Bloch MB.220

Role: Airliner
Manufacturer: Société des Avions Marcel Bloch
First flight: 1935
Introduction: 1938
Retired: 1950
Primary users: Air France French Air Force
Number built: 17

The Bloch MB.220 was a French twin-engine passenger transport airplane built by Société des Avions Marcel Bloch during the 1930s.

Design and development

The M.B.220 was an all-metal low-wing cantilever monoplane. It was powered by two Gnome-Rhx´ne radial engines and had a retractable landing gear. Normal crew was four, with room for 16 passengers, with eight seats each side of a central aisle. The prototype first flew in December 1935, and was followed by 16 production aircraft. At least five examples survived the war and were modified as the M.B.221 with Wright Cyclone R-1820-97 engines.

Service

By the middle of 1938, the type was being utilised by Air France on European routes. The first service of the type (between Paris and London) was flown on 27 March 1938 with a scheduled time of 1 hour 15 minutes. During World War II, most MB.220s were taken over as military transports, including service with German, Free French and Vichy French air forces. Air France continued to fly the aircraft (as MB.221s) after the war on short-range European routes. It sold four aircraft in 1949 but within a year all had been withdrawn from service.

Variants

MB.220 One Prototype and 16 production aircraft with Gnome et Rhx´ne engines. MB.221 At lease 5 survivors re-engined with the Wright R-1820-97 Cyclone.

Operators

France

Air France
Free French Air Force
Vichy French Air Force
Societé Auxiliaire de Navigation Aérienne

Specifications (M.B.220)

General characteristics

Crew: 4
Length: 19.25 m (63 ft 1¾ in)
Wingspan: 22.82 m (74 ft 10½ in)
Height: ()
Wing area: 75 m² (807.32 ft²)
Empty weight: 6,807 kg (15,007 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 9,500 kg (20,944 lb)
Powerplant: 2 x— Gnome-Rhx´ne 14N-16/7 radial engine, 735 kw (985 hp) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 330 km/h (205 mph)
Range: 1,400 km (870 mi)
Service ceiling: 7,000 m (22,965 ft)

Related development

Bloch MB.300[1],[2]

Comparable aircraft

Douglas DC-2
Boeing 247
Junkers Ju 52

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.

Bloch MB.220 Pictures

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Source: WikiPedia