Dewotine D-26

[72modeler]

Just curious! Saw this photo of a preserved Dewotine D-26 and I was puzzled by the bracket/structure attached to the outboard side of each wheel. I was guessing maybe this was for attaching streamlined wheel spats, but I could not find any photos that showed a D-26 with spats or streamlined fairings. Anybody got an idea?

Mike

 

http://www.airliners.net/photo/AMPA/Dewoitine-D-26/4252877/L?qsp=eJwljDEOwkAMBP%2BydRpASnEd4QFQ8AHrzkoiBXyyXRBF%2BXvMpRvNSLMhy9f55%2B%2B1MhKMSfOEDpWUPoa0oU7i8iDnUXRFuvYdTNSHYJTQ95y5Ohec/qmF9Z/YcvuM8b0EsL4a49aHL7PVhdqDneYF%2B34AMtwurw%3D%3D

[JWM]

Nice photo... The socond one restored has different struture on wheels:

http://eastwings.blogspot.com/2015_10_01_archive.html

It looks like some construction for fairing support (here D-27, the difference in engine).

I photos from those time it is also present or not on airplanes standing in line:

BTW - is there any D-27/D-26 in 1/72?

Cheers

J-W

[72modeler]

8 hours ago, JWM said:

Nice photo... The socond one restored has different struture on wheels:

http://eastwings.blogspot.com/2015_10_01_archive.html

It looks like some construction for fairing support (here D-27, the difference in engine).

I photos from those time it is also present or not on airplanes standing in line:

BTW - is there any D-27/D-26 in 1/72?

Cheers

J-W

I was curious, too, but could not find any evidence of one in any scale or format. It's a pugnacious little spud-  kinda looks like a Gallic P-12E without the lower wing! (You would have thought Heller might have done one back in the day to go with their other esoteric 'tween the wars subjects!)

Mike

[TonyTiger66]

Hello chaps. L&M models of Croatia do two boxings of the D-27 (Yugoslav) in 1/72 (resin).

 

They sell mainly through EBay:

http://m.ebay.com/itm/332153563517?_mwBanner=1

 

I have one, one of their Avia BH-33, couple of Potez-25 and Breguet-19. All are quite good for short run resin, although the BH-33 is an early kit and a bit 'clunky'.

 

Very good customer service. I had to allow a very long time for postage (5 weeks) , but it's not their fault, they posted promptly and I'm in Australia after all.

 

The D-27 kit could be converted to a D-26 with a bit of elbow grease.

 

I've also always thought that the Kopro/KP Skoda D-1 could probably be converted into a D-26/27 with a fair bit of work.

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/630006-kopro-29-skoda-d-1

 

All the best

TonyT

 

[JWM]

Thanks Tony Tiger! You know why I asked:

Cheers

J-W

 

[TonyTiger66]

3 hours ago, JWM said:

Thanks Tony Tiger! You know why I asked:

Cheers

J-W

 

I thought so J-W .

 

Same reason I bought the kit !!

Great minds think alike .

 

Some sources say that up to three Dewoitine 53 were sent to Spain. The texts vary a lot. I like this one, it seems comprehensive (in French):

 

http://www.aviastar.org/air/france/dewoitine_d-53.php

 

This one could seem ok, if the former wasn't so impressive, and it is quite vague in places (again in French):

 

https://www.aviationsmilitaires.net/v2/base/view/Model/352.html

 

I had  begun to think that an easy way to differentiate between a D-27 and one of the D-53's was the 'bulk' of the undercarriage struts. I felt that this Spanish Republican aircraft was a D-27:

 

 

Compare the undercarriage strut bulk/width to this D-53:

 

 

or this one:

 

Whilst this D-53 (see rudder) has weaker looking undercarrriage struts, like  those of the Spanish one in the picture above:

 

 

This photograph got me thinking. Could it be exactly the same aircraft as the one in the picture in Spain above? Ignore the shadow effect on the undercarriage struts, they're just as thin. 

 

The D-53's were produced as a response to a French requirement, following a catastrophic wing failure on a D-27. It's normally easy to differentiate a D-53 as they were often quite individual looking engine test beds, but I find it difficult to visually identify any wing/wing strut strengthening changes.

 

What does everyone else think of the first and last of my four pictures above? Apart from the paint, can we 'spot the difference'?  

 

The first article above argues for up to three D-53's. It's really worth reading.

 

I know that the usual SCW texts suggest two; possibly one D-27, one D-53.

 

I'm starting to wonder if it is simply  Just two D-53 series prototypes.  ? They were never fully entered into service in France, thus the typical kind of French 'cast off' like the Bleriot-Spad 91/6, that ended up in Spain.

 

Note the lack of the undercarriage spats on both first and last pictures, and the lack of the components that Mike originally spotted on the Swiss machine.

 

Cant wait to build one, or see someone build one.

 

All the best

TonyT

 

PS: Apologies for the thread drift towards SCW Mike, I'm happy to edit it out.

T

[JWM]

Hi Tony,

I see that you have studied it deeply. Interesting. Have to study it s well...

Thank for this infos and thoughts.

BTW - imagine that your first link opens in my comp in English

Cheers

J-W