Fokker D.XVII (English)

D.XVII

The Fokker D.XVII

In 1931 Ir. Marius Beeling, Fokker's new designer/constructor, designed the one-and-a-half-decker D.XVII.
The D.XVII was originally designed for the KNIL in the East Indies, as a replacement for the failed KNIL version of the D.XVI.
The D.XVII would be the last biplane designed by Fokker.

The first flight of the D.XVII took place on 27 November 1931, after which the LVA ordered ten D.XVIIs in 1932, the first of which was delivered in 1934.
Of the ten machines ordered, eight were equipped with a Rolls Royce Kestrel II engine of 580 hp, maximum speed 350 km/h.
One aircraft was fitted with a 600 hp Lorraine Petrel engine, with a maximum speed of 356 km/h and another aircraft was fitted with a 670 hp Hispano-Suiza engine, with a maximum speed of 395 km/h.
In 1938 the Lorraine and the Hispano were also replaced by RR Kestrels.

The prototype of the D.XVII, tested in the summer of 1932 in the Indies, returned and was added to the fleet of ten LVA machines.
The prototype was equipped with the 650 hp Curtiss Conqueror V1570 V-12 engine for the Indies.
The KNIL did not purchase the D.XVII for use in the East Indies.

The LVA machines were equipped with two FN-Browning M.36 7.92 mm machine guns as armament.
In May 1940, the last seven D.XVIIs took part in the fighting, but ultimately all machines were lost.

Click on the photo to enlarge the photo

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FOKKER D.XVII 1931 The prototype of the D.XVII fighter was equipped with a Curtiss „Conqueror" water-cooled engine. It bore the registration F-32 (not to be confused with the D.XVI with the same registration), because Fokker hoped that the KNIL would place an order for it. However, a series of eleven examples were delivered to the LVA (numbers 201 - 210), which were equipped with different engine types, such as the Rolls-Royce „Kestrel" IIS, the Lorraine „Petrel" and the Hispano Suiza Xbrs. An improved version with a closed cockpit was never realized. In 1940 a few D.XVIIs were still available as training aircraft. The price of a D.XVII, without engine, was fl. 21,150 (guilders) at the time.
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The D.XVII F-32 with cn 5293 for the KNIL in the Dutch East Indies, with the Curtiss Conqueror engine.
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The F-32 was the prototype of the D.XVII.
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D.XVII with cn 5293, here in the Dutch East Indies, with a different KNIL registration: F.321. After returning to the Netherlands, this D.XVII would go to the LVA and receive an RR Kestrel engine.
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Crash of the 211 cn 5293 in Soesterberg.
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Report of the 211 accident in the Aviation Safety Network database.
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Side view of the 201 with cn 5337 equipped with RR Kestrel engine.
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Rear view of the 201 with cn 5337.
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7.1

This is a fairly popular way of taking pictures, in horizontal position. Here the 201 of the LVA. It is the first of the series 201 to 211, delivered in 1933 and 1934. In that period people flew higher and higher, hence the other flying caps, mainly in white. People could also take to the air with oxygen bottles.
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The 202 with cn 5338.
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The 202 with an orange triangle on the fuselage, which was carried on all LVA aircraft during the May Days of 1940, the start of the Second World War for the Netherlands.
Roundels of cockades
9.1

Once again the 202 of LVA with the North American NA-16 behind it. The latter carried the registration number 997 and also in the orange mobilization paint.
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The 204 with cn 5340.
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10.1

The 204 of the LVA in a major repair of the wing after a breakage of it at airfield De Vlijt on Texel. The repair took place in 1936 at airfield Soesterberg. The 204 came to its end on 11 May 1940 at airfield De Kooij.
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Formation of the 204 cn 5340, 205 cn 5341 and the 207 with cn 5343.
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The remains of the 204 cn 5340 at the Vlijt airfield on Texel, May 11, 1940.
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Report of the 204 accident in the Aviation Safety Network database.
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The 205 with cn 5341 in 1934 at the LUTO, Aviation Exhibition, in a tent on the Malieveld in The Hague
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14.1

The same.
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The 206 with cn 5342. The pilot is equipped with an oxygen system. This was necessary because the D.XVII could fly at an altitude of 31,000 feet (approx. 9,500 m) and then extra oxygen is needed.
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Flightline of the 206 cn 5342, 207 cn 5343 and the 208 cn 5344.
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The 207 cn 5343 with an orange triangle, destroyed at Soesterberg during the May days in 1940.
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17.1

A photo of the 207, taken on 22 November 1939 in the orange mobilization colours. On 12 May 1940 this 207, flown by Sgt/Pilot B. van der Heiden, is destroyed at the Ruigenhoek emergency airfield.
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The 209 cn 5345 with the 600 hp Lorraine Pétrel engine.
Lorraine Petrel
18.1

As a prototype with the registration F-32, this aircraft first went to the Dutch East Indies. There, another engine change took place and, after a de facto rejection, the F-32 returned to the Netherlands. Here equipped with a 650 hp Curtiss Conqueror engine, the fighter was incorporated again into the LVA as 209.
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The 209 of LVA was flown in the May days of 1940 by 2nd Lnt/Pilot J.Stuij and was knocked out on May 13, 1940.
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From Lorraine Pétrel motor in 209.
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From 670 Pk. Hispano Suiza in LVA D.XVII 210 met cn 5346.
Hispano-Suiza piston aero-engines
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The 210 now with the later fitted RR Kestrel engine of 580 hp.
Rolls-Royce Kestrel
21.1

This 210 of the LVA had a 670 Hispano-Suiza engine and was flown by 2nd Lnt/Pilot J. Plesman. On 13 May 1940 the fighter plane was knocked out.
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21.2

Incidentally, that same 210 had flown a Dutch altitude record from Soesterberg on 18 January 1935. The pilot was Jhr. R. Wittert van Hoogland and the preparations are already visible here.
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21.3

The 211 of LVA that went upside down on 21-11-1939 during a landing at Soesterberg Airfield. The pilot was Sgt.Vlieger J. Aarts.
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Cockpit of the 17th century.
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Front view of the D.XVII.
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Hull frame of the D.XVII.
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