Fokker G.I - WikiHQ

The Fokker G.I was a Dutch twin-engined heavy fighter aircraft comparable in size and role to the German Messerschmitt Bf 110. Although in production prior to World War II, its combat introduction came at a time the Netherlands were overrun by the Germans. The few G.Is that were mustered into service were able to score several victories. Some of the aircraft were captured intact after the Germans had occupied the Netherlands. The remainder of the production run was taken over by the Luftwaffe for use as trainers.

Design and development

thumb|Dutch G.I; rear view

The G.I, given the nickname le Faucheur ("The Reaper" in French), was designed as a private venture in 1936 by Fokker chief engineer Dr. Schatzki. Intended for the role of jachtkruiser, "heavy" fighter or air cruiser, able to gain air superiority over the battlefield as well as being a bomber destroyer, the G.1 would fulfil a role seen as important at the time, by advocates of Giulio Douhet's theories on air power. The Fokker G.I used a twin-engined, twin-boom layout that featured a central nacelle housing two or three crew members (a pilot, radio operator/navigator/rear gunner or a bombardier) as well as a formidable armament of twin 23 mm (.91 in) Madsen cannon and a pair of 7.9 mm (.31 in) machine guns (later eight machine guns) in the nose and one in a rear turret.

Besides its main mission, the G.1 could perform ground attack and light bombing missions (it could carry a bomb load of one 400 kg/882 lb bomb or combinations of two 200 kg/441 lb or 10 26 kg/57 lb bombs). Later, Emil Meinecke took over much of the test flights. The maiden flight went well but a test flight in September 1937 ended with a supercharger explosion that nearly caused the loss of the prototype. Finland was interested in the G.I but eventually bought Bristol Blenheim light bombers.

Besides the Dutch Royal Netherlands Air Force (Luchtvaartafdeeling Aviation Departement), several foreign air forces showed an interest in the G.I. as a fighter or dive-bomber. To test its potential as a dive-bomber, the G.1 prototype was fitted with hydraulic dive brakes under the wings. Flight tests revealed that the G.1 was capable of diving at over 644 km/h (400 mph) and had aerobatic capabilities. Swedish Air Force officer Captain Björn Bjuggren tested the G.1 in over 20 dives and reported favourably on its effectiveness as a dive bomber. Orders for G.1 Wasp aircraft came from Spain (26 ordered) and Sweden (18), while the Mercury variant was ordered by Denmark (12) with a production license that was never used, and Sweden (72). Although Belgium, Finland, Turkey, Hungary and Switzerland showed interest, they never placed firm orders.

The Luchtvaartafdeeling ordered 36 G.I's with 541 kW (825 hp) Bristol Mercury VIII engines, the standard engine used by the Dutch Air Force in the Fokker D.XXI fighter, to equip two squadrons. Although reports are fragmentary and inaccurate as to the results, G.1 fighters were employed over Rotterdam and the Hague, contributing to the loss of 167 Ju 52s, scoring up to 14 confirmed aerial kills. The highest scoring G.1 pilot was Gerben Sonderman, with four victories.

Aftermath

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At the conclusion of hostilities, several G.Is were captured by the Germans, with the remainder of the Spanish order completed at the Fokker plant by mid-1941 for the G.1s to be assigned as fighter trainers for Bf 110 crews at Wiener Neustadt. For the next two years, Flugzeugführerschule (B) 8 flew the G.1 Wasp until attrition grounded the fleet.

There are no surviving G.Is today, although a replica has been built and is on display at the Dutch Nationaal Militair Museum (National Military Museum).

Variants

thumb|An unarmed reconnaissance model with glass observation cupola (bath tub) in the aircraft's belly.

G.I: Prototype, powered by two Hispano-Suiza 14AB-02/03 engines; one built, c/n 5419. Armed with two 7.92 mm machine guns and two 23 mm Madsen automatic cannons.
G.I Mercury: Two and three-seat models, powered by Bristol Mercury VIII engines; 36 built, c/n 5521–5556.
G.I Wasp: Two-seat, smaller "export model"