After the Germans occupied the Netherlands, there were still some 14 Fokker G.I's of the B-type under construction in the Fokker factory. They were immediately ordered to be completed and after they had been test-flown, they were transferred to Germany as advanced fighter trainers.
All these test-flights were flown by Fokker pilots. In order to hinder any escape attempt, these planes only got fuel for half an hour of flight. Further more these test flights were escorted by a German chase-plane, which had to shoot down the plane if it tried to escape.
On the 5th of may 1941 two men were again testing one of the new G.I's. They were test pilot Leegstra and ir. Vos, someone of the Fokker staff. With the aid of some collaborators among the ground crew, they filled the tanks of their arcraft, number 362. They tried to convince the German supervisor of the necessity of another test flight, before the plane could be accepted by the Luftwaffe. At first, the German showed some reluctance, but after a few drinks in the Schiphol canteen, he agreed. As usual, a chase-plane, being another G.IB manned by Luftwaffe personnel was to accompany them. At 4 o'clock, the two airplanes took off and flew east toward the IJsselmeer. Once ofer the water, the two dutch pilots started to make a series of sharp turns and succeeded in losing their escort by flying into the clouds. The german pilot thought they had crashed into the Ijsselmeer and returned to Schiphol.
The dutch set course to England. Over the North sea they were intercepted by Hurricanes. They quickly lowered their undercarriage to show their surrender so the Hurricanes refrained from shooting at the strange "German" aircraft. As they crossed the British coast, they were being shot at and damaged by flak (the plane still wore the LW's black crosses on the wings). The plane finally touched down in a field somewhere south of Yarmouth.
Below, the G.I with British markings
All these test-flights were flown by Fokker pilots. In order to hinder any escape attempt, these planes only got fuel for half an hour of flight. Further more these test flights were escorted by a German chase-plane, which had to shoot down the plane if it tried to escape.
On the 5th of may 1941 two men were again testing one of the new G.I's. They were test pilot Leegstra and ir. Vos, someone of the Fokker staff. With the aid of some collaborators among the ground crew, they filled the tanks of their arcraft, number 362. They tried to convince the German supervisor of the necessity of another test flight, before the plane could be accepted by the Luftwaffe. At first, the German showed some reluctance, but after a few drinks in the Schiphol canteen, he agreed. As usual, a chase-plane, being another G.IB manned by Luftwaffe personnel was to accompany them. At 4 o'clock, the two airplanes took off and flew east toward the IJsselmeer. Once ofer the water, the two dutch pilots started to make a series of sharp turns and succeeded in losing their escort by flying into the clouds. The german pilot thought they had crashed into the Ijsselmeer and returned to Schiphol.
The dutch set course to England. Over the North sea they were intercepted by Hurricanes. They quickly lowered their undercarriage to show their surrender so the Hurricanes refrained from shooting at the strange "German" aircraft. As they crossed the British coast, they were being shot at and damaged by flak (the plane still wore the LW's black crosses on the wings). The plane finally touched down in a field somewhere south of Yarmouth.
Below, the G.I with British markings
