Dewoitine HD.780
Dewoitine · France · first flew 1939 · fighter
The Dewoitine HD.780 was a French prototype catapult fighter floatplane developed for shipboard use by the Marine Nationale, combining the performance of Dewoitine's successful land-based fighters with a float undercarriage.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 9.7 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- French shipboard fighter floatplane with twin central floats
- Low-wing monoplane derived from Dewoitine's land-based fighter experience
- Hispano-Suiza inline engine in a close-fitting cowling
Low-wing monoplane floatplane with twin main floats and a neatly cowled inline engine, combining fighter-like lines with naval float gear.
Specifications
- The Dewoitine HD.780 has a length of 9.7 m (32 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 12 m (39 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 442 km/h (275 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Ordered in the late 1930s as France modernised its naval aviation, the HD.780 was evaluated for operation from cruisers and battleships as a catapult-launched fleet defence fighter. The fall of France in June 1940 prevented any production.
Variants
A single prototype was completed; no production aircraft followed.
Where you'll see it
Did not enter operational service; prototype evaluation only before the French armistice.
Related aircraft
- Dewoitine D.338
- Dewoitine D.333
- Dewoitine D.376
- Dewoitine D.501
- Arsenal VG-33
- Avia B-135
- Beriev MBR-7
- Bisnovat SK-1
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