Editing Heavy fighter (section)

==France==
[[File:Potez_633_B2.jpg|thumb|The [[Potez 630|Potez 633]], a light-bomber variant of the 63 series]]
In 1934, the French [[Minister of Air (France)|Ministry of Air]] issued a specification for a new two or three-seat multi-role fighter, capable of functioning as a bomber escort and night fighter, as well as providing fighter direction (leading formations of single-engine fighters to their targets). The specification also required, at minimum, two forward-facing 20&nbsp;mm cannons, as well as a rearward-facing machine gun for defensive purposes. This was relatively very heavy armament for a fighter in 1934, with most contemporary aircraft mounting one or two light machine guns.<ref name="danel 4">Danel 1967, p. 4.</ref>

In response, French aircraft manufacturer Potez developed the [[Potez 630|Potez 63 series]].<ref name="danel 4">Danel 1967, p. 4.</ref><ref name="Rickard 1">{{Cite web|title=Potez 630|url=http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_potez_630.html|access-date=2022-02-16|website=www.historyofwar.org}}</ref> The basic design was close to the original specification; that of either a 2 or 3 seat, dual-engine heavy fighter, armed with two 20&nbsp;mm [[Hispano-Suiza HS.404]] cannons in gondolas under the fuselage and a rearward-facing machine gun for defense. Numerous variants and sub-variants of the 63 series would be designed and produced, including [[day fighter]], night fighter, [[Reconnaissance aircraft|reconnaissance]], and [[light bomber]] variants.<ref name="danel 4">Danel 1967, p. 4.</ref>

While the 63 series was primarily developed for the [[French Air and Space Force|French Air Force]] and [[French Naval Aviation|French Naval Air Arm]], they would serve with numerous other nations, both [[Axis powers|Axis]] and [[Allies of World War II|Allied powers]], via either pre-[[Armistice of 22 June 1940|armistice]] sales by the French government, or via use of captured aircraft.<ref name="Bref p67">Breffort and Jouineau 2005, p. 67</ref><ref name="danel 4 6">Danel 1967, pp. 4, 6.</ref>

In French service the series saw action during the [[Battle of France]], and post-[[Armistice of 22 June 1940|armistice]] within both the Vichy French ''[[Vichy French Air Force|Armée de l'air de l'Armistice]]'', and the Free French ''[[Free French Air Forces|Forces Aériennes Françaises Libres]]''. On 20 May 1940, the [[light bomber]] variant, the Potez 633, took part in a [[ground attack]] against German troops near [[Arras, France|Arras]]. Three 633s took part in the attack. This was the type's only operational mission over France as two days later the 633 was withdrawn from front-line service.<ref name="greenv8 p54">Green 1967, p. 54.</ref> The day/night fighter variant, the Potez 631, had quickly proved to be an ineffectual interceptor; it was slower than some German bomber aircraft and {{convert|130|kph|mph|0|abbr=on}} slower than the [[Messerschmitt Bf 109 variants#Bf 109E|Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-variant]] fighter. Perhaps the most successful unit operating the Potez 631 was the ''Flottille F1C'' of the [[French Naval Aviation|French Naval Air Arm]]. Between 10 and 21 May 1940, aircraft of the ''flottille'' shot down 12 enemy aircraft in exchange for 8 of their own losses prior to its withdrawal from active combat.<ref name="danel 12">Danel 1967, p. 12.</ref> The [[Reconnaissance aircraft|reconnaissance]] variants, the Potez 637 and 63.11, equipped numerous ''Groupes de Reconnaissance'' of the French Air Force, with more than 700 reconnaissance Potez 63.11s having been delivered.<ref name="danel 11">Danel 1967, p. 11.</ref>

The Potez 63.11 suffered the more losses than any other French type. One factor contributing to the high losses was the near-complete lack of spares, rendering 70 63.11s unserviceable even prior to the German invasion; many aircraft were destroyed on the ground by enemy bombing and strafing attacks, and entire units were wiped out without conducting a single mission.<ref name="danel 12">Danel 1967, p. 12.</ref>

In addition to the Potez 63 series, another aircraft was developed from the original 1934 heavy fighter specification. This was the [[Bréguet 693|Bréguet 690]], designed and manufactured originally by [[Bréguet Aviation]]. While the Bréguet 690 was not selected to serve as France's primary heavy fighter, the [[French Air Force|French Air Force's]] command staff was still intrigued by the sturdy and versatile design.<ref name="Rickard 2">{{Cite web|title=Breguet 690|url=http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_breguet_690.html|access-date=2022-02-16|website=www.historyofwar.org}}</ref> By 1938, with France falling behind in ground-attack/close-air support aircraft, the decision was made by the Air Force to re-designate the Bréguet 690 as the Bréguet 691, and to utilize it as a ground-attack aircraft. The 691's engines proved unreliable in testing, and the decision was made to mount new engines on the design, which was finally designated as the Bréguet 693.<ref name="Rickard 3">{{Cite web|title=Breguet 691 AB2 (Assaut Bombardement - Biplace/ Two-Seat Attack Bomber)|url=http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_breguet_691.html|access-date=2022-02-16|website=www.historyofwar.org}}</ref>

Few 693s were completed before the [[Battle of France|Nazi German invasion]], however, enough were completed to see some action. The 693 made its combat debut on 12 May 1940 when twelve 693s were sent to attack a German mechanized column near [[Tongeren]]. Six to eight were shot down by German flak, two more 693s were lost while attempting to return to base, and of those that made it home safely, one was written off (most of the twenty four crewmen survived or were captured alive, although three died during the attack and some of the survivors were badly wounded). As the fighting drew to a close the French attempted to fly as many 693s as possible to North Africa, but only three made the flight, and none were used by the Vichy Air Force in North Africa. In November 1942 with the [[Case Anton|German occupation of Vichy France]], the remaining Bréguets were seized. Some had their engines removed for use in German aircraft, while others were passed on to the Italians, who used them as training aircraft.<ref name="Rickard 4">{{Cite web|title=Breguet 693 AB2 (Assaut Bombardement - Biplace/ Two-Seat Attack Bomber)|url=http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_breguet_693.html|access-date=2022-02-16|website=www.historyofwar.org}}</ref>