Fokker T.VIII-W

Fokker T.VIII-W
Type:	Reconnaissance and torpedo aircraft
Design country:	Netherlands
Manufacturer:	Fokker
First flight:	1938
Commissioning:	1939
Production time:	1939-1940
Number of pieces:	36

The Dutch Fokker T.VIII-W was a seaworthy floatplane during World War II . It was used for reconnaissance and as a torpedo bomber .

development

The T.VIII-W was due to a requirement of the Marine Luchtvaartmuseum service (MLD, Dutch naval aviation) for a succeeding pattern for the property in use outdated seaplanes, especially the T.IV . Project planning work began in 1937 and the first flight took place the following year. There were three main versions. The first series T.VIII-W / G ( G for mixed construction wood / metal) appeared from June 1939 and comprised a total of 19 machines. The T.VIII-W / M ( M for all-metal construction) was delivered in twelve copies. The last version was the T.VIII-W / C from 1940, again in mixed construction, but with larger dimensions and more powerful engines. Five of these machines had originally been ordered by Finland, but could no longer be delivered due to the German invasion and were later used by the German Air Force .

A total of 36 T.VIII-W were made.

commitment

Until the German troops marched in, the eleven aircraft that had been completed by then were used for reconnaissance and submarine hunting on the Dutch coast. The plan to send some machines to the Dutch East Indies was no longer realized.

At the beginning of the fighting, nine T.VIII-W moved to French bases on the Channel coast, where they flew patrol missions. Members of the Dutch government were flown to England by plane. On May 22, 1940, eight aircraft escaped to England, where they were combined in the 320th (Dutch) Squadron of the RAF and used against sea targets from Pembroke Dock / South Wales. Due to a lack of spare parts, these flights were discontinued after two months.

Five aircraft had been captured by the Germans, twenty others were still in production. After a test at the E -stelle Travemünde , these machines were used by the German Air Force over the North Sea for reconnaissance, sea rescue and submarine hunting until 1942.

construction

Conceptually, the T.VIII-W was a cantilevered middle-decker with braced light metal normal tail unit with fabric covering and a float landing gear. The fuselage was in three parts with an oval cross-section and consisted of a light metal bow, middle part made of wood and stern made of steel frame with fabric covering (T.VIII-W / G). The wing had two spars, bakelite ribs and plywood planking. In the T.VIII-W / M version, the rear fuselage and the wing were made of light metal.

The landing gear consisted of two single-stage , keeled floats made of corrosion-resistant Dural , each with six watertight compartments and a fuel reserve tank.

Military users

British T.VIII-W

 German Empire

several captured machines in action

 Finland

 Netherlands

 United Kingdom

Technical specifications

Parameter	T.VIII-W / G	T.VIII-W / C
Conception	Seaworthy reconnaissance and torpedo aircraft
Manufacturer	Fokker
crew	3, up to 6
span	18.00 m	20.00 m
length	13.00 m	14.82 m
height	5.00 m	5.40 m
Wing area	44.00 m²	52.00 m²
Empty mass	3100 kg	4540 kg
Takeoff mass	maximum 5000 kg	normal 6660 kg maximum 7010 kg
drive	two air-cooled 9-cylinder radial engines
Type	Wright Whirlwind R-975E3	Bristol Mercury XI
Starting power	450 HP (331 kW) each	890 PS (655 kW) each
Top speed	285 km / h near the ground	358 km / h at an altitude of 1,500 m
Cruising speed	220 km / h	270 km / h at an altitude of 1,500 m
Rate of climb	k. A.	350 m / min
Summit height	6800 m	practically 5600 m, absolute 6800 m
Range	2100 km	normal 1700 km maximum 2100 km
Radius of action	k. A.	840 km
Flight duration	k. A.	normal 8 h
Seaworthiness	k. A.	up to swell 4
Armament	one fixed 7.9 mm MG Browning FN two movable 7.9 mm MG Browning FN
Drop ammunition	Mines, bombs or a torpedo in the fuselage shaft
Weapon loading	up to 605 kg	up to 750 kg

Web links

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