Bristol Blenheim, part five, Finnish users

The Bristol Blenheim was a British bomber designed and manufactured by Bristol Aeroplane Company and was used extensively during the first half of the Second World War by the Royal Air Force (RAF), but also by other users, like Finland.

It comes no surprise, with European countries re-arming during the late 1930s, that the Blenheim attracted the attention of many foreign customers, the first of which to place an order being Finland. Eighteen were ordered in as early as 1936 with various internal modifications to carry Swedish and American bombs and were delivered between 26th June 1937 and 27th July 1938. They were assigned to Lentolaivues (Suomi word for "Squadron") 44 and 46, where they saw action during the Winter War in November 1939 against the USSR. 

The beginning of the Winter War, prompted the Finns to order 24 additional Blenheims, of which, half were Mk.I and the other half Mk.IV. These were raised from RAF's stocks and delivered to the newly created Lentolaivue 42. In early 1940 with the war still raging on, the Finns also bought a production license to manufacture the type locally at the Valtion lentokonetehdas (State Aircraft Factory, more commonly known by its acronym of "VL") at the city of Tampere. 

After the end of the Winter War in March 1940, VL manufactured the type, and during the short period of peace between Finland and the USSR known as the Interim Peace, a total of 55 Blenheim were built, with production lines being active during Continuation War, which ranged from June 1941 until September 1944. Thanks to VL's production a total of 97 Blenheims were in active service with the Nordic country (75 Mk.Is and 22 Mk.IVs). After the fall of Yugoslavia in April 1941, Finland also received 20 ex-Yugoslav incompleted Blenheim Mk.IVs, together with manufacturing tools, production equipment and huge loads of the much valued spare parts, although many of these were either damaged or destroyed in sabotage actions. 

Finnish Blenheims were divided into six production series, the first ones being the original British-supplied ones, many of them modified to carry bigger bomb-load and last two ones (Series V and VI) being those manufactured entirely in Tampere. There was an extra Series VII, of which six Blenheim Mk.I were modified, but production was cancelled in September 1944.
During Winter War alone, Finnish Blenheims flew 423 sorties and close to 3.000 during Continuation War and Lapland War, conflicts where the gunners shot down a total of 8 Soviet aircraft, for a total of 37 Blenheims lost in combat. 

The Blenheim remained in service with the Finnish Air Force after the war, however, as Finland was prohibited from flying bomber aircraft, they were put into storage in 1948. Three years later, however, they were re-activated to be used as target tugs, with the last flight of a Finnish Blenheim taking place on 20th May 1958 (though some sources claim it was two years earlier, in 1956).

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_Blenheim#Finland

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Bristol_Blenheim_operators#Finland

3. Hall Park Books - Warpaint 26 - Bristol Blenheim

Bristol Blenheim, part four. More foreign users

 

The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber designed and manufactured by Bristol Aeroplane Company. It was used during the first half of the Second World War by the Royal Air Force (RAF), but by many foreign users too:

• Poland: Reportedly, No.307 (Polish) Night Fighter Squadron operated two Blenheims. One of the Mk.I variant and another of the Mk.IV variant. 
  Furthermore, one Blenheim ad-hoc converted into VIP transport was used as the personal transport of General Wladislaw Anders, commander of 2nd Polish Corps. As we couldn't find pics of these Blenheims, the drawings should be considered as speculative.
• Portugal: In order to honor their ancient alliance, ensure their neutrality and use their bases in the Azores Islands, the Portuguese Government was provided with various British aircraft. Among them was a bath of 12 Blenheim Mk.IVf in September 1943. These were assigned to Esquadrilha B (Squadron B) of the Aviaçao Naval (Naval Aviation - Portuguese Naval Air Arm) which made for its first land-based unit. They were serialled B-1 to B-12 and were based at Portela de Sacavem, in Lisbon.
  The Aeronáutica Militar (Military Aeronautics) received ten Mk.IV which were assigned to Esquadrilha ZE (Squadron ZE) based at the town of Ota and commandeered by Captain Joao Jose Ribeiro Ferreira, who died on 30th August 1944 when his Blenheim crashed. 
  Three additional Mk.Vs were supplemented later. These Mk.Vs flew also with the Aviaçao Naval, though it's not clear if these were the same that had previously belonged to the Aeronáutica Militar. Anyway, the Blenheims remained in service with Portugal until 1948.
• Romania: The Romanian Government was among the first customers of the Blenheim Mk.I. They received a batch of 34 Blenheim Mk.I between May and November 1939 to equip their bombing and long range reconnaissance squadrons Nos.1,2,3 and 4 of the Fortele Aeriene Regale ale Romaniei (FARR - Royal Romanian Air Force). When Romania joined the Axis in November 1940, spare parts for British-supplied aircraft became a problem, which was somehow eased with the inclusion of three ex-Yugoslavian Blenheim Mk.I and spares in September 1941. 
  The Romanian Blenheims saw action during the Barbarossa Campaign, from 21st June 1941 onwards. During the initial opening stages of that campaign, four Blenheim were lost to Soviet anti-air fire. The Blenheims were used in support of Romanian ground troops during the siege of Odessa in 1941. However, logistic problems for the British-supplied aircraft were being felt this early on in the campaign and in late 1941 the FARR was largely withdrawn to rest. By early 1942, only 13 Blenheim were in active, number which was increased, thanks to the work of FARR's mechanics, to 27 later that year.
  Escadrila 1's (Squadron 1) Blenheims flew recce missions supporting Axis troops in their assault on Stalingrad. This squadron lost four Blenheim during that campaign and then they withdrew to Ciocarlia, in Romania, where they flew their Blenheim covering the northern areas of the Black Sea. The Blenheims in this squadron remained in active until 23rd August 1944, though, by that date they had only six serviceable machines, and one of them was shot down by friendly fire near Ploesti and other was captured by the advancing Soviet forces.
  When Romania switched sides in late August 1944, the three remaining Blenheims were employed for reconnaissance duties. However, they were in such poor condition that they were assigned to transport duties and, eventually, they were withdrawn from active service after an eventful career with the FARR.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Bristol_Blenheim_operators#Poland

2. Hall Park Books - Warpaint 26 - Bristol Blenheim

3. Osprey Publishing - Combat Aircraft 5 - Blenheim Squadrons of World War 2

Bristol Blenheim, part three, various foreign users

 

The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber designed and built by Bristol Aeroplane Company. It was extensively used during the first half of the Second World War by the Royal Air Force (RAF) but also by many foreign users like:

• Independent State of Croatia: After the Axis invasion of Yugoslavia in April 1941 many Blenheim Mk.Is were captured by the Germans who passed them to the Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia (known by its Croatian acronym of 'ZNDH'. The exact number is confuse, some sources claim it was up to 20 bombers, others claim it was just 8. Anyway, they were used inside the borders of the old Kingdom of Yugoslavia in anti-partisan operations until 1944. Many of these Blenheims (some of them built under license in Yugoslavia) survived the war and one flew to Austria after the collapse of the Independent State of Croatia in May 1945.
• Free France: One flight of the, back then, newly founded 'Groupe Mixte de Combat No1' (No1 Mixed Combat Group) which was founded at RAF Odiham, Hampshire in August 1940 was initially equipped with Blenheims to see action in the Territory of Chad (which declared itself in favor of Free France shortly after the Fall of France in June 1940). This unit was later merged with the Blenheim-equipped 'Escadron Topic' (Topic Squadron) based at Maidugur, in the British Colony of Nigeria. Together they formed the 'Groupe Réservé de Bombardement' (Reserve Bombing Group) at Fort Lamy, in Chad in December 1940. This unit saw little action and was disbanded shortly later in March 1941, but they formed the basis of 'Groupe Lorraine' (Lorraine Group) which operated together with RAF's No.1430 Flight with elements supporting from No.47 Squadron in December 1941.
  After flying the Blenheim Mk.IV and Mk.V the unit was called back into the United Kingdom in October 1942 to be reformed into the No.342 Squadron. There, they replaced their Blenheims with Handley Page Halifaxes and were assigned to the RAF's Bomber Command.
  Another Free French units equipped with the Blenheims were 'Groupe Bretagne', the Free French Flying School at Bangui, in Equatorial Africa and 'Groupe de Chasse No.1 'Alsace''. Most of these Blenheim didn't serve in the frontlines and were kept in active acting as trainers or transports until 1944 or even 1945.
• Germany: One damaged Blenheim Mk.IV was captured by the German during the Battle of France in May-June 1940. It was later repaired, tested and used as a special training aircraft until 1942. 
• Greece: Before the beginning of the Second World War Greece showed interest on the Blenheim but eventually they decided against ordering it. However, in late 1939, after the war had started, they ordered 12 Blenheim Mk.IV which were shipped in early 1940 and assigned to 32. Mira (No. 32 Squadron) of the Royal Hellenic Air Force (RHAF).
  They saw action on 1st November 1940 during the Greco-Italian War and, on the 27th one of them was shot down by Italian anti-air fire. Due to the intensive use of the Blenheim and the lack of spares, by January 1941 32. Mira was reduced to just 4 operational Blenheims. To compensate for the losses, on the following months six additional Blenheim Mk.Is were supplied, though increased fighter presence in the area quickly reduced their numbers. When Germany invaded Greece in April 1941,  every Greek bombing squadron was rebased from Tanagra to Eleusis, close to Athens. There, most of the surviving Blenheims were destroyed on strafing attacks by the Luftwaffe. 
  When Greece fell, some RHAF personnel managed to escape to Egypt, where they fought under RAF's command. One of them was No.13 (Hellenic) Squadron which was, from January 1942 equipped with the Avro Anson and was part of the No.201 Group.  This squadron was quickly re-equipped with the Blenheim Mk.IV and Mk.V later and was used in the maritime and anti-submarine patrol role, specially in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. They were re-equipped with Martin Baltimore bombers in October 1943.
• Italy: The Italian Regia Aeronautica (Royal Italian Air Force) managed to capture two Blenheims. One of them belonged to the No.40 Squadron RAF which landed in error at the island of Pantelleria (the pilot had mistaken it for Malta) on 13th September 1940. This machine was sent to Guidonia (Regia Aeronautica's testing center) to be tested. One more was captured in Yugoslavia when the Axis invaded in April 1941. 
  Apparently, two more were seized in Italian East Africa, but these were soon recaptured when that territory fell into British hands. 
  One captured Blenheim Mk.IV appears in the 1942 Italian film 'Un Pilota Ritorna' (A Pilot Returns) directed by Roberto Rosellini.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_Blenheim

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Bristol_Blenheim_operators

3. Hall Park Books - Warpaint 26 - Bristol Blenheim

4. Osprey Publishing - Combat Aircraft 5 - Blenheim Squadrons of World War 2

Bristol Blenheim part two, the Bollingbrokes and Canadian Blenheims

 

The Bristol-Fairchild Bollingbroke was a maritime patrol aircraft which was also used as a trainer by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) during World War 2. It was built by Fairchild-Canada and was, itself, a licensed version of the Bristol Blenheim Mk.IV bomber.

Its origins can be traced back to 1937 when, in order to modernize and expand the RCAF, the Canadian Government selected the Bristol Type 149 (internal designation given by Bristol to the Blenheim) which was offered by Bristol, though they proposed the type to be powered by Bristol Aquila engines to have an improved range. This was made to meet the official requirement G24/35 which sought for an aircraft with coastal reconnaissance and light bomber functions to replace the Avro Anson. The Canadian Government also acquired a production license for the Bristol Blenheim by Fairchild-Canada. The first batch of 18 was shortly after ordered and components to begin production were shipped, so in the latter half of 1939 a complete production chain was already set up.

The RCAF held the original name of the Blenheim (Bollingbroke) and applied its own mark numbers. The production variants were as follows:

• Bollingbroke Mk.I: The Bollingbroke Mk.I was the original Bristol Mercury VIII-powered variant, which was intended to be used in the maritime reconnaissance role and had British equipment. A total of 18 machines were built, but, eventually they were only used in the trainer role, for which purpose two of them were fitted with dual controls. 
• Bollingbroke Mk.II: The Mk.II variant were five Mk.I modified with internal US equipment. This served as the prototype for the Mk.IV.
• Bollingbroke Mk.III: One Bollingbroke Mk.I was fitted with floaters and received the denomination of Mk.III.
• Bollingbroke Mk.IV: The main production variant. It was powered by two Bristol Mercury XV radial engines rated at 920 hp each. This version was fitted for the long-range reconnaissance role and was equipped with anti-icing boots and, in some cases, a dinghy boat. A total of 134 machines were built at Fairchild's factory in Longueil, Quebec. 
• Mk.IVW: In order to cope with the possible interruption in supply of Mercury engines, a sub-variant was made by fitting an American-built Pratt & Whitney SB4G Twin Wasp Junior Radial engines rated at 825 hp each. This was the Mk.IVW variant of which a total of 14, plus one prototype were made. 
• Mk.IVC: Another single aircraft was also fitted with a 900 hp Wright R-1820 Cyclone engine and was designated Mk.IVC. 
• Mk.IVT: The most numerous sub-variant of the Mk.IV.  In this sub-version, 350 machines kept the original Mercury XV engines, while 107 additional ones were powered by the Bristol Mercury XX engine modified to be fueled by low-octane fuel. It was fitted for the gunnery and navigation training role and made a big contribution to the Commonwealth Air Training Plan. 
  A total of 457 Mk.IVT were built with a further 51 cancelled. Six Mk.IVT were fitted with dual controls and 89 of them were converted to the target-tug role, for which they were fitted with winching gear in the rear cabin and target drogue storage in the bomb bay. They were unofficially refferred to as Mk.IVTT.

The following combat squadrons of the RCAF were equipped with the Bollingbroke at any time of their existence:

• No.8 Squadron: This was the first RCAF squadron to employ the Bollingbroke operationally. It was formed at RCAF Station Sydney, Nova Scotia in December 1940. When Japan declared war on the Allied, the squadron was transferred to the Canadian west coast and between June 1942 and December 1943, it served alongside US forces in the Aleutian Campaign. 
• No.115 Squadron: This squadron was reformed with Bollingbrokes in August 1941 and served in Alaska too. An aircraft of this squadron damaged a Japanese submarine off the Aleutians on 7th July 1942.
• No.119 Squadron: The No.119 which was formed at RCAF Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. This squadron had its Mk.Is fitted with gun packs to serve as heavy fighters, just like the Blenheim Mk.IVf. No.119 remained with the Eastern Command, flying patrols over the Gulf of St. Lawrence until it was re-equipped with Lockheed Hudsons in mid-1942.
• No.147 Squadron: Formed at RCAF Sea Island, British Columbia, in July 1942. This unit operated the Bollingbroke from its inception until March 1944 and flew around 560 operational patrols on the Canadian west coast.
• No.13 Squadron: This unit provided Operational Training at RCAF Patricia Bay, British Columbia between October 1941 and June 1942.

Apart from those unit, the MK.IVT was also extensively used by various bombing and gunnery schools and service flying schools of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.

The RCAF was also equipped, albeit partially, with British-made Blenheim in their Europe-based squadrons. It's known that Nos.404, 406, 407 and 415 RCAF squadrons, serving under Royal Air Force's Command, operated the Blenheim too in the United Kingdom.

 

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_Bolingbroke

2. Hall Park Books - Warpaint 26 - Bristol Blenheim

3. Osprey - Combat Aircraft 5 - Blenheim Squadrons of World War 2

Bristol Blenheim, foreign users, part one

 

The Bristol Blenheim was a British a British twin-engined light bomber designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company (commonly known by 'Bristol'). The Blenheim was extensively used during the first half of World War 2, with some machines being used as trainers even until the end of the war. 

The main user was the British Royal Air Force (RAF), but the type saw also use under other users:

• Australia: The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) operated the Bristol Blenheim in two squadrons, Nos. 454 and 459. 
  No.454 was equipped with Blenheims in November 1942 when it was based in Iraq where they were used as trainers. They were in service until January 1943 when they were replaced by the Martin Baltimore.
  No.459, was formed in February 1942 with just six aircraft (two Lockheed Hudsons and four Blenheims Mk.IV). The Blenheims were kept until May when they were replaced by Hudsons.
• British Raj: The Royal Indian Air Force (RIAF) had some outdated Blenheim Mk.I bombers serving with the No.3 Coastal Flight based at RAF Dum Dum, close to the city of Calcutta in 1942. Due to blogger's tag limitation of 200 characters, this couldn't be included in the list and, also, the drawing should be considered as semi-speculative as we lack clarification about their operational service with the RIAF.
• Japan: It's known that at least one Blenheim Mk.I and one Blenheim Mk.IV were captured and employed by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force (IJAAF), as some wrecks were found in Semarang, Java after the war, in August 1947. It's interesting to note that the hulk of the Blenheim Mk.IV discovered there, appears to be modified to serve as a transport with extra windows and, apparently, refitted with Nakajima Sakae engines. 
  As our drawings are based on old blurry photos, they should be taken as highly speculative on how they looked like when in Japanese service.
• Indonesia: In 1945 or 1946, Indonesian forces acquired a Bristol Mk.IV from unknown sources (some claims are made they were acquired from the Netherlands). The aircraft was re-engined with Nakajima Sakae engines, so it's possible it belonged to the Japanese and it was re-captured by the Indonesians when the Japanese left in 1945. 
  This machine had not only its engines replaced, but the frontal cockpit completely faired over too.
• New Zealand: No.489 Squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) served under RAF's Coastal Command and it was equipped with the Blenheim from August 1941 until January 1942 when it was re-equipped with the Blenheim Mk.IVf, which were in service patrolling the North Sea until March when they were replaced by the Handley Page Hampden as the squadron was re-converted into an anti-submarine torpedo bomber unit.
• Turkey: Turkey ordered 12 Blenheim from the United Kingdom in April 1936, making the Anatolian country the second foreign user of the Blenheim (the first one was Finland). The first two machines were shipped by sea in October 1937 while the remaining 10 were ferried by air between March and June 1938. Additional eighteen machines were ordered and delivered between November 1938 and February 1939 with additional 10 Blenheim Mk.I being given to the Turkish Undersecretariat of Military Aviation (the forerunner of the modern Turkish Air Force) in 1940.
  Three additional Mk.IVs, plus 17 Mk.V were supplied in 1943. These more modern machines came from RAF Middle East stocks. They served with the Turkish 3rd Regiment of the 2nd Air Division, at Gaziemir Air Base, in Izmir.
• South Africa: The South African Air Force (SAAF) evaluated a single Blenheim Mk.I in 1938, but didn't order the type. This single Mk.I was assigned to No.31 Squadron, which served with the South African Coastal Command and was used in late 1939 in the search of the German Pocket Battleship Graf Spee. This aircraft also shadowed two Italian ships as they were heading to neutral Portuguese Mozambique in June 1940 when Italy entered the war. The Blenheim attacked one of the ships with guns and bombs and forced it to run aground. 
  In spite of this service, the type was judged unsuitable for the SAAF and was returned to the UK.
  In February 1942 the No.15 Squadron SAAF, replaced its Martin Marylands by Blenheim Mk.IVf when they were assigned to the No.201 Group RAF. Some of these machines were up-armed with an additional 20 mm cannon placed in the nose glazing. A detachment was assigned to Kufra Oasis in April 1942, to prevent its use by the Germans, but the three aircraft were lost in the desert. They were not discovered until 1959.
  Later, in July 1942 No.15 replaced the Mk.IV by Mk.Vs and they were rebased to Mariut, in Egypt, where they conducted anti-shipping operations and saw some distinctive action. The unit replaced its Blenheims by Douglas Bostons in July 1943.
  Two additional SAAF squadrons flew the Blenheim Mk.V, Nos.16 and 17 from November 1942 until June 1943 and January-May 1943 respectively. They operated over the Indian Ocean and they were replaced by the Bristol Beaufort and the Lockheed Hudson respectively.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_Blenheim

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Bristol_Blenheim_operators

3. Hall Park Books - Warpaint 26 - Bristol Blenheim

4.Osprey Publishing - Combat Aircraft 5 - Blenheim Squadrons of World War 2

5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/15_Squadron_SAAF

6. http://www.aviationofjapan.com/2016/06/japanese-blenheims-at-semarang-java.html

7. https://web.archive.org/web/20051214192414/http://nei.adf-serials.com/indonesian-aviation-1945-50.pdf

8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._489_Squadron_RNZAF

9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._454_Squadron_RAAF

10.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._459_Squadron_RAAF

11. https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205212382

12. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a8Blenheim.htm

Morane-Saulnier U

 

The Morane-Saulnier Type U was a proposed development of the Morane-Saulnier Type V (already drawn here ) that was never materialized. The Type U was going to feature a shoulder-mounted wing with aileron control instead of the traditional method of wing warping. The wing was braced by an intricate system of struts and wires underneath it. The spinner, landing wheels and tail were similar to the preceding Type V. 

A rare feature for this aircraft was the presence of a streamlined windshield, remarkably long and narrow. It's unknown if the Type U was ever built as the French Aéronautique Militaire (Military Aeronautics) chose to concentrate on giving priority to the construction of the Nieuport 11 fighter and the British Royal Flying Corps (RFC) planned to withdraw every Morane-Saulnier fighter from squadron service. Anyway, it seems unlikely that neither the Aéronautique Militaire or the RFC would've been interested in a machine that was nothing more than an slightly improved Type V.

The Type U was going to be powered by a 110-hp Le Rhône 9c engine and it's also possible that it would've been armed with a single 0.303 in Vickers machine gun. However, most likely,  of the Type Us would've been used as trainers and, therefore, they would've lacked armament.

Sources:

1. Flying Machines Press - French Aircraft of the First World War

Morane-Saulnier TRK

 

The Morane-Saulnier TRK was a triplane bomber which was completed in 1915 and intended to take part in the 1915 or 1916 contest for a heavy bomber.

It was powered by two Canton-Unné engines rated at 230 hp placed inside the fuselage. The engines drove two two-bladed propellers using a complex transmission system. Each propeller was placed on either side of the fuselage between lower and middle wings. It was equipped with a fixed landing gear consisting on a pair of wheels under each wing plus two other wheels under the nose to prevent nose-over when landing. In fact this landing gear configuration was identical to that already seen in the Type S and Type T.

Both pilot and copilot sat side-by-side in the nose cockpit with an mechanic/gunner located in another cockpit placed behind the wings and intended to attend the engines when flying or operate the defensive machine guns. It was armed with just two 0.303 in Lewis machine guns placed on a ring in the second cockpit, although it's not known if armament was ever installed. Only one prototype was built, which received the official denomination of MoS.9, and it's unknown if it ever flew. Anyway, the TRK did not enter neither the 1915 nor the 1916 heavy bomber contest. It's also unknown its bomb payload amount, however, we estimate it was similar to that of the Type S. Wikipedia claims it was intended to carry bombs internally, however, we highly doubt it. 

Considering its rather feeble defensive armament, its size and, therefore, its more than expected slow speed, the TRK wouldn't have had good performance numbers. Anyway, we decided to draw a hypothetical version. 

Sources:

1. Flying Machines Press - French Aircraft of the First World War

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morane-Saulnier_TRK

Morane-Saulnier P

 

Thanks to the success of the Morane-Saulnier Type L and Type LA Morane-Saulnier sought to design an improved parasol in 1916. By September 1915 the Nieuport 11 and 11 had replaced the Types L and LA in the frontlines of the Aéronautique Militaire in the fighter role. Although parasols were still useful in the reconnaissance role, the common feel was that with the advent of the Fokker E.III in 1915, a more powerful version of the Type L was needed.

The new design was given the denomination of "P" by Morane-Saulnier, that single letter standing for "parasol". It was a complete redesign of the Type LA with an important number of changes. It was powered by a Le-Rhône 9Jb engine which yielded 110 hp of power. Its fuselage was completely faired with a circular cross-section which contributed to the streamlining of the airplane and its higher speed. The tail unit was similar to that of the Type LA. Armament varied and some machine were field-modified with a 0.303 in Vickers machine gun on top of the wing shooting outside propeller's arc plus a second machine gun on a mounting behind observer's cockpit. The Type P was tested on 31st March 1916 and was accepted for service with the Aéronautique Militaire under the designation of MoS.21. A total of 565 Type Ps were manufactured.

The Type P was used to complement many French reconnaissance aircraft, but it didn't replace the Caudron G.4, Farman M.F.11 and Farman F.40, which were French's main recon aircraft at the time. Many of the French recon and bombing squadrons were assigned some Type Ps which were used for various kinds of missions like short-range reconnaissance, light bombing and spy-dropping behind enemy lines. 

A total of two Escadrilles (Squadrons) were fully equipped with the Type P. The first of which was the MS. 140 created in September 1917 with a total of 13 Type Ps. This squadron was part of the 4e Armée (4th Army) as an Army Co-Operation Unit. The second one was MS.215 which was formed in September too and was assigned to the 6e Armée (6th Army) with also 13 Type Ps in strength. They also served with some other squadrons. However, they didn't stay in active service for long time as they were obsolete by mid-1916. In spite of the large number of built machines, only 118 were in service by August 1917. These were 61 at the frontlines, 52 at the RGA (Réserve Générale de l'Aviation - General Aviation Reserve), three under reparation and two probably serving as a source of spare parts. Both MS.140 and MS.215 were re-equipped with SPAD 16 by early 1918.

Apparently, the Type P was withdrawn from the frontlines due to a mixture of structural failure, pilot error or improper handling of the aircraft by ground crews as it seems that the type required some extra mechanic works. During fall of 1917 the Type P was withdrawn from active service and on 9th August 1917 a memo was issued by the Aéronautique Militaire's HQ to replace all Type Ps with the MoS.26, which was an improved version with a strengthened fuselage a circular engine cowling and the addition of an enlarged spinner to improve aeronautics. It's unknown how may MoS.26 were built.

A fighter version was also built by fairing over the observer's position and with a synchronized Vickers 0.303 in machine gun placed on the nose. Two prototypes were tested and performance was satisfactory. However, it was found that the parasol obstructed pilot's vision. A second prototype was built with a lower wing and the pilot's position aft of the wing which was equipped with an adjustable seat which allowed him to see over the wing at will. This second prototype was armed with two synchronized Vickers 0.303 in placed on the nose and had bigger fuel capacity. This new fighter's performance was only slightly better than the Type P and was not selected for use.

In addition, the Type P was exported to various countries:

• Brazil: In 1919 Brazil acquired a single Type P which was modified to not be able to fly. This version was called "Rouleur" or "Penguin" by the Frenchs and in Brazil, it was used to train pilots how to taxi. It received the serial 1325 and was written off shortly later, in 1920. As we couldn't find a pic of the Brazilian Type P, the drawing should be considered as speculative.
• Japan: A single Rouleur or Penguin was obtained by Japan in 1919 which was used to train pilots how to taxi. Just its Brazilian counterpart, we couldn't find any pic, so the drawing should be considered as speculative.
• Russian Empire: The Imperial Russian Air Service bought an unknown number of Type P from France. Most of these machines were powered by a 110 hp Le-Rhône engine, although some aircraft were uprated with 120 hp Le-Rhône ones. The Type P was clearly better than the Type L or the LA, but Russian pilots found the Type P harder to fly. Some few machines seem to have been locally built in Russia, but due to unpopularity among the pilots it was never used in large numbers.
• United Kingdom: The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) obtained a single Type P in 1916, which, with the serial number MS.746, was tested by the No.2 Aircraft Depot at Candas, in the Somme Department in France. Based on a favorable report of the Type P an order for three additional machines was placed, with some of them being armed with a machine gun and a fairing for a camera and wireless, with a machine gun for the observer in every airplane. 
  Due to a shortage in the Le-Rhône engine, deliveries were delayed. However, once that issue was solved, additional 20 machines were ordered and by September 1916 forty-four additional airplanes were ordered too. Some of those machines were equipped with the fairing for the camera and the observer's gun, but the synchronized forward-firing machine gun was not present in every machine. Instead a Lewis was mounted on top of the wing, firing outside propeller's arc. It's known that some Type Ps served with No.3 and No.1 Squadrons.
  The Le-Rhône engine was still short on supply, and some were finished with an 80 hp Le-Rhône. Of the 36 Type Ps that served with the RFC, nine did so with the No.3 Squadron. By January 1917 every Type P had been relegated to training units. 
  A total of 106 Type Ps were ordered, both of the MoS.21 and MoS.26 variants. The No.3 Squadron used some few MoS.26. By October 1917 the MoS.26 were sent to No.2 Aircraft Depot and those remaining to were relegated to Pilot School No.1 AD at St. Omer, Pas-de-Calais, in France and No.1 Reserve Training Squadron at Gosport, Hampshire, United Kingdom.

Sources:

1. Flying Machines Press - French Aircraft of the First World War

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morane-Saulnier_P

Morane-Saulnier S

 

The Morane-Saulnier S was a French two-engined World War I intended to be a heavy day-bomber. It was built in 1915 and had a crew of three to four, two of which were intended to be gunners, as the aircraft was provided with machine gun posts at the nose and aft pilot's cockpit at mid-fuselage. The fuselage was wide enough to accomodate two pilots side-by-side and was of circular cross-section. Both the fuselage and tail-assembly were similar to those of the Type P reconnaissance plane. There was a rounded fin on each of the elevators. The three-bay wing was of unequal span, with the upper wing being longer than the lower one. Power was provided by two Renault engines which delivered 220 hp of power each. They were mounted in nacelles and suspended between the upper and lower wing and were very close to crew's cockpit. Just like other French large airplanes of the time, it was equipped with twin nose wheels to prevent nosing over when landing.

The prototype received the serial number MS 625 and was designated as MoS.10 by the Aéronautique Militaire (Military Aeronautics - French Army's Air Corps). It entered in the 1916 competition for a heavy bomber with only the SPAD Type E as its rival because no other design did meet the requirements. Eventually it was the Type S the selected one for mass production with an initial production batch requested by Colonel Joseph Barès (one of French main air generals at the time) of 300 machines at the cost of 60 million Francs. The French parliament felt that the cost was excessive and reduced the order to just 90 aircraft. In response, the Aéronautique Militaire cancelled the order as the Caproni Ca.1 and Ca.5 which was being produced in France under license, already met the demands for a day heavy bomber. Oddly enough, a document of the Aéronautique Militaire dated on 1st November 1916 shows that a MoS.10 with two Renault engines up-rated at 220 hp were in service at the frontlines. However, there are no graphical documents to prove that the Type S ever entered service with the Aéronautique Militaire. Therefore the document makes reference to the Type S at the front for operational evaluation or even to the Type T, although it's very unlikely as the Type T was powered by two 110 hp Le-Rhône engines and it wasn't until August 1917 when it was evaluated.

Sources:

1. Flying Machines Press - French Aircraft of the First World War

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morane-Saulnier_S

Pfalz E.I/E.II/E.IV/E.V/E.VI

 

The Pfalz E series were a development from the French Morane-Saulnier G and H of which Pfalz obtained a production license just before the outbreak of World War 1. The Fokker monoplanes (Fokker E series) which actually entered service months before the Pfalz Es, outperformed them in climb rate, maneuverability and handling characteristics. Therefore, the Fokkers were preferred over the Pfalzs. Fokker was accused of simply copying the French design, but taking into account that Fokker's designs were superior to those of Pflaz's the statement can't be true. Both monoplanes looked similar, yes, but designs were significantly different in detail. As both monoplanes looked similar, Allied pilots referred them both as just Fokkers.

The E-Type was divided into various variants:

• Pfalz E.I: The Pfalz E.I was created by mounting a synchronized Spandau LMG on a Pfalz-built Morane-Saulnier H (which although it was a license-built version, it wasn't completely identical to the French machine). It was powered by an 80 hp Oberursel U.0 engine. Only 45 aircraft were made and they arrived too late to make any significant impact in the war, therefore most of them were assigned to training and flying school units, specially in Bavaria.
• Pfalz E.II: This variant was a slightly enlarged version of the E.I, powered by a more powerful 9-cylinder Oberursel U.1 engine which yielded 100 hp of power. Wingspan was enlarged too, in order to provide more lifting power for the heavier engine. The wing was also braced by three flying wires, instead of two like the E.I. The fuselage was also enlarged to balance the heavier engine. Performance was better than the E.I as it was faster and had better climb rate and 130 were manufactured. 
  One E.II was offered to the Austo-Hungarian Navy by the financer Camillo Castiglioni in 1916. It was tested from 17th August 1916 until it crashed on 1st March 1917 during landing in Fazana. As we could only find text references to this machine, the drawing should be considered as speculative.
• Pfalz E.IV: This variant was powered by the 14-cylinder Oberursel U.III engine which yielded 160 hp of power. This rotary engine had a double row of cylinders and was much heavier than the preceding ones. As a development of the E.II as it was, the E.IV had the same wing but a slightly longer fuselage to balance the heavier engine. Thanks to its engine, its performance improved drastically, when compared to the E.II, even with two machine guns mounted. However, the Oberursel U.III engine had cooling problems with its second row of cylinders and wasn't as reliable as the previous ones. A total of 46 machines were built, but only five reached the frontlines at its peak number in April 1916, indicating that the type was outdated and saw barely any action.
• Pfalz E.V: The Pfalz E.V was powered by a 100 hp Mercedes D.1 inline six-cylinder engine, cooled by a nose-mounted, automobile-type radiator, giving it a distinctive appearance. It was based on the E.IV airframe and was faster in spite of its less powerful engine. However, the pre-war original Morane-Saulnier design wasn't capable of further development and was already obsolete by July 1916 when the prototype was tested. Furthermore, to compensate for the extra weight of the liquid-cooled engine, it was armed with a single machine gun. By July 1916 the Halberstadt D.II were already operating in the frontlines and their performance was superior and, therefore, only 20 machines were built, basically to keep Pfalz's factory active. A maximum of three were recorded to be at the frontlines in June 1916 and of those three, two were later transferred to the Imperial German Navy.
• Pfalz E.VI: This was the final variant of the Pfalz E-Types. It was basically an E.II powered by the same Oberursel engine, but having a different rudder shape and two sets of bracing wires, instead of the three employed in the E.II. It was tested also in July 1916 and a total of 20 machines were completed to keep Pfalz's factory active. They were used for training because they were obsolete for combat and none was recorded in the frontlines.

As the Fokker and other types were superior, only few numbers of Pfalz E-Types fighters were admitted into service, and even fewer were sent to the frontlines, where they were generally unpopular among pilots. Their service lasted until August 1916 when they were ordered to be retired from service and be cannibalized for spare parts, after many fatal crashes. Around 100 Pfalz E-Types were destroyed and the production stopped. Therefore, as Pfalz lacked a suitable replacement, Pfalz was assigned with the production of LFG-Roland biplane fighters.

Sources:

1. Flying Machines Press -  Pfalz Aircraft of World War I

2. http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20866

3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morane-Saulnier_H