BOB a mistake ? --- The Battle of France

[Insuber]

Originally Posted by X

May thought the biggest disadvantage the French faced was their appallingly bad communications net. They were not able to get actionable intelligence in time to react to the fast moving German motorized units.

True, and when on May 12th the headquarters received the report of a Potez 637 of II/33 about an heavy motorized force crossing the Ardennes forest, they didn't believe it. When a second plane later confirmed it (observer Lt. Chery, a tank officer) , they still didn't believe it, since Ardennes were inviolable to tanks in the French military doctrine.

Anyway, many modern planes were thrown into the fire of the battle, often without adequate cover or preparation: Bloch 175, Breguet 693, Bloch 174 flown by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Douglas DB7, CR 714, D.520, LéO 451, Amiot 354, Arsenal Vg-33, ... A little unexplored universe.

Regards,
Insuber