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Fokker T.V

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Fokker T.V
T.V (Fokker designation)
T5 (service designation)
General information
TypeBomber
ManufacturerFokker
Primary userDutch Army Aviation Brigade
Number built16
History
Introduction date1938
First flight16 October 1937
Retired1940

The Fokker T.V was a twin-engine bomber, described as an "aerial cruiser",[1] built by Fokker for the Netherlands Air Force.

Modern for its time, by the German invasion of 1940 it was outclassed by the airplanes of the Luftwaffe, although it was used with some success.

Development and design

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In the early 1930s, the Luchtvaartafdeling (i.e. the Netherlands Army Air Force) became interested in the luchtkruiser (aerial cruiser) concept multipurpose aircraft, which was to have a primary role of intercepting and destroying enemy bomber formations, with a secondary role as a long-range bomber, with Colonel P.W. Best, commander of the Luchtvaartafdeling stating on 28 March 1935 that aircraft of the luchtkruiser should be purchased in as large numbers as possible, proposing to cancel procurement of the Fokker D.XXI fighter to release funds.[2]

To meet this requirement, Fokker developed the T.V, a five-seat, twin-engined monoplane. It featured a wooden wing, while the slab-sided fuselage was of mixed construction, with a wooden monocoque centre fuselage, a fabric covered steel tube rear fuselage and a duralumin forward fuselage. While this construction method was typical for Fokker aircraft, it was obsolete compared with contemporary aircraft of its size, which were normally of all-metal construction.[3] It was fitted with a 20 mm autocannon in the nose to meet the bomber destroyer part of the requirement, and four defensive Browning machine guns, one each in dorsal, ventral and tail positions, with one capable of being switched between two waist positions. It had a bomb-bay under the centre fuselage capable of carrying up to 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) of bombs.[4]

A contract was signed for 16 T.Vs on 7 December 1936,[3] with the first aircraft (not a prototype as such) flying on 16 October 1937 from Schiphol airfield.[4]

Operational history

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The first 11 T.Vs, by now considered medium bombers, were delivered in 1938, with the last 4 following in 1939.[5] Although it had good handling characteristics, it suffered from reliability problems with its engines and propellers, and by the summer of 1939, the Netherlands was planning to purchase 24 Dornier Do 215s to replace them.[6]

On 10 May 1940, Germany invaded the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. The T.V soon saw its first combat: when taking off from Schiphol to avoid air attack, eight T.Vs encountered a formation of German bombers, shooting down two.[7] After this, the T.V reverted to its primary bomber role, being used in attacks against German airborne troops landing at The Hague and Rotterdam. By the end of the first day of fighting only two T.Vs were serviceable. These were sent against bridges over the Meuse at Rotterdam on 11 May and a further aircraft was shot down; the final T.V was shot down on 13 May during attacks on bridges at Moerdijk.[8]

As the T.V lacked self-sealing fuel tanks, they gained a reputation for rapidly catching fire when hit by enemy fire.[9]

Operators

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 Netherlands

Specifications

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Data from Frustrated Fokker [10]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 5 (Pilot, co-pilot, bombardier, radioman/gunner, gunner)
  • Length: 16 m (52 ft 6 in)
  • Wingspan: 21 m (68 ft 11 in)
  • Height: 4.2 m (13 ft 9 in) tail down
  • Wing area: 66.2 m2 (713 sq ft)
  • Airfoil: root: NACA 23017; tip: NACA 23009[11]
  • Empty weight: 4,650 kg (10,251 lb)
  • Gross weight: 7,250 kg (15,984 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 7,650 kg (16,865 lb)
  • Powerplant: 2 × Bristol Pegasus XXVI 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines, 690 kW (930 hp) each
  • Propellers: 3-bladed variable-pitch propellers

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 417 km/h (259 mph, 225 kn)
  • Cruise speed: 335 km/h (208 mph, 181 kn)
  • Range: 1,550 km (960 mi, 840 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 8,550 m (28,050 ft)
  • Time to altitude: 5,000 m (16,000 ft) in 13 minutes 6 seconds

Armament

  • Guns:
  • Bombs: 1200 kg (2,645 lb) of bombs

See also

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Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

References

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  1. ^ Hooftman 1979, p. 16.
  2. ^ Van der Klaauw 1986, pp. 241–242.
  3. ^ a b Van der Klaauw 1986, p.243.
  4. ^ a b Van der Klaauw 1986, p.244.
  5. ^ Van der Klaauw 1986, p.245.
  6. ^ Van der Klaauw 1986, pp. 245–246.
  7. ^ Van der Klaauw 1986, pp. 246–247.
  8. ^ Van der Klaauw 1986, pp. 248–249.
  9. ^ Hooftman 1979, p. 18.
  10. ^ Van de Klaauw 1986, p.247.
  11. ^ Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  12. ^ "Halfautomatisch antitankkanon/ antitankgeweer Solothurn S18-150, Nederlands proefmodel 'geweer tp' (Tegen Pantsering), kaliber 20 x 105 B (K)". nmm.nl.[permanent dead link]
  13. ^ "Solothurn S18-350/MG-204". airwar.ru.
  14. ^ "Het Staatsbedrijf der Artillerie Inrichtingen" (PDF). grebbeberg.nl.
  15. ^ Military Rifle & Machine Gun Cartridges by Jean Huon,Ironside International, 1988, pg. 126
  16. ^ Wapenvoorschrift voor den mitrailleur M.20 en den Mitrailleur M.20 Vliegtuig (W.V. mitr.M.20 en vl.mitr.M.20) - Koninklijke Landmacht Voorschrift no. 90i [Weapon regulations for the M.20 machine gun and the M.20 machine gun Aircraft (W.V. mitr.M.20 and vl.mitr.M.20) - Royal Netherlands Army Regulation no. 90i] (in Dutch). The Netherlands: Dutch air force.

Further reading

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  • Gerdessen, Frits and Luuk Boerman. Fokker T.V 'Luchtkruiser': History, Camouflage and Markings (Bilingual English-Dutch). Zwammerdam, the Netherlands: Dutch Profile Publications, 2009. ISBN 978-94-90092-01-6.
  • Hooftman, Hugo. Van Brik tot Freedom Fighter: 1. Met Stofbril en Leren Vliegkap (In Dutch). Zwolle, the Netherlands: La Rivière & Voorhoeve N.V., 1963.
  • Hooftman, Hugo. Fokker T-V en T-IX (Nederlandse Vliegtuigencyclopedie 8) (In Dutch). Bennekom, the Netherlands: Cockpit UItgeverij, 1979.
  • Van der Klaauw, Bart. "Frustrated Fokker". Air International, November 1986, Vol 31 No 6, Bromley, UK:Fine Scroll. ISSN 0306-5634. pp. 241–249.
  • Van der Klaauw, Bart (1977), Bommenwerpers Wereldoorlog II, deel 2 (in Dutch), Alkmaar, the Netherlands: Uitgeverij de Alk bv., ISBN 9060136381
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