Fokker C.IX

C.IX

The Fokker C.IX

After the successful CV and all its variants, Fokker worked on a new scout for use by the LVA in the early thirties.
However, the C.VII did not leave the drawing board, at least not as a landplane.
And the C.VIII was built as a prototype, but it also proved not to be a success as a land plane.

Fortunately, the MLD Naval Aviation Service sees potential in the water variants and purchases both.
The C.VII-W and C.VIII-W perform well in both the Netherlands and the Dutch East Indies.

The Fokker C.IX then appeared around 1930.

The striking shock absorbers, the wheel legs, the construction of a machine gun placed under the fuselage are some innovations.
Not visible from the outside but important is the 390-litre fuel tank positioned behind the engine.
And the two tanks placed in the wing, with a total of 352 liters. So a total of 742 liters.

The 650 hp Hispano-Suiza engine provides a flight range of 1050 km.
Yet again, it appears that the LVA Aviation Department cannot be tempted into giving a nice order.

The C.IX delivered to Switzerland also does not lead to a license agreement with EKW
And so the number of C.IX scouts built remains at 6.

Click on the photo to enlarge the photo

01

In 1930 the first Fokker C.IX arrives at Soesterberg Airfield, already registered with the Aviation Department: the 661. Here is a nice front view of the two-person strategic reconnaissance and light bomber. The engine is a water-cooled 650 hp Hispano-Suiza. The flight is 15.3 meters, the length 9.93 m and the height 3.65 meters. The wing area is 39.3 m^2
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02

Left front view of the same aircraft, which was also the prototype at the beginning. Empty weight 1700 kg Payload 900 kg and total weight 2600 kg. Maximum speed 235 km/h Cruising speed 198 km/h Landing speed 95 km/h. Emil Meinecke is the German pilot of Fokker in those years.
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03

Side view from left of the same LVA (Dutch Air Force) the 661. Total fuel capacity wing and fuselage tanks 742 liters. Flight range 1050 km. Max. flight altitude 5,550 meters Armament: 2 fixed machine guns for the pilot and 2 movable machine guns for the gunner/observer. As an extra (temporary) a ground machine gun and bomb racks. And two bomb racks. Only 6 C.IX aircraft were built. Five for the LVA and one for the Swiss Air Force.
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3.1

The 661 of the LVA, just before delivery at Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam. Seen from the right side.
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3.2

The first delivered C.IX, seen from the left side. The bottom machine gun is clearly visible in the bottom of the fuselage. So this scout had one fixed and two movable machine guns available. It could even carry three crew members.
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3.3

Visit to Soesterberg airfield on 1 July 1933 by Minister of War Laurent Deckers. He is here in the second cockpit of the 661 and is spoken to by three LVA leaders.
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05

The 663 of LVA in the snow, probably at Soesterberg Airfield. In the May days of 1940, during the German invasion, only the 661 remains unharmed and falls into German hands. The 662 is disabled on 10 May 1940 at 12:00 at Haamstede airfield in Zeeland. The 664 is also disabled on 10 May 1940 at Waalhaven in Rotterdam. The 665 is also disabled on 10 May 1940 at De Kooij airfield after having departed from Bergen Noord Holland airfield. The 663 was probably active at both Schiphol and Soesterberg. The exact date of the disablement cannot be clearly traced. A number of the C.IX aircraft were still used for towing shooting targets.
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5.1

The 664 with the orange triangle, captured by the Germans at Waalhaven airfield, Rotterdam.
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5.2

The 665 of LVA for a major overhaul at Soesterberg airfield.
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5.3

Considerable damage to the C.IX 665 with the orange triangle and orange tailplane. The clothing of the German standing in front looks very strange. Perhaps a matter of a short captivity.
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04

The 665 of LVA right from the front. The LVA aircraft get the registrations 661 662 663 664 and 665. Ultimately the Fokker CX will become more successful again, also with foreign license construction.
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06

Early 1932 Fokker delivers a C.IX to the Swiss Air Force. The aircraft is delivered in the same version and with the same engine as the LVA aircraft. The registration is first 301 and later C-301, first with CH on the rudder and later the Swiss cross. The intention is that EKW will continue to build the aircraft under license. However, this does not happen, probably because of the supply of more modern types.
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07

Stunning, romantic shot as if for a feature film. With the 301 in full action. The Swiss license builder EKW initially saw something in the C.IX. The name stands for Eidgenössische Konstruktions Werkstätte. Or the Federal Construction Workshops.
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08

Recording from around 1932 with registration number still missing.
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09

The same 301 with the 650 hp Hispano Suiza engine. The EKW eventually decides to build their own design based on the CV E.
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