War Thunder (PC, PS4) has a cool new faction with the French that introduces some unusual aircraft. Learn here which planes are particularly cool or quirky.
With update 1.73, the air force of a new nation joined War Thunder. It is France. Although the French Air Force was not prominent in World War II, as France was quickly overrun by the Germans, the French had some extraordinary aircraft that continued the fight against the Luftwaffe even after France’s capitulation.
Here, we want to introduce you to some of the coolest and quirkiest airplanes from the arsenal of the French Air Force in War Thunder.
We also received a cool video from War Thunder for each aircraft. To play it, just click on the finger icon in the respective embed.
Dewoitine D.501: Forgotten Heroine
The Dewoitine D.501, named after its inventor, aircraft engineer Émile Dewoitine, was commissioned in 1932. It was part of the modernization program of the French Air Force after World War I.
The aircraft is small, light, and absolutely deadly! This is due to its – for the time – absurdly strong armament.
The Dewoitine D.501 is a variant of the Dewoitine D.500. Unlike the D.500, the D.501 is equipped with a Hispano-Suiza 12Xbrs engine. This machine allows the installation of a single 20mm cannon in the propeller hub.
Cannons were by no means standard armament for aircraft in the early 30s, and thus, the Dewoitine D.501 became a real killer! However, it could never realize its full potential. There were only a few operations during the Spanish Civil War. By the time World War II began, the D.501 was already outdated.
Take a look at the forgotten heroine here in the video:
In War Thunder, however, the D.501 is often present in battles at low ranks. The aircraft is optimal for pilots who want a small, agile machine that can shred any other aircraft with a short burst of fire thanks to the cannon.
M.S.410: Cute but Deadly!
The French apparently have a penchant for cute but deadly aircraft. The M.S.410 is an improvement of the M.S.406 introduced in 1939. As an upgrade, the 410 is equipped with four MGs in the wings and a single 20mm cannon in the propeller hub.
As the production of the M.S.410 machines was just beginning, the factories were captured by the Germans. Therefore, only 5 specimens were completed. However, in War Thunder, you can encounter many more aircraft of this type. The M.S.410 is not the fastest plane and should beware of fast aircraft like the Bf 109 or the C.202.
Yet in dogfights, the small M.S.410 is a worthy opponent for all the pilots of its rank! However, be aware that your cannon does not have much ammunition. So use controlled bursts. When the cannon is empty, you will need much longer to bring down an enemy with just MGs.
Farman F.222.2 – Flying Baguette!
This quirky bomber from the early 30s looks a bit like a flying baguette with its high-mounted wings and elongated shape. Additionally, it uses another curious design idea, namely having double propellers mounted at both the front and the back, which both pull the aircraft forward and push from behind.
However, the Farman F.222.2 does not really get off the ground well and reaches speeds of just 300 km/h. But this rather leisurely flying speed allows you to deliver your bombs to the target much better!
The Farman F.222.2 is a bomber with a generous bomb load. The aircraft can carry a total of 2.2 tons of bombs, with calibers ranging from 50 to 500 kilograms! This allows you to rain down unimaginable destruction on ground targets. For self-defense, you have three gunner positions with rather weak 7.62mm MGs. So it’s better to rely on your fighter protection and let the bombs rain down!
The MB.157 – Faster than the Wind!
This interceptor has a truly turbulent history. It all started when they wanted to build an aircraft utilizing the powerful Gnôme-Rhône 14R engine. However, a new fuselage had to be developed because the engine did not fit into the old fuselages of the customary MB. 152 aircraft.
Unfortunately, the development of the new aircraft was abruptly interrupted by France’s capitulation. However, the German Luftwaffe was interested in the aircraft and continued its development. During tests, a prototype even reached top speeds of over 700 km/h at high altitudes.
Mass production was never to begin, as the design had fundamental flaws. On the one hand, the engine and turbocharger would regularly fail; on the other hand, the climb rate was not very high, making it always take a long time for the MB.157 to reach the altitude necessary for its high speed.
However, in War Thunder, you don’t have to worry about such technical trifles. In the game, the MB.157 is reliable and reaches its impressive speeds at altitudes of 7,000 meters. But even below this height, it is a fast racer and is ideally suited as an interceptor with its two cannons.
Caudron CR.714: Lonely Heroes
The CR.714 was developed in the mid-30s and was intended to be a cheap, easy-to-build fighter aircraft. Therefore, the machine is mostly made of wood! Gradually, the CR.714 was further upgraded and improved. The engine was even modified so that it still operates under negative G-forces.
Production began in 1938, but unfortunately, at that time, several serious problems arose. The aircraft was simply underpowered! As a result, orders were drastically reduced, and in the end, no one wanted the CR.714 anymore.
But then came the war, and the lack of aircraft led Polish exile pilots to take on their heroic fight against the Luftwaffe in the CR.714. In the summer of 1940, they managed to shoot down 12 German aircraft in an air battle.
You can also achieve such victories with the CR.714 in War Thunder, as you will encounter opponents who are not as overwhelmingly superior to the aircraft as the enemies it faced in its historical time. At its rank, the CR.714 is a good all-rounder that can reach speeds of 460 km/h. However, its major disadvantage is the lack of armament. Four machine guns are simply not enough to effectively wipe enemies from the sky.
SO.8000 Narval: Strange Bird!
This aircraft looks more like a futuristic aircraft from a movie than a machine from real life. The aircraft has the sleek shape of a jet but is powered by a rear propeller mounted between a double tail. An unconventional design!
The plane was developed as a machine that was supposed to be ideally suited for the new fleet of aircraft carriers of France after the war. Unfortunately, the aircraft was unsuitable for exactly this task. Despite its excellent performance in the air, the Narval was a challenge even for experienced pilots due to its difficult handling and limited visibility. Thus, deployment on an aircraft carrier was ruled out, and the project never went into series production.
In War Thunder, however, the Narval is easy to play. And it’s a really good aircraft, offering excellent performance. Thanks to its robust engine and sophisticated propeller design, the aircraft is extremely fast and easily exceeds 700 km/h!
The armament is also decent. Standardly, the Narval is equipped with six heavy 20mm cannons mounted under the cockpit. This makes it a dangerous flying saw! Additionally, bombs and rockets can be mounted on the wings. Thus, the Narval becomes a versatile fighter-bomber that can prove itself in combined air-ground battles.
Are you also interested in quirky designs from Gaijin’s military MMO? Here you will find the best and worst tanks from Japan in War Thunder!
