The D.37 was a single-seat aircraft of conventional configuration. Its fixed landing gear used a tailskid. The open cockpit was located slightly aft of the parasol wing. The radial engine allowed for a comparatively wide fuselage and cockpit.
Design of this machine was by SAF-Avions Dewoitine but owing to over work at that companies plant at the time, manufacture of the D.37/01 was transferred to Lioré et Olivier. They were high-wing monoplanes of all-metal construction with valve head blisters on their engine cowlings. The first prototype flew in October 1931. Flight testing resulted in the need for multiple revisions in both engine and airframe, so it was February 1934 before the second prototype flew. Its performance prompted the French government to order for 28 for the Armée de l'Air and Aéronavale. The Lithuanian government ordered 14 that remained in service with their Air Force until 1936, when they were sold to the Spanish Republican government.
A profile drawing of a D.372 of the Spanish Republican Air Force
Operational historyedit
The Spanish Civil Waredit
In spite of its superior speed, this design failed to impress and was even refused when exported to Lithuania in 1935. An important competitor of the Dewoitine D.37 family was the Polish PZL P.24, a similar type but with better speed and armament.
In 1936, at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War, 12 or 14 D.371s were sold, unofficially, to the Spanish Republic as part of a squadron of volunteers organized secretly by André Malraux, named España. They were, however, unarmed due to the political stance of the French government that declared its neutrality very early.
In August of the same year, after some negotiations with the French government, three fully armed D.371s arrived in Barcelona, piloted by the mercenary pilots M. Poulain, René Halotier and Henri Rozés. They saw action as escorts of a bombing raid against Talavera de la Reina, Toledo that destroyed the headquarters of General Juan Yagüé. These three D.371s had successfully defended their bombers against the attacks of six GermanHeinkel He 51biplane fighters - an older-design aircraft with inferior performance.
The Squadron España operated with these aircraft until the arrival of the modern Polikarpov I-15 and I-16, at which time the three Dewoitine 371s were withdrawn from the front and continued as training aircraft. However, they reappeared later in some squadrons and one is known to have flown with the 71 Fighter Group by the Yugoslav (Slovenian) volunteer pilot Josip Križaj. All Dewoitines left were practically destroyed after having been bombed by the Legion Condor aircraft in the airfield of Bañolas.
The first production version for the Armée de l'Air, first flown in March 1934, powered by a 690 kW (930 hp) Gnome-Rhône 14Kfs; 29 built. Equipped with wheel brakes and two 7.5 mm (0.30 in) MAC 1934machine guns mounted in the wings, outside the propeller arc.
D.372
Follow-on version, not equipped with wheel brakes, powered by 690 kW (930 hp) Gnome-Rhône 14Kfs Mistral Major engines. Two machine guns were mounted in the engine cowling, synchronised to fire through the propeller arc, and two more were mounted in the wings, outside the propeller arc, some had an armament of two 20 mm (0.79 in) cannon in under-wing fairings instead. At least 14 were built for the Lithuanian Air Force, which were very quickly transferred to the Spanish Republican Air Force, alongside some D.371s.[1]
D.373
Navalised version, 19 built for Aeronavale, powered by a 660 kW (880 hp) Gnome-Rhône 14Kfs engines and armed with four MAC 1934 machine guns.
D.376
Twenty-five folding-wing versions were also built for the Aeronavale.[2]
Maximum speed: 400 km/h (250 mph, 220 kn) at 4,500 m (14,800 ft)
Range: 1,150 km (710 mi, 620 nmi)
Service ceiling: 11,000 m (36,100 ft)
Armament
D.371 - 2 × fixed forward-firing MAC 1934 machine-guns.
D.372 - 2 × fixed forward-firing 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Browning machine guns in the fuselage and 2 × similar 7.5 mm (.295 in) Darne machine guns in the wings outside the propeller arc.
D.373 - French naval versions had 4 × 7.5 mm (.295 in) Darne machine guns in the wings outside the propeller arc.
See alsoedit
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Cuny, Jean & Danel, Raymond (October 1982). "Dewoitine 370 à 376: Les derniers chasseurs-parasols français" [The Dewoitine 370 to 376: The Last French Parasol Fighters]. Le Fana de l'Aviation (in French) (155): 4–15. ISSN 0757-4169.
Ledet, Michel (October 2001). "Le Dewoitine D.371 dans l'Armée de l'Air" [The Dewoitine D.371 in the French Air Force]. Avions: Toute l'Aéronautique et son histoire (in French) (103): 11–17. ISSN 1243-8650.
Ledet, Michel (November 2001). "Le Dewoitine D.371 dans l'Armée de l'Air". Avions: Toute l'Aéronautique et son histoire (in French) (104): 29–34. ISSN 1243-8650.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dewoitine D.37.
Aircraft that took part in the Spanish Civil War 2015-02-05 at the Wayback Machine
(Spanish)
A photo & profile
November 26, 2023
dewoitine, dewoitine, first, family, 1930s, french, built, monoplane, fighter, aircraft, dewoitine, 371a, role, fightermanufacturer, dewoitine, sncam, sncasedesigner, emile, dewoitinefirst, flight, august, 1932, contents, design, development, operational, hist. The Dewoitine 37 was the first of a family of 1930s French built monoplane fighter aircraft Dewoitine 371A Dewoitine D 371Role FighterManufacturer Dewoitine SNCAM SNCASEDesigner Emile DewoitineFirst flight August 1932 Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational history 2 1 The Spanish Civil War 3 Variants 4 Operators 5 Specifications D 371 6 See also 7 References 7 1 Notes 7 2 Bibliography 8 External linksDesign and development editThe D 37 was a single seat aircraft of conventional configuration Its fixed landing gear used a tailskid The open cockpit was located slightly aft of the parasol wing The radial engine allowed for a comparatively wide fuselage and cockpit Design of this machine was by SAF Avions Dewoitine but owing to over work at that companies plant at the time manufacture of the D 37 01 was transferred to Liore et Olivier They were high wing monoplanes of all metal construction with valve head blisters on their engine cowlings The first prototype flew in October 1931 Flight testing resulted in the need for multiple revisions in both engine and airframe so it was February 1934 before the second prototype flew Its performance prompted the French government to order for 28 for the Armee de l Air and Aeronavale The Lithuanian government ordered 14 that remained in service with their Air Force until 1936 when they were sold to the Spanish Republican government nbsp A profile drawing of a D 372 of the Spanish Republican Air ForceOperational history editThe Spanish Civil War edit In spite of its superior speed this design failed to impress and was even refused when exported to Lithuania in 1935 An important competitor of the Dewoitine D 37 family was the Polish PZL P 24 a similar type but with better speed and armament In 1936 at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War 12 or 14 D 371s were sold unofficially to the Spanish Republic as part of a squadron of volunteers organized secretly by Andre Malraux named Espana They were however unarmed due to the political stance of the French government that declared its neutrality very early In August of the same year after some negotiations with the French government three fully armed D 371s arrived in Barcelona piloted by the mercenary pilots M Poulain Rene Halotier and Henri Rozes They saw action as escorts of a bombing raid against Talavera de la Reina Toledo that destroyed the headquarters of General Juan Yague These three D 371s had successfully defended their bombers against the attacks of six German Heinkel He 51 biplane fighters an older design aircraft with inferior performance The Squadron Espana operated with these aircraft until the arrival of the modern Polikarpov I 15 and I 16 at which time the three Dewoitine 371s were withdrawn from the front and continued as training aircraft However they reappeared later in some squadrons and one is known to have flown with the 71 Fighter Group by the Yugoslav Slovenian volunteer pilot Josip Krizaj All Dewoitines left were practically destroyed after having been bombed by the Legion Condor aircraft in the airfield of Banolas Variants edit nbsp French D 371D 37 D 370 A single prototype constructed by Liore et Olivier powered by a 550 kW 740 hp Gnome Rhone 14Kds 14 cylinder 2 row radial engine D 371 The first production version for the Armee de l Air first flown in March 1934 powered by a 690 kW 930 hp Gnome Rhone 14Kfs 29 built Equipped with wheel brakes and two 7 5 mm 0 30 in MAC 1934 machine guns mounted in the wings outside the propeller arc D 372 Follow on version not equipped with wheel brakes powered by 690 kW 930 hp Gnome Rhone 14Kfs Mistral Major engines Two machine guns were mounted in the engine cowling synchronised to fire through the propeller arc and two more were mounted in the wings outside the propeller arc some had an armament of two 20 mm 0 79 in cannon in under wing fairings instead At least 14 were built for the Lithuanian Air Force which were very quickly transferred to the Spanish Republican Air Force alongside some D 371s 1 D 373 Navalised version 19 built for Aeronavale powered by a 660 kW 880 hp Gnome Rhone 14Kfs engines and armed with four MAC 1934 machine guns D 376 Twenty five folding wing versions were also built for the Aeronavale 2 Operators edit nbsp FranceArmee de l Air Aeronavale nbsp SpainSpanish Republican Air Force 3 Nazi Germany LuftwaffeSome captured D 37 have been tested Specifications D 371 editGeneral characteristics Crew 1 Length 7 44 m 24 ft 5 in Wingspan 11 79 m 38 ft 8 in Height 3 19 m 10 ft 6 in Wing area 17 82 m2 191 8 sq ft Empty weight 1 295 kg 2 855 lb Gross weight 1 730 kg 3 814 lb Powerplant 1 Gnome Rhone 14Kds 14 cylinder two row air cooled radial piston engine 600 kW 800 hp Performance Maximum speed 400 km h 250 mph 220 kn at 4 500 m 14 800 ft Range 1 150 km 710 mi 620 nmi Service ceiling 11 000 m 36 100 ft Armament D 371 2 fixed forward firing MAC 1934 machine guns D 372 2 fixed forward firing 7 7 mm 0 303 in Browning machine guns in the fuselage and 2 similar 7 5 mm 295 in Darne machine guns in the wings outside the propeller arc D 373 French naval versions had 4 7 5 mm 295 in Darne machine guns in the wings outside the propeller arc See also editAircraft of comparable role configuration and era Curtiss F11C Goshawk Curtiss P 6 Hawk Hawker Fury Heinkel He 51 Kawasaki Ki 10 Nakajima A4N PZL P 11Related lists List of interwar military aircraft List of aircraft of the Spanish Republican Air ForceReferences editNotes edit Weal Elke C Combat Aircraft of World War Two New York MacMillan Publishing 1977 ISBN 0 02 624660 0 Green William Swanborough Gordon 1994 The Complete Book of Fighters London Salamander ISBN 1 85833 777 1 Spanish Dewoitine D 372 Bibliography edit Cuny Jean amp Danel Raymond October 1982 Dewoitine 370 a 376 Les derniers chasseurs parasols francais The Dewoitine 370 to 376 The Last French Parasol Fighters Le Fana de l Aviation in French 155 4 15 ISSN 0757 4169 Ledet Michel October 2001 Le Dewoitine D 371 dans l Armee de l Air The Dewoitine D 371 in the French Air Force Avions Toute l Aeronautique et son histoire in French 103 11 17 ISSN 1243 8650 Ledet Michel November 2001 Le Dewoitine D 371 dans l Armee de l Air Avions Toute l Aeronautique et son histoire in French 104 29 34 ISSN 1243 8650 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dewoitine D 37 Aircraft that took part in the Spanish Civil War Archived 2015 02 05 at the Wayback Machine Dewoitine 371 in Spain Short History and Characteristics Spanish A photo amp profile A profile Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dewoitine D 371 amp oldid 1182126253, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
