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About the Dewoitine D.520
The Dewoitine D.520, without
doubt the best fighter at the disposal of the French Air Force (Armee de l'Air)
in 1940, was developed by the French engineer Emille Dewoitine during the late
1930's. In this period of growing international tension, France had gained
consciousness of her lag behind Germany and her future ally, Great Britain. New
high performance fighters were urgently needed.
Performing its first
flight on 2 October 1938, the Dewoitine D.520 was an elegant and nimble
monoplane with refined aerodynamics and outstanding performances. It was powered
by an in line 12 cylinder Hispano Suiza 12Y45 engine yielding 935hp and allowing
a top level speed of 534km/h. Its armament comprised one 20mm HS404 gun firing
through the propeller hub and two 7.5mm machine guns in each wing. The first
production aircraft made its maiden flight on 31 October 1939. Only 200 out of
the 437 aircraft produced before the 25 June 1940 armistice were able to
participate to the aerial flights of the French Campaign. Their pilots claimed
108 official aerial victories and 39 probables. Had the Armee de l'Air possessed
a few more squadrons of this superb fighter, the fate of the Luftwaffe in the
skies of France might have been different.
After the fall of France,
the D.520 was use extensively by the Vichy Air Force as well as Free French
units. Large numbers were used as advanced trainers by the Luftwaffe.
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X-1 - Black |
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X-11 - Chrome Silver |
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X-18 - Semi Gloss
Black |
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X-4 - Blue |
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X-7 - Red |
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XF-1 - Flat Black |
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XF-10 - Flat Brown |
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XF-15 - Flat Flesh |
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XF-18 - Medium Blue |
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XF-2 - Flat White |
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XF-24 - Dark Grey |
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XF-25 - Light Sea Grey |
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XF-3 - Flat Yellow |
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XF-49 - Khaki |
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XF-5 - Flat Green |
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XF-52 - Flat Earth |
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XF-53 - Neutral Grey |
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XF-59 - Desert Yellow |
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XF-7 - Flat Red |
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