Dewoitine D.520 #5734

The Dewoitine D.520 was a French fighter aircraft that saw service during World War II. It was designed and manufactured by the Société Nationale de Constructions Aéronautiques du Sud-Ouest (SNCASO) led by French engineer Émile Dewoitine.

The D.520 was a single-seat monoplane fighter, powered by a liquid-cooled V12 engine. It had a maximum speed of 540 km/h (335 mph) and was armed with a mix of four 7.5 mm machine guns and a 20 mm cannon.

The aircraft first entered service with the French Air Force in May 1940, just prior to the Battle of France. Despite being one of the most advanced fighters of its time, the D.520 suffered from several design flaws and was not initially well-received by French pilots. However, it soon proved to be a capable fighter and was responsible for shooting down a significant number of German aircraft during the Battle of France.

After the fall of France in 1940, the D.520 continued to serve with the Vichy French Air Force, which collaborated with the German occupying forces. A small number of D.520s also saw service with the Free French Air Force and the Allied air forces in North Africa.

In total, around 900 D.520s were built, with the last aircraft rolling off the production line in early 1944. Despite being outclassed by newer aircraft towards the end of the war, the D.520 remained in service with several air forces until the early 1950s. Today, a small number of restored D.520s can be seen in museums and private collections around the world.