A dewatering device for the web-forming or wet section of a papermaking machine comprises foils arranged transverse to a forming wire, that is to say, extend in the cross-machine direction. Force or powering elements act upon the foils so as to exert a force or pressure upon the forming wire, and thus, bring about dewatering and sheet formation of a layer of fiber stock suspension reposing upon the forming wire. The force elements are constructed and positioned such that additional moments are generated which counteract tilting moments produced by the frictional force present between the foils and the forming wire. In certain arrangements, the force elements also can be interconnected with one another.