Dewoitine D.510
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The Dewoitine D.510 was the latest of the D.500 series of all-metal open cockpit fixed-undercarriage monoplane fighters used by the Armée de l'Air in the 1930's.
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[edit] Development
The D.500, designed by Emile Dewoitine, was based on specifications issued in 1930 by the air ministry, and was to be a replacement for the Nieuport 62. The prototype first flew on June 18, 1932 and was France's first modern monoplane fighter. The D.501 and D.510 featured an engine-mounted 20 mm cannon firing through the propeller spinner as well as two underwing rifle-calibre machine-guns. The aircraft was equippable with oxygen and shortwave radio.
[edit] Operational history
The D.501 entered service in July, 1935. The D.510 entered service in September of 1936. For the time, they were highly maneuverable and well armed, with standard armament on fighters of the mid 1930's generally entailing only 2 or 4 machine guns. Upon entering service, these planes became the primary fighters employed by the Armée de l'Air until their replacement by the newer Morane-Saulnier M.S.406 in 1939. As of September, 1939, the D.500/501 had been relegated to regional defense squadrons. Sixty D.510 still equipped three French Air Force groupes. Come winter of 1939/1940, only two defensive patrols manned by Polish pilots still used these planes. Only forty remained in service by June 1940, in metropolitan France.
In Morocco, one escadrille of D.510s (ERC571) was activated in November, 1939. These planes lacked cannon. In May of 1940, this escadrille merged with ERC 573 to form GC III/4. This groupe was disbanded by the end of August, 1940. At Dakar, one groupe designated GC I/6, remained in service until being replaced by Curtis H-75s at the end of 1941.
Seven D.500s originally sold to Latvia and two D.510s ostensibly intended for the Emirate of Hedjaz saw service in the Spanish Civil War, arriving in mid-1936. They served the Republican forces. The two 510s were posted to the 71st Coastal Defense Group. Neither engaged enemy fighters. In 1938, one was irrepairably damaged while landing and the other was destroyed on a runway during a bombing attack..
In 1938, Chinese D.510s saw action against the Japanese.
[edit] Variants
- D.500 - Initial Production Model with 660 hp (492 kW) Hispano-Suiza 12Xbrs, 7.5mm Darne MGs (101 built)
- D.501 - Re-engined with 690 hp (515 kW) Hispano-Suiza 12Xcrs, added 20 mm cannon (157 built)
- D.503 - Re-engined with Hispano-Suiza 12Xcrs (1)
- D.510 - Re-engined with 860 hp (641 kW) Hispano-Suiza 12Ycrs, 7.5 mm MAC 1934 MGs (120 built)
- D.511 - Reduced wingspan, catilever undercarriage. (1)
The D.500 saw service with the Armée de l'Air,the Venezuela Air Force (3), and in the Spanish Escuadrilla Internacional. (7)
The D.501 saw service with the Arm de l'Air(90), the French Aeronavale(30), the Lithuanian Air Force. (14)
The D.510 saw service with the Armée de l'Air, the Republic of China Air Force (24), the Spanish Escuadrilla Internacional (2), and a Turkish order was placed (36) but never delivered.(?)
Total production (including prototypes): 381
[edit] Operators
[edit] Specifications (D.510)
General characteristics
- Crew: One
- Length: 7.7 m (25 ft 5 in)
- Wingspan: 12.1 m (39 ft 8 in)
- Height: 2.4 m (7 ft 9 in)
- Wing area: 16.5 m² (177.6 ft²)
- Empty weight: 1,422 kg (3,135 lb)
- Loaded weight: 1,923 kg (4,246 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: lb (kg)
- Powerplant: 1× Hispano-Suiza 12Ycrs V-12 piston engine, 641 kW (860 hp)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 400 km/h (250 mph)
- Range: 860 km (535 miles)
- Service ceiling: 11,000 m (36,090 ft)
- Rate of climb: 14.85 m/s (9,600 ft/min)
- Wing loading: kg/m² (lb/ft²)
- Power/mass: kW/kg (hp/lb)
Armament
[edit] References
- Breffort, Dominique & Jouineau, André. French Aircraft from 1939 to 1942
- Weal, Elke C., Weal, John A., Barker, Richard F. Combat Aircraft of World War Two
[edit] Related content
Comparable aircraft
Blériot S.510, Gloster Gladiator, Hawker Fury, Heinkel He 51, Fiat C.32, Boeing P-26
