The Dewoitine D.520 was perhaps the best French fighter during the Battle of France. After the Armistice with Germany was signed in June 1940 a large number served with the Vichy French Air Force.

In 1937 Dewoitine began designing a fighter to meet the French Air force request for a new fighter.

The first Dewoitine 520 flew on 2 October 1938 and the first production machine flew in November 1939.

At the end of the Battle of France 437 had been constructed and eventually 905 were made. They served principally with the Vichi air force.

When Germany took over the rest of France in November 1942 it captured 246 D520s and a further 72 were completed under occupation.

The Vichy Air Force flew many of them in support of Axis forces after the Armistice and had some success against Allied aircraft.

This model represents Dewoitine 520 No80 of the 1st Escadrille GC I/3 serving with the Vichy Air Force around August 1940.

Hobby Boss 1/72 kit completed by Leigh Edmonds in December 2019.