Fokker D.XXI (English)

D.XXI

Fokker D.XXI

You could call it the F-16 of the late 1930s: the D.XXI designed by the German designer Erich Schatzki.

Schatzki worked for Fokker and designed the D.XXI in 1935. On March 27, 1936, this aircraft made its first flight.

The first flight took place at Welschap airport (Eindhoven) with Fokker test pilot Emil Meinecke in the cockpit.
Another “D” type that was designed for use at the KNIL in Dutch East Indies and of again to no purpose. But the LVA ordered 36 copies in 1937.

For the prototype, a Rolls Royce Kestrel IV of 700 hp was intended, but it became the Bristol Mercury VIII 9-cylinder air-cooled radial engine of 830 hp. This engine was also the choice for the LVA machines.
The prototype has been demonstrated in Dutch East Indies, where it was destroyed on the ground in 1942 at Andir airport during a Japanese attack.

A total of 148 D.XXI's were built, including the license-built planes in Denmark and Finland where the D.XXI was in use until 1948.
The Danes and Finns also bought a number of D.XXIs directly from Fokker.
The Finnish license D.XXIs had in part the Bristol Mercury VIII and another part had the Pratt and Whitney Twin Wasp R-1535 junior engine of 825 Hp, with 2 rows of 7 cylinders.
In Finland, one D.XXI was equipped with a retractable landing gear, the D.XXI was standard equipped with a fixed, non-retractable landing gear.

Also in Spain, 50 D.XXI's were to be built under license, however it has only remained with one aircraft.
This was partly because during the Spanish Civil War, the Nationalists had conquered the area where license building took place.

The D.XXIs of the LVA fought tough air battles with the German fighters during the invasion of Germany on May 10, 1940 in the Netherlands.
D.XXIs have been lost, both in the air and by ground attacks.
Seven D.XXIs have fallen into German hands, an unknown number of which have served in the Luftwaffe.

The armament of the LVA Machines ultimately consisted of 4 Browning FN 7.9 mm machine guns, 2 in each wing.
Other armament systems have also been tested or applied in Denmark and Finland.

In 1988, a beautiful D.XXI replica was built at Fokker in collaboration with the KLu, which can be admired at the NMM in Soesterberg.
In Hoogeveen at ATN people are currently well advanced (March 2020) with a flying replica of a D.XXI,

Click on the photo to enlarge the photo

01

The prototype with registration FD-322 and cn 5416 at Welschap airport, the landing gear is not yet equipped with the aerodynamic wheel covers.
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02

The prototype of the D.XXI here on March 27, 1936 ready for the first flight from Welschap.
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03

The prototype FD-322 in flight, now with the aerodynamic wheel covers.
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04

Fokker test pilot Emil Meinecke for the FD-322.
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05

Latvia was interested in the D.XXI, here a Latvian trade delegation for a D.XXI,
3rd from left, Lieutenant Aviator Leegstra of the LVA.
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06

The FR-76 built at Fokker with cn 5438 for the Finnish Air Force.
The Finnish swastika has nothing to do with the German swastika. See pop-up.

De Finse swastika
07

A 20 mm Oerlikon machine gun under the wing of the Finnish FR-76 with cn 5438.
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08

October 1937. Shipping to Finland of the FR-77 built with Fokker with cn 5439 and the FR-78 with cn 5440.
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09

The Finnish FR-80 built at Fokker with cn 5442.
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10

The Finnish FR-82 built at Fokker with cn 5444.
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11

This J-41 with cn 5480 is a D.XXI built by Fokker, intended for the Danish Air Force.
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12

The Danish J-41 was equipped under the wings with a 20 mm Madsen cannon.
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13

The Danish J-42 with cn 5481 was also built by Fokker.
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14

The 20 mm Madsen gun under the Swedish J-42 with cn 5481.
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15

The LVA D.XXI 212 with cn 5485.
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16

Flightline of the LVA 215 cn 5488, 214 cn 5487, 213 cn 5486 and 212 cn 5485.
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17

The LVA 213 with cn 5486.
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18

The LVA 215 with cn 5488 for a hangar in Soesterberg, with the orange triangle with black border introduced in October 1939, instead of the round cockade.
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19

May 10, 1940, the remnants of the 216 with cn 5489, crashed after an air battle near Leiden.
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20

The LVA 217 with cn 5490 is being prepared for flight.
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21

The LVA 220 with cn 5493 where the aiming sight for the cockpit is clearly visible.
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22

Two German soldiers for the 222 with cn 5495 which was destroyed at Monster on May 10, 1940.
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23

The 223 with cn 5496 was shot down on 10 May 1940 at Wassenaarseslag.
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24

The 227 with cn 5500 was also destroyed on May 10, 1940, here at Ypenburg airport.
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25

The damaged 228 with cn 5501 at Ockenburg airfield in early May 1940.
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26

Nose position of the 229 with cn 5502 that was shot on 10 May 1940 at Ouderkerk aan de IJssel.
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27

Again the 229.
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28

Remnants of the LVA D.XXI 229 with cn 5502 can be seen in the CRASH museum in the Fort near Aalsmeer in Aalsmeerderbrug.
CRASH luchtoorlog- en verzetsmuseum ’40-’45
29

The Bristol Mercury engine of the 229 in the CRASH museum.
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30

The LVA 230 with cn 5503.
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31

The LVA 233 with cn 5506.
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32

The 237 with cn 5510 and the 241 with cn 5514 in formation.
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33

The 245 with cn 5518 after an emergency landing on May 10, 1940 in Zwaagdijk.

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34

Remains of a D.XXI at Schiphol, May 1940.
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35

A number of D.XXI remnants at Schiphol after the fighting by the Germans during their invasion of the Netherlands on May 10, 1940.
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36

The 246 with cn 5519 at Soesterberg during the swearing in of a number of LVA soldiers.
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37

The Bristol Mercury engine of the D.XXI.
Bristol Mercury
38

Finnish D.XXI in the Fokker boot at the “Aviation Fair Helsinki” in 1938.
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39

D.XXI cockpit.
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40

Three D.XXIs at De Kooy airport in March 1940.
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41

D.XXI for the Danish Air Force.
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42

A D.XXI intended for Finland at the AVIA exhibition in the Houtrusthallen in The Hague in 1937.
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43

Queen Wilhelmina visits the Fokker factory in Amsterdam North and admires the D.XXI.
To the right of the queen with umbrella: Vattier Kraane, then president of the Fokker factory.
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44

D.XXI confiscated by the Germans with Luftwaffe crosses.
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45

D.XXI confiscated by the Germans in Luftwaffe trim.
The LVA camouflage pattern has remained.
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45

Luftwaffe D.XXI in een hangar.
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46

Luftwaffe D.XXI with an illegible registration.
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48

Wing production of the D.XXI in Amsterdam-Noord.
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49

D.XXI rompenbouw in Amsterdam-Noord.
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50

Het lassen van de D.XXI rompen in Amsterdam-Noord.
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51

Final assembly of the D.XXI in Amsterdam North.
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52

Opbouw van de D.XXI rompen in Amsterdam-Noord.
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53

Linnen bekleding om de D.XXI staalbuizen romp in Amsterdam-Noord.
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54

The replica of the D.XXI in 1988 in the Fokker business school at Schiphol-East.
Deze D.XXI is geheel compleet gebouwd en in principe luchtwaardig.
Omdat deze replica niet is gebouwd onder toezicht van de luchtvaartautoriteiten
is de luchtwaardigheid niet officieel.
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55

De D.XXI replica op het platform van de Fokker fabriek op Schiphol-Oost, naast een bij Fokker gebouwde F-16.
The camouflage pattern is the official one, as it was applied to the LVA D.XXIs in 1938/39.
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56

The replica D.XXI on display in the Military Aviation Museum, camp Zeist in Soesterberg.
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57

These are the remains of the Danish D.XXI after the war in Denmark in 1940. Registration J-49 and cn 109 na
This is one of 10 licensed D.XXI's built at the “Konglige Danske Orlogsvaerftet” factory in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Alle Deense licentie D.21’s hadden Bristol Mercury motoren.
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58

D.XXI registration J-50 cn 110, license Denmark.
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59

A licensed Danish D.XXI in Vaerløse, April 1940.
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60

Unique color photograph of these D.XXI's built in Finland at Valtion Lentokonetehdas (State aircraft factory) in Tampere, Finland.
Front, the D.XXI with registration FR-108 and cn series III 9. Rear, the FR-90 with cn series II 8.
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61

The FR-92, license Finland, with cn series II 10, with a Bristol Mercury engine.
Of the 90 licensed D.XXIs in Finland, 35 had a Bristol Mercury engine, the other 55 had a Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp.
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62

The FR-92, license Finland, with cn series II 10 is being prepared for a flight.
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63

The FR-98, license Finland, with cn series III 2.
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64

The FR-108, license Finland, with cn series III 9.
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65

The FR-116, license Finland, with cn series III 18 in the Finnish snow.
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66

The FR-103, license Finland, with cn series III 20.
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67

Mechanics take care for the FR-125, license Finland, with cn series IV 8.
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68

Crash of the FR-132, license Finland, with cn series IV 15 equipped with a P&W Twin Wasp.
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69

The FR-133, license Finland, with cn series IV 16.
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70

Six licensed Finns in this small hangar with the FR-134 in the foreground and cn series IV 17.
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71

The FR-143, license Finland, with cn series IV 26.
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72

The FR-148, license Finland, with cn series IV 31, with “snowshoes”, a special landing gear for take-offs and landings in the snow.
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The FR-150, license Finland, with cn series IV 33.
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74

De FR-157, licentie Finland, with cn serie IV 40.
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75

The FR-160, license Finland with cn series IV 43.
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76

The FR-167, license Finland with cn series IV 50.
This is the only D.XXI built with a retractable landing gear.
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77

D.XXI production of the Finnish D.XXI at Valtion Lentokonetehdas in Tampere, Finland.
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