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Need DeWoitine D.520 questions answered.


Corsairfoxfouruncle

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The black stripe Dewoitine D520 aircraft number 478 was flown by commandant Yves Ezanno in 1948 at Meknes,Northern morocco.The aircraft used in Syria or North africa during world war two were Vichy aircraft so from what I know they were painted in french camouflage colours and at least yellow tail.Most had the complete Vichy markings.

 

Saluti

 

Giampiero

Edited by GiampieroSilvestri
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Hello Giampiero!
Based on this whole discussion - white in-air D.520 should be a post war machine - correct?

Coming back to our "buff" could the finish of the D.520s we are discussing be similar to this one:
image160.jpg
This is a Flying Heritage A-5 during the restoration process...

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1 hour ago, Milos Gazdic said:

Hello Giampiero!
Based on this whole discussion - white in-air D.520 should be a post war machine - correct?

Coming back to our "buff" could the finish of the D.520s we are discussing be similar to this one:
image160.jpg
This is a Flying Heritage A-5 during the restoration process...

Yes that is certainly a possibility. Again unless we can actually find a person, written diary, or some technical spec. from the period I doubt any one answer is correct or wrong. Its all educated guesswork and should be left to the modeler to decide. 

Edited by Corsairfoxfouruncle
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Hello Mr Corsair
I partially agree. On the other hand we might find some similar example of another D.520 from the period or even find some other materials, arguments and counterarguments that could help those modelers make up a decision in which direction to go to. So far based on this discussion we have quite a few options:
_some kind of buff paint (Chamois?)
_some kind of blue paint (Gris Bleu Clair?)
_completely NMF finish
_NMF finish with some sort of Aluminum dope (similar to D.520DC / Fw 190 above?)
Am I missing any other option? (I am not taking in the consideration that there is option that one of the airframes had different color on top surfaces compared to undersides)
 

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On 30/03/2022 at 20:07, Milos Gazdic said:

Hello Giampiero!
Based on this whole discussion - white in-air D.520 should be a post war machine - correct?

Coming back to our "buff" could the finish of the D.520s we are discussing be similar to this one:
image160.jpg
This is a Flying Heritage A-5 during the restoration process...

Yes,the aircraft painted in white were used by fighter schools in North africa after WWII.

 

Saluti

 

Giampiero

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  • 1 month later...

Guys. what would be the chance that the aircraft was really "buff" color but painted in British Middle Stone?
What do you think gents? I am still in lockdown here & all the ordered books we discussed some time ago are still stuck in customs...

Very nicely done 1/72 scale model (Facebook link) done in Middle Stone

Edited by Milos Gazdic
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I found this doing a internet search.In the magazine "les ailes de France" vol.8 on page 54 are two drawings of aircraft abandoned by GCIII/3 and GCIII/6 in the middle east in july 1941 and put in flying condition in august 1942 before being transferred to groupe Normandie based at Rayak in Libanon.Aircraft number 397 was repainted completely apparently in chamois while aircraft number 302 was only painted on the upper surfaces.The lower surfaces were left unpainted.

 

Saluti

 

Giampiero

Edited by GiampieroSilvestri
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Hello,
Yes, that same story is mentioned on quite a few places, but as discussed above Chamois is paint for internal surfaces, not intended for external use. Eye witness mentioned "buff" style color if I understand right. So my question is - could British color be used for the surfaces?
Also - unpainted lower surface = NMF or light blue?
thanks for taking time. I am so desperately awaiting few books & magazines from France & England ordered over last 3-4 months on the subject. Including the booklet you just mentioned above. Got it fairly cheap on ebay finally since prices went rocket high.
Milos

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The description of the drawing says the aircraft number 302 was painted chamois on the upper surfaces and unpainted aluminium on the lower surfaces.I am sorry but I cannot help you with the question if the French chamois or British colour was used.

 

Saluti

 

Giampiero

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  • 2 weeks later...

Man! Now you tell me (I've just made 2 orders of books & magazines from France & now I have to order more :)) Is it Nº631?
284529345_5259971080736307_9017912726113
I can see the profiles:
284544056_5259971487402933_6498007242571

 

I've discussed the profiles from Les Ailes Francaises 1939-1945" magazines with Many Souffan in D.520 group on Facebook and combined with the email discussion I had with Rémi Baudru, who turns out to have 13 photos of these two "buff" colored machines in his possession & who wrote the article for Fana in 1999. Both of these authors suggest the use of Chamois - which was questioned many times by many of us.
I wonder if our French co-members of the board are close or know these two gentleman?

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello all,
I keep on trying to collect information about D.520s on many sides for last 2-3 months and keep on stumbling about the Rayak machines and info dealing with the camouflage of French Air Force...
Last things I have found are:

  1. A post by someone gentlemen with the alias "Big92" on a French aviation forum saying: "Lors de la formation de l'Alsace à Rayack, Pouliquen raconte que la RAF, à part les avions qu'ils toucheront en Egypte, leur fournit tout, " des camions jusqu’au PQ" (ICARE FAFL Tome 3, page 13)" - I will have to dig for this issue of ICARE magazine but it supports the idea of "middle stone" or another RAF paint as a possible paint used on Nº302 & Nº397;
  2. and in another discussion here Britmodeler I found out about the existence of the color "Jaune Sahara (mat)" too. Could this be a color of French origin used on these two machines?

What do you guys think?
Best,

Milos

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