In Box Review of Classic Airframes 1/48th Scale
Dutch Fokker D.XXI Fighter
Kit no. 94-401-2700
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Copyright 1994
Available one place overseas for 20.00 Euros
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Copyright 1994
Available one place overseas for 20.00 Euros
HISTORY:
The Fokker D.XXI fighter was designed in 1935 by Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker in response to requirements laid out by the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force (Militaire Luchtvaart van het Koninklijk Nederlands-Indisch Leger, ML-KNIL).
It has the distinction of being the last fighter aircraft to be developed by Fokker.
The D.XXI was designed as an inexpensive, rugged, and compact fighter aircraft that would possess respectable performance for its era. Entering operational use in the early years of the Second World War, it provided yeoman service for both the Luchtvaartafdeling (Dutch Army Aviation Group) and the Finnish Air Force.
Additionally, a few examples were constructed by the El Carmolí factory before it fell into rebel hands during the Spanish Civil War. Following the invasion and occupation of the Netherlands in May 1940, several captured Dutch D.XXIs were subsequently placed into service with the Luftwaffe.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Fighter
Manufacturer: Fokker
Designer: Erich Schatzki
First flight: 27 March 1936
Retired: 1948
Status: retired
Primary users: Finnish Air Force, Dutch Air Force, Danish Air Force
Number built: 148
The Fokker D.XXI fighter was designed in 1935 by Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker in response to requirements laid out by the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force (Militaire Luchtvaart van het Koninklijk Nederlands-Indisch Leger, ML-KNIL).
It has the distinction of being the last fighter aircraft to be developed by Fokker.
The D.XXI was designed as an inexpensive, rugged, and compact fighter aircraft that would possess respectable performance for its era. Entering operational use in the early years of the Second World War, it provided yeoman service for both the Luchtvaartafdeling (Dutch Army Aviation Group) and the Finnish Air Force.
Additionally, a few examples were constructed by the El Carmolí factory before it fell into rebel hands during the Spanish Civil War. Following the invasion and occupation of the Netherlands in May 1940, several captured Dutch D.XXIs were subsequently placed into service with the Luftwaffe.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Fighter
Manufacturer: Fokker
Designer: Erich Schatzki
First flight: 27 March 1936
Retired: 1948
Status: retired
Primary users: Finnish Air Force, Dutch Air Force, Danish Air Force
Number built: 148
THE KIT:
Classic Airframes was a model company that produced 1/48th scale aircraft kits. These are short-run multi-media type kits. They were located in Chicago, IL and their kits were molded in the Czech Republic and then packaged in the USA.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a Dutch Fokker D.XX! dog-fighting with a German Me-109 above the clouds.
The D.XX1 is in a wave pattern of brown and green over a light-blue under carriage. It has a red rudder flap outlined in black, Dutch national triangle symbols, white fuse no. 241 and 3 white mice on the side of the cowling.
The 109 is in a wave pattern of 2 greens over light-blue sides and bottom. It has a fuselage no. 5 outlined in white. The logo on the side of the nose is a white diamond outlined in black with a un-identifiable black symbol on it.
Classic Airframes was a model company that produced 1/48th scale aircraft kits. These are short-run multi-media type kits. They were located in Chicago, IL and their kits were molded in the Czech Republic and then packaged in the USA.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a Dutch Fokker D.XX! dog-fighting with a German Me-109 above the clouds.
The D.XX1 is in a wave pattern of brown and green over a light-blue under carriage. It has a red rudder flap outlined in black, Dutch national triangle symbols, white fuse no. 241 and 3 white mice on the side of the cowling.
The 109 is in a wave pattern of 2 greens over light-blue sides and bottom. It has a fuselage no. 5 outlined in white. The logo on the side of the nose is a white diamond outlined in black with a un-identifiable black symbol on it.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
This kit contains 2 light-grey trees (not cello bagged), a vacuformed clear tree, tan resin parts and white metal parts in a stapled-shut clear cello bag, 2 brass PE frets and black photo negative in another stapled-shut clear cello bag, with a stiff white card to prevent the PE from bending, 2 decal sheets (one of which may not have originally came in this kit, that I added) and 2 instruction sheets.
The main instructions consists of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 6 pages in 7 1/2" x 10" page format.
Page one is the parts-trees illustrations.
Pages 2 through 6 gives a total of 8 assembly steps.
The second instructions consists of a single-sheet that is folded in the center to create 4 pages in 6" x 8 1/2" page format, printed on slick coated paper.
Page 1 shows 4 line-drawings of other kits that Classic Airframes manufactures: kit no. 95-402, a Italian Fiat CR 42 "Falco", kit no. 95-403, a Italian Macchi MC.200 "Saetta", kit no. 95-404, a British Boulton Paul "Defiant" Mk.1 and kit no. 95-405, a Soviet Mig-3.
Page 2 & 3 have four 3-views of the Fokker D.XXI.
1. The Dutch no. 241 (the box art subject, already described) as seen in 1940.
2. Another Dutch D.XXI, no. 221 in the same scheme as the box art one.
3. A Danish Fokker D.XX1 in the same scheme as the above 2, with only Danish roundels, 1940.
4. Another Danish Fokker D.XXI in overall aluminum with black fuselage no. J-41.
Page 4 has the history and specifications of the Fokker D.XXI.
The first light-grey tree holds: the fuselage, cowling, main wheels, wheel spats and legs, elevators, engine, spinner etc. (21 parts)
This kit contains 2 light-grey trees (not cello bagged), a vacuformed clear tree, tan resin parts and white metal parts in a stapled-shut clear cello bag, 2 brass PE frets and black photo negative in another stapled-shut clear cello bag, with a stiff white card to prevent the PE from bending, 2 decal sheets (one of which may not have originally came in this kit, that I added) and 2 instruction sheets.
The main instructions consists of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 6 pages in 7 1/2" x 10" page format.
Page one is the parts-trees illustrations.
Pages 2 through 6 gives a total of 8 assembly steps.
The second instructions consists of a single-sheet that is folded in the center to create 4 pages in 6" x 8 1/2" page format, printed on slick coated paper.
Page 1 shows 4 line-drawings of other kits that Classic Airframes manufactures: kit no. 95-402, a Italian Fiat CR 42 "Falco", kit no. 95-403, a Italian Macchi MC.200 "Saetta", kit no. 95-404, a British Boulton Paul "Defiant" Mk.1 and kit no. 95-405, a Soviet Mig-3.
Page 2 & 3 have four 3-views of the Fokker D.XXI.
1. The Dutch no. 241 (the box art subject, already described) as seen in 1940.
2. Another Dutch D.XXI, no. 221 in the same scheme as the box art one.
3. A Danish Fokker D.XX1 in the same scheme as the above 2, with only Danish roundels, 1940.
4. Another Danish Fokker D.XXI in overall aluminum with black fuselage no. J-41.
Page 4 has the history and specifications of the Fokker D.XXI.
The first light-grey tree holds: the fuselage, cowling, main wheels, wheel spats and legs, elevators, engine, spinner etc. (21 parts)
The second light-grey tree holds the wings (3 parts)
Next is a loose light-grey 3-bladed propeller, with an extra blade in a stapled-shut clear cello bag. (2 parts)
The tan resin exhaust pipes (2 parts) and the vacuformed canopy and white metal parts are in yet another stapled-shut cello bag.
There are 2 brass PE frets. One holds the cockpit frame-work. The other one holds a lot of parts such as the flap interiors, cockpit and engine details.
A photo negative of the instruments is included for the instrument panel.
The 2 decal sheets are next. One holds Dutch and Finish markings. (this sheet came from another source). The kit decal sheet holds Dutch and Danish markings.
There is no pilot figure in the kit. Detail is the engraved type. Flaps are molded solid.
Recommended.