Douglas DB-7

[ruudvanom]

Zou gaarne antwoord krijgen van een administrator van deze site op twee vragen die ik heb.

1. Is er een beperking op de hoeveelheid tekst die geplaatst kan worden op deze site?
2. Mag ik een artikel uit een magazine (AAHS - American Aviation Historical Society) uit 1977 overgetypt hier plaatsen (Met bronvermelding uiteraard)?

Deze vragen betreffen een artikel dat ik heb gevonden in een AAHS magazine van 1977. Het betreft gebeurtenissen met een Douglas DB-7 dat wat aanvult over hetgeen N. Geldhof in zijn boek "70 jaar Marineluchtvaartdienst" heeft geschreven en dat ik wil overtypen en hier plaatsen. Te meer omdat er enkele namen in worden genoemd die misschien anderen weer op een volgend spoor kunnen zetten.

Ruud.

[sander]

Hey Ruud,
is het misschien niet beter om foto's te maken van het artikel en dan een bron vermelding erbij de schrijven? scheelt een hoop werk. verder denk ik dat het wel kan zolang er maar een bron bij staat (zoals bij foto's) maar het is niet echt de bedoeling om hele boeken hier te publiceren, maar enkele pagina's lijkt mij geen probleem.
Gr,
Sander

[ruudvanom]

Hallo Sander.

Het magazine leent zich niet voor scannen. Daardoor moest ik het wel overtypen. Het staat klaar maar ik wil toch even weten of ik aan de regels voldoe.

Ruud.

[Mindert]

Stuur anders ff een pb naar Arjan.
De snelste manier om erachter te komen.

[sander]

ja, bij foto's zijn de regels bekend, maar ik weet inderdaad niet of het bij teksten het er op dezelfde manier aan toegaat. persoonlijk vind ik zolang de bron er maar bij staat het wel kan mits het niet teveel word, maar je weet maar nooit hoe andere mensen of de eigenaars erover denken.

[Arjan]

Aangezien het om een oud artikel gaat heb ik er geen problemen mee. We schaden de uitgever niet in zijn verkoop, en je gaf al aan de bron te willen vermelden.

[ruudvanom]

Tijdens het lezen in mijn laatste aankoop, magazines van de "American Aviation Historical Society" uit de jaren '70 vond ik een artikel over de Douglas DB-7 dat ik de lezers van dit forum niet wil onthouden omdat het iets aanvult waarvan weinig bekend is, bij mij in ieder geval.
De auteur van dit artikel heeft deze geschiedenis nooit in zijn eigen boeken verwerkt zover ik weet, en de vier Nederlanders die er in worden genoemd, waarvan in ieder geval één persoon de oorlog heeft overleefd, heeft/hebben het ook nooit aan de grote klok gehangen.

Onderstaand artikel is afkomstig uit "American Aviation Historical Society Journal", Volume 22, Number 4, Winter 1977. Pages 318-319.
Author: Gerard J. Casius, Wichita, Kansas.

As a sequel to the Japanese Warhawk story and the excellent follow-up by my friend Bill Bartsch (Vol. 22, No. 1), the following notes about a similar occurrence involving a Dutch DB-7B may interest readers.

As part of an emergency plan to reinforce the Netherlands Indies, a batch of 32 Douglas DB-7B Bostons were diverted from British contracts and assigned to the Neth. Naval Air Service (MLD). The first six of these arrived in the port of Tjilatjap on Java's South Coast on February 27, 1942, barely 24 hours before the Japanese landed on Java.
To save time, it was decided to fly the Bostons right off the harbor quay, which was cleared of all obstacles. Tjilatjap at that time had no airfield, but it was the only port which was still considered safe enough for arriving reinforcements, more in particular for the old USS Langley which was expected with a load of P-40s. The cleared area was considered adequate for take-off of P-40s, but a Boston was another matter.
Dutch maintenance crews had the first DB-7B ready for flight on March 5 and it was flown to the airfield at Tasik Malaja, east of Bandung. The remaining five airplanes were destroyed by punching holes through the wings with iron bars and by breaking the carburetors off the engines. When the Japanese arrived a few days later there was enough left to assemble at least one plane.
The Japanese employed the Dutch Navy personnel, now POWs to continue work on the DB-7 and early May 1942 they had one plane ready. As was the case with the captured P-40s, the Japanese were reluctant to fly the Boston themselves and were probably not encouraged by the prospect of the very tricky take-off from the quay. Therefore, they contacted Mr. Theodore de Bruyn, director of the Royal Neth. Indies Airlines with the request to provide a pilot who was familiar with American-built aircraft.
Several of the European personnel of the Royal Neth. East Indies Airlines (KNILM) who had not been able to evacuate, were in semi-hiding. In those days shortly after the Japanese take-over the Dutch civilians were not yet interned and enjoyed relative freedom if they did not make themselves too obvious. De Bruyn stayed in touch with them.
The pilot whom De Bruyn decided to ask to fly the Boston was Karl Rupplin von Keffikon, despite his German name a full-blooded Dutchman. He had missed two opportunities to escape from Java, first with the Douglas DC-5 PK-ADA (c/n 430) on March 7, 1942, and the second time with a KNILM Grumman G-21 on March 9, 1942, the day of the surrender. Both these aircraft were damaged in Japanese air raids at Bandung, hastily repaired for an escape, but at the last moment damaged again. Karl Rupplin was now hiding in the village of Tjileuleuh, North of Bandung.
When Theo de Bruyn asked Rupplin if he could fly out the DB-7, he agreed, but told his boss that he would make an attempt to escape with the aircraft. De Bruyn okayed the idea, despite the fact that the Japanese could obviously revenge themselves on him. Rupplin thereupon contacted two KNILM flight engineers. Cornelius "Big" Meier and M. Koster, who agreed to go.
The three Dutchmen reported to the Japanese HQ in Bandung to announce their willingness to go and inquire about the fee. To their surprise the Japanese offered a couple of hundred guilders for the job, paid in advance, which the men accepted graciously. Then they were taken to Tjilatjap by military truck.
On arrival in the port area they found the Boston there apparently in good condition. However, there were absolutely no manuals or any information from which to determine take-off distance, speeds, range, etc. Since the airplane had been assembled by Dutch Navy mechanics, there was of coarse the possibility that it had been sabotaged. Therefore, the Navy people were contacted, but they declared that the plane was in perfect condition and fit to fly.
When the trio inspected the Boston, it was obvious that it did not possess sufficient range to reach Australia. Moreover, they had no idea about the military situation around Australia, and all maps were lacking for such a trip. It was therefore decided to make a try for Christmas Island, which lay some 300 miles Southwest into the Indian Ocean and probably had not yet been occupied.
On the day of departure the tanks of the Boston were topped off and Dutch Navy POW's began clearing the quay from all obstructions. Karl Rupplin reported how he will never forget the hatred in the eyes of these men, who naturally thought that they were collaborating with the Japanese. The engines were fired up and tested, but just when everything seemed alright, a Japanese Army captain appeared who informed them that an armed Japanese guard would go along on the flight, which officially was destined for Bandung.
The Japanese guard added a completely new element to their plan. The engines were shut down again and they quickly discussed what to do next. "Big" Meier brought the decisive factor into the discussion in the form of an enormous crescent wrench he carried around for a while. He had earlier voluntarily declined an opportunity to be evacuated to Australia while there was still time, but was now determined to not let this last chance pass him by. Meier assured his mates that he could put the Japanese to sleep once they were airborne.
It was agreed that they would fly the plane around for 30 minutes in order to estimate the fuel endurance. If there was enough to go to Christmas Island. Karl Rupplin would take his flying helmet off his head, which was the sign for Meier to give the Japanese guard the crescent wrench treatment. The take-off from the harbor quay was a nerve-wracking experience. The airplane was heavy and there was only some 10-12 feet clearance between the left wingtip and the port warehouses, while Rupplin of course had never flown a DB-7 before.
Unfortunately, Rupplin had to decide after half an hour flight that their range was insufficient to make Christmas Island. He kept his helmet on and three very disappointed Dutchmen and one unsuspecting Japanese guard landed at Andir Field, Bandung. The Boston eventually made it to Tokyo where it was exhibited with other war prizes.

If the Boston flown by Rupplin was the only one tested by the Japanese, its identity was ex-RAF AL904, Douglas c/n 3836.
----------------------------------------------------------------

Het blijkt dat Karl Rupplin von Keffikon zoals vermeld in dit artikel geen geboortige Nederlander was maar een Oostenrijker. Wanneer hij de Nederlandse nationaliteit kreeg heb ik nog niet kunnen achterhalen. Kijk:
Karl J. Rupplin von Keffikon Obit - Forsyth - Family History & Genealogy Message Board - Ancestry.com

De andere genoemde personen, Cornelius "Big" Meier en M. Koster heb ik (nog) niet kunnen traceren.

Ik ben benieuwd wat er na dit artikel op het forum komt aan commentaar. Vond zelf het artikel zeer verrassend. o

Ruud van Ommeren.

[Mathieu]

Hoi Ruud,

Prachtig verhaal! Dank voor de moeite nemen om het met ons te delen!

Groet,

Mathieu.

[grasshopper]

In Arawasi Int'nl #11- 2009 heeft dat verhaal over de Bostons een vervolg gekregen.
Hierin staat onder meer dat er zeker twee Nederlandse Bostons door Japan zijn getest, een verslag hiervan is opgenomen in het artikel.
de romp van de AL904 is na de capitulatie op de vliegbasis Atsugi teruggevonden.
De DC-5 heeft de oorlog (ook) overleefd en is op Haneda teruggevonden.

[Jos Heyman]

Thanks for that interesting article.
I have the following on my files regarding the six DB 7Bs:

The first six aircraft arrived on 27 February 1942 in the port of Tjilatjap on the MS Kota Baroe. Which aircraft were involved is unclear. Some references have suggested that the RAF serials were AL359 (c/n 2740), AL360 (c/n 2741), AL903 (c/n 3835), AL904 (c/n 3836), AL905 (c/n 3837) and AL906 (c/n 3838), although AL903 might have been AL901 (c/n 3833) due to a record mix-up. But there are also references that AL360 crashed at Hunter AAF, GA (USA) on 17 June 1942 and AL905 at McClellan Field, CA (USA) on 10 December 1941 whilst AL359 has been recorded as having been withdrawn from use at Olmstead Field, PA on 2 February 1943. Other references include AL347, AL358, AL361 to AL369, AL887, AL890 to AL895, AL897 to AL899 and AL907.
One unidentified aircraft was assembled and flown to Tasikmalaja on 5 March 1942 (the main road behind the port facilities at Tjilatjap had been widened to serve as a runway). Tasikmalaja was used as a central point from which salvageable equipment would be packed and transported to Australia. The aircraft was intended to go to Andir but, because of lack of 100 octane fuel, could not be flown to Andir and was instead, set on fire during the capitulation. A second, partially assembled aircraft, AL904, was captured by the Japanese and was repaired and eventually flown in Japan with serial J-D-A-1. In 1945 it was found at the Atsugi air base in Japan. The remaining four aircraft were railed to Bandoeng for assembly but were captured, unassembled, by the Japanese. It has been suggested one of these was assembled and flown.