The Potez 630 and its derivatives were a family of twin-engined, multirole aircraft developed for the French Air Force in the late 1930s.

[2] The specification demanded the aircraft be capable of performing three principal roles: fighter direction, in which it was required to lead formations of single-engine fighters with sufficient maneuverability; day attack, in which the type was also to escort friendly close air support and bomber aircraft; and nightfighter operations.

Armament requirements included two fixed forward-firing 20 mm cannons and a single machine gun to the rear for self-defence.

[2] Other companies also produced submissions in response, including Breguet Aviation, Hanriot, Chantiers aéronavals Étienne Romano, and Loire-Nieuport.

[2] On 3 August 1936, after receiving repairs, the Potez 630-01 was transferred to Villacoublay Air Base, Île-de-France; it was soon refitted with an alternative tail arrangement similar to later production aircraft and long-stroke landing gear.

[4] In June 1937, an order for an initial production batch of 10 two-seat and 30 three-seat Potez 631 day fighters was received, the first five of which were to be delivered by February 1938.

[4] During the late 1930s, the Potez 630 received considerable foreign interest; in addition to France, many countries were in the process of re-equipping their air forces.

[4] Manufacturing work on the aircraft's various sections and components was shared out across various SNCAN facilities; the fuselage and tailplanes were produced in Caudebec-en-Caux, Normandy, the wings were made at Le Havre, Normandy, and final assembly was initially performed at Méaulte; the assembly work was later transferred to Les Mureaux.

The basic design allowed for the type to replace various obsolete aircraft in the French Air Force in a wide range of roles.

[7] The long glasshouse housed a crew of three, comprising a pilot, an observer or commander who was carried based upon mission requirements, and a rear gunner who manned a single flexible light machine gun.

All members of the family (with the possible exception of the Potez 63.11) shared pleasant flying characteristics and were designed to allow for easy maintenance.

The Potez 63 family, as with the contemporary Fairey Battle and Bristol Blenheim bombers and like many French aircraft of the time, proved vulnerable to Messerschmitt Bf 109s.

In August 1939, with the risk of war increasing the French government requisitioned 32 Potez 633s from the Greek and Romanian orders that were still in France awaiting delivery.

[13] The Potez 633 aircraft that were exported to Greece and Romania saw greater service than their French counterparts despite their limited numbers.

[14] On 28 August 1939, the French Air Force initiated the mobilisation of its units, including those equipped with the Potez 630 series.

[16] A small number of Potez 633 originally destined for China were commandeered by the French colonial administration in Indochina and saw limited action in the brief French-Thai War in early 1941.

Parked in the open ground, a number of them were destroyed by Thai Hawk 75N strafing during an air raid at Siem Reap.

The Germans initially allowed several Potez 630-equipped units to continue under Vichy French control; these were typically stationed in Southern France and North Africa.

[23] On 27 November 1942, German military units occupied Vichy Air Force bases and seized their aircraft: around 134 Potez 630s of several variants were taken.

[23] Of the seized aircraft, 53 were refurbished and dispatched to Romania for use as trainers and target tugs; spare engines were also reused to power a number of Luftwaffe Henschel Hs 129Bs.

The last three Potez 631s in service were recaptured examples; these made a final contribution following the cessation of hostilities in their use as trainer aircraft at the Centre d'Essais en Vol for the revived French Air Force.

Dissatisfied with its strategic reconnaissance aircraft such as the troublesome Bloch MB.131, the Armée de l'air required the development of a derivative of the Potez 631 for this role.