Dewontine D.520C1 #5720

For the first time ever, COBI offers the most modern French fighter aircraft of the Second World War. The Dewoitine D.520 was designed and built in 1938 at the Société nationale des constructions aéronautiques du Midi. The Dewoitine D.520 was a single-seat all-metal low-wing fighter aircraft. The production of the aircraft was not interrupted by the surrender of France in 1940. Later copies were made for the needs of the Vichy government, the Air Force and the Italian, Bulgarian and Romanian armies. Polish pilots defending France were equipped with 26 aircraft of this type during the German invasion in 1940. A total of about 755 fighter jets were produced. The design proved to be so good that the aircraft remained in service after the war until 1953.

From 283 COBI blocks, you can build a Dewoitine D.520 fighter aircraft that is faithfully reproduced in 1:32 scale. Historical camouflage and markings were modeled with high quality pad-prints that do not wear out. The model is equipped with movable elements such as propellers, ailerons, a cabin to be opened and folding wheels. The set contains a figure of a French pilot with an oxygen mask. The whole set is rounded off by a black presentation stand with a sign with the name of the model.
The aircraft perfectly complements the historic COBI collection and is the perfect set for aviation and history buffs. Thanks to the presentation stand, the model looks beautiful both in the room of a young builder and in the office of an adult building block fan.

• 283 high-quality construction blocks,
• manufactured in the EU by a company with an over 20 years of tradition of producing quality construction blocks,
• meets or exceeds all safety standards for children’s products,
• fully compatible with other brands of building blocks,
• pad-printed decorations and markings. No stickers!
• clear and intuitive instruction manual based on drawings and symbols,
• a block stand for the aircraft,
• a plate with the name of the set,
• pilot figure with oxygen mask.

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 (0.787 in) 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 of 1940, 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.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dewoitine_D.520