DISCONTINUED Azur 48018 Arsenal VG 33/39

The Arsenal VG-33 is a French interceptor from the beginning of World War II. The VG-33 aircraft was already a fully developed fighter, combining the VG-30 airframe with the VG-31 engine (Hispano-Suiza 12Y-31 with 860KM). The machine was armed with a 20 mm caliber cannon firing through the propeller axis and four 7.5 mm machine guns in the wings (two in each wing). Five prototypes were ordered, of which the first VG-33-01 was tested on April 25, 1939. With the HS-12Y-31 engine, it reached a nice top speed of 558 km / h at an altitude of 5,200 m. Competitors of this fighter were, among others Dewoitine D-520 and SNCAO CAO-200 airplanes. On June 11, the machine - still unarmed - was handed over for qualifying tests at CEMA. After successful flight tests in September, the prototype was returned to the production plant for the installation of the weapons. Then, in October 1939, the plane underwent shooting tests at the Cazaux proving ground, and after their completion was approved for production. For this purpose, in March 1940, the machine flew to the SNCAN plants, where it served as a model for the series production launched there. Before the capitulation of France, the production of about 160 VG-33C1s were started, of which only about 19 were almost fully completed (however, many elements of armament and equipment, including sights and radio stations, were missing). Most of those that could not be delivered were destroyed directly on the production line before the Germans entered. The combat career of the VG-33 was very short (and very chaotic at the same time - the fate of most of the units is not even known). After only a few combat flights, some of the machines were collected on June 10, 1940 in Villacoublay, from where - incl. via Orleans and Châteauroux - they were going to be transferred to Bordeaux. At least five copies were obtained in various places by the German army. One of them (No. 5) was later transferred for testing to the Luftwaffe research center in Rechlin, where it flew with the code designation 3 + 5. On the other hand, at Châteauroux in the southern, unoccupied part of France, there were another five operational VG-33s. By the time the airport was filled by the Germans in November 1942, only two examples were left there. Technical data: Maximum speed: 558 km / h, maximum ceiling 11000 m, maximum range: 1200 km.