Dewoitine D.720 T3
Dewoitine / SNCAM · France · first flew 1939 · reconnaissance aircraft
The Dewoitine D.720 T3 was a three-seat army cooperation and reconnaissance prototype first flown on 10 July 1939, distinguishable by its twin end-plate vertical fins and glazed nose. Only one aircraft was built before the programme was cancelled at the armistice.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 10.5 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Twin end-plate fins on tailplane — no central fin
- Glazed nose for observer on a high-wing twin
- Inverted-V engines in wing nacelles with retractable gear
The absence of a central fin — replaced by twin end-plate fins on the tailplane — combined with the glazed nose and twin-boom-mounted tail surfaces makes the D.720 instantly distinctive among French twin-engine types.
Specifications
- The Dewoitine D.720 T3 has a length of 10.5 m (34 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 14.9 m (49 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 360 km/h (224 mph).
- Typical crew: 3.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Designed to the Triplace de Travail (T3) requirement for a three-seat army cooperation aircraft, the D.720 was an advanced design with retractable undercarriage and twin Renault 12R-00 inverted V-12 engines. The fall of France in June 1940 halted any prospect of production.
Variants
A single prototype was completed; no production variants were developed.
Where you'll see it
The sole prototype was evaluated briefly by the Armée de l'Air before the 1940 armistice ended further testing.
Related aircraft
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