Dewoitine D.520 The Dewoitine D.520 was a French single-seat fighter aircraft that entered operational service in early 1940, just ahead of France’s involvement in the Second World War.
It was developed in response to a 1936 French Air Force requirement for a modern fighter featuring high speed, an effective climb rate, and a powerful armament centered on a 20 mm cannon.
Powered by the Hispano-Suiza 12Y liquid-cooled V-12 engine—the most advanced of its type available domestically at the time—the D.520 was lighter but less powerful than its British and German contemporaries, such as the Rolls-Royce Merlin and the Daimler-Benz DB 601.
Despite this, the aircraft achieved a balanced performance envelope and was considered a significant improvement over earlier French fighters.
Although several aircraft were designed to meet the 1936 specification, the D.520 was the only one to enter meaningful service before the Fall of France.
It arrived too late and in too few numbers to influence the Battle of France significantly but showed promising performance in combat.
Compared to the widely deployed Morane-Saulnier M.S.406, the D.520 was far more competitive with Germany’s Messerschmitt Bf 109.
While it lagged slightly behind in speed, it offered superior manoeuvrability, giving it a fighting chance in dogfights.
After the 1940 armistice, the D.520 remained in service with both the Free French and Vichy French air forces.
Production resumed in 1942, though at a reduced pace.
The type was also operated by other Axis and Allied-aligned forces, including the Luftwaffe, Italy’s Regia Aeronautica, and the Bulgarian Air Force.
It saw action in diverse theatres, including North Africa, the Balkans, and the Eastern Front, and was also employed in France and Germany for training and local defence roles.
In its final years, the D.520 served primarily as a trainer.
The aircraft was officially retired on 3 September 1953, marking the end of its long and varied service life.
