Dewoitine D.513 / D.514 LP

The company’s first monoplane fighter with retractable landing gear, two prototypes of a new fighter, the D 513, were ordered in 1935 as part of the 1934 C1 programme, the first of these being flown on 6 January 1936. Featuring semi-elliptical horizontal and vertical surfaces, with a wing of relatively high aspect ratio, an Hispano-Suiza 12Ycrsl engine with a frontal radiator similar to that of the D 503, and an inward-retracting main undercarriage, the D 513 proved disappointing during initial trials. It suffered serious instability and attained a maximum speed of only 425km/h at 4600m. Radical redesign followed, the wing and tailplane being mated to an entirely new fuselage, vertical tail surfaces, elevators and undercarriage, the frontal radiator giving place to a deep radiator bath beneath the nose. In this definitive form, the D 513 still proved incapable of meeting specified performance, a shortcoming which, compounded by continuing instability and difficulties with both engine cooling and undercarriage retraction, led to the discontinuation of development. The second prototype was fitted with an HS 12Ydrs2 engine rated at 930hp at 990m, and undercarriage and radiator like the D 503, and was employed for high-speed parachute launching trials as the D 514 LP.

D 513 (final form)
Take-off weight: 2446 kg / 5393 lb
Wingspan: 12.06 m / 39 ft 7 in
Length: 7.45 m / 24 ft 5 in
Wing area: 18.32 sq.m / 197.19 sq ft
Max. speed: 445 km/h / 277 mph