Dewoitine D.520, René Pomier Layrargues, GC II-7, Beauvais, June 1940
The afternoon of June 5, 1940, Werner Mölders, Germany's ace of aces with 25 aerial victories and Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 53, led his unit on patrol over France. Spotting a group of French fighters near Compiègne, he gave the signal for the attack, expecting an easy victory. The German ace eagerly engaged what he thought to be outdated Morane-Saulnier MS.406 fighters. In reality, his opponents were pilots of the Groupe de Chasse II/7 flying the new Dewoitine D.520 fighter, an aircraft at least as capable as the German Messerchmitt Bf 109. Sous-lieutenant René Pomier-Layrargues, a young pilot who was already credited with shooting down four bombers since the beginning of the invasion, faced and engaged the German fighters. Flying a D.520 , he managed to shoot Mölders down in the midst of an unequal battle in which the French were totally outnumbered. Mölders bailed out of his stricken aircraft and was soon captured by French troops. Pomier-Layrargues then engaged one of Mölders' wingmen and shot him down as well. He then came under attack by the rest of the group, eager to avenge their fallen leader. After a long chase that took him and his pursuers a few feet above the rooftops of Beauvais, Pomier-Layrargues was finally shot down and killed in the crash of his fighter.
The Dewoitine D.520 was a French fighter aircraft that entered service in early 1940, shortly after the beginning of World War II. Unlike the Morane-Saulnier M.S.406, which was at that time the most numerous fighter in the French Air Force, the Dewoitine D.520 came close to being a match for the latest German types, such as the Messerschmitt Bf 109. It was slower than the Bf 109E but superior in maneuverability.[1] Because of a delayed production cycle, only a small number were available for combat against the Luftwaffe.
Spruce up your room, man-cave, garage or toolbox with this vinyl decal paying tribute to the D.520! Comes with smaller vinyl decals that can be applied anywhere.
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Available in two material options!
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Produced in the U.S.A. - Thoughtfully crafted by skilled AirCorps team members in Bemidji, MN.
