Book Review of
Dewoitine D.520, D.520C-1 & D.520DC
Top Drawings No. 104
Author: Marek Rys
Kagero Books
ISBN: 978-84-66148-98-7
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2020
MSRP: $24.95
ISBN: 978-84-66148-98-7
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2020
MSRP: $24.95
HISTORY:
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 centered 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 maneuverability.
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 defense purposes.
During the type's later life, it was used as a trainer aircraft. On 3 September 1953, the last D.520s were finally withdrawn from service.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Fighter aircraft
Manufacturer: SNCAM / SNCASE
First flight: 2 October 1938
Introduction to service: January 1940
Retired: 1953
Primary users: French Air Force, Luftwaffe, Regia Aeronautica (Italian Air Force), Bulgarian Air Force
Number built: ≈900
THE BOOK:
Kagero is based in Lublin, Poland.
This book is soft-cover of 20 pages in 8 ¼” X 11 ¾”.
Book is multilingual in both Polish and English text.
The cover art is dark green, with a white line-drawing of the top of a D.520’s bottom side on it. Overtop of the drawing there are 2 color side profiles of a D.520C-1 at the top and bottom.
Both are in camouflage pattern of dark-green and gray over gray bottoms.
The top one has a black and white spinner, white fuselage no. 6, a red, white and blue vertical fin flash with black Dewoitine D.520 on it.
It was flown by Adj. Chef Emile Leblanc of 5 Escadrille GC III/5, Relizanne, June 1940.
The D.520C-1 at the bottom is in the same camouflage. It has a blue spinner and white fuselage letter H.
It was flown by Sgt. Henri Grimaud of 3. Escadrille GC ii/7, June 1940. The white H is he utilization of the first letter of the pilots name and was distinctive to this units habit. Grimaud final victory score was five shared destroyed, one and three shared probable's.
The book begins with the history of the D.520, followed by 17 pages of line-drawing profiles in 1/72nd and 1/48th scales.
There are 2 pages of a 4-view of No 6 D.520C-1 (already described above)
The back cover has a color 2-view profile of letter H D.520C-1 (also previously described above).
There is a loose single sheet inserted in the book that is more line drawings. It is 15 ½” x 23” format, printed on both sides.
The face side shows side-views, front and rear views and fuselage bulkheads in 1/32nd scale of a D.520.
The reverse side shows another 4-view of a D.520, also in 1/32nd scale.
This is one neat book on this aircraft. It will be of great interest to modelers planning on building a D.520 and to aviation historians alike.
I want to sincerely thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. All Kagero Book titles can be seen on Casemate’s website at:
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 centered 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 maneuverability.
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 defense purposes.
During the type's later life, it was used as a trainer aircraft. On 3 September 1953, the last D.520s were finally withdrawn from service.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Fighter aircraft
Manufacturer: SNCAM / SNCASE
First flight: 2 October 1938
Introduction to service: January 1940
Retired: 1953
Primary users: French Air Force, Luftwaffe, Regia Aeronautica (Italian Air Force), Bulgarian Air Force
Number built: ≈900
THE BOOK:
Kagero is based in Lublin, Poland.
This book is soft-cover of 20 pages in 8 ¼” X 11 ¾”.
Book is multilingual in both Polish and English text.
The cover art is dark green, with a white line-drawing of the top of a D.520’s bottom side on it. Overtop of the drawing there are 2 color side profiles of a D.520C-1 at the top and bottom.
Both are in camouflage pattern of dark-green and gray over gray bottoms.
The top one has a black and white spinner, white fuselage no. 6, a red, white and blue vertical fin flash with black Dewoitine D.520 on it.
It was flown by Adj. Chef Emile Leblanc of 5 Escadrille GC III/5, Relizanne, June 1940.
The D.520C-1 at the bottom is in the same camouflage. It has a blue spinner and white fuselage letter H.
It was flown by Sgt. Henri Grimaud of 3. Escadrille GC ii/7, June 1940. The white H is he utilization of the first letter of the pilots name and was distinctive to this units habit. Grimaud final victory score was five shared destroyed, one and three shared probable's.
The book begins with the history of the D.520, followed by 17 pages of line-drawing profiles in 1/72nd and 1/48th scales.
There are 2 pages of a 4-view of No 6 D.520C-1 (already described above)
The back cover has a color 2-view profile of letter H D.520C-1 (also previously described above).
There is a loose single sheet inserted in the book that is more line drawings. It is 15 ½” x 23” format, printed on both sides.
The face side shows side-views, front and rear views and fuselage bulkheads in 1/32nd scale of a D.520.
The reverse side shows another 4-view of a D.520, also in 1/32nd scale.
This is one neat book on this aircraft. It will be of great interest to modelers planning on building a D.520 and to aviation historians alike.
I want to sincerely thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. All Kagero Book titles can be seen on Casemate’s website at:
Highly recommended.