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#Post#: 11230--------------------------------------------------
Plane of the Week: Dewoitine D.520
By: vonofterdingen Date: May 11, 2020, 2:17 pm
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This is one of those “forgotten” planes in our game. The
French Dewoitine D.520 was a very capable early war fighter that
gets little notice due to the brevity of the Battle of France.
Arguably France’s best fighter(votes too for the Arsenal VG-33
and the American made P-36), the Dewoitine was not especially
fast but was highly maneuverable and made effective use of a 20
mm cannon as part of its armament. It saw service in the Battle
of France, but also in the Vichy Air Force and Regia
Aeronautica.
From Wikipedia:
The Dewoitine D.520 was a French fighter aircraft that
entered service in early 1940, shortly after the beginning of
the Second World War.
The D.520 was designed in response to a 1936 requirement from
the French Air Force for a fast, modern fighter with a good
climbing speed and an armament centred on a 20 mm cannon. At the
time the most powerful V 12 liquid-cooled engine available in
France was the Hispano-Suiza 12Y, which was less powerful, but
lighter than contemporary engines such as the Rolls-Royce Merlin
and Daimler-Benz DB 601. Other fighters were designed to meet
the specifications but none of them entered service, or entered
service in small numbers, too late to play a significant role
during the Battle of France.
Unlike the Morane-Saulnier M.S.406, which was at that time
the most numerous fighter in the French Air Force, the Dewoitine
D.520 came close to being a match for the latest German types,
such as the Messerschmitt Bf 109. It was slower than the Bf 109E
but superior in manoeuvrability. Because of production delays,
only a small number were available for combat against the
Luftwaffe. The D.520 proved to be relatively capable as a
dogfighter against the Luftwaffe's inventory, but lacked
sufficient numbers to make a difference.
Following the armistice, the D.520 continued to be used,
being operated by both the Free French Air Force and the Vichy
French Air Force. The type was also returned to production
during 1942, although it was manufactured at a lower rate than
it had been during 1940. Additional examples were operated by
the Luftwaffe, Regia Aeronautica, and the Bulgarian Air Force.
The D.520 saw combat service in North Africa, Bulgaria, and the
Eastern Front, as well as use in France and Germany for training
and defence purposes.
The Groupe de Chasse I/3 was the first unit to get the D.520,
receiving its first aircraft in January 1940. These initial
examples were unarmed and used for pilot training. In April and
May 1940, operational units received 34 'war-capable' production
D.520s; the type quickly proved to be highly popular with pilots
and ground crew. During comparative trials on 21 April 1940 at
CEMA at Orleans-Bricy against a captured Bf 109E-3, the German
aircraft had a 32 km/h (20 mph) speed advantage owing to its
more powerful engine. However, the D.520 had superior
maneuverability, matching its turning circle, although
displaying nasty characteristics when departing and spinning out
of the turn repeatedly during the tests. The Bf 109, owing to
its slats, could easily sustain the turn on the edge of a stall.
By 10 May 1940, when the Phoney War came to an end as Germany
launched the invasion of France and the Low Countries, a total
of 246 D.520s had been manufactured, but the French Air Force
had accepted only 79 of these, as most others had been sent back
to the factory to be retrofitted to the new standard. As a
result, only GC I/3 was fully equipped, possessing a force of 36
aircraft. These met the Luftwaffe on 13 May, shooting down three
Henschel Hs 126s and one Heinkel He 111 without suffering any
losses. The next day, two D.520s were lost while a total of ten
Luftwaffe aircraft (4 Messerschmitt Bf 110s, 2 Bf 109Es, 2
Dornier Do 17s, and 2 He 111s) were confirmed to be destroyed.
Four more Groupes de Chasse and three naval Escadrilles
rearmed with the type before France's surrender. GC II/3, GC
III/3, GC III/6 and GC II/7 later completed conversion on the
D.520. A naval unit, the 1er Flotille de Chasse, was also
equipped with the Dewoitine. However, only GC I/3, II/7, II/6
and the naval AC 1 saw any action in the Battle of France. GC
III/7 converted to the D.520 too late to be involved in any
action. In addition, several aircraft were flown by
non-operational units, such as the special patrol of the École
de l'air military school, as well as a handful flown by Polish
and civilian pilots in defence of airstrips and production
facilities in the vicinity of Toulouse.
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In air combat, mostly against the Italians, the Dewoitine
520s claimed 114 air victories, plus 39 probables. Eighty five
D.520s were lost. By the armistice at the end of June 1940, 437
D.520s had been constructed, 351 of these having been delivered.
After the armistice, 165 D.520s were evacuated to North Africa.
GC I/3, II/3, III/3, III/6 and II/7 flew their aircraft to
Algeria to avoid capture.[35] Three more, from GC III/7, escaped
to Britain and were delivered to the Free French. A total of 153
D.520s remained in unoccupied mainland France.
One of the most successful D.520 pilots was Pierre Le Gloan,
who shot 18 aircraft down (four Germans, seven Italian and seven
British), scoring all of his kills with the D.520, and ranked as
the fourth-highest French ace of the war.
Under Vichy, the German armistice commission authorized Vichy
authorities to resume production of a batch of 1,000 military
aircraft for their own use, under the condition that 2,000
German-designed aircraft would later be manufactured in France
and delivered to Germany. As part of this agreement, 550
examples of the D.520 were ordered to replace all other
single-seat fighters in service. However, no D.520 units were to
be stationed on the French mainland, thus individual aircraft
were instead stored or dispatched to units overseas, such as in
North Africa.
The plan was to have the Dewoitine eventually equip a total
of 17 Groupes with 442 aircraft, three escadrilles of the
Aéronautique navale with 37 aircraft each, plus three training
units with 13 aircraft. The agreement stated that aircraft of
this new batch were to be similar to the ones already in
service. From serial number 543 on, however, D.520s used the
12Y-49 engine that had a slightly higher rated performance than
the 12Y-45, although the German Armistice Commission explicitly
prohibited replacing the original power plants with the more
powerful 12Y51 or 12Z engines.
In 1941, D.520s of GC III/6, II/3 and naval escadrille 1AC
fought the Allies during the Syria–Lebanon campaign. The Vichy
French Air Force was already relatively strong, but several
units were sent to reinforce it. D.520s were the only French
single-seat fighters capable of making the trip to Syria. The GC
III/6 was sent first. The ferry trip was very difficult for a
1940 interceptor and the pilots pushed their planes as far as
their fuel tanks would allow them to. They flew from France to
Syria with intermediate stops at Rome, Brindisi or Catania.
Another route was available through Germany and Greece (Athens),
but it was seldom used. The trip always included a stopover in
Rhodes (which had an Italian base at the time), before the final
flight to Syria. This meant several thousand kilometers were
flown over mountains and sea. The most demanding part was
Catania-Rhodes, which entailed no less than 1,200 km flown over
water.[39] Even the trip from Rhodes to Syria was 800 km. LeO
451s and Martin 167F bombers had few problems, but D.520s were
forced to fly a strenuous and dangerous mission, without any
help or external assistance. Of the 168 French aircraft (of all
types) sent to Syria, 155 accomplished their mission and arrived
successfully. The Vichy Air force was numerically strong, but
with very few ground crew and spare parts, which meant that the
operational flying time for the D.520s was very limited. D.520s
of GC III/6 first saw action against British aircraft on 8 June
1941, when they shot down three Fairey Fulmars, losing one D.520
(its pilot was taken prisoner). Over the following days several
escort missions were flown to protect Martin, LeO and Bloch 200
(3/39 Esc) bombers from British Royal Navy fighters. Two
Hurricanes were shot down (with another D.520 lost) on 9 June.
During the Syria campaign, a total of 266 missions were
conducted by the Vichy French Air Force: 99 of them were carried
out by D.520s, nine by MS.406s, 46 by Martin 167s and 31 by LeO
451s. The D.520s were therefore the most active of the French
aircraft in the campaign, where they claimed 31 kills over
British and Australian units while losing 11 of their own in air
combat and a further 24 to anti-aircraft fire, accidents and
attacks on their airfields.[citation needed] On 10 July, five
D.520s attacked Bristol Blenheim bombers from No. 45 Squadron
RAF that were being escorted by seven Curtiss Tomahawks from No.
3 Squadron RAAF (3 Sqn). The French pilots claimed three
Blenheims, but at least four of the D.520s were destroyed by the
Australian escorts, including two by flying officer Peter
Turnbull.[41][42] The following day, a Dewoitine pilot shot a
P-40 down from 3 Sqn, the only Tomahawk lost during the
campaign.[41] This Dewoitine was in turn shot down by F/O Bobby
Gibbes. The initial advantage that the Vichy French Air Force
enjoyed did not last long, and they lost most of their aircraft
during the campaign. The majority of them were destroyed on the
ground where the flat terrain, absence of infrastructure and
absence of modern anti-aircraft (AA) artillery made them
vulnerable to air attacks. On 26 June, a strafing run by
Tomahawks of 3 Sqn, on Homs airfield, destroyed five D.520s of
Fighter Squadron II/3 (Groupe de Chasse II/3) and damaged six
more.
By the end of the campaign, Vichy forces had lost 179
aircraft from the approximately 289 committed to the Levant. The
remaining aircraft with the range to do so, evacuated to Rhodes.
The known French losses of fighter aircraft were 26 in air
combat and 45 in strafing and bombing actions. The Allies lost
41 planes, 27 of those shot down by French fighters. During
Operation Torch (the invasion of North Africa), GC III/3
(previously known as GC I/3), was engaged in combat with the
Allies over Oran. Flotille 1F saw action against the United
States Navy Grumman F4F Wildcat squadron VF-41 (from the carrier
USS Ranger), over Casablanca. One D.520 was among fourteen US
victory claims; the only Allied losses were due to ground and
friendly fire.[43] Other Dewoitine-equipped units in North
Africa such as GC II/7 or GC II/3 did not take part in the
fighting. Overall, the known D.520 air strength in North Africa
was 173 D.520s (143 combat ready) of GC II/3, III/3, III/6, II/7
and II/5; another 30 were in Senegal with GC II/6. The Navy had
Esc 1AC and 2AC. Many D.520s were destroyed on the ground by
Allied bombing. The French Air Force lost 56 aircraft, among
them 13 D.520s. The Navy lost 19 D.520s. Among the 44 kills that
the French scored overall, there were five losses from fighters
and flak out of a squadron of eight Fairey Albacores from HMS
Furious, some of which were shot down by D.520s of GC III/3.
About 60 D.520s were acquired by the Regia Aeronautica (the
Italian Air Force or RA). Italian pilots appreciated the
aircraft's capabilities and Hispano-Suiza HS.404 cannon, at
least by 1940–1941 standards. The first three D.520s were
assigned to 2° Stormo based at the Torino-Caselle airfield,
where they were used for the defence of Torino's industrial
area. Other D.520s were captured in Montélimar, Orange, Istres
and Aix-en-Provence.
At the beginning of 1943, the Italian ace Luigi Gorrini
ferried D.520s taken as prizes of war to Italy to be used for
defence. "I have collected several dozen Dewoitines from various
French airfields and the Toulouse factory", he recalled
later.[49] "At the time, when we were still flying the Macchi
C.200, it was a good, if not very good, machine. Compared to the
Macchi 200, it was superior only in one point: its armament of
the Hispano-Suiza HS 404 20 mm cannon."[49] Italian pilots liked
the 20 mm gun, the modern cockpit, the excellent radio set and
the easy recovery from a spin but they also complained about the
weak undercarriage and the small [cannon] ammunition drum
capability; the ammunition was not available in quantities (the
HS.404 was not compatible with Breda and Scotti 20 mm guns, so
everything depended on France's depots). At the end of February
the 359a Squadriglia (22° Gruppo), led by Major Vittorio
Minguzzi, received eight Dewoitine D.520. At that time, American
B-24s frequently bombed Naples, so an effective interceptor was
badly needed, and D.520s were all that were available in early
1943. The 359a Squadriglia pilots used Dewoitines with some
success.
On 1 March 1943, Maggiore Minguzzi claimed a B-24 while
flying a D.520. This claim was initially only claimed as a
probable but was later upgraded to a confirmed. This was
probably the first Italian claim using this aircraft. On 21 May
1943, the Regia Aeronautica and the Luftwaffe agreed to exchange
39 Lioré et Olivier LeO 451s, captured by the Italians at the
SNCASE factory in Ambérieu-en-Bugey (Lyon), with a stock of 30
D.520s. Subsequently, in the spring and summer of 1943, the
Dewoitines were used by 161° Gruppo Autonomo, based in southern
Italy with 163a Squadriglia in Grottaglie, 162a Squadriglia in
Crotone and 164a Squadriglia in Reggio Calabria. On 31 July
1943, the Regia Aeronautica still had 47 Dewoitines in service.
After the armistice of 8 September 1943, three D.520s,
previously in service with 24° Gruppo, were used by the
Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana of the Italian Social
Republic for training.
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In game…
This is another one of those planes that I think deserves a
little more attention in our game. Though hampered some by a
rather underpowered engine, its armament and maneuverability
make it fun and capable to fly in game. I’m not sure why this
matters to me, but I also appreciate a plane that I find
good-looking and that is the case for the Dewoitine. It has very
attractive lines. Also, the modder know as Freddy made one of
the most beautiful cockpits I have ever seen in IL-2 for this
airplane.
You will seldom be overmatched flying the D.520 in game in
early war scenarios. Unfortunately there just aren’t’ a lot of
campaigns for the plane.
#Post#: 11236--------------------------------------------------
Re: Plane of the Week: Dewoitine D.520
By: Beowolff Date: May 12, 2020, 7:02 am
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Very cool plane, Von … and really nice review of it. Though I
like the look of this old warbird, I must admit to rarely flying
it, and since I'm totally raw meat to her, every time I do I get
my arse handed to me by the enemy! G'ah!
??? :(
Sadly, I don't think I've ever scored a kill in it.
(wha-whaaaa! sound!) But my unfamiliarity with it has bred my
incompetence so I can't say for sure that it's the plane or just
ME. Likely, just ME. (wha-whaaaa! sound again!)
The stats show clearly that the plane 'could' perform. Perhaps
it is just a mental block on my part and really I get that
because I've been conditioned from years of reading bad things
about French WW2 planes (some true, others obviously not true),
so perhaps that is my REAL underlying trouble.
Yes, some French birds weren't so hot... and clearly the French
Air Force was a somewhat confused mess as all of their military
was at the time, but they really did have some good warbirds and
clearly this baby could fight.
I just need to buckle down and fly her and learn her ways.
You've included some great info here about this old warhorse...a
nice job. Thank you for your work.
S! :D
Beo
#Post#: 11240--------------------------------------------------
Re: Plane of the Week: Dewoitine D.520
By: cafs Date: May 12, 2020, 7:49 am
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The best French-build fighter, and one of the most beautiful
early war planes, together with the Spitfire, LaGG-3, Zero/Oscar
( two almost identical looking fighters, together with Ki-27
Nate, this is the cause of AVG's pilots identifying all Japanese
fighters as Zeros ) and the Curtiss P-40b Tomahawk. Not too far
behind came the Macchi MC.200 Saetta and Polikarpov I-16, all
very clean looking planes, with beautiful curved lines.
The Messerchmitt bf-109 was a "too German" design, straight
lines, without a single curve. Beauty= 2, Efficiency= 10.
The Me-109Fand G were far more beautiful, keeping the
efficiency.
Beo, you need to fly the De.520 like the Spitfire, keep the
fight on the horizontal plane, do not follow a Me-109 on the
vertical fight, unless it was damaged. You can follow it in a
dive, but carefully. In the BoF and the BoB that was the great
problem for the allied pilots, they were frequently jumped when
still on a climb to the incoming German bomber/fighter height
raid.
Thanks Von.
#Post#: 11242--------------------------------------------------
Re: Plane of the Week: Dewoitine D.520
By: larsresult Date: May 12, 2020, 7:59 am
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Great choice Von. I have always liked the D520. I even got to
sit in one in the La Ferte Alais airshow, south of Paris France,
before it was ground looped. The cockpit was very compact or was
I that big. lol.
There seem to be at least two versions in the sim. One just kept
ground looping and never got off the ground. Never did get an
answer to that. Pity as it implied it was the more accurate
model. Used an air start and took out a Bf110 and a Bf109 before
ammo ran out. The HS404 cannon equipped the early Spitfire 1b
but was prone to jamming alot.
This would make an interesting career, flying for the Armee De
L'air, Regia Aeronautica, Vichy AF, Free French AF, and
Bulgarian AF.
It is thought that if things had gone differently the D520 would
have had a development along the lines of the Spitfire and
Bf109. There was already a D551 being built when they
surrendered.
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