Fokker T.V

The Fokker T.V was a Dutch twin‑engine bomber developed in the early 1930s by the aircraft manufacturer Fokker. Conceived as a successor to the aging Fokker T.II and T.III, it first flew in 1934 and entered service with the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force (ML-KNIL) the following year. The aircraft featured an all‑metal monocoque fuselage with a low‑mounted wing, retractable main landing gear, and a fully enclosed cockpit that offered improved crew protection. Power was supplied by two 740 hp Wright R-1820 radial engines, enabling a maximum speed of roughly 290 km/h (180 mph) and a range of 1,600 km, sufficient for medium‑range strategic missions. Its bomb load of up to 1,200 kg could be carried internally or in external racks, and defensive armament consisted of several 7.9 mm machine guns positioned in dorsal, ventral and lateral turrets.

Although only a limited production run of 44 airframes was completed before the outbreak of World War II, the T.V demonstrated the transition from fabric‑covered biplanes to modern all‑metal monoplanes in Dutch aviation. Its service in the Dutch East Indies highlighted the challenges of defending distant colonies, and its loss during the Japanese invasion underscored the rapid obsolescence of pre‑war designs. The Fokker T.V remains a significant marker of interwar bomber development and the evolution of Dutch aircraft engineering.

Fokker

Classification

Production & History

Design & Classification