The Dewoitine D.520 was a single seat piston-engine fighter designed and built for the French Air Force. Developed from lessons learned in their ill-fated D.513 design, Dewoitine produced a fighter of sleek design and acceptable capability, especially when compared to that of the German Luftwaffe - to which the D.520 squared off valiantly yet unsuccessfully in the Fall of France in 1940. Despite this, the D.520 was generally respected and continued to be used by the Vichy French Air Force and even in post-war France. The D.520 signified France's first successful and best "modern" fighter design of World War 2
Design work on the D.520 began as early as 1936, with the first prototypes flying by 1938. Beyond some design modifications and differing engine types (all from the Hispano-Suiza line), the models varied little. From the D520.1 prototype, the base D.520 series was born and ordered up for production by 1939, with the system being fielded by 1940. Only 36 D.520’s had actually been delivered when the Germans invaded. The D.520 reportedly squared up well against its German counterparts though success in the defense of France was not to be. Some 114 enemy kills were made at a loss of 85 French D.520's before the eventual collapse of the aerial defense. The system stayed in production with the German-sided Vichy French Air Force and was still available in some numbers after the war.
Facts and General Characteristics of the Dewoitine D.520:
Contractor: Dewoitine, France
Type: Fighter
Crew: One
Wingspan: 33.5 ft. (10.2 m)
Length: 28.7 ft, (8.8 m)
Height: 8.4 ft. (2.6 m)
Weight: Empty 4,612 lbs. (2,092 kg), Gross: 6,151 lbs. (2,790 kg)
Power Plant: 1 X Hispano-Suiza 12Y 12-cylinder V-type engine developing 930 hp
Max Speed: 336 mph (540 km/h)
Service Ceiling: 36,089 ft. (11,000 m)
Max Range: 957 miles (1,540 km)
Armament: 1 X 20mm HS 404 cannon in nose, 4 X 7.55mm machine guns in wings
Facts and General Characteristics of the Model:
The model is a reproduction of a Dewoitine D.520 flown by GC I/3, 1st Squadron (snake insignia), based in North Africa, June 1940.
Manufacturer: Tamiya, Inc., Japan
Scale: 1/48
Parts: 44
Decals (made by Scale-Master for Tamiya): 31
Wingspan: 8.4"
Length: 7.0”
Height: 2.0"
Hours to build and paint: 17
Mistakes:
1. I broke the pitot tube and had to manufacture one out of wire.
2. The decals were too thin and many cracked or broke. I had to touch up some with paint.
