The MB.210 derived from the
MB.200 and differs in particular by having its
cantilever wing set at the bottom of the fuselage, and in having a retractable
undercarriage. Developed as a private venture, the
prototype MB.210 accomplished its first flight on 23 November 1934, powered by two 596 kW (800 hp)
Gnome-Rhône 14Kdrs /
Gnome-Rhône 14Kgrs air-cooled
radial engines and having a fixed undercarriage. This was followed by a second prototype, the
MB.211 Verdun, powered by 641 kW (860 hp)
Hispano-Suiza 12Y V-12 liquid-cooled
inlines and fitted with a retractable undercarriage, this flying on 29 August 1935. Initial flight testing of this version was somewhat disappointing, so no further examples were built. Further progress with the MB.210, however, convinced the ''
Armée de l'Air'' to order series production, the first example of which flew on 12 December 1936. The satisfaction did not last very long, however, since it was underpowered and the engines of production aircraft were inclined to overheating. The type was grounded until its engines could be replaced by the more powerful and reliable
Gnome-Rhône 14N, these engines first being tested in summer 1937 and had to be replaced. Altogether, 257 units were manufactured amongst companies as diverse as
Les Mureaux over
Potez-CAMS,
Breguet,
Hanriot, and
Renault. ==Operational history==