Dewoitine D-520 – the French fighter

The “Dewoitine” D520 is a French metal-construction low-wing monoplane fighter, built before World War II and widely used at the beginning of war in the French AF - in a French company. Designed and manufactured at the “SNCA” Aviation Factory. The prototype took off for the first time in 1938 and from the beginning of 1940 it began to be supplied to combat units and was designated D.520C1. Initially, in 1939 the French AF ordered only 200 fighters of this brand, but soon their order was increased to 2320 machines (in April 1940). They were ordered not only by AF, but also by Navy aviation. Serial fighters installed 930 h. p. power engine “Hispano-Suiza” 12Y-45. Despite the fact, that the latest aircraft production methods were introduced in the production, by May 1940 only 32 aircraft were delivered to the combat units and several dozen more machines were delivered already during the fighting. This was because a single D.520 required approximately 7,000 man-hours to produce, while its main competitor, the Messerschmitt Bf-109E, required only 4,500 man-hours. The first unit to be armed with the new “Dewoitins” was Groupe de Chasse I/3. During the French campaign it turned out, that the D.520 was slower, than the Bf-109E, but its maneuverability was much better, than its opponent, and the takeoff speed was about the same. Certainly, he was a formidable opponent to the Luftwaffe aces. In May-June 1940 units, armed with D.520, shot down 114 enemy planes. The fact, that they served in Vichy French AF until 1942, Luftwaffe pilots also flew them, and for almost the entire war period, fighters of this type were supplied to Bulgaria and Romania, the allies of the Third Reich, speaks volumes about its quality. After 1945 the D.520 remained serviceable for use by the French AF as training aircraft until 1953. The fighter reached a maximum speed of 560 km/h, a climb rate of 14.3 m/sec, a flight range of 1250 km, a ceiling of 10,000 m. The D. 520 was armed with 1 x 20 mm caliber cannon “Hispano-Suiza” HS.404 and 4 x 7.5 mm machine guns “MAC 1934”.

The model reproduces the D.520 No. 277 of GC III/6 Group 1 Squadron, flown by Lt. P. le Goan Vichy French AF. There are two options for coloring the tail part: the camouflaged tail from the autumn period of 1940 and the yellow tail from the June period of 1941, when the fighter was based in Syria. Excellent print quality, the model can be assembled for beginner modelers (opaque cockpit cower, wings and ailerons and tail plates and rudders made from continuous parts, landing gear included) or for intermediate and advanced modelers (separated ailerons and control plates, full cockpit interior, engine layout , open armament compartments in the wings, etc). Beginners and modelers with little experience are recommended to glue this model under the supervision of a more experienced colleague.