Bloch MB.120
| Bloch MB.120 | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Type: | Airliner , transport aircraft |
| Design country: |
France |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
October 1932 |
| Commissioning: |
1934 |
| Production time: |
1932-1935 |
| Number of pieces: |
11 |
The Bloch MB.120 was a three-engine commercial and transport aircraft developed for overseas service by the French manufacturer Société des Avions Marcel Bloch from the 1930s. The eleven aircraft built and used for both military and civilian purposes carried out numerous transport flights within the French colonies in Africa until the early 1940s.
history
In the early 1930s, the French government announced a competition for a multi-purpose aircraft that would take on various transport tasks in the African colonies. The aircraft manufacturer Bloch converted an MB.71 so that it met the requirements. The test flights began in late October 1932.
The aircraft, now known as the MB.120, won the competition and was bought by France. In 1933 and 1934 it was initially used as a government aircraft. It was not until June 1934 that the machine reached Algiers , where it was taken over by the state-owned Air Afrique, which was founded in the same year .
Air Afrique then acquired another four MB.120s. Two machines came into the possession of the Madagascar based airline SNAM . The French Air Force stationed three aircraft in Dakar intended for military purposes, and another was made available to the governor in Bangui in Central Africa. All eleven planes were lost during World War II.
construction
The MB120 was an all-metal aircraft designed as a cantilever high- wing aircraft . In its design it largely corresponded to the twin-engined MB.200 bomber . In addition to a three-person crew, it offered space for up to ten passengers. Usually, however, there were only four passenger seats in order to be able to transport additional air freight.
Three radial engines from the manufacturer Lorraine-Dietrich served as drive . The aircraft had a rigid tail wheel landing gear .
The military version was armed with two 7.7 mm Lewis machine guns. As a makeshift bomber, it could carry either 24 10 kg bombs or 50 1 kg bombs.
use
Air Afrique aircraft operated the routes between Algiers in the north and French Congo in the south. The two SNAM machines were stationed in Antananarivo on Madagascar and connected the island to the mainland. In 1936 passenger flights from Paris to Madagascar could be offered for the first time. In the following year, both machines, together with the airline, were taken over by Air Afrique.
In addition to the regular scheduled service, the aircraft also carried out patient transports and other special tasks. All civil aircraft were confiscated by the French Air Force when the war broke out in 1939.
The military machines served as transport and reconnaissance aircraft. Use as a makeshift bomber was planned in the event of war.
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | 3 |
| Passengers | 10 |
| length | 15.60 m |
| span | 20.51 m |
| height | 5.10 m |
| Wing area | 60 m² |
| Empty weight | 3436 kg |
| Top speed | 239 km / h |
| Service ceiling | 6300 m |
| Range | 1340 km |
| Engines | three radial engines Lorraine 9Na Algol with 224 kW each |