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The Fokker D.XXI was a monoplane fighter with fixed landing gear, in itself nothing new for Fokker. The D.XXI had an enclosed cockpit and cantilever main wheel struts. Despite inherent obsolesence, the type had considerable success in Finland, but the 39 Dutch D.XXIs had little luck in May 1940. Finland license-built over 140, Denmark 10. Plans to build it in Spain were halted by the falangist victory in the civil war.
The Fokker D.XXI (D.21) fighter was designed in 1935 for use by the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) air service. As such it was designed as a cheap but rugged small plane, which had respectable performance for the time of conception.
Although the order by the KNIL was cancelled, the Royal Netherlands Air Force (KLu) placed an order of 36 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 lighter armed than the ME 109, performed surprisingly well in dogfights, due to its good manoeverability. Nonetheless, the numerical disparity between the KLu and the Luftwaffe meant that nearly all Dutch Fokker D.XXI fighters were destroyed during the war.
Their greatest victory came on 10 May, when D.XXIs destroyed 37 out of a formation of 55 Junkers Ju 52/3ms which crossed the Dutch border in the early morning.
Source:
Info: Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fokker_D.XXI
Profile: Fighting Aircraft of World War II
Published by Salamander Books.
The Fokker D.XXI (D.21) fighter was designed in 1935 for use by the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) air service. As such it was designed as a cheap but rugged small plane, which had respectable performance for the time of conception.
Although the order by the KNIL was cancelled, the Royal Netherlands Air Force (KLu) placed an order of 36 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 lighter armed than the ME 109, performed surprisingly well in dogfights, due to its good manoeverability. Nonetheless, the numerical disparity between the KLu and the Luftwaffe meant that nearly all Dutch Fokker D.XXI fighters were destroyed during the war.
Their greatest victory came on 10 May, when D.XXIs destroyed 37 out of a formation of 55 Junkers Ju 52/3ms which crossed the Dutch border in the early morning.
Source:
Info: Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fokker_D.XXI
Profile: Fighting Aircraft of World War II
Published by Salamander Books.