Fokker V.13

The Fokker V.13 was a single‑seat, low‑wing monoplane fighter prototype developed by the Dutch manufacturer Fokker in the early 1920s as part of the company’s series of experimental “V” models. Conceived shortly after World War I, the V.13 was intended to explore the potential of inline engines and cantilever wing construction, concepts that would later influence the celebrated Fokker D.VII and subsequent civil aircraft. Powered by a 180 hp Hispano‑Suiza 8b V‑8, the aircraft featured a sleek wooden fuselage sheathed in plywood, a tapered wing with a mild dihedral, and a fixed, split‑axle undercarriage. The pilot sat in an open cockpit positioned near the wing’s trailing edge, granting good visibility for combat manoeuvres. Though only one prototype was built and it never entered production, the V.13’s design experiments contributed valuable data on aerodynamic cleanliness and structural efficiency, helping Fokker refine the aerodynamics of later models such as the F.VIIB/3m and the commercial F.VII trimotor. Its brief existence illustrates the transitional period between wartime biplanes and the more modern monoplane configurations that would dominate aviation in the interwar years, marking a step forward in the evolution of aircraft design.