Fokker D.XXI

History

In 1936 a few were used by the Spanish Republic. Although the order by the ML-KNIL was cancelled, the Luchtvaartafdeeling (Dutch Army Air Force before World War II) placed an order of 36 aircraft, which were all delivered in time to participate in the war against the Germans in May of 1940. The Fokker D.XXI, although much slower and more lightly armed than the Bf 109, performed surprisingly well in dogfights, due to its maneuverability. Nonetheless, the numerical disparity of the Luchtvaartafdeeling compared to the Luftwaffe resulted in the destruction of most Dutch Fokker D.XXI fighters during the campaign. Some were captured during and after May 15th, but their fates, apart from their capture, are unknown.

The Fokker D.XXI performed better and for much longer in the Finnish Air Force, which had acquired a number of licence-built fighters prior to the start of the Winter War. Against the aircraft of the Soviet Air Force, the Fokker was more evenly matched, and its rugged design with a radial engine and fixed undercarriage made it very suitable for Finnish conditions. Later in the war, as newer models of Soviet fighters appeared, the Fokker D.XXI was underpowered and too lightly armed (with only four .30 caliber machine guns) to compete. Plans to arm the Fokkers with 20 mm cannons were dropped and only one fighter was armed as such (two 20 mm cannons and two .30 machine guns). Another fighter was equipped with retractable landing gear, but due to bad performance, wasn't continued in the series. During the Continuation War (1941-44) the Finnish State Aircraft Factory (Valtion Lentokonetehdas, VL) also built some fifty D.XXIs with the Swedish-built Pratt & Whitney R-1535 Twin Wasp Junior as the Bristol Mercury was in short supply. These can be identified by their longer cockpit glazing, smooth cowl, and large ventral air intake under the cowl.

Source: Wikipedia

The Kit

Our 1:12 scale kit was designed by Tom Jacoby for brushless power. The kit is easy to build because it's constructed over a central crutch that becomes an integral part of the model's structure.

Our prototype is in the colors of the Royal Dutch Air Force at the outbreak of WWII, and features the orange "neutrality" insignia.

Our D.XXI kit is a short kit containing:

• All laser-cut wood parts needed to build the model:
  • fuselage and cowl formers
  • wing ribs and spars
  • fin and rudder
  • stabilizer and elevator
  • laser-cut lower skins for the wing
  • motor mount
• custom vacuum-formed plastic canopy
• full-size plan sheet
• construction manual
• two sheets of markings

To complete this kit, the builder will need the following additional materials:

• 1/4" X 3/4" Balsa for wing leading edge
• 3/32" Aluminum tubing, 3"
• 1/16" Music wire, 20"
• 1/16" x 4" x 36" Balsa sheet for wing and fuselage skin, 3 each
• 1/8" x 4" Hardwood dowel
• 1/64 or 1/32 ply and foam blocks for fillets
• Wing mounting bolt
• Hinges (ailerons, elevator)
• Miscellaneous servo mounting materials and pushrods
• Covering materials and paint
• Brushless power system

Status

Waiting for beta builder availability.