Dewoitine D.510

Dewoitine D.510

'Description'\
Role	Day fighter
Crew	1
Dimensions
Length	25 ft 5 in	7.7 m
Wingspan	39 ft 8 in	12.1 m
Height	7 ft 9 in	2.4 m
Wing area	178 ft²	16.5 m²
Weights
Empty	3135 lb	1,422 kg
Maximum take-off	4246 lb	1,923
Powerplant
Engines	Hispano-Suiza 12
Power	860 hp	641 kW
Performance
Maximum speed	250 mph	400 km/h
Combat range	535 miles	860 km
Ferry range
Service ceiling	36,090 ft	11,000 m
Armament
Guns	1x 20 mm cannon 2x 7.5 mm machine guns
Bombs

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. The initial 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.

The D.500 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.

Model History

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.510 Re-engined with 860 hp (641 kW) Hispano-Suiza 12Ycrs, 7.5 mm MAC 1934 MGs (120 built)

The D.500 saw service with the Armée de l'Air,the Venezuelan 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 Chinese Air Force (24), the Spanish Escuadrilla Internacional (2), and a Turkish order was placed (36) but never delivered.(?)

Total production (including prototypes): 381

Active Service

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. The majority were replaced or withdrawn to North Africa prior to the German Blitzkrieg of May 10, 1940.

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.