TBF Avenger and other planes

[nic727]

List of french aircrafts in WW2 :

http://www.militaryfactory.com/aircr...y-aircraft.asp

Didn't know they used german planes...

[Furio]

Originally Posted by nic727

List of french aircrafts in WW2 :

http://www.militaryfactory.com/aircr...y-aircraft.asp

Didn't know they used german planes...

And Japanese, like the Ki43. Many of the types listed here entered service after Battle of France was over, in late war years with Vichy or Free French markings, or even after the war. On the contrary, many types that fought in 1940 are not listed.
Armée de l’Air had probably most types in front line service than any of the combatants, a true nightmare for logistics, repairs, pilot training and battle planning, and a contributing factor to France’s defeat.

[sniperton]

Many French planes exist as mods, but after the fall of France it's difficult to find a scenario where they actually saw combat. Initially both the Free French Air Force (FAFL) and the Vichy Air Force had French (and American) types, but only Vichy used them extensively, e.g. in Senegal (against the British), then in Syria (against the British), and finally in Morocco (against the western Allies). Most telling is the tally of a French ace pilot:

During his complicated combat career Pierre Le Gloan shot down 18 aircraft (4 German, 7 Italian and 7 British), which gave him the 4th position among the leading French flying aces of the war.

Anyway, the D.520 would be a useful addition, as several air forces used it in quantities over the years (France, Vichy France, Free France, Italy, Bulgaria).

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by nic727

List of french aircrafts in WW2 :

Didn't know they used german planes...

Germany built a number of low-performance aircraft (i.e., liaison and trainer) types in French factories after France fell. Additionally, the Luftwaffe had to leave many German built planes behind when France was liberated.

So, in late 1944-45, and in the immediate post-war period, France operated a lot of captured German planes or French-built versions of German designs.

From 1940 on, the Free French Air Force used British and American types. After the war, they retained the best of the lot (e.g., F6F, P-51, Spitfire, Gloster Meteor, A-26 Invader).

So, the Armee de l'Air order of battle for 1945 or for the battles in Vietnam is a very interesting mix of planes, few of them French.

Prior to 1940, France was attempting to use just French-built planes, but when it became obvious that the French aircraft industry wasn't up to the task, they started purchasing from British and American sources. There are so many missing from the IL2 order of battle, that you'd almost need to design a whole new simulation to properly represent them.