Aircraft Orders of Battle (France - May 1940)

[David]

Aircraft of the Battle of France


Introduction

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When the Second World War broke out in 1939, the French Air Force had only 826 fighter planes, and only had 250 bombers including Farman F222 and the Bloch 131. By May of 1940, the French Air Force had 740 modern fighters and 140 effective bombers. The Royal Air Force reluctantly supplied 350 aircraft but these were nearly all fairly old, as the latest Hawker Hurricane and the Supermarine Spitfire were needed to defend Britain. It is estimated that the French lost 757 aircraft during the Western Offensive. Ironically, French production increased dramatically during the campaign, and France bears the distinction of being the only country to have more aircraft in the end than it started with while fighting a losing campaign.

Great Britain's RAF Bomber Command had 920 aircraft in 55 squadrons, and Fighter Command had 600 aircraft in 39 squadrons. Recon had only 96 aircraft. On the outbreak of the Second World War there were 497 Hurricanes in service. The majority of these were sent to France during Germany's Western Offensive and large numbers were destroyed by the Luftwaffe. On May 19th, all remaining BEF air forces were evacuated to the mainland out of fears of being over-run by German forces. Approximately 1,029 RAF aircraft were lost during the Battle of France.

Germany had over a 1500 modern bombers and more than that number in fighters and destroyers. The lessons learned during the campaign in Poland and the Spanish Civil War paid dividends in their drive across France. The numbers listed below are for only those aircraft assigned to squadrons meant to fight the Allies and defend western Germany. They do not include training or other units not directly involved with the battle.
All figures are based on aircraft availability for May 10, 1940 - the first day of the campaign.

Germany

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Name	Role	Available	In Service
Arado Ar.68	Fighter	38	13
Arado Ar.196A	Float Plane	29	24
Messerschmitt Bf.109D	Fighter	42	36
Messerschmitt Bf.109E	Fighter	1288	957
Messerschmitt Bf.110C	Fighter	358	242
Messerschmitt Bf.110D	Fighter	2	0
Blohm & Voss Bv.138A	Float Plane	2	1
Blohm & Voss Bv.138B	Float Plane	2	1
Dornier Do.17E	Bomber	123	119
Dornier Do.17M	Bomber	17	14
Dornier Do.17P	Bomber	55	42
Dornier Do.17R	Reconnaissance	1	0
Dornier Do.17U	Mail Transport	4	3
Dornier Do.17Z	Bomber	491	382
Dornier Do.18	Float Plane	49	30
Dornier Do.24	Float Plane	2	1
Dornier Do.26V	Float Plane	7	4
Dornier Do.215B	Bomber	32	19
Dornier Do.217A	Bomber	2	1
Focke-Wulf Fw.200C	Bomber	4	2
Heinkel He.59D	Float Plane	36	17
Heinkel He.111B	Bomber	21	20
Heinkel He.111C	Bomber	15	12
Heinkel He.111D	Bomber	3	1
Heinkel He.111H	Bomber	657	426
Heinkel He.111J	Bomber	38	25
Heinkel He.111P	Bomber	488	326
Heinkel He.114B	Float Plane	2	2
Heinkel He.115	Float Plane	34	14
Henschel Hs.123	Tactical Bomber	49	38
Henschel Hs.126	Tactical Bomber	9	8
Junkers Ju.52	Transport	545	507
Junkers Ju.87A	Tactical Bomber	5	2
Junkers Ju.87B	Tactical Bomber	399	323
Junkers Ju.88A	Bomber	309	153
Junkers Ju.88C	Night Fighter	15	5

France

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Name	Role	Available	In Service
Amiot 143	Bomber	48 (7)	38 (5)
Amiot 354	Bomber	5	2
Bloch 131	Bomber	4	1
Bloch 174	Bomber	11	6
Bloch 200	Bomber	5	3
Bloch 210	Bomber	0 (93)	0 (52)
Bloch 152	Fighter	139	83
Bloch 151	Fighter	85	28
Bloch 155	Fighter	32	16
Bréguet 691	Tactical Bomber	20	5
Bréguet 691	Tactical Bomber	(13)	(5)
Bréguet 693	Tactical Bomber	26 (9)	20 (5)
Bréguet 270	Reconnaissance	7	?
Curtiss H-75	Fighter	121	101
Dewoitine 501	Fighter	57
Dewoitine 510	Fighter	380	?
Dewoitine 520	Fighter	11 (40)	3 (36)
Farman F 222	Bomber	20	6
G-M 167 F	Reconnaissance	(26)	(?)
Morane 406	Fighter	327 (604)	239 (439)
Mureaux 115	Reconnaissance	67	46
Mureaux 117	Reconnaissance	31	25
LéO 451	Bomber	28 (39)	22 (22)
LéO C.30	Bomber	26	28
Potez 25	Tactical Bomber	5	4
Potez 27	Reconnaissance	37	28
Potez 39	Reconnaissance	23	17
Potez 131	Reconnaissance	2	0
Potez 174	Reconnaissance	11	6
Potez 63.11	Tactical Bomber	283 (14)	189 (5)
Potez 631	Fighter	78	54
Potez 633	Fighter	(9)	(7)
Potez 637	Tactical Bomber	40	24
Wibault 33	Transport	12	?

* Numbers in ( ) are planes under-going upgrades or are regulated to training.

British Expeditionary Force

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Name	Role	Available	In Service
Hurricane Mk.I	Fighter	96	72
Defiant	Fighter	116	94
Gladiator	Fighter	24	22
Blenheim Mk.IV	Twin Engine Bomber	80	67
Lysander	Reconnaissance	80	71
Fairey Battle	Tactical Bomber	180	153

Note: The number for the B.E.F. are counting only those units deployed to airfields in France by May 10, 1940.

Belgium

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Name	Role	Available	In Service
Fairy Fox	Fighter	98	?
Renard R 31	Reconnaissance	21	?
Gloster Gladiator	Fighter	15	?
Hawker Hurricane	Fighter	11	?
Fiat C.R.42	Fighter	23	?
Fairey Battle	Tactical Bomber	14	?

The Netherlands

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Name	Role	Available	In Service
Fokker C.X	Reconnaissance	11	?
Fokker T.V	Float Plane	9	?
Fokker D.XXI	Fighter	28	?
Fokker G.I	Tactical Bomber	23	?
Koolhoven F.K.51	Reconnaissance	16	?
Douglas DB-8A	Tactical Bomber	11	?