D.500

D.500

D.501

D.500

D.501

France

I Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
1.0	1.0	1.0

Class:

Fighter

Research:Free

Purchase:Free

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Description

The D.500 is a Rank I French fighter with a battle rating of 1.0 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.73 "Vive la France".

The D.500 is an all-metal mono-wing French aircraft with an open cockpit and fixed landing gear being built all through the mid-1930s. This fighter was France’s primary fighter aircraft until the Morane-Saulnier M.S.406 fighter replaced it in 1939. When playing Simulator Battle (or Arcade and Realistic Battle in cockpit view), this aircraft offers excellent visibility only really limiting visibility where the wings protrude out of the fuselage. This aircraft boasts 1,200 rounds of ammunition split between four machine guns which can do severe damage especially when an adjusted gun convergence is between 150 and 350 meters.

General info

Flight Performance

Characteristics
Stock
Max Speed (km/h at 5,000 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
?	?	9,000	??.?	??.?	??.?	??.?	150
Upgraded
Max Speed (km/h at 5,000 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
378	366	9,000	14.4	15.0	14.7	12.5	150

Details

Features
Combat flap	Take-off flap	Landing flap	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
X	X	X	X	X

Limits
Wing-break speed (km/h)	Gear limit (km/h)	Combat flap (km/h)	Max Static G
			+	-
???	???	???	~??	~?

Optimal velocities
Ailerons (km/h)	Rudder (km/h)	Elevators (km/h)	Radiator (km/h)
< ???	< ???	< ???	> ???

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
?,??? m	??? hp	?,??? hp

Survivability and armour

• 3 mm Steel plate behind engine.
• 3 mm Steel plate on pilot's seat.

Armaments

Offensive armament

The D.500 is armed with:

• 2 x 7.5 mm Darne 1933 machine guns (300 rpg = 600 total)
• 2 x 7.5 mm MAC 1934 machine guns (300 rpg = 600 total)

The four machine guns are arranged with the two Darne 1933 guns mounted in the nose and the two MAC 1934 guns mounted under on the underside of the wing. Each are armed with the same amount of ammunition, which means that all guns will fire with each other until empty.

Usage in the battles

The D.500 is a good beginner aircraft for newer pilots. This airplane in the French tech tree is only one of two non-biplane aircraft offered as a reserve aircraft; the P-26 Peashooter being the other. This aircraft is an excellent aircraft for in-close fighting. Bringing in the gun convergence between 150 and 350 meters and then targeting an enemy fighter/bomber aircraft within that range or closer will allow for all four guns to do the most damage along with potentially setting alight the enemy vehicle. This aircraft can switch between attacking aircraft and ground vehicles with no problems as it is still quite maneuverable at lower speeds and altitudes. Long continued bursts from the guns can quickly lead to the machine guns jamming, instead, utilize short controlled bursts which should allow you to avoid that. In Arcade Battle, the relatively short ammunition reload rate (~10 seconds) will have you back in action fairly quickly.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Not controllable	Controllable Automatic pitch	Controllable	Not controllable	Combined	Controllable	Not controllable

Modules

Tier	Flight performance		Survivability	Weaponry
I	Fuselage Repair	Radiator		Offensive 7 mm
II		Compressor	Airframe
III	Wings Repair	Engine		New 7 mm MGs
IV			Cover

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Very maneuverable.
• Speed is adequate.
• Guns are powerful at the rank.
• Short gun convergence (250-350m) chews up aircraft at short ranges.

Cons:

• Low speed limit.
• While not the fastest, usually not an issue.
• No flaps and gear permanently extended.
• Open cockpit means enemy rounds can potentially snipe the pilot.

History

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Media

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Read also

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• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

ETC.

Sources

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• page on aircraft encyclopedia;
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