Dutch Fleet in the East Indies
4 battle cruisers (cruiser killers)
6 light cruisers
3 light cruisers (Java class modified as AA cruiser)
24 destroyers
42 submarines
Air planes in the Dutch East Indies
June 1940
(after caputilation of the homeland to Germany)
First squadrons in 1931 were part of the Dutch land forces under command from the home land. Independ air branch of the Dutch east Indies since 1936.
A full strength afdeling (=squadron) with 12 aircraft was divided into three patrouilles (=flights) with four planes apiece, each patrouille split up into two pairs (=Koppel).
I Group
1-VlG-I : 12 Fokker T9 Samarinda II airfield, Borneo
2-VlG-I : 12 Fokker G1
3-VlG-I : 12 Fokker G1
4-VlG-I : 12 Fokker T9 Singkawang II airfield, Borneo
5-VlG-I : 12 Fokker G1
6-VlG-I : 12 Fokker G1
II Group
1-VlG-II : 12 Fokker T9 Singosari, Malang-Java
2-VlG-II : 12 Fokker T9.
3-VlG-II : 12 Fokker T9.
III Group
1-VlG-III : 12 Fokker G1 Tjililitan, Batavia-Java
2-VlG-III : 12 Fokker G1.
3-VlG-III : 12 Fokker G1
IV Group
1-VlG-IV : 12 Fokker T9 Maospati, Madioen -Java
2-VlG-IV : 12 Fokker G1.
3-VlG-IV : 12 Fokker G1
V Group
1-VlG-V : 12 Fokker DXXI: I Patrouille,Tjililitan, Batavia-Java
: 12 Fokker DXXI: II Patrouille, Perak-Java.
2-VlG-V : 24 Fokker DXXI: I and II Patrouilles, Andir-Java
:12 Fokker DXXIII : III Patrouille, Perak-Java
3-VlG-V : 12 Fokker DXXI, Maospati, Madioen -Java
VI Group
1-VlG-VI : 24 Fokker DXXII and II Patrouille Samarinda II, Borneo.
: 12 Fokker DXXI III Patrouille Singkawang II, Borneo.
2-VlG-VI : 12 Fokker DXXI IV Patrouille Singkawang II, Borneo.
VII Group
1-VlG-VII : 12 Fokker DXXI Ambon Island
2-VlG-VII : 12 Fokker G1
Reconnaissance Squadrons
VkA1: 12 Fokker C X. biplanes
VkA2: 12 Fokker C X.
VkA3: 12 Fokker C X
VkA4: 12 Fokker C X
VkA5: 12 Koolhoven FK51 biplanes.
VkA6: 12 Koolhoven FK51.
VkA7: 12 Koolhoven FK51.
VkA8: 12 Fokker TV twin-engined ‘’long’’-range
Naval Air Service(Marine Luchvaart Dienst) organized in independent flightsof three aircraft)
GVT1 to GVT24 : 72 Dornier Do24K flying boats, called "X-Boots" by the Dutch, with 6 in reserve
GVT25 to GVT30 : 15 Fokker T8W floatplanes
Reserves
The flight schools provided enough aircraft to form an extra afdeling of Fokker G1, one of Lockheed L212s and two Koolhoven for the air force.
The naval air service also had 26 Fokker C5D and Es and 11 C14Ws on hand.
Early half of the thirties the way of defending the airspace of the Dutch east indies was thought to be with a single engine aircraft. Fokker was asked to build a prototype after specifications. The result was the DXXI. The result was disappointing, it was a typical Fokker design, metal tube frame, covered with linen and around the cockpit metal sheets and a wooden wing and fixed landing gear. Never the less it proved to be a rugged plane, easy in flight and maintenance and above all, cheep to produce. Most of the plane were to be build in a assembly line on Java. Initial a small order was made but followed soon others orders and several improved versions. All related to heavier engines or different armament configurations.
Soon was realized that short ranged fighters alone were not enough for the air defense. A solution was thought to be found in the Fokker G1.
The Fokker G1 was a private enterprise of the Fokker company according to specifications of the French armed forces. Despite a sensational entrance on the Paris aviation show the French did not showed interest. The Belgians however were looking for a light bomber and reconnaissance plane, with possibility to use it as a heavy fighter, in order to modernize and expand their fleet of Fairley Foxes.
One of the conditions was that it had to be fitted with the Belgian produced Hispano Suiza liquid cooled, line engines.
Most of the G1 were build by Renard who delivered also the fighter R36 for Belgium.
Dutch East Indian air force
The Dutch East Indies air force however preferred American air cooled radial engines as used in their DXXI. This resulted in the development of two different planes on the same air frame.
The GI was stil a half metal, partly linen cover plane with a wooden wing.
The armament arrangement was copied from the Belgians; 2x 20mm guns, 2 x 7,9 mm MG in the nose and 1x 7,9mm MG in the tail and some 400Kg of bombs.
The G1 was thought to be to light as bomber so the new now true all metal Fokker T9 was purchased with the intention of replacing the G1’s over time.
The Fokker DXXI was intend to be replaced by modern fighters most likely from American designers, but one squadron was equipped with the latest Fokker DXXIII.