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Japanese Dewoitine D.510J / AXD1 (ドワイティーヌ D.510J / AXD1)
The Dewoitine D.510J / AXD1 is a fighter aircraft purchased for testing in France in 1935 by Japan. Two aircraft were purchased, one by Nakajima for the Japanese army (D.510J) and the other by Mitsubishi for the Japanese navy (AXD1). Both aircraft served to develop the Japanese fighters Nakajima Ki-12 and Mitsubishi A5M3 Ko.
History
At the beginning of 1935, work was simultaneously underway on new fighters for the Japanese Navy (the future A5M) and the Japanese Army (the future Ki-27). Both independent forces were considering how to introduce heavier armament to the fighters without overburdening them too much. Lacking such a solution in Japan, commissions were sent to allied countries to seek out technology. It turned out that the best solution was found in friendly France, where in 1934 the Dewoitine D.510 fighter was developed, which had tremendous firepower (one 20mm cannon and two 7.5mm machine guns). The Japanese were greatly impressed by the aircraft and ordered one D.510 through Nakajima, which received the export designation D.510J (J for Japan), and ordered a second D.510 through Mitsubishi (also with the export designation D.510J). The aircraft ordered by Nakajima arrived in Japan in September 1935. It is not exactly known when the D.510J ordered by Mitsubishi arrived, but it was probably at the same time as the airplane ordered by Nakajima. The aircraft that went to the Nakajima factories also included engineers Roger Robert and Jean Beziaud, who were to assist Nakajima in developing the Nakajima Ki-12. The Dewoitine D.510J, after tests at the Nakajima factories, underwent comparative tests in 1936. The Dewoitine D.510J was compared with the Nakajima Ki-12, Nakajima Ki-27, Kawasaki Ki-28, and Mitsubishi Ki-33, but it turned out to be inferior to the fighters developed by the Japanese, and no more Dewoitine fighters were purchased. Additionally, the Japanese army did not utilize the solution of mounting a 20mm cannon in the engine’s drive shaft in any fighter accepted into service (this technology was used in the prototype Nakajima Ki-12 and Kawasaki Ki-88). The Dewoitine D.510J, which was ordered by Mitsubishi, arrived in Japan along with the French pilot Marcel Doret, who was the initial test pilot. During testing, the aircraft received the designation Dewoitine Navy Type D Carrier Fighter or AXD1 for short. This aircraft underwent tests within the Mitsubishi facilities and then entered comparative testing in 1936 for the navy’s 9-Shi competition, which was searching for a new carrier-based fighter. The competition featured the Mitsubishi A5M and Nakajima A5N fighters, which proved to be superior to the Dewoitine AXD1. In 1938, based on the technology used in the AXD1, a modified A5M1 was created with a Hispano-Suiza 12Xcrs inline engine and armed with a 20mm Hispano-Suiza HS-404 cannon, which was designated Mitsubishi A5M3 Ko. The Japanese navy, much like the army, was not interested in purchasing a larger number of Dewoitine AXD1 fighters, and its technology was not utilized in any future fighter aircraft. It is unknown what happened to the Dewoitine D.510J / AXD1 fighters afterwards, but they probably ended up in scrap or were destroyed during the Second World War.
Construction description
The Japanese Dewoitine D.510J / AXD1 is identical to the French Pallier’s D.510, and the only difference is that the main landing gear cover has been removed from the AXD1.
Installation of armaments
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Length: 7,94 m
- Wingspan: 12,09 m
- Height: 3,625 m
- Wing area: 16,50 m2
- Empty weight: 1,425 kg
- Gross weight: 1,929 kg
- Maximum Take-off Weight: ?
- Powerplant: 1 x Twelve-cylinder V-type Hispano-Suiza 12Ycrs liquid-cooled engine with a starting power of 640 kW (860 hp)
- Propellers: Three-blade metal propeller with a diameter of 3,100 mm, blades with adjustable pitch angle
Performance
- Maximum speed: 402 km/h
- Cruising speed: 332 km/h
- Range: 600-700 km
- Maximum Range: ?
- Service ceiling: 10500 m
- Climb Rate: 14,85 m/s
- Rate of climb: 1,3 min to 1000 m
Armament
- 1 x 20 mm Hispano-Suiza HS.9 cannon in the engine shaft (60 rounds)
- 2 x 7.5mm MAC 1934 machine guns in the wings (300 rounds per rifle)
Summary
The Dewoitine D.510J / AXD1 is an interesting airplane for Japan in War Thunder. This fighter has a powerful firepower that is incomparable to most low-era Japanese single-engine fighters (excluding the Nakajima Ki-12 and Mitsubishi A5M3 Ko) and satisfactory performance in the air. The Dewoitine D.510J / AXD1 is perfect for premium fighter or events. I encourage you to discuss in the comments and to share your own knowledge on this subject.
Finally, I apologize for the linguistic and logical errors because unfortunately English is not my main language and I had to use google translator.
Internet sources
Dewoitine D.500 - Wikipedia
ドボワチン D.500 - Wikipedia
Dewoitine D.510, France
Dewoitine D 510 - fighter
Dewoitine D.500 / D.501 / D.510 – All Aero
Dewoitine D.510 C.1 : Dewoitine
Уголок неба ¦ Dewoitine D.510
Experimenteller Typ D Jäger Dewoitine AXD
Book sources
- 040 (Dewoitine D.500-D.510) | PDF
- Les AILES de GLOIRE 13 - D.500, D.501, D.510 | PDF
- + Monografie Nr.11 - Nakajima Ki-27 Nate | PDF
- 日本航空機辞典 1910年(明治43年)～1945年(昭和20年) 上巻 (Encyclopedia of Japanese Aircraft 1910 (Meiji 43) – 1945 (Showa 20), Volume 1) page 73, 198
- 日本航空機総集 輸入機篇 (Japan Aircraft Catalogue Imported Aircraft Edition) Shuppan Kyosha, 1972, page. 136-138
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