Hobby 2000 72026 - 1:72 Dewoitine D.520 over Africa

Plastic model kit of the French Dewoitine D.520 fighter in 1:72 scale

After the fall of France in 1940 the Dewoitine D.520 followed an unusual path: the same aircraft flew in Vichy, naval and Free French markings, at times facing one another. Hobby 2000 72026 is devoted to exactly this chapter – D.520 service in North Africa and the Middle East in 1941 and 1942.

The kit is based on Hasegawa sprues, complemented by a new sheet of waterslide decals printed by Cartograf and self-adhesive masks for the glazing. The three marking options are the aircraft of Sous-Lt Rene Lete of the 3rd escadrille, GC II/3 at Alger-Maison Blanche, of EV1 Jean Prevost, commanding Escadrille 2AC of the naval air arm at Lartigue, and D.520 no. 397 of Lt Albert Littolff of GC 3 "Normandie" at Rayack in Lebanon.

What you will find in the box:

• Plastic sprues with airframe, cockpit and undercarriage parts
• Clear parts for the canopy glazing
• Self-adhesive masks for the glazing
• Waterslide decal sheet printed by Cartograf covering three marking options
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Model specifications:

• Scale: 1:72
• Catalogue number: 72026
• Manufacturer: Hobby 2000
• Length of the finished model: approx. 119 mm
• Wingspan of the finished model: approx. 142 mm
• Skill level: beginner/intermediate

Please note: the kit does not include glue, paints or modelling tools. The model is intended for self-assembly.

Building the model:

A small kit with a sensible parts count that less experienced modellers will find approachable. The cockpit is best painted and assembled before the fuselage halves are joined, and the self-adhesive masks noticeably shorten the work on the canopy framing.

All three options wear French camouflage, but each carries a different set of recognition markings – from the yellow and red identification stripes of the Vichy air force to Free French insignia. It is worth planning the decal placement carefully from the instructions, since the markings are what tell these aircraft apart. Applying the decals over a gloss coat reduces the risk of silvering, and a satin varnish makes a suitable final finish. Aircraft operating from African airfields look convincing with a light dusting, which can be achieved with pigments or a thin light-toned wash.

Tools you will need:

• Modelling nippers for removing parts from the sprues
• Modelling knife or scalpel
• Files and sanding paper for cleaning up gate marks
• Plastic cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Precision modelling tweezers
• Brushes in various sizes or an airbrush
• Modelling paints (acrylic or enamel)
• Gloss varnish for the decals and satin varnish for the final finish
• Decal setting solution to help the decals conform to the detail
• Modelling wash to emphasise the detail and panel lines

About the aircraft – Dewoitine D.520:

The Dewoitine D.520 was the most modern fighter available to the Armée de l'Air in 1940: a strong airframe, good agility and armament centred on a 20 mm cannon firing through the propeller hub. Powered by a Hispano-Suiza 12Y of some 935 hp, it reached around 560 km/h. It nevertheless reached the units late and in small numbers.

After the armistice of June 1940 production of the D.520 continued, and the aircraft were divided between the Vichy air force and units stationed in the colonies. Aircraft of this type fought in Syria and Lebanon in 1941 against British and Free French forces, and in November 1942, during the Allied landings in North Africa, they engaged American aircraft. Once the French forces in Africa joined the Allies, the same machines began flying in Free French markings.

Among the pilots who flew the D.520 in this theatre was Albert Littolff, one of the most successful French fighter pilots of the period, later associated with the "Normandie" unit that fought on the Eastern Front alongside the Soviet air force. The story of the D.520 over Africa is therefore also the story of a divided French air arm that in the space of two years went from fighting for Vichy to serving in the Allied coalition.

Original aircraft specifications (Dewoitine D.520):

• Length: 8.60 m
• Wingspan: 10.20 m
• Height: 2.57 m
• Empty weight: approx. 2,040 kg
• Maximum take-off weight: approx. 2,790 kg
• Crew: 1
• Powerplant: Hispano-Suiza 12Y-45 inline engine of approx. 935 hp
• Maximum speed: approx. 560 km/h
• Service ceiling: approx. 10,000 m
• Range: approx. 1,250 km
• Armament: one 20 mm Hispano-Suiza HS.404 cannon firing through the propeller hub and four 7.5 mm MAC 1934 machine guns in the wings
• Production: approx. 900 aircraft

About the manufacturer – Hobby 2000:

Hobby 2000 is a Polish model company based in Katowice that builds its range around its own themed releases of plastic kits. Each box contains sprues from an established manufacturer – in this case Hasegawa sprues – combined with the company's own artwork, illustrated assembly instructions and a new decal sheet. The waterslide decals for the brand's kits are printed by Cartograf of Italy, valued in the industry for their thin carrier film and accurate colour registration. Most of the aircraft releases also include self-adhesive masks for the glazing, which makes painting the canopy frames considerably easier. Hobby 2000 selects its subjects around specific campaigns, units and pilots, and Polish themes appear regularly in the catalogue. Print runs are limited, so once a release sells out it rarely returns. For the modeller this means access to proven tooling in a boxing with carefully researched markings that are often hard to find elsewhere.