There are a large number of 1/72 plastic kits that are not too difficult to find that are suitable for the Armee de L'air for the Fall of France and Vichy French scenarios.
Fighters
Curtis Hawk 75A Heller, Revell (Also Finland).
Morane 406 Heller, Frog/Novo (Also Finland).
Dewoitine 520 Heller, Frog/Novo
Bloch 152 Heller
Caudron 714 Heller
Ground Attack
Potez 631, 633 etc ; Heller - Not much Armee de L'air use during 1940 but was also used by Greece and more extensively by Romania in 1941/early 42 on the Eastern front.
Loire-Nieuport LN401-411 Vacforms and possibly an injection moulded kit but the makers name escapes me. There is a vague resemblance to a Stuka but a conversion would be a 'remove pilot insert new aeroplane job'. Hardly used in action.
Breguet 693 ; Heller,Smer Genuine ground attack type but limited in numbers. Unreliable engines.
Bombers
Amiot 143 ; Heller - I have one of these to make for my RF French. It is a flying chateau of an aeroplane with a suitcase shaped fuselage with lots of windows everywhere slung under a huge slab wing. Looks like something out of Chitty Bang Bang but did attack the German bridges on one occasion. It's slowness must have caused the flak some problems with prediction.
Sud-Est LeO 451 series ; Heller - A relatively effective (given fighter escort) and fast light bomber if rather large for the job. Carried out a notable strike on May 16th against a refuelling division at Montcornet.
Misc.
Les Mureaux 117 Heller - Army cooperation type
Some of the Heller kits may also be available currently from Smer. The above kits are frequently found at toy fairs or can be obtained from dealers in obsolete kits. Lucky for us Heller kits are not 'collectable' in the same way that Frog or Airfix are so the prices are usually modest. Even new Heller kits are not expensive.
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© Copyright 2002 by Rolf Hedges
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