Aero MB-200

   In 30-th years Czechoslovak aircraft industry still could not offer modern type of bomber aircraft. That is why the interest focused on a licence production. At first it was Fokker F-IX from the Netherlands but in short time showed the need of more modern all-metal construction. The choise fell to French Marcel Bloch MB-200 which became the sole type of heavy bomber aircraft in Czechoslovak Air Force in the second half of 30-th years. The original prototype MB-200 BN-4 took off in June 1933. But already in this time it was obvious that it was obsolete construction. It was all-metal high-wing with fixed undercarriage, fuselage of rectangle crosscut was largely glazed on the nose. Defensive armament was placed in three gunner's turrets.
   The Aero factory obtained the licence rights for manufacturing the MB-200 in Czechoslovakia in the end of 1934 year. The first prototype was still ancestoral French, second prototype and first built in Czeschoslovakia took off only in January 1937. The delay was due to several factors - circuitous tests of the first prototype, throwing doubt on competetive Avia factory, changes in drawings from French side etc. There were built totally 73 machines Aero MB-200 in the period between January 1937 and April 1939. They were rather intensive used by Czechoslovak Air Force but it was already obvious that aircraft were fully obsolete. Their sale to a foreign country did not succeed so after March 1939 Luftwaffe captured them. Some of them were delivered to Rumunia and Croatia, others were soon scraped.

MB-200 in Slovakia

   After the break-up of former Czechoslovak Army and Air Force on 15th of March 1939 remained in Slovakia only two bimotored bomber aircraft. All others were detailed to units located in Czech that later fell into German hands. The first machine was obsolete aircraft of French construction Aero MB-200. Aircraft of this type originally served in Flight 81, Squadron II, Air Regiment 5 in Brno.
   1.3.1939 MB-200's flew from Brno to Malacky-Nový Dvor airfield. Between 4th and 13th of March they were flying to the training rifle-range near Kuchyňa village and training in shooting, bombing and night navigation flights. When the Flight 81 flew back to their home airfield in 13.3.1939, it left in Nový Dvor one machine Aero MB-200 (serial number 12) due to failure of the left engine.
   After the partial reparation in 22.3.1939 rtk. J. Gerthofer ferried it to the Aircraft Workshops in Nitra, where the engine was repaired. Machine got a new coating and national insignia. After the test flights the machine was in 7.8.1939 relocated to the Piešťany airfield and it was detailed to the Training Flight. In 21.10.1939 pilot Bornemisa did with it a 30 minutes flight from Bratislava-Vajnory to Piešťany.

Camouflage remained original from pre-war Czechoslovakia - overall dark green colour. Aircraft had the oldest national insignia of Slovak Air Arms on the places of original Czechoslovak annular cockade - white rimmed blue circle with red double cross, thin rimmed by white colour. After September 1939 German crosses were added on the fuselage.

   But frequent failures of engines restrained from its service. In 12 months it did totally only 13 flights. After 1th of March 1940 it was recorded in the Training Flight in Piešťany as "unable to fly". Its last flight was realized 8.8.1940 in night hours. It was piloted by J. Gerthofer who together with J. Trnkom and crew of four members on board simulated the night attack on Bratislava. In the time of the migration of the Aircraft Park to Trenčianske Biskupice some of pilots flew there with MB-200. In the Aircraft Workshops both Walter K-14 engines of Czechoslovak production were dismantled because they long before this needed the general overhaul. Although the staff of workshops made an big affort at reparation but due to the lack of spare parts the engines could not be repaired. Aircraft standed aside on the margin of the airfield for a long time and in the time of another moving of the Aircraft Workshops to the Mokraď airfield in April 1943 it was canceled. And that is why this aircraft did not expressively enforced in Slovak Air Force.

Sources:

[1] Ing. Jan Krumbach - Il-28/Wellington/MB-200, Triáda č. 3
[2] Juraj Rajninec - Slovenské letectvo 1939 - 1944, 1. zväzok

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