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Technical Specifications

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Production

89 Dewoitine ot the series D37 have been manufactured since the flight of the prototype of D37, 1st of October of 1931. They are divided into :

• 1 Dewoitine D37
• 29 Dewoitine D371
• 14 Dewoitine D372
• 20 Dewoitine D373
• 25 Dewoitine D376

To date , out of the 29 D371 aircraft manufactured, 11 are listed in the list below ::

 

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Historical

The Dewoitine D371 is the last of the monoplane parasol Fighter developed by the company Dewoitine, and the studies result in a aircraft with a rather balanced and elegant design. The first prototype of the series, the Dewoitine D37, made its first flight on August 1, 1931, less than a year before the first flight of the Dewoitine D500 with low wings (June 8, 1932) The D37 is equipped with a Gnome-Rhone engine Of 700 hp. The tests are conclusive, and an improved version, the Dewoitine D371 is launched. It receives a more powerful radial engine, the Rhone G7 Rhine 14 cyl GR14Kfs of 880ch and made its first flight towards March 1934. It reaches 400km / h and is armed with 4 machine guns of 7.5mm in the wings.

An order of 28 aircraft passed through the Air Ministry in April 1935. The last Dewoitine D371 of this order was completed in December 1935, but the prototype is accidented due to a structural weakness detected in the design of the wing: The whole series is returned to the factory for modification and reinforcement. They were made available at the beginning of 1937 only. The Air Force, not knowing what to do with these planes henceforth outdated, ceded 12 to the Spanish Republicans, 21 other aircraft will join Tunis to form the regional Escadrilles of fighting in creation, of which ERC 574 which will be endowed in June 1938. They will be used little because of a low reliability of the engine, whose reducer broke frequently, sometimes in flight. The remaining aircraft will be removed from service with the arrival, in 1939, of Moranes 406 delivered to ERC574.

Naval Aeronautics is also interested in the Dewoitine D371. It orders 40 copies for a naval version, under the designation of Dewoitine 373. It receives a landing stick and from the 21st exemplary, a system of foldable wings, the airplane then taking the designation D376. These planes, intended to equip the aircraft carrier Béarn quickly proved inadequate to the conditions of use: if the folding of the wings was fast, a few minutes, it took about one hour to put them back in position of flight. The engine showed itself, as for the D371 used by the Air Force, unreliable. The first landing stages took place on the Béarn at the end of 1938, but at the declaration of hostilities, the aircraft carrier Béarn was withdrawn from service and its squadrons AC1 and AC2 were based on shore.

At the beginning of the war, naval aviation owned 14 Dewoitine 373 and 25 Dewoitine 376. These fighters are now completely outdated. The AC2 is based in Toulon, to defend the port and ships of the Navy, and AC 1, will join Calais, in a much more exposed area. Fortunately, the D373 or D376 will never have to face the Luftwaffe, and the only losses will be accidents, including a collision in flight, and an inadvertent "folding" of the wings of a D376 on the occasion of a exercise of attack on the ground ... This last accident nails the Dewoitine on the ground, before having a agreement of use limited to flights of training. The final ban of flight will be pronounced in April 1940, when they will be replaced by Potez 631.

It was finally on the Spanish fighting theater that the Dewoitine D371 experienced its baptism of fire. In view of the reliability problems encountered, Lithuania renounced its order, and the 14 exemplaries of D372 (Export Version) were delivered to the Spanish Republican forces in August 1936. These aircraft were armed with 4 Vickers 7.5mm machine guns: 2 in the wings And 2 in the fuselage and are assigned to the squadron España of André Malraux and the international squadron of the Spanish Martin Luna. The first victories, in August 1936, are made at the expense of Fiat CR32, and 21 victories are claimed by the Escadrille España of André Malraux. These fightingss demonstrate the qualities of the aircraft, which is considered better than the Heinkel 51, and equivalent to the Italian Fiat CR32. 10 D.371 delivered by the French Air Force compensate for the loss of 4 Dewoitine D371. These aircraft were preceded by two other unarmed shipments delivered in October 1936. The Dewoitines were gradually replaced by Soviet aircraft, and the survivors were regrouped in units devoted to coastal defense and advanced training. 6 Dewoitine were still in a flying condition in December 1938, the last specimens being all destroyed on the ground by an Italian bombardment on the aerodrome of Bañola (Girona) on 5 February 1939.

 

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Versions

Dewoitine D37	The prototype made its first flight on October 1, 1931 equipped with a 14-cylinder engine in dual-star Gnome and Rhone 14Kbrs Mistral Major of 700 hp. With a monocoque fuselage, wings with a metal frame and a fixed wide landing gear, this aircraft had a classic look of the 1930s. The aircraft was modified several times, receiving a Gnome and Rhone 14Kbs, then a 14 kds of 800 hp (740 hp to 4,500 m), various engine hoods were tested, the lander was modified, then the wing received a dihedron and its rope was reduced.
Dewoitine D371	A second prototype, with engine Gnome and Rhone 14Kes of 800 hp and various modifications, took the air in September 1934. Different armaments were tested, the assembly in the wing of 2 guns of 20 mm. 28 units were ordered in April 1935 for the French Air Force as part of Plan I with a 14Kfs engine developing 930 hp at take-off and 880 hp at 3,250 m, and four M.54 machine guns of 7.5 mm Under the sail. The Gnome and Rhone 14Kfs engine saved 20 km / h and allowed a theoretical ceiling of 10 000 m, but was to be the big defect of this fighter: unreliable, its reducer broke easily in flight.
Dewoitine D372	14 exemplaries ordered by Lithuania with 2 Darne machine guns in the wings and 2 Synchronized fuselage 7.7 mm Browning. Given the problems encountered with the engine, the Lithuanian government finally canceled the order in favor of Dewoitine D.501. When they became available, they were handed over to the Spanish Republicans.
Dewoitine D373	20 exemplaries ordered by the French Naval Aeronautics. The armament was identical to that of the Air Force aircraft, but the wing was reduced by 30 cm to pass in the lift of the aircraft carrier Béarn and a landing stick and a flotation system were Added in the fuselage.
Dewoitine D376	25 new aircraft for French Naval Aeronautics, with folding wing. The system of folding of the wings was never to the point: if the folding proper could be carried out in a few minutes, it took well an hour to put the wings in position.

 

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Bibliography

1 ) _ Editions LELA PRESSE ; Magazine"Avions" No103 et 104 - "Les Dewoitine D371 dans l'armée de l'air"

 

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Photos Album

 

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Drawing 3 view