Fokker C.XI

The Fokker C.XI was a Dutch two‑seat reconnaissance and light‑bomber aircraft built by the Fokker company in the late 1920s. Developed as a successor to the earlier C.VII, the C.XI first flew in 1929 and entered service with the Royal Dutch East Indies Army Air Force and the Dutch Naval Aviation Service. Its high‑wing, mixed‑construction design combined a wooden frame with fabric covering, while a powerful 450 hp (336 kW) Rolls‑Royce Kestrel engine drove a two‑bladed propeller, giving a maximum speed of about 275 km/h (171 mph) and a range of 800 km. Armament comprised a forward‑firing Vickers machine gun and a rear Lewis gun, plus provision for up to 200 kg of bombs under the wings. The C.XI’s robust handling, good visibility from the open cockpit, and reliable service life made it a valuable asset for colonial patrols, mapping, and training missions. Although only a few dozen were built, the aircraft demonstrated Fokker’s ability to adapt World‑War‑I‑era concepts to interwar requirements, influencing later Dutch designs such as the C.VIII and contributing to the development of reconnaissance tactics that persisted into World II. Its legacy endures as a testament to innovative interwar aircraft engineering.

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