Potez 633 - France 1940

GBA I/51 France 1940

Potez 633 B2 (5 aircraft)

In 1938 France ordered 449 Potez 633s but in May that year it was decided that all light bombers must have a crew of 3, so the aircraft was developed for export only. A bomb-bay filled the space between the plot and gunner in which the bombs were hung vertically.

35 aircraft (4 from a Chinese order, 20 from a Romanian order and 11 from a Greek order) were allocated to various squadrons in 1939-40 to fill gaps and to help transition pilots into the Breguet 693. These aircraft have "C", "G" and "R" in their serial numbers.

There were 20 aircraft in combat units (GBA I/51, II/51, I/54 and II/54) when the Germans invaded on 10 May 1940. GBA II/35 received the Potez 633 later that month. Only Potez 633s of II/51 saw combat, losing 5 aircraft.

A further aircraft, destined for China, got as far as French Indochina before being requisitioned into the Vichy Air Force for the defence of the colony.

Amended DATA and LOADOUT files are included.