**** DONE: GB-39 1:48 Dewoitine D.520 - Battle for France to Battle of Britain

[fubar57]

Username: fubar57
First name: George
Category: Advanced
Manufacturer: Tamiya

Couldn't find anything out about this kite or pilot, just what's on the instructions and a photo I found on a foreign website.

GC 2/3 Dauphiné, 2 Esc.(Adj. Chef Bouton)
June 1940
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EDIT: Just found a profile of this in Mushroom Model Magazine Special "Dewoitine D.520" without the red fuselage stripe and black spinner
EDIT THE EDIT: This aircraft survived for at least another year and the pilot was promoted to Commandant. The profile caption said Syria 1941. It shows the red stripes but now the aircraft has a yellow nose as far back as the rear exhaust and yellow tail section

 

[fubar57]

The box innards...

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Car parts...

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Deecals...

 

[Wurger]

 

[Crimea_River]

Good entry Geo.

 

[fubar57]

Thanks guys, added pics to Post #2

 

[le_steph40]

Good entry Geo.

+1

 

[fubar57]

Thanks Steph. Time to get started. Two ejection marks need to be dealt with on each side of the fuselage halves. They are shallow and easy to fix but still, ¾"ish to the left and right and they would not be visible. I've opted to go with the dark blueish color for the innards which will also help. Lower half still to be done.

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The innards, sans cleanup. A very positive parts fit, almost snap-together

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The real seat has these areas open so that's next on the list

 

[Wurger]

Yep..

 

[fubar57]

.....and it looks like supports and seat lever need to be added as well

 

[Wurger]

It seems that yes it does.

Additionally....
Interior color Dewoitine 520. in accordance with Ministère de l'Air:
- cockpit visible area was "bleu de nuit" without instrument panel
- instrument panel was "noir mat"
- non visible areas of fuselage interior was "chamois" (not exposed to atmospheric corrosion agent)
- oxygen: white
- air compressed: blue
- cushion and back seat was bleu de nuit as the cockpit area
- the area behind the rear window was gris bleu clair or aluminium.

 

[fubar57]

OK.....several pings later....

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.......and I just now noticed the wee lever at the front of the seat in the diagram

 

[Wurger]

The wee lever is a part of the seat lever on the right side..

 

[fubar57]

Complicating things a bit but doable. Looks like I'll have to knock a square hole in the back of the seat as well

 

[Wurger]

Yep.. here is a better diagram I found via the Internet..

Additionally ..

The harness had 5 belts. 2 through the hole in the back seat, 1 each side and 1 ahead(between the legs of pilot).

 

[parsifal]

Ive learnt more about D-520 interior than the previous sum total of knowledge I had on this aircraft, in these few posts. great discussion....

I have a question, does the D-520 have any armour?

 

[fubar57]

Not sure Michael. I'll go through my books but two are not English. Are those belts in period colour or modern Wojtek? Anyhoo......square hole is done. It would have been easier without the braces but whatareyagonnado

 

[le_steph40]

La Photothèque du CAEA - Dewoitine D.520

 

[Wurger]

I have a question, does the D-520 have any armour?

A 5 mm armour plate behind the pilot seat.

Are those belts in period colour or modern Wojtek?

I think these are of the modern. However I have seen them of a couple of different colours attached to models.

 

[fubar57]

Outstanding Steph. Is it the lighting or is the I.P. the same colour as the rest of the cockpit or greyish black. Tamiya says black

 

[le_steph40]

Selon les directives de la circulaire n° 16567 du 7 décembre 1938 puis modifiée en décembre 1939,
la Norme AIR 2003 indique les couleurs retenues(règlements 8101 à 8104) pour la protection des surfaces intérieures des aéronefs militaires:

- "Chamois brillant": surfaces intérieures du fuselage à l'exception du poste de pilotage
- "Bleu de nuit": surfaces visibles du poste de pilotage, à l'exception des planches de bord
- "Noir": les planches de bord recevront un vernis noir sur le "bleu de nuit". => black varnish on the IP