The Bloch MB.60, initially known as the MB.VI (continuing the SEA number series), was a tri-motor mailplane designed and built in France from 1930 to 1931 to an order for an aircraft suitable for use as a postal, commercial or medical transport.

Design and development

Marcel bloch formed

Société des Avions Marcel Bloch The Société des Avions Marcel Bloch was a French aircraft manufacturer of military and civilian aircraft. It was founded by the aeronautical designer Marcel Bloch (hence "MB" in the aircraft designations), who had previously played a major ro ...

in 1929, the company's first project was the MB.60 3-engined commercial transport aircraft. Built entirely of light alloys with steel for high strength fittings, the MB.60 introduced several new techniques, including rivetting external stringers and longerons to skin sheets before attachment to ribs and frames; delivering a robust light structure that was also easy to manufacture. Powered by three

Salmson 9AC Between 1920 and 1951 the Société des Moteurs Salmson in France developed and built a series of widely used air-cooled aircraft engines.Gunston 1986, p. 158. Design and development After their successful water-cooled radial engines, develope ...

in the nose of the

fuselage The fuselage (; from the French language, French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds Aircrew, crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an Aircraft engine, engine as wel ...

and wing mounted nacelles, the sole MB.60 was a

high wing A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft A fixed-wing aircraft is a heavier-than-air aircraft, such as an airplane, which is capable of flight using aerodynamic lift. Fixed-wing aircraft are distinct from rotary-wing aircraft (in which a r ...

cantilever monoplane with wings in three sections, the outer sections having moderate dihedral. The square section fuselage had a constant-section cabin with rear fuselage tapering to the all metal tail unit constructed using the same external stringer method. The undercarriage consisted of tall, strut braced oleo-pneumatic main-legs, attached at the outer engine nacelles, with a light alloy steerable tail-wheel at the end of the fuselage. A second aircraft, built as the MB.61 powered by three Lorraine 5Pc, first flew in February 1931. Neither the MB.60 or MB.61 garnered any production orders.

Operational history

Constructed at Buc by a sub-contractor, under close supervision by Bloch and his team, the MB.60 was first flown on 12 September 1930, piloted by René Delmotte. Testing at Buc and Villacoublay revealed satisfactory flight characteristics and performance. After a modification programme the MB.61 crashed in April 1931 due to inversion of the controls during re-assembly; after repair the MB.61 continued flight tests from 1 May 1931.

Variants

''Data from:''

Dassault Aviation Dassault Aviation SA () is a French Aerospace manufacturer, manufacturer of military aircraft and business jets. It was founded in 1929 by Marcel Dassault, Marcel Bloch as Société des Avions Marcel Bloch (Marcel Bloch Aircraft Company). After ...

: MB 60-61: origins, characteristics and performance data ;MB.VI:Initial designation of the MB.60 at the project stage, powered by three

engines;not built. ;MB.60: The first prototype, an enlarged version of the MB.VI, powered by three

engines; one built. ;MB.61: A second aircraft powered by three Lorraine 5Pc engines; one built. ;MB.62 ET4: A four seat military trainer version; not built

Specifications (MB.61)

References

{{Bloch aircraft Bloch aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1930 Three-engined aircraft