D.500

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Rank VII | Premium | Golden Eagles
Challenger DS Pack
D.500
d_500.png
GarageImage D.500.jpg
ArtImage D.500.png
360://https://wiki.warthunder.com/images/a/a2/Cockpit_d_500.jpg
D.500
AB RB SB
1.0 1.0 1.0
Class:
Research:Free
Purchase:Free
Show in game

Description

The D.500 was the replacement for the NiD-62 fighters that were still in operational service with France in the early 1930s. The French Air Ministry issued a new order for a fighter capable of replacing the aging NiD-62, an all-metal interceptor was developed, becoming the D.500. The aircraft was adopted in 1935, and it was a very competent fighter for its time, but it was quickly surpassed by superior designs such as the M.S.406. The aircraft never saw combat in the Battle of France, and was directly succeeded by the D.520.

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 Battles (or Arcade and Realistic Battles 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 gun convergence is between 150 and 350 m.

General info

Flight performance

Max speed
at 5 000 m366 km/h
Turn time15 s
Max altitude9 000 m
EngineHispano-Suiza 12Xgrs
TypeInline
Cooling systemWater
Take-off weight2 t

As an early monoplane fighter, the D.500 handles quite well for a plane of its era. The aircraft's acceleration and climb rate are all quite satisfactory for a reserve fighter, though it should be noted that the sea-level top speed is quite low, at just over 300 km/h in level flight. The plane has a decent turn rate, but will not be able to out-turn manuveurable biplane fighters such as the I-15. It should also be noted that the aircraft's engine doesn't have a WEP setting in Realistic Battles, and can overheat if left on 100% throttle for too long. The plane's control surfaces are all quite responsive and perform quite well at speeds between 250-350 km/h.

Characteristics Max Speed
(km/h at 5,000 m)
Max altitude
(metres)
Turn time
(seconds)
Rate of climb
(metres/second)
Take-off run
(metres)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
Stock 355 349 9000 15.7 16.3 10.4 10.4 150
Upgraded 378 366 14.4 15.0 14.7 12.5

Details

Features
Combat flaps Take-off flaps Landing flaps Air brakes Arrestor gear
X X X X X
Limits
Wings (km/h) Gear (km/h) Flaps (km/h) Max Static G
Combat Take-off Landing + -
576 577 - - - ~13 ~8
Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons Rudder Elevators Radiator
< 320 < 330 < 360 > 280

Survivability and armour

Crew1 person
Speed of destruction
Structural0 km/h
Gear577 km/h
  • 3 mm Steel plate behind engine.
  • 3 mm Steel plate on pilot's seat.

Modifications and economy

Repair cost
ABfree
RBfree
SBfree
Total cost of modifications3 270 Rp icon.png
148 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost190 Ge icon.png
Crew trainingfree
Experts1 000 Sl icon.png
Aces10 Ge icon.png
Research Aces80 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
10 / 10 / 50 % Sl icon.png
100 / 100 / 100 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Flight performance Survivability Weaponry
Mods aerodinamic fuse.png
Fuselage repair
Mods radiator.png
Radiator
Research:
440 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 Sl icon.png
35 Ge icon.png
Mods armor frame.png
Airframe
Mods compressor.png
Compressor
Research:
750 Rp icon.png
Cost:
35 Sl icon.png
55 Ge icon.png
Mods aerodinamic wing.png
Wings repair
Mods new engine.png
Engine
Mods armor cover.png
Cover
Mods engine extinguisher.png
EFS(a)
Research:
1 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
50 Sl icon.png
80 Ge icon.png
Mods ammo.png
7_5mm_belt_pack
Research:
440 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 Sl icon.png
35 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 1.png
Mods weapon.png
mac39_new_gun
Research:
540 Rp icon.png
Cost:
25 Sl icon.png
40 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Offensive armament

Weapon 12 x 7.5 mm Darne 1933 machine gun
Ammunition600 rounds
Fire rate1 350 shots/min
Ammunition600 rounds
Fire rate1 350 shots/min

The D.500 is armed with:

  • 2 x 7.5 mm Darne 1933 machine guns, nose-mounted (300 rpg = 600 total)
  • 2 x 7.5 mm MAC 1934 machine guns, wing-mounted (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 on the underside of each wing. Each are armed with the same amount of ammunition, which means that all guns will fire together until empty.

Usage in 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 m 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 manoeuvrable at lower speeds and altitudes. Long continued bursts from the guns can quickly lead to the machine guns jamming: instead, utilise 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. This aircraft is a very good plane in simulator battles because of its superior visibility as it has no canopy.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer Pitch Radiator Supercharger Turbocharger
Oil Water Type
Not controllable Not controllable
Not auto controlled
Not controllable
Not auto controlled
Controllable
Not auto controlled
Combined Not controllable
1 gear
Not controllable

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Very manoeuvrable
  • Pretty agile, can sometimes turnfight biplanes
  • Speed is adequate
  • Great over-the-nose visibility allowing easy aiming in a simulator dogfight
  • Easy to control at low speeds meaning forgiving landing characteristics for realistic / simulator
  • Open cockpit allows player to hear outside sounds easily, which is beneficial in noticing nearby enemies in simulator
  • Guns are powerful at the rank
  • Short gun convergence (150-350 m) chews up aircraft at short ranges
  • Fixed landing gear makes landings easier

Cons:

  • Low speed limit
  • While not the fastest, usually not an issue
  • No flap controls limiting its turning potential
  • Fixed landing gear creates more drag
  • Weak armour. No rear protection at all for the pilot. Open cockpit is also vulnerable to pilot sniping

History

In 1930, the French Air Ministry issued a new specification, C1, for a new fighter to replace the obsolete NiD-62 fighters then in service with the French Air force. Several companies rushed to develop an aircraft for the specification, including the French manufacturer Dewoitine. They designed an all-metal interceptor with fixed landing gear, and submitted their proposal, named D.500, to the Air Ministry. The aircraft performed its first flight on June 18th of 1932, and in November of 1933, the Air Ministry ordered an initial batch of 60 fighters.

The first models of the D. 500 were inducted into the French Air Force at the beginning of 1935. At the time, the aircraft was one of the most advanced fighters available, featuring a variety of innovative features. The aircraft operated as the primary French fighter from 1935 to 1939, even though the design was rapidly becoming obsolete due the advent of new technologies. In 1939, the aircraft were replaced in front-line duty by the more capable M.S.406, and remaining D.500s were relegated to training and regional defence squadrons.

At the start of the Second World War, the bulk of France's air force consisted of aircraft from the D. 500 family, including about 80 D. 500s. Due to its obsolescence, the aircraft did not see active service during the Battle of France, and the majority were broken up by the Germans after the French Armistice. The aircraft's technological advances were inherited by its direct successor, the D.520. In total, 102 D.500s airframes were manufactured, including a prototype and three aircraft sold to Venezuela. A total of 381 D.500 family aircraft were built, most of which had been retired by the early days of the Second World War.

Media

Skins

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

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

External links


Dewoitine (SNCAM/SNCASE)
Fighters 
D.37  D.371 · D.371 H.S.9 · D.373
D.500  D.500 · D.501 · Pallier's D.510
D.520  D.520 · ▄D.520 · ▄D.521
Export  ␗D.510C

France fighters
Dewoitine  D.371 · D.371 H.S.9 · D.373 · D.500 · D.501 · Pallier's D.510 · D.520
Morane-Saulnier  M.S.405C1 · M.S.406C1 · M.S.410
Arsenal  V.G.33C-1
Bloch  M.B.152C1 · M.B.157
Caudron  C.R.714
Sud-Ouest  S.O.8000 Narval
American  H-75A-1 · H-75A-4 · ▄P-39Q-25 · ▄P-40F-5 Lafayette · ▄P-47D-22-RE · ▄P-63C-5 · F-6C-10-NA
  ▄F6F-5 · ▄F6F-5N · F4U-7 · ▄F8F-1B
Other countries  ▄Seafire LF Mk.III · ▄Yak-3 · Challe's ▄Yak-9T · NC.900
Belgium  ▄Gladiator Mk I · ▄Spitfire FR Mk XIVe
Netherlands  ▄Sea Fury FB 51