Dewoitine D.9

The Dewoitine D.9 was a single‑seat, parasol‑wing fighter developed in France during the early 1920s by the aircraft manufacturer Société Aéronautique Dewoitine. Designed by Émile Dewoitine as a response to the post‑World War I demand for modern, high‑performance aircraft, the D.9 first flew in 1921 and entered limited production the following year. Its most notable feature was the streamlined, all‑metal construction—unusual for the era—combined with a wooden fuselage frame covered in fabric, giving it a lightweight yet robust airframe. Powered by a 300 hp Hispano‑Suiza V‑8 engine, the D.9 achieved a top speed of roughly 240 km/h (150 mph) and displayed excellent climb rates, thanks to its low‑drag parasol wing and clean aerodynamic lines. Although only a handful of units were built, the D.9 served as a critical testbed for Dewoitine’s later, more successful designs such as the D.1 and the celebrated D.520 of World War II. Its experimental use of metal components and emphasis on speed and maneuverability influenced French fighter development throughout the interwar period, marking the D.9 as an important stepping stone in the evolution of modern military aviation.

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