80 Years ago, the De-550 and G4M

[cardboard_killer]

 

80 years ago today, Émil Dewoitine’s De-550 racing aircraft is demonstrated to Armée de l’air leadership as a potential fighter development. It is a significantly lightened development of the De-520, and takes about half as long to build. With a 910hp engine, it’s the first French aircraft to exceed 700 km/hr and can climb to 6,000 meters in 4 minutes, 25 seconds.

- Test pilot Marcel Doret (who will later fly for Free France) is enamored of the plane, saying that if the excellent De-520 is a workhorse, the 550 is a thoroughbred. This leads to it later being called “The French Mustang”. Air Minister Guy La Chambre is not convinced, as it would be weighed down when armed and the small fuel capacity limits range. He orders ten pre-production versions as the De-551 interceptor with four 7.5mm machine guns and one 20mm cannon, and the stronger Hispano-Suiza 12Y51 1,000hp engine. During development the cannon will be found too heavy or bulky and will be replaced by a fifth machine gun firing through the propeller hub. The aircraft will be cancelled with the fall of France.

 

The Mitsubishi G4M has its maiden flight.

 

 

Edited October 23, 2019 by cardboard_killer