Dewoitine D.333
Dewoitine · France · first flew 1935 · transport aircraft
The Dewoitine D.333 was a refined long-range mail and passenger monoplane developed for Air France's South Atlantic and South American route network, featuring a strengthened airframe to carry heavier loads than the preceding D.332.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 3 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Clean, slender fuselage with spatted fixed undercarriage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Low-wing cantilever monoplane with three radial engines, one on each wing and one in the nose
- Clean, slender fuselage with spatted fixed undercarriage
- Closely related in appearance to D.332 but with strengthened airframe
Three-engined low-wing monoplane with a notably slim, pencil-like fuselage. Fixed spatted undercarriage distinguishes it from retractable-gear contemporaries. The central nose engine combined with two wing-mounted engines in a symmetrical arrangement is the most immediate identification cue.
Specifications
- The Dewoitine D.333 has a length of 17.2 m (56 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 24 m (79 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 295 km/h (183 mph).
- Typical crew: 2 crew + 6 passengers.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Dewoitine developed the D.333 as a direct evolution of the D.332 Emeraude to meet Air France demands for greater payload on the Toulouse–Dakar sector. Three aircraft were built and first flew in January 1935. They entered service on the gruelling South American mail routes, which required aircraft capable of sustained overwater legs. The type flew reliably until the late 1930s when it was superseded by more capable designs.
Variants
Three examples built, all essentially identical; developed alongside D.332 and D.338 as part of the same family of South Atlantic airliners.
Where you'll see it
All three aircraft operated by Air France on the Toulouse–Dakar leg of the South American airmail route. The aircraft worked alongside D.332s and later gave way to the four-engined D.338.
Related aircraft
- Dewoitine D.338
- Dewoitine D.376
- Dewoitine D.501
- Dewoitine D.500
- Avro Anson
- Bristol Bombay
- CANT Z.506 Airone
- Consolidated PBY Catalina
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