# Netherlands Air Force



## gekho (Feb 16, 2011)

After the end of World War I the Dutch government cut the defence budget and the Army Aviation Group was almost dissolved. As political tensions in Europe increased during the late 1930s the government tried to rebuild the armed forces again in 1938 but there were many problems, not least the shortage of pilot instructors, navigators and pilots to fly the new multiple engine aircraft. Lack of standardisation and resulting maintenance issues added to the complexity of the rebuilding task.

As war loomed, in July 1939 the Army Aviation Group was renamed the Army Aviation Brigade (Luchtvaartbrigade). In August 1939, the Netherlands government mobilised its armed forces, but due to limited budgets the Army Aviation Brigade operated only 176 combat aircraft of several types; Fokker T.V type bombers (16), Fokker D.XXI single-engine fighters (36), Fokker G.I twin-engine fighters (35), Fokker D.XVII single engine fighters (7), Douglas DB-8A-3N light bombers (17), Fokker C.X light bombers (20), Fokker C.V reconnaissance aircraft (33) and Koolhoven FK-51 artillery observer aircraft (20). In May 1940, Germany invaded the Netherlands. Within five days the Dutch Army Aviation Brigade was taken out by the German Luftwaffe. All of the Brigade's bombers, along with 30 D.XXI and 17 G.I fighters were shot down; two D.XXI and eight G.I were destroyed on the ground. Two G.I were captured by German forces, one of which was later flown to England by a Fokker pilot. The Douglas bombehrs were used as fighters because no suitable bombs were available, yet these aircraft were not suited for this role and eight were shot down and three destroyed on the ground in the first hours of the conflict.

In spite of their numerical inferiority, the Dutch armed forces did enjoy success against the Luftwaffe, having 350 Luftwaffe aircraft destroyed. While many were lost to anti-aircraft fire and crashes at improvised landing fields in the Netherlands, the Aviation Brigade did enjoy successes. The cost was high - almost 95% of the Dutch pilots lost. In recognition of their actions Queen Wilhelmina granted the highest Dutch military decoration, the Militaire Willemsorde (MWO), to the Army Aviation Brigade collectively. Some aircrews escaped to England and on June 1, 1940, 320 Squadron and 321 Squadron were established there under RAF operational command. Due to a shortage of personnel, 321 Squadron was absorbed by 320 Sqn in January 1941. Although their personnel were predominantly from the Navy Air Service, Army Aviation aircrew also served with 320 Sqn until the end of the war. In 1941, the Royal Netherlands Military Flying School was re-established, in the United States at Jackson Field (also known as Hawkins Field), Jackson, Mississippi, operating lend-lease aircraft and training all military aircrew for the Netherlands.

The separate Militaire Luchtvaart van het Koninklijk Nederlands-Indisch Leger (ML-KNIL; Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Military Air Service) continued in the Netherlands East Indies (NEI), until its occupation by Japan in 1942. Some personnel escaped to Australia and Ceylon. 321 Squadron was re-formed in Ceylon, in March 1942, from Dutch aviators. In 1942, 18 (NEI) Squadron, a joint Dutch-Australian unit was established, in Canberra, equipped with B-25 Mitchell bombers. It saw action in the New Guinea campaign and over the Dutch East Indies. In 1943, 120 (NEI) Squadron was established. Equipped with Kittyhawk fighters, it flew many missions under Australian command, including the recapturing of Dutch New Guinea. In June 1943, a Dutch fighter squadron was established in England. 322 (Dutch) Squadron, equipped with the Supermarine Spitfire, saw action as part of the RAF. 322 Sqn aircraft featured the British RAF roundels as well as the Dutch orange triangle. 322 Sqn was successfully deployed against incoming V-1 flying bombs. From mid-1944, during the invasion of Normandy, it executed ground attack missions over France and Belgium. In July 1944, the Directorate of Netherlands Airpower was established in London.


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## gekho (Feb 16, 2011)

The Militaire Luchtvaart van het Koninklijk Nederlands-Indisch Leger ("Military Air Service of the Royal Netherlands East Indian Army", ML-KNIL) had ordered 144 Brewster B-339C and 339D models, the former with rebuilt Wright G-105 engines supplied by the Dutch and the latter with new 1,200 hp (895 kW) Wright R-1820-40 engines Brewster purchased from Wright. At the outbreak of war, only 71 had arrived in the Dutch East Indies, and not all were in service. A small number served briefly at Singapore before being withdrawn for the defense of Java.

As the Brewster B-339 aircraft used by the ML-KNIL were lighter than the modified B-339E Brewster Mark Is used by British, Australian, and New Zealand air forces, they were able at times to successfully engage the Japanese Army Ki-43 "Oscar", although both the "Oscar" and the Japanese Navy's A6M Zero still out-climbed and out-turned the B-339 at combat altitudes (the Zero was faster as well). Apart from their role as fighters, the Brewsters were also used as dive bombers against Japanese troopships. Though reinforced by British Commonwealth Brewster Mk I (B-339E) aircraft retreating from Malaya, the Dutch squadrons faced superior numbers in the air, and were too few in number to stem the advance of Japanese ground forces.

In a major engagement above Semplak on 19 February 1942, eight Dutch Brewster fighters intercepted a formation of about 35 Japanese bombers with an escort of about 20 Zeros. The Brewster pilots destroyed 11 Japanese aircraft and lost four Brewsters; two Dutch pilots died. The Brewsters flew their last sortie on 7 March. Altogether, 17 ML-KNIL pilots were killed, and 30 aircraft shot down; 15 were destroyed on the ground, and several were lost to misadventure. Dutch pilots claimed 55 enemy aircraft destroyed. Two Dutch pilots, Jacob van Helsdingen and August Deibel, scored highest with the Buffalo with three victories each. Following the surrender of the Netherlands East Indies on 8 March 1942, 17 ML-KNIL Buffalos were transferred to the USAAF and RAAF in Australia.


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## gekho (Feb 16, 2011)

Several Buffalos were captured by japanese and tested at Tachikawa. The IJAAF captured many more than four Brewster Buffaloes after the fall of the NEI! Add to these the RAF and RAAF Buffaloes captured in Malaya and the IJAAF could have fielded an entire Hiko Sentai. Most Buffs went to the GiKen at Tachikawa and Singapore facilities for testing and training purposes.


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## gekho (Feb 16, 2011)

The CW-21 Demon was a lightweight fighter based on the CW-19R general-purpose monoplane. It was intended primarily for export, with 32 being ordered by China in 1939, and 24 improved versions being ordered by the Netherlands East Indies in 1940. Being inadequately armed and with no worthwhile protection for the pilot, the Demons were fair game for the Japanese fighters they opposed. Three of the improved Demons (the CW-21B) were sent to the American Volunteer Group in China (the "Flying Tigers"), but all three were lost on the ferry flight from Rangoon to Kunming, when the entire group crashed into a mountain during bad weather.

In 1940, The Netherlands ordered 24 examples of a modified version designated the CW-21B (together with a number of two-seat Model 23s), for the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Military Aviation (Militaire Luchtvaart van het Koninklijk Nederlands-Indisch Leger; ML-KNIL). The modifications consisted of inward retracting landing gear, a semi-retractable tail wheel, two each 0.3 and 0.5 inch (7.62 and 12.7 mm) machine guns, and a slightly large fuel tank. These changes gained an eight mph (13 km/h) speed increase at sea level. Deliveries started in June 1940, but only 17 had been received by Vliegtuigroep IV, Afdeling 2 (No. 2 Squadron, Air Group IV; 2-VLG IV), when war with Japan began on December 8 1941. With its rudimentary pilot protection, lack of self-sealing fuel tanks and light construction, the CW-21B was not unlike the opposing Japanese planes. It had better firepower than the Nakajima Ki-43 "Oscar", but worse than the cannon-armed Mitsubishi Zero. Its climb rate was far better than either. Squadron VLG IV claimed four aerial victories during the Netherlands East Indies campaign but the ML-KNIL was overwhelmed by the sheer number of Japanese adversaries.


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## Wildcat (Feb 16, 2011)

Good stuff Gekho!


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## Gnomey (Feb 16, 2011)

Good stuff! I'm sure Marcel will like/contribute to this thread


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## PatCartier (Feb 16, 2011)

We can see several of these Buff' in Kato Hayabusa Sentotai (an amazing movie, 1944) when they're fighting against ki43.


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## gekho (Feb 17, 2011)

The Dornier Do 24 is a 1930s German three-engine flying boat designed by the Dornier Flugzeugwerke for maritime patrol and search-and-rescue. According to Dornier records, some 12,000 people were rescued by Do 24s during its flying career. A total of 279 were built between several factories from 1937-1945. The Dornier Do 24 was designed to meet a Dutch navy requirement for a replacement of the Dornier Wals being used in the Dutch East Indies. It was an all-metal monoplane with a broad-beamed hull and stabilising sponsons. The aircraft was powered by three wing-mounted radial engines. The first two aircraft built were fitted with 447 kW (600 hp) Junkers Jumo 205C diesel engines. The next two had 652 kW (875 hp) Wright R-1820-F52 Cyclones, this was to meet a Dutch requirement to use the same engines as the Martin 139. The third aircraft (with Cyclone engines) was the first to fly on 3 July 1937. Six Dutch aircraft (designated Do 24K-1) were built in Germany, followed by a further aircraft built under licence by Aviolanda in the Netherlands (designated Do 24K-2).

Only 25 aircraft had been built on the Aviolanda assembly line before the German occupation. The Luftwaffe were interested in the completed and partially completed aircraft. The Dutch production line continued to produce aircraft under German control. 11 airframes were completed with Dutch-bought Wright Cyclone engines, but later models used the BMW Bramo 323R-2. A further 159 Do 24s were built in Holland during the occupation, most under the designation Do 24T-1. Another production line for the Do 24 was established in Sartrouville, France, during the German occupation. This line was operated by SNCA and was able to produce another 48 Do 24s. After the liberation, this facility produced a further 40 Do 24s, which served in the French Navy until 1952.

37 Dutch- and German-built Do 24s had been sent to the East Indies by the time of the German occupation of the Netherlands in June 1940. Until the outbreak of war, these aircraft would have flown the tri-color Roundel. Later, to avoid confusion with British or French roundels, Dutch aircraft flew a black-bordered orange triangle insignia. After the Japanese invasion, six surviving Do 24s were transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force in February 1942. They served in RAAF through most of 1944 as transports in New Guinea, making the Do 24 one of the few aircraft serving operationally on both sides during World War II. During the war, a German Do 24 made a forced landing in neutral Sweden, was impounded and paid for, and remained in Swedish service until 1952.


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## gekho (Feb 17, 2011)

In October 1939, the Dutch East Indies government ordered 24 Hawk 75A-7s, powered by 1,200 hp (895 kW) Cyclones. They had four 0.303 in (7.7 mm) machine guns (two in the nose and one in each wing) and could carry two 100 lb (45 kg) bombs. The fighters were shipped in 1940 (and were almost rerouted to the Netherlands, when Germany invaded) and were used extensively leading up to the Japanese attack. However, by that time the aircraft had flown so many hours, the engines were worn out. These Dutch Hawks formed 1-VlG IV, or Vliegtuiggroep IV, 1e afdeling (1st Squadron, Airgroup IV) of the ML-KNIL and some with 1-VlG V. They saw action over Malacca, Sumatra and Java, successfully bombing a railroad and intercepting bombers. They also participated in the extensive dogfights over Surabaya, where US, RAF and ML-KNIL aircraft together fought Japanese bombers and fighters.


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## Gnomey (Feb 17, 2011)

Nice shots!


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## gekho (Feb 18, 2011)

The Koolhoven F.K.51 was the winning design in a 1935 Dutch government contest for a new trainer. Designed by Frederick Koolhoven the prototype biplane trainer first flew on 25 May 1935. The aircraft was an equal-span biplane designed to use a variety of engines between 250hp (186kW) and 500hp (373kW). It was a two-seater and had a tailwheel undercarriage. The Royal Dutch air force (LVA) ordered 25 aircraft in 1936 and 1937, powered by a 270hp (201kW) Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah V radial engine. A further 29 aircraft were later bought with 350hp (261kW) Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah IX engine. The Dutch Naval Aviation Service ordered 29 aircraft each powered by a 450hp (335kW) Pratt Whitney radials. The Royal Dutch East Indies Army bought 38 aircraft between 1936 and 1938 each powered by a 420hp (313kW) Wright Whirlwind. The Spanish Republican government ordered 28 F.K.51s, 11 with 400hp (298kW) Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar IVa radials and 17 aircraft (designated F.K.51bis) each powered by a 450hp (335kW) Wright Whirlwind R-975E radials. Production totalled at least 142 aircraft. Twenty-four hulls of the F.K.51 where assambled at Aviolanda.


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## gekho (Feb 18, 2011)

While the majority of F.K.51s were employed as elementary trainers within the Netherlands or in reconnaissance roles by the Royal Dutch Air Force in the Dutch East Indies, twenty-eight were clandestinely sold to the Republican government during the Spanish Civil War, all despite a Dutch embargo on the sale of arms to either side of that conflict. Some of those arriving in Spain were used as light bombers by the Republicans in the Cantabrian region of Spain. The F.K.51s were in active use in Royal Dutch Flight Schools during the first months of World War II in the training of young Dutch pilots, but with the German invasion of the Netherlands in May 1940, the F.K.51s were deemed obsolete and most never took to the air being too slow and vulnerable. The majority of F.K.51s were destroyed on the ground by attacking Luftwaffe aircraft.


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## gekho (Feb 18, 2011)

More pics


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## Sydhuey (Feb 18, 2011)

The Dornier Do-24's operated by the RAAF were X-5, X-7, X-8, X-9, X-10 and X-24, withdrawn from use late 1944 for lack of spares.


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## Sydhuey (Feb 18, 2011)

gekho, do you have any pictures of the Douglas Bostons that made it to Java with the Dutch triangle? I have only seen the photos doctored by Douglas with orange triangles added. (I know they were going to Dutch navy )


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## AARP Hurricane (Feb 18, 2011)

Fokker T-2


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## AARP Hurricane (Feb 18, 2011)

Fokker G-1 served more time with the Luftwaffe in Fliegerschulen


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## AARP Hurricane (Feb 18, 2011)

The Iconic Fokker D XXI


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## Sydhuey (Feb 19, 2011)

As a side note to Dutch Military aircraft, attached photos are of the actual left and right aft fuselage skins from the restored RAAF DB-7B Boston A28-8 DU-J (RAF serial AL907) this was one of the 30 odd Bostons diverted from an RAF (originaly French) order to the NEI Navy as interim while they waited for there 48 DB-7C's to be build (all eventualy went to Russia) , AL904 was one of the Bostons that actually made it to Java captured by the Japanese and was flown in Singapore and japan it was recaptured in Japan at the end of the war.
The marking were originaly the standard RAF Yellow,Blue,White and Red, when a/c diverted to NEI Navy roundel painted out and Dutch orange triangle with black border applied when 22 of the Bostons arrived in Australia and went into RAAF service the Yellow,Blue,White and Red roundel was reapplied , the yellow and Red were painted out before the a/c went into combat to leave the standard RAAF Blue and White roundel, on close inspection some of the paint was 6 or 7 layers thick in the roundel area on the aircraft, amazing its lasted 70 years,
First picture is the R/H skin as removed from the a/c second picture is a cardboard triangle for referance to allow easier recognition of were the triangle went on the a/c (triangle should have black border on it but I had no black paint) second pair of pictures are of the L/H skins


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## Snautzer01 (Feb 19, 2011)

AARP Hurricane said:


> Fokker T-2



must be Fokker TV


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## gekho (Feb 21, 2011)

Sydhuey said:


> gekho, do you have any pictures of the Douglas Bostons that made it to Java with the Dutch triangle? I have only seen the photos doctored by Douglas with orange triangles added. (I know they were going to Dutch navy )



No, it´s a pity but I dont have any


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## gekho (Feb 21, 2011)

The Fokker D.XXI was a low wing monoplane with a steel tube fuselage covered in large part by fabric. Following some of the standard Fokker design practice, it had wooden wings and a fixed spatted undercarriage. Power was provided by a Bristol Mercury radial driving a three-blade two-pitch airscrew. When it entered service in 1938 it was a quantum leap forward for the Dutch Army Aviation Group though. Until then its fighter force had consisted of aging biplanes with open cockpits. The new Fokker proved to be an extremely sturdy aircraft capable of attaining a speed of 700 km/h in a dive.


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## gekho (Feb 21, 2011)

Although the order by the ML-KNIL was cancelled, the Luchtvaartafdeeling (Dutch Army Air Force before World War II) placed an order of 36 aircraft, which were all delivered in time to participate in the war against the Germans in May 1940. The Fokker D.XXI, although much slower and more lightly armed than the Bf 109, performed surprisingly well in dogfights, due to its maneuverability. It was also one of the few aircraft that could follow a Stuka bomber into its dive. Nonetheless, the numerical disparity of the Luchtvaartafdeeling compared to the Luftwaffe resulted in the destruction of most Dutch Fokker D.XXI fighters during the campaign. Some were captured during and after 15 May, but their fates, apart from their capture, are unknown.


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## gekho (Feb 21, 2011)

In 1937, as it became apparent to the French Air Council that domestic manufacturers would not be sufficient to equip the Armée de l'Air with enough fighters, the Dutch were contracted to produce a cheap, high performance fighter to supplement French construction. As produced, the F.K.58 was rather better than the M.S.406 and comparable to the Bloch MB.151 but inferior to the D.520 and most of the German aircraft it faced. It was of composite construction like the British Hurricane with a body of wooden and steel tubing and a skin of metal plates and linen. The wings were made entirely of wood.

The prototype Koolhoven Model 1166 (later named F.K.58) first flew on 17 July 1938. The French placed an order for 50 F.K.58s in January 1939, and the Dutch also placed an order for 36 fighters based on the performance of the second prototype (the first having been destroyed in a crash) but powered by Bristol Taurus engines. Unfortunately, just 17 of the French order were completed at the Koolhoven works due to insufficient French-supplied engines and instruments, and they were subsequently sent to France fitted with Dutch equipment. Production was transferred to Nevèrs where just one more F.K.58 was produced. The completed fighters (7 F.K.58s, 11 F.K.58As) were fitted with French equipment and their loaner parts returned to the Netherlands. Even had the order of 50 aircraft been available for the Battle of France, it is unlikely that the small number of aircraft, outclassed as they were by German fighters, could have changed the outcome much. Had they been employed in their intended role as colonial fighters, they might have acquitted themselves well against the Italian aircraft in that theatre.

The F.K.58 was originally procured for use as colonial fighters. Instead, the 13 fighters operational by May 1940 were manned by expatriate Polish pilots of Captain Walerian Jasionkowski's improvised escadre, the patrouille DAT (Défense Aérienne du Territoire) based at Salon and Clermont-Aulnat. As delivered, the fighters were not armed and the Poles had to acquire machine guns and fit them. From 30 May 1940, they were used in the defence of French cities, patrolling in Avignon - Marseille area, then from Clermont-Ferrand, without any encounters with the enemy. The type's service life was short-lived with only 47 or so operational sorties recorded; the unit had no confirmed victories, but at least one F.K.58 was lost. After the fall of France, all surviving airframes were scrapped.


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## Gnomey (Feb 21, 2011)

Good stuff!


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## gekho (Feb 22, 2011)

The largest customer for the export Martin bomber was the Dutch East Indies. The first Dutch order was for 12 Model 139WH-1 bombers powered by 750 hp R-1820-F53 Cyclones. They were delivered between September 1936 and February 1937. 26 Model 139WH-3s, powered by 840 hp R-1820-G3s were delivered from November 1937 to March 1938. They were used in the Netherlands East Indies, where the planes gave a good account of themselves against the Japanese. The Dutch Martins reportedly made hundreds of sorties and were credited with sinking several Japanese troopships. Ultimately, all but one was destroyed in combat; the sole survivor made it to Australia, where it was used as a squadron hack, a utility plane.


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## gekho (Feb 22, 2011)

The Dutch government finally decided to order at Fokker a modern warplane, following the philosophy of the ‘aerial cruiser’. Multi-engined and heavily armed and armoured it was intended to destroy incoming enemy bombers. In fact this idea totally failed and the new plane, designated as Fokker T.V, was not more than a medium-class bomber with a defensive armament falling more or less in the same class as the British Armstrong Siddeley Whitley. However, the T.V could hardly be regarded as a very modern type when it was introduced in the years preceding the outbreak of WW-II. The twin-engine bomber was of mixed construction with wooden wings, a light-alloy front fuselage and a rear fuselage made of welded steel tubes covered with fabric.

Front armament was a 20 mm Solothurn cannon. It carried further four 7,9 mm drum-fed Lewis machine guns at various positions including in the tail. In fact the tail gun position was the same as used on the Fokker G-1. The plane was not fitted with a heating system for the crew and since the gun openings were not perfectly sealed the crew had to fly under very draughty and very cold conditions. The T.V was introduced in a new bomber flight department (BomVa or Bomvliegtuigafdeling) and became operational in 1939. Including the prototype, a total number of sixteen T.V’s was built and supplied, carrying the registrations 850 – 865.


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## gekho (Feb 22, 2011)

At 10 May 1940 only 9 out of 16 planes were ready for action. None of the other 7 planes could be successfully prepared for action during the May War. All these planes - with exception of 1 at Texel - were stationed at Schiphol AFB. The Fokker T.V was quite a capable medium bomber in 1940. Although obviously considerably slower than the German fighters, it did not under-perform in comparison to for example the British Wellington, the German Dornier Do-17 and Heinkel-111 or the French Potez 630. The obvious limitation of the improvised bomb-racks was a huge disadvantage though. The armament of the T.V outmatched all aforementioned competitors.

Obviously the T.V - that was active as a tactical bomber during the May War - was available in too little a number to make any difference. Still, the plane could be considered quite modern and capable in May 1940. The T-V's flew quite a considerable number of missions. The AFB's Waalhaven and Ockenburg were raided as well as the bridges in the heart of Rotterdam and at Moerdijk. In case of the latter it was the only mission where 300 kg bombs were used. Remarkable was the first scramble of the bomber squadron from Schiphol in the first hour of the German invasion. All bombers scrambled without bombs and with the assignment to assault the Luftwaffe strike planes. Quite a number of bombers and transporters were shot down against zero own losses (although one plane landed in Zeeland and got heavily damaged during landing on a barricaded runway). Especially the 20 mm gun proved a valuable weapon during these confrontations.


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## gekho (Feb 22, 2011)

More pics


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## buffnut453 (Feb 22, 2011)

Great pics but the top 2 are of Martin WH139s (late-variant B-10s) not Fokker T-Vs. The Martins served in the Netherlands East Indies.


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## gekho (Feb 22, 2011)

buffnut453 said:


> Great pics but the top 2 are of Martin WH139s (late-variant B-10s) not Fokker T-Vs. The Martins served in the Netherlands East Indies.



Uuuups, you are right...


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## buffnut453 (Feb 22, 2011)

Hey, we all make mistakes Gekho (not me, ofcourse, because I'm prefect). I'm just thankful you take the time to post these pics.


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## otftch (Feb 22, 2011)

Which two are B-10's.
Ed


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## gekho (Feb 22, 2011)

otftch said:


> Which two are B-10's.
> Ed



I have already removed the pictures Ed


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## otftch (Feb 22, 2011)

Thanks for your reply. Thought I was going nuts.
Ed


Thanks for your photo posting. great stuff.


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## Gnomey (Feb 22, 2011)

Nice stuff!


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## Marcel (Feb 23, 2011)

Missed this thread. Thank you for this great initiative. Hope you won't mind that I point out some mistakkes. Not to attack you, but only for historic accuracy. It's not your fault, but I find that there are many mistakes in the books about the LVA/ML, especially in the translated ones. The Dutch G.I that escaped was not an ML G.1, but a G.1 Wasp that was build for the Luftwaffe by Fokker.
More mistakes:
- Not 95% of pilots died. It was far less, I can give you the figures later(am at work now)
- The estimated amount of a/c lost by the LW in The Netherlands is now around 450, not 350
- There were less than 30 D.XXI shot down, as there were only 29 operational  In fact most of the a/c were destroyed by Dutch personel after capitulation.
- The actual numbers on strength were: 29 D.XXI’s, 23 G.1’s, 9 T.V bombers, 11 Douglas 8A 3N attack planes, 7 D.XVII’s (fighter), 61 C.V’s (rec), 15 C.X (rec/bomb) and 16 FK51’s, a total of 179 a/c of which 99 were obsolete bi-planes (From "Illusies en incidenten", made by the Dutch defence ministry).


For the ones interested, I made an extensive thread on the D.XXI in Dutch service here:http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/aviation/fokker-d-xxi-dutch-service-15060.html

On the T.V: It was quite bad. Had no right bomb-racks, had no protection of fueltanks and was slow. It performed not very well during the war.
BTW, this was not a T.V, but the prototype of the all-metal T.IX:


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## Marcel (Feb 23, 2011)

The german losses are not very clear, I give you two numbers:

The german losses in aircraft, per type, between brackets the amount that was deployed against the Dutch according to one research:


> 220 Ju-52 (430)
> 28 Heinkel He-111 (196)
> 18 Ju-88 (34)
> 6 Ju-87 (28)
> ...



Another count by province gives a different view:


> Groningen-Friesland-Drenthe-Overijssel: 15
> Gelderland: > 44 (meer dan)
> Utrecht: 13
> Noord-Holland: 33
> ...


(source l.col Brongers) This research takes in account the damaged ones that were salvageable, later, hence the higer amount. For details you can pm me 

Statistics for the ML:
40 pilots died (so not 95%)

Lost a/c per type:
G.1: 12 on the ground, 9 in the air, 2 other
D.XXI: 5 on the ground, 11 in the air, 4 other
Douglas 8A-3N: 2 on the ground, 8 in the air, 1 other
D.XVII: 5 other
C.V: 9 on the ground, 5 in the air
C.X: 2 in the air, 1 other
FK-51: 4 on the ground, 2 other
T-5: 2 on the ground, 5 in the air and 2 other


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## gekho (Feb 24, 2011)

Marcel said:


> Missed this thread. Thank you for this great initiative. Hope you won't mind that I point out some mistakkes. Not to attack you, but only for historic accuracy.



Feel free to make all the corrections you want. After all I am taking the information from Wikipedia and other sources from internet....


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## gekho (Feb 24, 2011)

Based on the experience gained in creating TV medium bomber and maritime reconnaissance T. VIII Fokker D department company in 1938 started to build aircraft with higher performance. Building of the first prototype began in 1939. The aircraft was built under the scheme svobodonesuschego monoplane with two engines, air-cooled, Bristol "Hercules" and retractable landing gear. The crew consisted of five persons. Armament aircraft housed in the fuselage - were established here, one 20-mm cannon and four defensive 7.7-mm machine guns (they are mounted on the pivot installations in three defensive points in the fuselage, but the prototype flew without armament). Bomb load reached 2000 kg.

September 10, 1939 T. IX first flew under test pilot firm Fokker T. J. Leegstra. The plane originally had the number 701, but on September 23, after delivery of the prototype to another airfield, number changed to 970. Tests of the prototype took place without major incidents, until March 8, 1940 while landing revealed a defect in the design of the chassis and T. IX was slightly injured. Before the German invasion completely renovate the aircraft did not have time. The bomber set in the hangar, waiting for the fighting in Holland. After the occupation of Holland, the Germans did not restore T.IX. Instead, they removed the engines and some aircraft units for their own needs.


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## gekho (Feb 24, 2011)

The D XXIII single-seat fighter was unusual in employing a fore-and-aft tandem engine arrangement, the prototype being powered by two 528hp Walter Sagitta I-SR engines and flying for the first time on 30 May 1939. Versions of the D XXIII were also proposed with Hispano- Suiza 12Xcrs, Junkers Jumo 210G and Rolls-Royce Kestrel XV engines, and although all-metal construction was intended, the prototype was fitted with a wooden wing of greater thickness/chord ratio in order to expedite the test programme. Owing to various problems, including rear engine cooling, only four hours of flight testing had been completed when the invasion of the Netherlands brought the D XXIII development programme to a halt. The proposed armament comprised two 7.9mm and two 13.2mm FN-Browning machine guns.


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## gekho (Feb 24, 2011)

T. Claude Ryan was the founder of the Ryan Aeronautical Company, the second incarnation of a company with this name, and the fourth company with which he had been involved to bear his name (the first, Ryan Airlines, was the manufacturer of the Ryan NYP, more famously known as the Spirit of St. Louis). He began the development of the ST (for "Sport Trainer", and also known as S-T), the first design of the company, in 1933. The ST featured two open cockpits in tandem in a metal semi-monocoque fuselage of two main frames - one steel, the other half of steel and half of aluminium alloy (alclad) - to take the loads from the wing spars and six more alclad frames; and alclad skin. It had wings in three sections of hybrid construction; the centre section integral with the fuselage had tubular steel spars, the front spar a simple tube with an external brace to the upper fuselage, and the rear spar in the form of a parallel chord truss. The two outer wing panels had wooden spars and alclad ribs, with diagonal rods bracing the wings internally. Alclad sheet was used to form the leading edges, and fabric covered the whole structure. When attached the outer wings were braced with flying wires to the fixed conventional landing gear and landing wires to the upper fuselage. Five STs were built before the follow-on ST-A (also S-T-A) (A for Aerobatic) was developed with a more powerful engine. A single ST-B was produced, this being an ST-A with only one seat and an extra fuel tank where the front cockpit normally was; this aircraft was subsequently converted back to ST-A standard. The ST-A was further developed as the ST-A Special, with an engine of increased power. In 1937 the ST-A Special was developed into a military version, the STM (also ST-M) series. Changes included wider cockpits to enable military pilots to enter and exit while wearing parachutes, and provision for a machine gun on some examples. Variants in the series included the STM-2P single-seat version armed with a machine gun delivered to Nationalist China; and the STM-S2, which could be fitted with landing gear or with EDO Model 1965 floats.

After the ST-M came the ST-3, a substantial redesign in 1941 partly brought about by the unreliability of the Menasco engines fitted to STs to that point. The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) had purchased several dozen ST-M variants under various designations and had Ryan Aeronautical re-engine most with Kinner R-440 radial engines. The USAAC found the modification to be beneficial and asked Ryan Aeronautical to design a variant with this engine as standard, and with airframe modifications considered desirable from in-service experience. The ST-3 that resulted featured a longer and more circular wider fuselage, this being suggested by the circular radial engine. Other changes included a revised rudder, balanced ailerons and elevators, and strengthened main landing gear with the legs spaced further apart. The streamlining spats covering the mainwheels, found on ST series aircraft to that point, were deleted as well. The ST-3 served as the basis for military versions ordered by the USAAC and the United States Navy (USN). The ST-3 gave rise to another model developed in 1941 and early 1942, this was the ST-3KR (for Kinner Radial). The ST-3KR had a more powerful Kinner R-5 engine fitted and became the definitive model; more than 1,000 military versions were built during World War II as PT-22 Recruits. The final variant was the ST-4, which was a version of the ST-3 with a wooden fuselage, developed in case a shortage of "strategic materials" (i.e. of metal) developed. Such a shortage did not eventuate and the ST-4 was not put into mass-production. The first Ryan ST flew for the first time on 8 June 1934 and production began the following year, when nine aircraft were delivered. Except for 1937 (when 46 aircraft were built), production rates remained low for several years, at about one aircraft every two weeks. This changed in 1940 when deliveries to military forces began in earnest; production that year was just under three aircraft per week. Total production of civil and military aircraft prior to the entry of the United States into World War II amounted to 315. Another 1,253 military versions were produced in 1942 and 1943, for a total of 1,568 aircraft of all models.

A large number of STMs were exported in the 1930s and early 1940s (prior to the entry of the United States into World War Two) to various Air forces, with the biggest customer being the military of the Netherlands East Indies (NEI, now Indonesia). The NEI Army and Navy took delivery of 84 STM-2s and 24 STM-S2s in 1940 and early 1941. Another 50 STM-2Es and STM-2Ps were exported to Nationalist China, while others were exported to Bolivia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua.


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## gekho (Feb 24, 2011)

Fokker's intensive activity in the years prior to World War II led to the creation in 1938 of a twin-engine seaplane for naval use. It was conceived to meet the needs of the Dutch navy but paradoxically ended up being used by the enemy, the Germans. This aircraft was the T.VIII-W. Out of a total of 36 planes built, 28 bore the German insignia and served in naval reconnaissance and relief duty mainly In the Mediterranean area and the North Sea.

The T.VIII-W project was launched in 1937 in response to official specifications issued by the Dutch navy calling for a new twin-engine seaplane capable of carrying a torpedo inside its fuselage (with the option of substituting this type of armament with ordinary bombs) to be used principally in coastal defence. Moreover, the aircraft was to have a long range and good cruising speed. In 1938, an order was placed for five production series aircraft, which were completed by June of the following year. Despite the existence of several problems in tuning the aircraft, the Dutch navy was so satisfied with the T. VIII's characteristics that a subsequent order for 26 planes was signed shortly after. These aircraft were to go into service in the East Indies, although none reached this destination. In fact, the outbreak of war halted all plans since the German invasion led to the occupation of the Fokker factory before the lot in production had been completed, and the T.VIII-Ws, once built, were all requisitioned into German service.


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## gekho (Feb 24, 2011)

The twin-engine Fokkers were built in three versions, the T.VIII-Wg (19 aircraft), characterized by its mixed wood and metal structure, the all-metal T.VIII-Wm (12 aircraft) and the T.VIII-Wc (5 aircraft), with mixed structure and covering but larger overall. Nineteen of the first type were built, 12 of the second, and five of the third. The T.VIII-Wcs were built on the basis of an order issued by the Finnish air force in 1939. They were characterized by a fuselage that was lengthened some 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m), by wings that were lengthened almost 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m), and an increased wingspan of 86.11 sq ft (8.00 sq m) as well as by the installation of 890 hp (664 kW) Bristol Mercury XI engines. All the other aircraft were supplied with a pair of American Wright R-975-E3 Whirlwind 9-cylinder single row, air-cooled radial engines, generating 450 hp (336 kW) each and driving two-bladed metal propellers. A single landplane based T.VIII-L was built for Finland, but was seized by the Germans when the factory was overrun.

The Fokker T.VIII-W was a twin-engine mid-wing monoplane, characterized by the presence of two large duralumin floats. The fuselage had an extensively glazed nose that housed the observer's post. Immediately behind the pilot's station was the compartment for the radio operator who had a flexible machine gun at his disposal for the defence of the rear sector. A second fixed weapon, installed in a half-wing, was controlled by the pilot. The bomb load consisted of a maximum of 1,300 Ibs (600 kg) of bombs or a torpedo. 

Apart from its use in the German navy, the Fokker T.VIII-W (in another twist of fate) served in the same roles and in the same theatre of war, in the North Sea, in a British Coastal Command unit. Meanwhile, eight T.VIII-Ws had been flown to England along with other Dutch floatplanes on 14 May 1940, and on 1 June 1940 No.320 (Dutch) Squadron RAF was formed at Pembroke Dock, to operate the T.VIII-Ws on convoy escort work. These aircraft carried RAF markings, plus a small Dutch triangle badge. Three of the aircraft were lost, and with no spares available the remaining aircraft were flown to Felixstowe for storage, They were joined by another in May 1941, when four Dutchmen escaped from Amsterdam and brought their T.VII-W down on the sea near Broadstairs. Germany Navy use of the Fokker T.VIII-W was mostly confined to patrol duties in the Mediterranean.


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## gekho (Feb 24, 2011)

The Dutch Fokker G-1 was designed by engineers Beeling and Erich Schatski as a fighter-cruiser. The design was dedicated to a dual-role: interception of enemy bombers and light ground support / long-distance recce. In order to suit this role the plane had to be fast, firm and heavily armed. The Fokker G-1 was an absolute sensation when it was introduced to the world at the 15th Paris aeronautical fair in 1936. Apparently the French press gave the plane the nickname "Le Faucheur" [The land-mower], after its formidable nose-armament. The design was revolutionary: double boom fuselage and eight front-end machineguns in the nose.

The G-1 body construction was composed of a wooden wing and central fuselage unit in combination with a nose and boom-construction of steel rods. The armament was impressive. It had two batteries of four rapid-fire machineguns 7.9 mm FN each in the nose, and one rapid fire machinegun in a rear turret. The plane was designed to be able to also transport 400 kg of internal payload. In fact this operational option was never lifted due to lacking racks.

The G-1 was a model that was copied in later foreign models like the Focke Wulf Fw-189 Uhu [1937] and the Lockheed P-38 Lightning [1937]. Although earlier twin-boom designs had been seen, the designers of both planes admitted that the G-1 design had tempted them to copy the concept into their respective new fighter-cruisers designs. The P-38 would be by far the most successful twin-boom design of them all. The G-1 was constructed in a period in which engine manufacturers were overwhelmed with new orders. Basically the international industry chose to dedicate its production slots to indigenous demands, and as such the G-1 was fitted with second choice Bristol Mercury engines. These engines proved quite capable, but more powerful engines would have even increased the quite stunning performance of the G-1 in 1936. With the Mercury engine the plane was able to reach a [proven] maximum speed of 475 km/hr [alt. 13.000 feet].

The plane had attracted international purchasers during the 1936 Paris fair and orders were received from Spain [via Estland], Denmark [license construction] and Sweden. Countries like Hungary, Turkey, Switzerland and Belgium had shown their interest and flew several test and trial missions in 1939. Actual orders were not received from these countries. The Dutch airforce finally purchased 36 of the G-1 Mercury version in order to fit out two squadrons [2 x 12 plus 6 spare] with these planes. These were all delivered before 10 May 1940. Also 25 off G-1 [fitted with the slightly less powerful Wasp engines], which had been constructed for Spain, were confiscated in October 1939 by the Dutch Ministry of War. It wasn't until April 1940 before the factual order was given to arm these planes according to Dutch specification [which apparently was altered to only four i.s.o. eight machineguns in the nose for this G-1 Wasp version]. Of these 25 planes only three had been armed before war break-out and an unknown number was still armed during the Five Days' War. The majority would however fly with Luftwaffe crosses on their tail sections ...


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## gekho (Feb 24, 2011)

The first G-1 air-victory was unfortunately gained when a British Whitley bomber [N1357 of 77 Squadron] was shot down at 28 March 1940 over Rotterdam. Holland - being a neutral country - had the obligation to intercept any kind of intruder of the Dutch air-space and although the Germans invaded the Dutch air-space far more often than the British, the latter were the first to meet up with a G-1 in a fatal engagement. The five men Whitley crew suffered one fatality; four men were imprisoned and evacuated to the UK when war broke out in May 1940.

During the May war the G-1 proved itself a very capable plane. Unfortunately it was this particular modern plane that suffered the most from the German first strike. At the swampy airfield Bergen the heavy G-1's had been parked on the concrete platform in front of the hangars, rather than being spread over the swampy runways on which the heavy plane would have sunken away. When the German planes flew in from the sea-side they totally surprised the base and destroyed the majority of the modern squadron on the ground. Only three planes were saved (a few others could be reapaired during the war days though).

At Waalhaven the other modern squadron of G-1's had been able to scramble prior to the arrival of the massive German airforce, but due to the loss of all larger western air-fields the planes were unable to return to a suitable landing-place. Out of this squadron only one plane would be saved, although only two had been actually shot down out of eight planes scrambled. As such the German first strike had decimated the modern G-1 fleet. The remainder - reinforced by some operational G-1 Wasp's - fought intensively with the Luftwaffe and managed to claim quite a number of air-victories. After the capitulation the Germans captured a mere twenty G-1 planes. The Luftwaffe made intensive use of these planes for various training-programs. There are some strong indications that some G-1's have even seen some actual fighter action with black crosses on their tails. Also, there are indications that some Italian units have made use of the G-1 when stationed in Belgium.


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## Bernhart (Feb 24, 2011)

any pics of the dutch catalinas?


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## Marcel (Feb 24, 2011)

gekho said:


> At Waalhaven the other modern squadron of G-1's had been able to scramble prior to the arrival of the massive German airforce, but due to the loss of all larger western air-fields the planes were unable to return to a suitable landing-place.


3 of the G.1's landed on the beach at Oostvoorne, near Rotterdam, where they were destroyed by the Germans later. Found a rare picture of it some weeks ago:


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## Gnomey (Feb 24, 2011)

Good stuff guys!

Was looking forward to your input in this thread Marcel.


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## gekho (Feb 25, 2011)

The Fokker C.XI-W was a reconnaissance seaplane designed to operate from warships that was produced in the Netherlands in the mid 1930s. It was the result of a Royal Netherlands Navy specification of 1935 requesting such an aircraft. Fokker's response was a conventional single-bay biplane with staggered wings of unequal span braced by N-struts. The pilot and observer sat in tandem, open cockpits, and the undercarriage consisted of twin pontoons. The wings were of wooden construction with plywood and fabric covering, and the fuselage was of steel tube, also covered with fabric.

The prototype first flew on 20 July 1935.After successful catapult trials, an order for a further 13 C.XI-Ws was placed, the aircraft being used to equip the cruisers HNLMS Tromp and HNLMS De Ruyter while operating in European waters; but most were sent to the Netherlands East Indies to equip the Navy there. Following the German invasion of the Netherlands in 1940, the last surviving C.XI-W in Europe was successfully evacuated to the UK on 22 May.[1] From there, it was also shipped to the Netherlands East Indies. None seem to have survived past March 1942.


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## gekho (Feb 25, 2011)

The Fokker D.XVI was a fighter aircraft developed in the Netherlands in the late 1920s. It was a conventional, single-bay sesquiplane with staggered wings braced with V-struts. It featured an open cockpit and fixed, tailskid undercarriage. The wings were of wood with plywood covering, and the fuselage was of steel tube construction with fabric fabric covering. The Royal Netherlands Army ordered 14 aircraft, which differed from the prototype in having divided main undercarriage units in place of the prototype's cross-axle, and Hungary purchased four aircraft with Gnome et Rhône-built Bristol Jupiter engines in place of the Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar engines used on the Dutch machines. Evaluation aircraft were also provided to China and Italy, and the Netherlands East Indies Army. This last machine was powered by a Curtiss V-1570, which crashed in march 1931 on Schiphol. Instead of the D.XVI, Fokker manufactured the Fokker D.XVII with the same type engine. The D.XVI also won a competition organised by the government of Romania to select a new fighter, but despite this, no orders were placed. One plane of the Dutch Army was given to Romania.


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## gekho (Feb 25, 2011)

In the early years after World War II, Fokker was resurrected with help from the national institute for aircraft development, the Nederlands Instituut voor Vliegtuigontwikkeling (NIV). Fokker expected strong demand for training aircraft, and therefore a range of designs was worked out. One of those became known as the S.13. This model, dubbed Universal Trainer, was meant to be trainer for multiple engine training, navigation training, paradropping training and training in radiotelephony.

The prototype with registration PH-NEI made its maiden flight in 1949. The aircraft proved to be easy handling and strong. Flight testing was successful and the Dutch armed forces intended to buy the aircraft. Shortly before deciding upon procurement, the Dutch armed forces were provided with Beechcraft Model 18s under the Mutual Defense Assistance Pact (MDAP), almost for free. As other parties did not show interest in the S.13, Fokker terminated the programme. The only existing S.13 was transferred to the NIV in 1953. Years afterwards, the airframe was donated to the aerospace faculty of the TH Delft, today known as Delft University of Technology. Although the Dutch armed forces never took the S.13 into service, Fokker operated the S.13 prototype in military livery. Therefore the S.13 has flown as D-101. During the severe floodings of February 1953, the D-101 was used for photoreconnaissance from naval air station Valkenburg.


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## gekho (Feb 25, 2011)

The Fokker C.VII-W was a reconnaissance seaplane built in the Netherlands in the late 1920s. Sharing elements of the highly-successful C.V design, the C.VII-W was a conventional, single-bay biplane with wings of unequal span braced with N-struts. The undercarriage consisted of a standard twin-pontoon arrangement, and the fin and rudder continued through to the ventral side of the fuselage, creating a cruciform tail. The pilot and observer sat in tandem, open cockpits. The wing structure was wooden with fabric and plywood covering, and the fuselage was of steel tube construction with fabric covering. The first twelve of the thirty examples produced were sent to the Dutch East Indies, with the rest remaining in the Netherlands. The type was withdrawn from front-line service in 1940, but some machines remained active in the East Indies as trainers until the Japanese invasion in 1942.


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## Wildcat (Feb 25, 2011)

Good stuff. I like the look of the S.13.


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## Gnomey (Feb 25, 2011)

Nice shots!


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## Marcel (Feb 27, 2011)

Here a Dornier that survived. I took this picture at Soesterberg:


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## Ruud (Mar 4, 2011)

Great stuff and nice pics. Thanks for your work!


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## Wayne Little (Mar 5, 2011)

Do like that Dornier shot Marcel!


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## gekho (Apr 10, 2011)

Marcel said:


> Here a Dornier that survived. I took this picture at Soesterberg:



Correct me if I´m wrong Marcel, but I think that Do-24 was one of the seaplanes that served on the Spanish Air Force and after they were withdraw from service they were donated to several museums of the world. Indeed I think one of them moved to Hendon....


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## vikingBerserker (Apr 10, 2011)

Very cool!


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## de Salier (May 16, 2011)

Advertisement of the Koolhoven FK.58 I bought a while ago, I quite like it

Give me a shout if you want it translated 

https://picasaweb.google.com/Eijsermans.EM/OldPhotographs#5469214337444545570


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## gekho (Dec 16, 2011)

During the fall of 1945 two orders of fifteen aircraft each were signed. The first twenty aircraft were F.Mk.1 serialled F-1 till F-20; the remaining ten aircraft were FR.Mk.1 serialled F-21 till F-30. The first six examples were handed over to the Dutch Navy January 18, 1946. These aircraft were assigned to 860 squadron. March 20, 1946 the first aircraft carrier 'Karel Doorman' entered service. 860 squadron was based on this ship. The flight deck was just 150 meters long and caused problems with start and landing. August 26, 1946 the 'Doorman' left for the Dutch East Indies because of the situation there. Squadron 860 was embarked with Fireflies F-17 till F-30. The Fireflies were used for air to ground support. Several Fireflies were lost in action, such as F-22, F-24 and F-27.

During 1948 the aircraft were re-serialled, were code letter F was changed in code K. (on 25-08-1947 in the Netherlands and 26-01-1949 in Dutch East Indies). The letters were not applied as such on the aircraft, but the “6” and “11” ( F is the 6th and 11nd letter in the alfabet). The K-Serial was changed again in January 1950 in code letter P. March 1950 860 squadron was temporarily with drawn from service. The remaining Fireflies went for a complete overhaul to the Neterhlands. In September 1946 861 squadron was established and equipped with Fireflies. It was based on naval air station Valkenburg and was dismissed in April 1947. The Fireflies went to GVO (Groep Vlieg Opleiding = Group Flight Training) and to OGV (Opleiding Gevechts Vlieger = Training Fighter Pilots). In June 1948 the second (and larger) 'Karel Doorman' entered Dutch service and a start with training for deck landings was made with three Firefly T.1's (converted Mk.I's). After a display at the end of 1946 with a Fairey converted Firefly it was decided to modify the Mk.1's to T.1. The first one, F-1 was converted at the Fairey Factories, the other two, F.8 and F.12 were converted at AViolanda using parts delivered by Fairey. The T.1's were serialledL-11 (ex F-1); L-12 (ex-F-12) and L-13 (ex F-8). Later four T.2 were built by Aviolanda, to know F-4, (became U-14) andF-5 (became U-15), both delivered in 1949. In 1951 Fireflies F-23 and F-29 were modified and delivered in July1952 as U-16 and U-17. The two remaining T.1's, L-11 and L-12, were re-serialled U-11 and U-12. The L-13 crashed on November 8, 1948. (as noted above, the “L” serial was applied as “12” on the aircraft; “U” was applied as “21”). Early 1951 the "Doorman" departed with Squadron 1, with Fireflies P-6; P-17; P-25; P-26 P-30 and trainers U-11; U-12 and U-14 and P-7, P-11, P-28 an U-15 as spare The main task of squadron 1 was besides air defence also training with marines and ships. During 1954 the Mk.1's were replaced withFirefly Mk.4's Fireflies P-6 and P-30 were lost because of a collision on October 14, 1952. Trainers U-16 and U-17 stayed at Valkenburg for advanced carrier training and target tow duties. During 1959 U-12 and U-17 sere re-seialled as 003 and 004 respectively, in March 1960 both aircraft were scrapped.

During 1947 the RNlNAS received 40 Fireflies FR.4's, serialled K-31 till K-70 11-31 t/m 11-70). These aircraft were added to squadron 1, 2 and squadron 4. Early 1949 the RNlNAS received another fourteen Fireflies NF.5 seriallled K-71 till K-84 (11-71 till 11-84) and in November 1952 four ex Canadian Navy FR.4's were added serialled P-86 till P-89 (16-86 till 16-89). Squadron 2 and 4 participated frequently in NATO exercises, operating from the Dutch carrier of often also from British carries. During 1954 the Fireflies were replaced with Avenger at squadron 2 and 4. In 1955 squadron 7 was established to be based at Biak, Dutch New-Guinea. In 1959 the Fireflies were re-seialled, The remaining Firefies received serials 005 till 017 with letter “B” of Biak. When 322 squadron RNlNAF arrived with their Hawker Hunters, squadron 7 was withdrawn in December 1961 and the Fireflies were withdrawn from use.

Source: Fairey Firefly fairey firefly | 1946 | 0146 | Flight Archive


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## vikingBerserker (Dec 16, 2011)

Very cool! No idea they used them.


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