Full Review with Rob Ruscoe
Kit Ref: DW32001
Just before we get started, here’s a look at how it all turned out…
In the late 1920s, the aviation world was getting to grips with all metal airframes for biplanes which then led to metal stressed-skinned monoplane designs. Some of these designs were strange looking beasts such as the Boeing P26 ‘peashooter in the USA, the ANT-4 in Russia and in Britain even the great Reginald Mitchell could only come up with the ugly Supermarine Type 224, two years before the Spitfire first flew. The exception, of course, was Germany’s Hugo Junkers, whose all metal designs had been flying long before this period but utilised corrugated rather than stressed skin, to provide the required strength.
The French were particularly adept at producing strange looking machines, the Bloch MB.200 being a great example of function over aesthetics. In France, the Air Ministry issued a specification for a new fighter design which was met by the Nieuport 62. This was a sesquiplane design which utilised conventional fabric covering. Dewoitine decided to continue development of their design which utilised all-metal construction. This became the D.500 which entered service during 1935. Powered by a Hispano-Suiza twelve cylinder engine of 690 HP, the aircraft enjoyed a useful performance increase over the Nieuport but was fairly lacklustre compared with the Hawker Hurricane and BF109 which were already flying in prototype form. A more powerful Hispano engine of 860 HP in the D.510 did give a speed increase to 250 MPH.
Although outmoded almost as soon as it entered service, the aircraft did survive with the French Air Force and Navy until after the outbreak of war in 1939.
Perhaps the D.500 would not be a bad looker if it wasn’t for that bulky radiator and gawky undercarriage.
The Kit
Dora Wings is an Ukrainian company which has produced 1:72 and 1:48 scale kits of some lesser known, but important aircraft. This is their first foray into 1:32 and I was very pleased to acquire this kit firstly, because I was keen to build a Dora Wings model and secondly, because I like unusual aircraft.
The top-opening box has some very nice artwork of a D.500 airborne against a cumulus cloud background. Opening the box reveals a bag containing eight sprues of light grey styrene, a separate bag with the small sprue of clear parts, a sheet of photo etch, a decal sheet with markings for four different aircraft and an A5 sized instruction booklet. Also included are masks for the windscreen – a nice touch! The instructions are fairly basic but are reasonably clear with 26 stages of construction. All the parts have an impressive level of detail but, of course, because this is a limited run kit, there are no locating pins.