Military Aircraft of France Trivia Quiz

Answer: Morane-Saulnier M.S. 206

Introduced in late 1938, the Morane-Saulnier M.S. 206 was the main French fighter when the Germans invaded France in 1940. With a top speed of less than 300 mph and armed with a single 20mm cannon and two 7.5mm machine guns, the plane was no match for the German BF-109.

The type was exported to Finland, Turkey, Italy and Switzerland. The last M.S. 206 aircraft served as trainers in Finland until 1952.

Answer: 2001

After France pulled out of the Eurofighter Typhoon program in 1985, Dassault built a prototype aircraft in 1986 that would eventually become the Rafale. Entering French service in 2001, the plane equipped both the French Air Force and Navy. The Rafale has also been exported to Egypt, Greece, and India.

Answer: SPAD S.XIII

Developed from the SPAD S.VII, the SPAD S.XIII first flew in April 1917, with deliveries to the French Air Force beginning in May. Fast and well armed, some 8,500 of these planes were built, and they were used by virtually every Allied air force. The last aircraft were retired from Brazilian service in 1930.

Answer: Dassault Super Etendard

Developed in the 1970s for the French Navy, the Dassault Super Etendard entered service in 1978. The aircraft gained fame during the 1982 Falkland Islands War between Argentina and the United Kingdom when Argentine Super Etendards, using both conventional bombs as well as the French Exocet anti-ship missile, sank four British warships and three auxiliary vessels.

The aircraft type was retired in 2016.

Answer: Dassault Ouragan

After the end of World War II, it took some time for the French aviation industry to recover. While other air forces developed and built jet aircraft in the 1940s, the first French jet aircraft, the Dassault Ouragan fighter-bomber, did not enter service until 1952.

A total of 567 Ouragans were produced by 1954, and the plane was used by France, Israel, India, and El Salvador, where the last of the type were retired in 1985.

Answer: United Kingdom

In the early 1960s, Britain was looking for a replacement jet trainer, while the French were pursuing a trainer with an attack capability. The French firm of Breguet and the British Aircraft Corporation jointly developed and produced the Jaguar, which became the standard light attack aircraft for both air forces. Jaguars from France and Britain fought in the 1991 Gulf War, and the plane was exported to Nigeria, Oman, Ecuador, and India.

India still operates the Jaguar, while it was retired by all other operators by 2007.

Answer: Mirage

Beginning in the mid 1950s, the Mirage series of fighter aircraft has been a mainstay of French military aviation. The first production model was the Mirage III, which was introduced in 1961 and is still in service in Pakistan. The Mirage F1, Mirage 5, and the final version, the Mirage 2000, served with the French Air Force and numerous other countries.

The Mirage 5 is still in service in Egypt and Pakistan, the Mirage F1 in Morocco, Libya, Republic of the Congo, Gabon, and Iran. The Mirage 2000 is still used by France, India, the U.A.E., Taiwan, Greece, Peru, and Egypt.

Answer: Dewoitine D.520

Deliveries of the Dewoitine D.520 fighter began in January, 1940, but production was slow and only 80 units were in service when the Germans invaded in May, 1940. While the D.520 was not as fast as the BF-109, it was more manoeuvrable, and had an armament comparable to that of the German fighter.

The D.520 resumed production under the Vichy regime in 1942, and the plane was used by both the Free French and Vichy French air forces, as well as the Bulgarian, Italian, and German air forces. Almost 900 units were eventually built, with the last planes being retired in 1953.

Answer: Breguet Bre.4

The Breguet Bre.4 was designed as a bomber aircraft prior to the outbreak of World War I. It had a crew of two, one of which operated a 37mm cannon as defensive armament. The plane was capable of carrying up to 300kg (660 lbs) of bombs. The aircraft was slow and vulnerable, but remained in service until 1917.

Answer: Gazelle

Used by both the military and civilians, the Gazelle was designed and produced by Sud Aviation beginning in 1967. An agreement between France and the United Kingdom allowed the Westland Aircraft Corporation to build the Gazelle in Britain. The Gazelle is used for scouting, transport, and light attack missions and is in service with over twenty nations.

The aircraft was retired by the United Kingdom and several other nations by 2023. The fenestron tail design was very successful and many modern helicopters incorporate it.