MS406 n°826 (AX674), N°2 French Fighter Flight, Haiffa, September 1940. A rare Middle East French plane. Soon replaced by Hurricanes. This MS406 was part of of 7 or 8 French fighters based in Syria in 1940. Following de Gaulle's speach from England (18th of June), they escaped and were assembled in Egypt with 274 Squ RAF. They fought in the Western desert until they were no longer airworthy. Some 3 of them were taken by on RAF charge, including the one shown here. A particularity clearly visible on a side view is the white "Bayard's helmet" above the UK fuselage roundel. That means that this plane or her pilot should have been of the French GC I/7 Spa 77. They were still flown by the first Free French AF pilots. Upper surfaces camo used is the French standard, but unsersurfaces show the early '40 half black & white RAF pattern.