Morane-Saulnier MS-406
It was a French fighter aircraft built by Morane-Saulnier starting in 1938. Numerically, it was France's most important fighter during the opening stages of World War II.
It was a French fighter aircraft built by Morane-Saulnier starting in 1938. Numerically, it was France's most important fighter during the opening stages of World War II.
Historical information
The MS-406 was a French Armée de l'Air fighter aircraft built by Morane-Saulnier starting in 1938. Numerically, it was France's most important fighter during the opening stages of World War II.
Although sturdy and highly maneuverable, it was underpowered and weakly armed when compared to its contemporaries. Most critically, it was outperformed by the Messerschmitt Bf-109 E during the Battle of France.
The MS-406 held its own in the early stages of the war (the so-called Phoney War), but when the war restarted in earnest in 1940, losses to all causes amounted to approximately 400 aircraft. The type was more successful in the hands of Finnish and Swiss air forces who developed indigenous models.