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France's Dewoitine D.520 fighter1,2,3
Dewoitine D.520:
Dewoitine D.520:
Dewoitine D.520:
Design
The design of the Dewoitine D.520 was first started in November 1936.2 It was to meet a 1936 requirement for a single engined fighter.3
The cockpit was located well back and caused problems with landing and taxiing.1
The construction was all metal stressed skin.3
Prototype
The prototype was flown by Marcel Doret on October 2, 1938.1,2,3 He forgot to lower the undercarriage during a landing and wrecked the prototype in 1938.1 The next prototypes were flown in January and May 1939.3
Production
There were 200 ordered by May 1939.1 This was later increased to 710.1 The Vichy increased it to 740.1
There were orders placed for over 2,300 by late 1939.3
The first production model was flown on November 2, 1939.2
In May 1940 production was ramped up to ten per day.3 437 were completed by the armistice.3
Vichy France then built 478 from July 1941 to 1943.3
- Prototypes: 33
- D.520: 9153
Variants
- D.520-01: Prototype.3 Had Hispano-Suiza 12Y-21 engine (890 HP).3 A two bladed wooden propeller with fixed pitch.3 The radiators were in the wings.3
- D.520-02: Prototype.3 Had radiator under the fuselage.3 Tail surfaces were made larger.3 It had a three bladed electrically controlled propellar.3 The canopy was redesigned.3
- D.520
- D.521: Conversion with the Rolls-Royce Merlin III (1,030 HP) engine.3 Had two 20 mm cannons in the wings.3 In February 1940 was its first flight.3
- D.524: Had Hispano-Suiza 12Z (1,200 HP) engine.3
Usage
Used in combat by Bulgaria (150), France, Italy (72), and Romania (96).1,3
First Use
Only 36 Dewoitine D.520s were delivered to one groupe de chasse, the GC 1/3, by May 1940.2,3 This groupe shot down three Hs 126s and one He 111 on May 13, 1940.2
43 Dewoitine D.520s were then delivered to the GC II/3, GC II/7, GC III/3, and GC III/6.2
52 were then delivered to the Aéronavale escadrilles AC 1, 2, 3, and 4 before France surrendered.2
It was clamed that the D.520 shot down 114 enemy planes by the time of the armistice.3 The D.520s also lost 85 of their own.3
Germany
After the surrender of France, D.520s were used by the Germans as trainers.1,3
In 1942 the Germans seized 411 (2462) D.520s and passed them onto Axis countries.1
Vichy France
Were used as combat aircraft.1 235 D.520s were used by the Vichy air force in France and 202 were used in Africa.2
Ace
Adjutant Pierre Le Gloan of GC III/6 shot down 18 aircraft.2 He shot an additional 4 in other aircraft.2
| Dewoitine D.5201,3 | Dewoitine D.520S (first 558 aircraft)2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Fighter1,3 | Fighter2 |
| Crew | 11,3 | 12 |
| Engine (Type) | Hispano-Suiza 12Y 45 piston1,3 | Hispano-Suiza 12Y45 piston2 |
| Cylinders | Inline1 V 123 |
Inline2 |
| Cooling | ||
| Net HP | 9103, 9351 | 9302 |
| Supercharger | Szydlowski1 | |
| Propeller blades | 33 | |
| Dimensions | ||
| Span | 33' 5.5"3, 34'1 10.2 m1,3 |
33' 5.5"2 10.2 m2 |
| Length | 28'1, 28' 8.5"3 8.6 m1, 8.76 m3 |
28' 8.75"2 8.76 m2 |
| Height | 8'1, 8' 5"3 2.56 m3, 2.57 m1 |
8' 5 1/8"2 2.57 m2 |
| Wing area | 172 ft2 1 15.97 m2 1 |
171.7 ft2 2 15.95 m2 2 |
| Weight | ||
| Empty | 4,479 lb1, 4,612 lb3 2,036 kg1, 2,092 kg3 |
4,685 lb2 2,125 kg2 |
| Loaded | 5,889 lb1 2,677 kg1 |
5,897 lb2 2,6752 |
| Maximum load | 6,129 lb3 2,780 kg3 |
|
| Performance | ||
| Speed | 332 mph1 535 kph1 |
|
| Speed at sea level | 280 mph3 450 kph3 |
|
| Speed @ 18,045' / 5,500 m |
332 mph2 535 kph2 |
|
| Speed @ 19,685' / 6,000 m |
329 mph3 529 kph3 |
|
| Cruising speed | 230 mph3 370 kph3 |
|
| Climb | 2,362'/minute3 720 m/minute3 |
|
| Climb to 13,120' / 4,000 m |
5 minutes3, 5 minutes 48 seconds1 | |
| Climb to 13,125' / 4,000 m |
5.82 minutes2 | |
| Service ceiling | 36,090'3, 39,440'1 10,500 m1, 11,000 m3 |
33,630'2 10,250 m2 |
| Range | 620 miles3, 950 miles1 890 km1, 998 km3 |
553 miles2 890 km2 |
| Maximum range | 777 miles3 1,250 km3 |
|
| Armament | ||
| Propeller hub | 1: 20 mm HS 404 rapid fire cannon1 1: 20 mm3 |
1: 20 mm HS4042 |
| Ammunition | 60 rounds1 | |
| Wings | 4: 7.5 mm MAC 34 M39 MG1 4: 7.5 mm MG3 |
4: 7.5 mm MAC 1934 M39 MG2 |
| Ammunition | 675 rounds each1 | |
| Production |
Sources:
- Aircraft of World War II, General Editor: Jim Winchester, 2004
- Fighting Aircraft of World War II, Editor: Karen Leverington, 1995
- Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998
