Fokker DXXI variants

[63cpe]

During last ESM in Houten The Netherlands I had a conversation with a visitor about the (lack off) qualities the Fokker D XXI had as it was hampered by a government not willing (or able) to spent budget on defence. This effected the Fokker DXXI (main Dutch defence fighter during the early days of the WWII) by being under armed, some aircraft had a radio/ some didn't (based on rank of the pilot) but most of all the lack of speed caused by it's fixed main gear.

During the early production of the D.XXI, Fokker's design office considered a number of developments to the basic design, including a wing re-design. A number of alternative engines were considered, including such power plants as the 650 hp (480 kW) Rolls-Royce Kestrel V and the 750 hp (560 kW) Pratt and Whitney Twin Wasp Junior. During 1938, work on three extensively modified versions known as the 150, 151 and 152 were initiated. These aircraft were to be powered by the 1,375 hp (1,025 kW) Bristol Hercules, the 1,050 hp (780 kW) Rolls-Royce Merlin and the 1,090 hp (810 kW) Daimler-Benz DB 600H. Retractable landing gear was incorporated into these redesigns.

So What if the Fokker D XXI was developed with an retractable main gear and a more powerful engine?

First up is an variant with a Griffon (taken from an Fairey Barracuda). This still has it's original fixed main gear but this will be changed into a retractable set later.

PXL_20250101_225637221 by Buddy Holly, on Flickr
PXL_20250101_225645296 by Buddy Holly, on Flickr
PXL_20250101_225654971 by Buddy Holly, on Flickr

Second variant is re-engined with a Pratt & Whitney R1830 and is equipped with a retractable main gear. To accommodate the bigger engine the fuselage was cut over it's length and filled with 2mm styrene sheet. Also a bigger rudder was fitted as were some cannons instead of the machine guns.

PXL_20250101_221902967.MP by Buddy Holly, on Flickr
PXL_20250101_221914668 by Buddy Holly, on Flickr
PXL_20250101_221948178 by Buddy Holly, on Flickr

More variants to come!
Hope you like it.

David aka 63CPE

[PR19_Kit]

I don't like them, I LOVE them! 

Will they sport orange triangles?

[Mossie]

Looking good! Definitely a type that could have benefitted from development, looking forward to seeing the fleet.

[perttime]

Cool!

VL in Finland built a couple of D.XXI prototypes with retracts. One wasn't very good, the other gave good improvement in performance. They also built 55 D.XXIs with the Twin Wasp Junior, mainly because they couldn't get Bristol Mercurys.

[Dizzyfugu]

The R1830 one looks very good, esp. with the retractable landing gear and the spinner - these change a lot. The D.XXI was quite an elegant aircraft, and this is a worthy update! 

[NARSES2]

I've always had a liking for the DXXI and am looking forward to seeing where yours go    The Griffon engined one in particular looks very good 

VL in Finland built a couple of D.XXI prototypes with retracts.

I knew that someone had built a retractable undercarriage version. Thanks for saving me some searching   

I think the whole area of aircraft that were under development or in their initial production runs in both Holland and France in 1940 is a fascinating area for Wiffery. The French in particular had so many different designs and ideas on the go that there is no telling what their Air Force would have been like by 43/44 ?

[zenrat]

...I think the whole area of aircraft that were under development or in their initial production runs in both Holland and France in 1940 is a fascinating area for Wiffery. The French in particular had so many different designs and ideas on the go that there is no telling what their Air Force would have been like by 43/44 ?

Need to scheme out a scenario where there is enough of a threat that development would continue, but no invasion in 1940.
Maybe the Maginot line continued to the channel coast and Hilter kept heading East after taking Poland?  Barbarossa a year earlier.

[NARSES2]

Need to scheme out a scenario where there is enough of a threat that development would continue, but no invasion in 1940.
Maybe the Maginot line continued to the channel coast and Hilter kept heading East after taking Poland?  Barbarossa a year earlier.

Barbarossa a year earlier is certainly a possible scenarion, or maybe he went South East in 1940. Through Yugoslavia and Greece opening up a southern front to the USSR via Bulgaria and Romania all ready for 1941 ?

A more radical scenario is what if Poland actually became an ally of Germany ? Given their natural dislike/distrust of the Russians, let alone Soviets, it's not entirely ridiculous. Plus they had a fairly right wing government in place, as did many Central European countries.

[63cpe]

Thank you for the suggestion on a scenario to help make these whiffies a possibility. I think the shift of attention to the east/ south east of Europe after taking Poland, Austria and sudetenland is a valid plan. This frees up time for further development of the Fokker G1 and D XXI.

This scenario's also sets the use of Orange triangles ( or dorito's) versus the red white blue roundels. The dorito's were actually used as a emergency measure to recognize and maintain neutrality. I guess they will both have the orange triangles as the scenario is that the invasion of the low countries happend later ( if it happened at all).

As recognized by Mossie the Fokker DXXI is a great source for Whiffery (as is the French aircraft manufacturers). Another planned versions are (1) DB 601 powered and (2) Merlin XII. But need canopies for the Fokkers. The Models are PM models DXXI's I bought as a group of 7 or 8 aircraft all assembled but were all tatty. Need to replace some canopies as they were smeared in glue. I'll probably reproduce the canopies myself in transparant resin.

David aka 63CPE

[The Wooksta!]

Both Kora and Special Hobby have released kits of the retractable u/c D.XXIs.  Try finding them now...

[Nico1947]

Cool!

VL in Finland built a couple of D.XXI prototypes with retracts. One wasn't very good, the other gave good improvement in performance. They also built 55 D.XXIs with the Twin Wasp Junior, mainly because they couldn't get Bristol Mercurys.

Ahhh, gives me a fever-dream for a DB605-reengined D-XXI in Finnish service, or perhaps even more vile a Jumo 213 with the 30mm Motorkanon-103 like the Ta-152C or something.

[Dizzyfugu]

I also did a biplane variant a while ago, with spats and the wings from a Gladiator.

[jcf]

Cool!

VL in Finland built a couple of D.XXI prototypes with retracts. One wasn't very good, the other gave good improvement in performance. They also built 55 D.XXIs with the Twin Wasp Junior, mainly because they couldn't get Bristol Mercurys.

Ahhh, gives me a fever-dream for a DB605-reengined D-XXI in Finnish service, or perhaps even more vile a Jumo 213 with the 30mm Motorkanon-103 like the Ta-152C or something.

The 213 with motor-cannon would weigh more than an engineless D.XXI airframe.