French Navy

This page gives details of some of the aircraft types that were offered or promised to the French Navy but not delivered, cancelled official orders, and types have been falsely reported as being in service.

Aerospatiale AS 350B Ecureuil
22 examples reportedly used from 1988. Never used by the Navy.

Agusta-Bell AB47G
Eight examples reported from about 1959. Never used by the Navy.

Avro Lancaster AS.III
Some examples reported in use. Never used by the Navy.

Beech C-45 Expeditor
Some C-45s reported in service, but this was a simple confusion with the JRB-4 naval version actually used, which was very similar.

Bleriot-SPAD S.39
Some examples reported from about 1921. Never used by the Navy.

Bloch MB.218 Hy
This series production floatplane version of the Bloch MB.210 was never delivered despite an order for eight units from SNCASO in 1937.

Breguet Br.764 Deux-Ponts
The Br.764 was a proposed anti-submarine warfare version of the Br.761 for the Navy. The prototype Br.761 was to be converted, but the project was abandoned.

Breguet Br.1100M
The Br.1100M was the proposed navalised version of the Br.1100. The third Br.1100 prototype was planned to be for this variant, but in the end was not built.

Consolidated 28-5MF
Thirty examples of this version of the Catalina was ordered by the Aeronavale in early 1940, but none were delivered by the time of the Armistice.

de Havilland Sea Venom FAW.20
Four examples reported from 1952. These aircraft were actually knock-down kits assembled by SNCASE as Aquilon 20 prototypes.

Dewoitine D.732
One example reported from about 1942. Construction of this aircraft was never completed.

Farman F.51
The prototype was submitted for evaluation, but never wore Aeronavale colours.

Grumman F4F Wildcat
Eighty-one G-36A Wildcats ordered by the Aeronavale, but the first example did not fly until just after the Armistice. These aircraft were taken over by the British Royal Navy.

Grumman F8F Bearcat
All F8F Bearcats received by France were operated by the Air Force, not the Navy.

Hanriot HD-27
The HD-27 single-seat fighter of 1922 as a programme for the Air Force, not the Navy.

Hanriot NC-530
The NC-530 was a tactical reconnaissance aircraft developed for the Air Force, not the Navy.

Levasseur VAM.B.C.2
One example used in 1928. No information available about the existence of this aircraft.

Liore et Olivier LeO 130
Several examples reported to have been used from 1930. No such aircraft type. Possible confusion with Loire 130.

Liore et Olivier LeO 633
Fifteen examples reported to have been used. No such aircraft type.

Morane-Saulnier WR
Some examples of this floatplane racer reported in use. Never used by the Navy – possibly a confusion with the similar Morane-Saulnier G landplane.

Romano R.4
The Romano R.4 reconaissance floatplane of 1927 failed to achieve any sales with the Aeronavale.

Romano R.5
The Romano R.5 flying boat of 1932 failed to achieve any sales with the Aeronavale.

Romano R.90
The Romano R.90 floatplane fighter of 1935 failed to achieve any sales with the Aeronavale.

Voisin X
About 20 examples reported from 1918. This appears to be confusion with the structurally similar Voisin VIII, which actually was used. (The main difference was the switch to a Renault engine).

Wassmer CE.43 Guepard
Two examples reported from 1984. These aircraft were actually used by the DCAN (French Naval Dockyard Agency).

Wibault 75
Eighteen examples reported from about 1933. Supposedly a version of the Wibault 74 C1 with cameras fitted, a batch of 18 being built after the original 18 Wb 74s. Most authoritative sources say only 24 Wb 74s were built in total, and don’t mention the Wb 75.