Fokker C.V

C.V, C.VI, and C.IX

Picture - Finnish Fokker C.V-E's

Role: Light recce, bomber aircraft
Manufacturer: Fokker
Introduced: 1924
Primary users: Royal Netherlands Air Force Italian Air Force Norwegian Army Air Service Swedish Air Force Hungarian Air Force
Number built: C.VI: 33 C.V-B: 18 C.V-C: 16 C.V-D: 212 C.V-E: 327 Ro.1 and Ro.1-bis: 349

Fokker C.V was a Dutch light reconnaissance and bomber biplane aircraft manufactured by Fokker. It was designed by Anthony Fokker and the series manufacture began in 1924 at Fokker in Amsterdam.

Development

The C.V was constructed in the early 1920s by Anthony Fokker. The aircraft was intended as a twin-seated reconnaissance and bomber aircraft. When shown to the public in 1924, the C.V was the first multi-role aircraft and it was manufactured in a variety of versions; the customer could choose from five different wing constructions (which varied in wing span). The radial engines could give between 336-723 kW (450-970 hp). The landing gear could be changed from wheels to pontoons. The aircraft became an export success for Fokker, it was sold and/or license manufactured in Bolivia, China, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, the Soviet Union and the US. Sweden purchased two different versions to use as models for their license manufacturing of the reconnaissance version S 6 and a fighter version J 3.

Operational history

The Dutch Air Force used the C.V in front line service against the German Luftwaffe during World War II. After the Dutch surrender, the aircraft were taken over by Luftwaffe and used on the Eastern front until 1944. The Swiss Air Force used their C.Vs as target tugs until 1954, after their retirement from frontline service.

Use in Finland

The Finnish Air Force used both C.V-Ds and C.V-Es. One C.V-E was purchased in 1927, with delivery 20 September, and a further 13 were purchased on 17 March 1934, arriving in the winter of 1935. During the Winter War, Sweden donated three more C.V-Es. Two C.V-Ds were also flown from Norway to Finland at the closing stages of the Norwegian Campaign. These were interned and turned over to the FAF. The aircraft were used as reconnaissance and light bomber aircraft between 20 September 1927 and 14 February 1945. During the Winter War, the Finnish C.Vs flew 151 reconnaissance and harassment bombing sorties without suffering any losses. The Continuation War saw the C.Vs flying an unknown number of sorties and suffering one aircraft loss.

Use in Italy

Picture - Romeo Ro.1

The C.VE was built in Italy by OFM (Officine Ferroviarie Meridionali, later IMAM) under licence in 1927 as the Romeo Ro.1. It was used by the Aviation Corps of the Regio Esercito (Italian Army) as an observation and ground attack aircraft. Well-liked in the civilian market, it was selected for use by Air Marshal Italo Balbo, as superior to the Breda A.7 and Ansaldo A.120. It entered service in 1927, in Italian Libya against the local rebels. It was used both for reconnaissance and light attack. It was convertible as a three-seat machine, or as a light attack aircraft (two machine-guns), or as a very long range aircraft with an auxiliary fuel tank that increased the endurance from five to twelve hours. The last version had a 410 kW (550 hp) engine instead of 321 kW (430 hp) and produced until 1934, a total of 456, but it was outdated and too slow for the standards of the mid-1930s. Although this was only an army observation aircraft, it still had a quite powerful engine and performance. In 1933, there were 40 squadrons, of seven machines each, related to the Italian Army, with 238 Ro.1s as the main aircraft force. It was the most numerous Italian aircraft in the Second Italo-Abyssinian War.

Use in Norway

Picture - Norwegian Army Air Service Fokker C.V-D

The Norwegian Army Air Service bought its first C.V-Ds and C.V-Es in 1926. The two versions were designated as long-winged (-E) and short-winged (-D) Fokkers. The initial purchase agreement with Fokker included license production rights, and in the period 1929-1931, 27 C.V-Ds were manufactured at the NoAAS' aircraft factory at Kjeller. After the production of C.V-Ds ended, a further 15 C.V-Es were followed between 1932 and 1939. In total, the NoAAS operated 72 Fokker C.Vs, 40 of which were license built in Norway. When the Germans invaded Norway on 9 April 1940, 40 Fokker C.Vs were still in Norwegian service. The C.Vs were based on several air bases in different parts of the country and mostly saw service as reconnaissance and light transport aircraft. Although the planes were hopelessly outdated as combat aircraft, they still saw extensive and successful service in the bomber role during the April-June 1940 Norwegian Campaign, supporting Norwegian ground troops fighting on the Narvik front.

Use in Sweden

In 1927, the Swedish Air Force purchased two C.V-Ds (J 3) and two C.V-E (S 6) to serve as models for the eventual license manufacturing of the aircraft by CVM. The four aircraft were flown to Sweden in 1928. They proved suitable and an agreement for licence production was made and a further four C.V-E and six C.V-D were purchased, the latter designated J 3A. Seven C.V-D ordered from CVM were built as C.V-E, as by 1929 it was clear the type was unsuitable as a fighter, but still they were designated J 3B.

In 1931, the J 3B were redesignated S 6, the J 3 and J 3A S 6A. Ten C.V-E with Nohab My VI engines instead of Jupiter VI engines were given the designation S 6B.

The S 6 became the prime liaison aircraft for the Swedish Air Force. It was used for fire spotting, aerial photographing and liaison duty in conjunction with the Army. At the outbreak of World War II, there were 36 aircraft left in service. They would continue until being replaced by Saab 17s from 1942. CVM manufactured 17 S 6 between 1929-1932. Some were fitted with floats and designated S 6H.

In 1945, the SwAF sold three S 6s to Svensk Flygtjx¤nst to be used for aerial application over forrest. Two other were sold to Skx¥neflyg in 1947. One is preserved and can be seen in the Swedish Air Force Museum. Lieutenant Einar Lundborg rescued the Italian General Umberto Nobile in 1928, with a S 6B, equipped with skis. Nobile was on an ice shelf after his airship Italia had crashed on its way to the North Pole.

Use in Switzerland

Picture - Cutaway model of a Swiss Army Air Corps Fokker C.V-E.

After trials in 1927, Swiss authorities had 48 C.V.-E licence-built in Switzerland for use by the Swiss Air Force (then the Swiss Army Air Corps). 24 machines were built at K+W Thun and 24 at Doflug Altenrhein. The aircraft were in service from 1933 to 1940 and were armed with bombs, two pilot machine guns and a double machine gun for the observer.

Luftwaffe C.V-Es

During their occupation of Denmark, the Germans requisitioned a number of Danish Fokker C.V.-Es. Some of these aircraft were used by the Estonian volunteer-manned Nachtschlachtgruppe 11 (Night Ground Attack Wing 11) at Rahkla in 1944. NSGr. 11 used its C.V-Es on the Eastern Front to carry out disruptive harassment night bombing sorties against the Russian front lines. These operations were carried out in response to similar nocturnal operations by Soviet light aircraft, such as the Po-2 biplanes. Two of the C.V-Es of the NSGr. 11 were flown to Sweden in October 1944 by four Estonian defectors, and one of them was handed back to the Danes by the Swedes in 1947.

Variants

C.V

C.V-B - (or C.Vb) strategic reconnaissance aircraft, 18 built
C.V-C - (or C.Vc) light reconnaissance and bomber aircraft. Users: the Netherlands 6, Bolivia 10
C.V-D - (or C.Vd) light reconnaissance, bomber and escort fighter. Users: Finland 2, Bolivia 10, Denmark 49, Hungary 68 (Ds and Es), the Netherlands 119 (VIs, Ds and Cs), Norway 27, Sweden 2, Switzerland 3, Germany 15 (Ds and Es)
C.V-E - (or C.Ve) Light bomber version. Users: Finland 17, Denmark 31, Hungary 68 (Ds and Es), the Netherlands 18, KNIL 20, Germany 15 (Ds and Es), Norway 46, Sweden 51, Switzerland 61
C.V-W - Two-seat floatplane version of the C.V-C for Bolivia. Ten built.
IMAM Ro.1 and Ro.1-bis - Italian licence manufactured light bomber version; 349 manufactured
Budapest 9 - About 100 Fokker C.Vs were built by Manfred Weiss under licence in Hungary
Budapest 11 and Budapest 14 - Built by Manfred Weiss under license in Hungary

C.VI

C.VI - light reconnaissance aircraft with Hispano-Suiza engine, 33 converted from C.V-D

C.IX

C.IX - strategic reconnaissance variant of C.V-E with Hispano-Suiza 12N engine; five built for Netherlands, one exported to Switzerland

Operators

Bolivia Republic of China Denmark Finland

Finnish Air Force

Germany

Luftwaffe

Italy

Regia Aeronautica - Ro.1 and Ro.1-bis

Hungary

The Royal Hungarian Air Force used its C.Vs in the war with Slovakia

Netherlands

ML-KNIL

Norway

Norwegian Army Air Service (1926-1940)

Sweden

Swedish Air Force - (S 6)

Switzerland

Swiss Army Air Corps

United States

United States Navy - A single Ro.1 was purchased for the use of the US Naval Air Attaché in 1928

Specifications (Dutch C.V)

Data from War over Holland (English)

General characteristics

Crew: Two
Length: 9.25 m (30 ft 4 in)
Wingspan: 12.50 m (C.Vd), 15.30 m (C.Ve) (41 ft 1 in (C.Vd), 50 ft 2 in (C.Ve))
Height: ()
Empty weight: 1,920 kg (4,233 lb)
Powerplant: 1x— Rolls Royce Kestrel V IIb inline piston engine, 630 hp (470 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 250 km/h (155 mph)
Cruise speed: 180 km/h (110 mph)
Range: 800 km (500 mi)
Service ceiling: 6,500 m (22,000 ft)

Armament

Guns:
2 x— 7.9 mm (.31 in) FN synchronized fixed machine guns
1 x— 7.9 mm (.31 in) Lewis machine gun on flexible mount in the rear
Bombs: 200 kg (440 lb) of bombs under wings

Specifications (Norwegian license built C.V-D)

Data from National Norwegian Aviation Museum (English)

General characteristics

Crew: Two
Length: 9.40 m (30.84 ft)
Wingspan: 12.50 m (41 ft)
Height: 3.30 m (10.83 ft)
Max takeoff weight: 2,000 kg (4,409 lb)
Powerplant: 1x— Bristol Jupiter radial engine, 336 kW (450 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 215 km/h (115 kn, 132 mph)
Range: 1,000 km (621 mi)
Service ceiling: 5,900 m (19,360 ft)

Armament

Guns: 2 x— 7.2 mm (.28 in) machine guns
Bombs: 16 x— 8 kg (17½ lb) bombs or 4 x— 50 kg (110 lb) bombs

Specifications (C.V-E)

Data from Thulinista Hornetiin

General characteristics

Crew: Two
Length: 9.53 m (31 ft 3 in)
Wingspan: 15.30 m (30 ft 2 in)
Height: 3.30 m (10 ft 10 in)
Wing area: 39.30 m² (422.8 ft²)
Max takeoff weight: 2,400 kg (5,280 lb)
Powerplant: 1x— Napier Lion, 298 kW (400 hp) or Armstrong Siddeley Panther II 429 kW (575 hp) or Bristol Jupiter VI 313 kW (420 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 215 km/h (115 kn, 132 mph)

Armament

Guns: 1 x— 7.9 mm (.31 in) machine gun
Bombs: 16 x— 8 kg (17½ lb) bombs or 4 x— 50 kg (110 lb)bombs

Footnotes

Timo Heinonen: Thulinista Hornetiin - Keski-Suomen ilmailumuseon julkaisuja 3, 1992. ISBN 951-95688-2-4 (Finnish)
Weal, John, Luftwaffe Schlachtgruppen: Aviation Elite Units 13, Osprey Publishing, Oxford 2003 ISBN 1841766089

Fokker C.V Pictures

More aircraft.

Source: WikiPedia