.202. Armament consisted of a 20&nbsp;mm Hispano-Suiza HS.404 engine-mount moteur-canon firing through the propeller hub, and four 7.5&nbsp;mm MAC 1934 M39 drum-fed machine guns, two in each wing. The design was supposed to be powered by the Potez 12Dc flat-12 air-cooled inline engine, but this ran into development problems. The prototype was then fitted with a Hispano-Suiza 12Xcrs instead,

While it was under-armed in comparison to the Messerschmitt Bf 109, the VG-33 could have matched it in speed and maneuverability below 5,000 metres. As was also the case with the D.520, the limitations of the supercharger used meant that the VG-33 could not match the speed of the Bf 109 above 5,000 m.

The Germans captured four VG-33s, and one of them was tested by the Luftwaffe at Rechlin in late 1940.

  • VG-31 – prototype with reduced wing surface and radiator moved back.
  • VG-32 – Allison V-1710C-15-powered prototype.
  • VG-37 – Extended-range version of the VG-36. Not built.
  • VG-38 – projected for Hispano-Suiza 12Y-77 engine. Not built.
  • VG-39 – 895&nbsp;kW (1,200&nbsp;hp) Hispano-Suiza 12Z engine. 388&nbsp;mph (625&nbsp;km/h). 6 machine guns. Prototype only.
  • VG-40 – projected variant powered by a Rolls-Royce Merlin III.
  • VG-50 – projected variant powered by an Allison V-1710-39.

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  • Luftwaffe – used a single VG-33 for testing purposes.

Specifications (VG-33)

See also

References

Notes

Bibliography

  • Breffort, Dominique & Jouineau, André. French Aircraft from 1939 to 1942, Volume 1: from Amiot to Curtiss. Paris, France: Histoire & Collections, 2004. .
  • Brindley, John F. French Fighters of World War II, Volume One. Windsor, Berkshire, UK: Hylton Lacy Publishers Ltd., 1971. .
  • Green, William. War Planes of the Second World War, Fighters, Volume One. London: Macdonald & Co.(Publishers) Ltd., 1960. .
  • Pelletier, Alain. French Fighters of World War II in Action (Aircraft Number 180). Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, 2002. .
  • Weal, Elke C., Weal, John A., Barker, Richard F. Combat Aircraft of World War Two.