Dewoitine D.21 / Skoda D-1

At the end of 1925, the second prototype D 12 single-seat fighter was re-engined with a 500hp Hispano- Suiza 12Gb (HS 50) 12-cylinder W-type water-cooled engine and redesignated D 21. The D 21 had the four 7.5 mm (0.295 in) Darne machine¬guns.
Intended for export, the D 21 was first demonstrated in January 1926 at Bruxelles-Evere, the first export order from Turkey, for two D 21s for evaluation. Czechoslovakia ordered three and Argentina 18, plus the prototype. Of these, the three Czech aircraft and seven of the Argentine aircraft were assembled by the EKW in Switzerland.

A manufacturing licence was obtained by Czechoslovakia, Skoda building 26 D 21s during 1928-29 (as Skoda D 1s) with Skoda L engines (derived from the HS 12G) of 562hp. Out dated by the late 20s, they were discharged by the Czechoslovak Army and used by the Police Air Patrol.

Skoda D-1

Argentina also procured a manufacturing licence and the Fabrica Militar de Aviones (FMA) built 58 examples during 1930-31, but with Madsen machine guns and the licence-built Lorraine-Dietrich 12Eb W-type engine. They became effectively D 12s, although the designation D 21 was retained.

One French built D 21 was sold to Switzerland, where in late 1926 Emile Dewoitine had taken up residence, his French company having been bankrupted by the lack of domestic orders for any type since the D 1, and where, in 1928, there appeared the final development of the D 1 formula, the D 27.

In the autumn of 1927, Turkey placed a follow-on order for 10 D 21s, these being delivered during 1928-29.

Max take-off weight: 1580 kg / 3483 lb
Empty weight: 1090 kg / 2403 lb
Wingspan: 12.80 m / 42 ft 0 in
Length: 7.93 m / 26 ft 0 in
Height: 3.00 m / 9 ft 10 in
Wing area: 24.80 sq.m / 266.94 sq ft
Max. speed: 267 km/h / 166 mph

Skoda D-1
Engine: Skoda L, 500 hp
Span 12.24 m
Length 7.64 m
Top speed 270 kph
Rate of climb: 10m/s
Service ceiling: 9000 m
Endurance: 1hr 30min
Armament: two synchronized machine guns

Dewoitine D.19

The D 19 appeared in the summer of 1925 with a 400hp Hispano-Suiza 12Jb 12-cylinder water-cooled Vee-type engine. By comparison with the D 1, the D 19 had longer span, narrower chord ailerons and a wing spanning 12.50m with an area of 24.00sq.m. Demonstrated in Switzerland in August 1925, three examples of a modified version of the D 19 were ordered by the Swiss government. Specified armament was two fuselage-mounted 7.7mm guns, the paired Lamblin radiators mounted on the undercarriage legs replaced by a Chausson frontal radiator and a wing similar to that of the D 1 was adopted.
A second D 19 prototype was completed with these modifications, this being sold in 1928 to Belgium, and the first Swiss aircraft was ferried to the EKW (Eidg. Konstruktions-Werkstatte) in March 1926. The two other Swiss aircraft were transported to Switzerland in February 1927 for assembly by the EKW state aircraft factory at Thun, subsequently entering service with the Fliegertruppe.

The D 19 received a new wing of 25.00 sq.m similar to that of the D 9 and D 12 before CEPA testing, in which performance proved mediocre owing to mismatching of the propeller.

The three D 19s participated in the 1927 Zurich-Diibendorf international aviation meeting, one being winner of the closed-circuit race for fighters with a speed of 250km/h. Used primarily for combat training by the Fliegertruppe, one D 19 was lost in 1930, and the remaining two continued in service until 1940.

D 19
Max take-off weight: 1390 kg / 3064 lb
Empty weight: 980 kg / 2161 lb
Wingspan: 10.80 m / 35 ft 5 in
Length: 7.87 m / 25 ft 10 in
Height: 3.50 m / 11 ft 6 in
Wing area: 20.00 sq.m / 215.28 sq ft
Max. speed: 268 km/h / 167 mph
Range: 400 km / 249 miles

Dewoitine D.15

The only single-seat biplane configuration fighter built by Emile Dewoitine, the D 15 was proposed as a simpler and more economic (from the structural viewpoint) fighter than the D 9, D 12 and D 19 monoplanes. Powered by a 450hp Hispano-Suiza 12Ha (HS 51) 12-cylinder liquid-cooled Vee engine, the D 15 had fabric-covered metal wings with ailerons on the upper wing only. The metal fuselage with steel longeron and duralumin tube cross-member construction with fabric-covered sides and light metal upper and lower decking. Armament was two fuselage mounted 7.7mm Vickers guns and two 7.5mm Darne guns mounted on the upper wing centre section.
Flown on 13 August 1924, the D 15 displayed inadequate longitudinal and lateral stability, and, after modification, proved to possess inferior performance to the lower-powered D 19 monoplane during CEPA (Commission des Essais Pratiques de l’Aviation) testing at Villacoublay during the autumn of 1924. It was not submitted for STAe evaluation of 1923 C1 programme contenders held in 1925-26.

Take-off weight: 1535 kg / 3384 lb
Empty weight: 1040 kg / 2293 lb
Wingspan: 12.00 m / 39 ft 4 in
Length: 7.40 m / 24 ft 3 in
Height: 3.54 m / 11 ft 7 in
Wing area: 30.00 sq.m / 322.92 sq ft

Dewoitine D.12

Evolved in parallel with the D 9 as a contender in the 1923 C1 programme, the larger, sin¬gle seat parasol D 12 fighter was powered by a 450hp Lorraine- Dietrich 12EW 12-cylinder W-type water-cooled engine and armed with two 7.7mm Vickers guns.
With a basically similar fuselage to that of the D 1, the D 12 first flown in June 1924.
In September 1924, the D 12 was fitted with a higher compression 450 hp Lor¬raine 12 Eb and a pair of 7.5mm Darne model 19 guns on the wing centre section.
The paired Lamblin radiators on the undercarriage legs was replaced by a frontal radiator and a wing similar to that finally adopted on the D 9 was fitted. On 5 February 1926, the D 12 was written off in an accident at Cazaux. A second prototype had meanwhile entered flight test, having flown at the end of 1925, this having a W-type Hispano-Suiza 12Gb engine, but further development was discontinued.
It was eventually to take third place in the 1923 C1 programme after the Nieuport-Delage 42 and the Gourdou- Leseurre 32.

Max take-off weight: 1636 kg / 3607 lb
Empty weight: 1070 kg / 2359 lb
Wingspan: 12.80 m / 41 ft 12 in
Length: 7.60 m / 24 ft 11 in
Height: 3.00 m / 9 ft 10 in
Wing area: 25.00 sq.m / 269.10 sq ft
Max. speed: 239 km/h / 149 mph

Dewoitine D.9 / Ansaldo AC 3

First flown in 1924, the Dewoitine D 9 was essentially a scaled¬ down development of the earlier D 1 single ¬seat parasol monoplane fighter, from which it differed mainly in being powered by a 420 hp Gnome Rhone 9 Ac radial engine, a licence-¬built version of the 9 cylinder Bristol Jupiter.
Developed for participation in the 1923 C1 programme, two prototypes were completed. The Aviation Militaire purchased one for evaluation, but despite the extra available power the performance was not significantly improved, the D 9 took only 9 seconds less than the D 1 to reach 5000 m (16404 ft), and no French production contracts resulted.
Early in the flight test programme, the standard D 1 wing was replaced with a new wing of 2.5 sq.m greater area. A six-month delay in the commencement of evaluation of the contenders in the C1 programme provided Dewoitine with the opportunity to increase wing area by yet a further 2.5sq.m.
Armament consisted of two fuselage-mounted 7.7mm Vickers guns and two Darne model 19 guns of 7.5mm calibre mounted on the wing centre section outside the area of the propeller disc.
The D 9, placed sixth among the contenders, was destroyed on 15 October 1925.
Apart from the prototypes, only 13 were manufactured by Dewoitine, two for Belgium in 1925, Switzerland acquired the sec¬ond prototype and assembled three others in 1928 from French built components, and Yugoslavia (eight). The components of three were delivered in 1927 to the EKW (Eidg. Konstruktions-Werkstatte) in Switzerland for assembly, with delivery to the Fliegertruppe in 1928.
The largest production was undertaken by Ansaldo in Italy, which built 147 for the Regia Aeronautica with the designation AC 3.

Max take-off weight: 1333 kg / 2939 lb
Empty weight: 945 kg / 2083 lb
Wingspan: 12.80 m / 41 ft 12 in
Length: 7.30 m / 23 ft 11 in
Height: 2.93 m / 9 ft 7 in
Wing area: 25.00 sq.m / 269.10 sq ft
Max. speed: 244 km/h / 152 mph
Range: 400 km / 249 miles

Dewoitine D.8    

In the autumn of 1922, Dewoitine submitted to the CEDANA (Commission d’Examen des Appareils Nouveaux pour l’Aeronautique) a high-altitude version of the D 1 (which had then still to fly) designated D 8. One category of fighter in the 1921 C1 programme called for a speed of 240km/h at 7000m and a practical ceiling of at least 8500m. After discarding the proposal to equip the D 8 with a Rateau turbo-compressor, Dewoitine adopted the higher compression Hispano-Suiza 8Fe engine of 360hp. A larger wing of wood rather than metal construction was introduced and the prototype was rolled out in the late summer of 1923.
At Francazal, the D 8 attained an altitude of 2000m in 4.25 min, 3000m in 6.83 min, 4000m in 10.5 min and 5000m in 15.1 min. For publicity purposes this performance was attributed to the D 1 fighter. The C1 requirement for a high-altitude fighter having been abandoned, and, in June 1924, the D 8 was modified for an attempt on the world air speed record, fitted with a lightened version of the D 1 wing. On 23 December 1924, the D 8 established 100-, 200- and 500-km closed-circuit records while being flown by Marcel Doret, and, on 12 December, set a 1000km closed-circuit record of 221,775km/h.

Max take-off weight: 1100 kg / 2425 lb
Empty weight: 780 kg / 1720 lb
Wingspan: 12.80 m / 41 ft 12 in
Length: 7.50 m / 24 ft 7 in
Height: 2.75 m / 9 ft 0 in
Wing area: 25.00 sq.m / 269.10 sq ft
Max. speed: 245 km/h / 152 mph

Dewoitine D 1 / Ansaldo AC 2

C.1bis

Designed by Emile Dewoitine to compete in the French C1 single ¬seat fighter competition of 1921, the prototype D 1 flew for the first time on November 18 1922.
A high-wing monoplane with fabric-covered metal wings and an oval-section metal fuselage covered by duralumin sheet. Armament was two 7.7mm synchronised Vickers guns and power was provided by a 300hp Hispano-Suiza 8Fb (HS 42) eight-cylinder water-cooled engine.
The principal criticism being the poor forward visibility. A 120mm pylon was therefore inserted between wing and fuselage, the fighter, now referred to as the D.1bis, becoming a parasol monoplane. This modification was completed in August 1923, by which time the first three (of 10) pre-series aircraft had been supplied for official evaluation in the initial configuration. Two of these were lost in accidents and the third was modified to D.1bis parasol form.
After prolonged evaluation of all the 1921 contenders, the Dewoitine D 1 and Spad 80 each received a contract in 1924 for 80 aircraft, the two types being intended to replace Spad XIIIs and XXs in Aviation Militaire squadrons. A further 29 D 1 s were ordered subsequently f or the Aeronavale.
Dewoitine’s chief test pilot, Marcel Doret, set speed records (with and without payload) of 233.10 km/h (144.84 mph) on December 23, 1924, and the D 1 could climb to 5000 m (16404 ft) in 15.1 minutes.

Union des Pilotes Civils festival, Orly, Paris 18 May 1930
Dewoitine D1ter No.3 F-AHAZ of Marcel Doret

The next five pre-series. aircraft (the fourth, fifth and sixth having been ordered by Czechoslovakia, Japan and Italy respectively, and the seventh and eighth by Switzerland) were all completed to D 1bis standard, but continuing criticism of forward view led to replacement of the shallow pylon between wing and fuselage by a cabane of inverted-vee struts on the prototype which thus became the D 1ter. The two pre-series aircraft for Switzerland were modified to this standard prior to delivery, the two lost during official trials) were completed as D 1ter fighters, the cabane struts being standardised for production D 1s. A contract had been placed in November 1923 on behalf of the Aeronautique Navale for 44 D 1s, with the government providing guarantees for 150 aircraft.
The production contract was placed with the SECM (Societe d’Emboutissage et de Constructions Mecaniques) which flew its first series D 1 on 18 January 1925. The production aircraft required several successive structural reinforcements, and did not gain acceptance by the Aviation Militaire until 1929. The D 1 was of mixed construction, with an open cockpit and two 7.5 mm (0.295 in) machine guns in the engine upper decking. The final version, the D 1 ter, had a more conventional strut type centre section cabane.

Dewoitine D1C1 300hp Hispano

Most Aviation Militaire D ls were soon transferred to the Aeronavale units, including 3C2, 4C1, 7C1 and 7C3; by mid 1931 these units had re equipped with the Nieuport-¬Delage 62. The Aeronautique Navale took delivery of its D 1s from early 1925, and in the previous year an order for 20 had been placed on behalf of the Forces Aeriennes Terrestres, although these were never to equip a service unit.
Dewoitine D ls were exported to Japan (one), Switzerland (two) and Yugo¬slavia (79), and a further 126 were built (with modifications) by Ansaldo at Turin for the Regia Aeronautica, with the designation AC 2.

Engine: 300hp Hispano-Suiza 8Fb (HS 42)
Max take-off weight: 1240 kg / 2734 lb
Empty weight: 820 kg / 1808 lb
Wingspan: 11.50 m / 37 ft 8.75 in
Length: 7.50 m / 24 ft 7 in
Height: 2.75 m / 9 ft 0 in
Wing area: 20.00 sq.m / 215.28 sq ft
Max. speed: 247 km/h / 153 mph
Range: 400 km / 249 miles
Armament: two 7.7 mm (0.30 in) Vickers machine gun

Dewoitine

Societe Aeronautique Dewoitine

Founded at Toulouse in 1922 by Emile Dewoitine to build all-metal aircraft. His first fighter, the D.1, appeared that year and his ultralight D.7 of 1923 was demonstrated in the USA. Designed and built a number of fighters, of which the D.21 of 1927 was built in Switzerland and France, and in 1929 in the Argentine. As no French orders were forthcoming, Dewoitine went to Switzerland in 1927 and formed the Societe Aeronautique Dewoitine. Returned to France 1930, establishing a manufacturing agreement with Liore et Olivier, which was entrusted with the redesign of his D.531 to become the D.37 for the Armee de I’Air. He produced two long-range aircraft, both lost on record attempts, and airliners for Air France, but in the main developed a successful family of fighters, the last of which, the D.520 of 1938-1940, was known as the “French Spitfire.”

Dewoitine fighters were eventually responsibility of SNCAM. Meanwhile, D.37 series of parasol-wing monoplane fighters was developed by Liore et Olivier, though name Dewoitine was sustained in fighter field primarily by the low-wing D.500 series, many of which were built by Liore et Olivier. Societe Aeronautique Frangaise gained greatest publicity with record-breaking D.332 Emeraude, first flown 1933, and with D.338 as used extensively by Air France in late 1930s. This latter aircraft was, perhaps, the finest 3-engined airliner in service before Second World War, and continued in use after fall of France.

In France, the Socialist Government of the so called Popular Front brought all the companies building military aircraft, aero engines and armament under its control in 1936. The im¬mediate result was the socialized oblivion of such established companies as Marcel Bloch, Bleriot, Nieuport, Potez, Dewoitine, Hanriot and Farman within half a dozen nationalized groups or Societies Nationales, named according to their geographical location (Nord, Ouest, Centre, Midi and so on).
During the war the Group formed the Societe Industrielle pour I’Aviation with the organization that represented General Motors in France, building the Arado Ar 196 and Ar 199 and developing the Ar 296.

DFW Stahltaub

The D.F.W. Stahltaube was a licence built version of the Jeannin Stahltaube reconnaissance and training aircraft of 1913.

The Deutsche Flugzeug-Werke G.m.b.H. firm at Lindenthal, Leipzig received an order for 18 of these copies but delivered only two.

Engine: Mercedes G 4 F, 94 hp
Length: 37.73 ft / 11.5 m
Wingspan: 45.932 ft / 14.0 m
Wing area: 322.92 sq.ft / 30.0 sq.m
Max take off weight: 1896.3 lb / 860.0 kg
Weight empty: 1323.0 lb / 600.0 kg
Max weight carried: 573.3 lb / 260.0 kg
Max speed: 59 kt / 109 km/h
Cruising speed: 51 kt / 95 km/h
Wing load: 5.95 lb/sq.ft / 29.0 kg/sq.m
Range: 205 nm / 380 km
Crew: 2