The Arsenal VG-33 was a heavily modified VG-31 fitted with a Hispano-Suiza 12Y-31 engine. It made it's maiden flight on 25th April 1939 and showed surprisingly good performance. In fact it achieved speeds of 560km/h and it was awarded with a production contract for 220 units due to September. Later that number was raised to 1000.
The production started soon, but most of the airframes never were fitted with engines and they sat at the factory when it fell to the Germans.
It could compete against the Dewoitine D.520, considered officialy as the best French fighter of the war, however it was seriously under-armed when compared to the German Bf-109 even if it matched it in terms of speed and maneouvrability, but same was the case for the D.520 and, because of limitations on the supercharger of the engine, that could only be achieved at altittues below 5000m.
Anyway, the VG-33 never took part in any combat due to continued production problems and the Armée de l'Air (the French Air Force) only received 19 of around 40 (in order to equip a complete squadron) airplanes and 160 of them were almost completed on the armistice day. Just two airplanes flew in an unit, the Grouppe Chausseur 1/55 which was formed in Bordeaux under chaotic conditions four days before capitulation and hadn't therefore, an opportunity to enter combat.
It was used also tested by the German foreign aircraft testing unit at Rechlin.
Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arsenal_VG-33
2. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters
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