DC-3 Bomber by Fokker

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This 1/20 scale trade-show model was a proposal by Fokker, dated about 1935. Fokker was the exclusive European importer for Douglas Aircraft at the time, and this conversion was to make bombers out of existing commercial DC-3 airliners.

In addition to bomb bay doors behind the wing box, the DC-3 bomber featured a couple of machine gun turrets on the roof and a bombardier/gunner blister under the cockpit. DC-3 passenger windows were not covered up, so I assume these aircraft could be un-converted and returned to commercial service, at the end of the conflict.

The model is all-metal, with retractable gear, and features the signature plate of J. van Pelt, model maker for Anthony Fokker.

Any references or documentation about this Fokker project would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Arjan]

Nederlandse vertaling:

Dit 1/20 model voor luchtvaartshows was een voorstel van Fokker van ongeveer 1935.
Fokker was destijds de exclusieve importeur van Douglas vliegtuigen voor Europa, en deze conversie was bedoeld om bommenwerpers te bouwen van standaard lijnvliegtuigen.

Naast een bommenruim achter de vleugels had het enkele geschutskoepels en een ruimte voor de bommenrichter onder de neus.
De ruiten van de passagierstoestellen waren niet bedekt, dus neem ik aan dat de toestellen weer voor commerciele doeleinden gebruikt zouden gaan worden na de oorlog.

Het model is van metaal, met een intrekbaar landingsgestel en een merkplaatje van J. van Pelt, modelbouwer voor Fokker.

Inlichtingen en documentatie over dit project zijn van harte welkom.

[Mathieu]

Hei,

That is an insteresting model! Never read anything about such DC 3.
I'll ask Willem Vredeling if he knows more.

Regards,

Mathieu.

[Mathieu]

He i,

This evening I talked with Willem Vredeling about this model.
He told me that Switserland ask Fokker if the could convert a DC2 or DC3 into a bomber, also Sweden showed interest. He also told me that the bombs had to be stored vertical.

Vanavond met Willem Vredeling gesproken over dit model. Hij wist te vertellen dat Zwitserland Fokker had gevraagd of het mogelijk was een DC2 of DC3 om te bouwen tot bommenwerper, ook Zweden toonde belangstelling voor zo'n omgebouwde DC. Verder wist hij te vertellen dat de bommen verticaal in het bommenruim hingen.

Groet,

Mathieu.

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Thank you Mathieu for this information. I did not know that Switzerland was ever interested in bombers. May I ask who is Willem Vredeling and what does he do?

I also want to add that this model came from the old Fokker main assembly plant at Schiphol when it closed in 1996. It had been in storage there for decades and was rescued from a trash container by Fokker personnel. It was later repaired and repainted.

[g-1reaper]

This is a converted DC-2 by the looks of it... An early study, it resembles the B-18 Bolo a bit, but that is not really that strange i think.

Fokker also made conversions for the F-22 and F-36 passengerplanes. including a glazed over nose, midupper gun turret and other bomber adaptions. The Fokker Heritage Trust keeps some mighty interesting drawings of these adaptions.

Willem Vredeling, by the way, is a "Fokkeriaan in hart en nieren", a former Fokker employee who still is very active with the Fokker heritage. He started collecting Fokker documentation in the sixties, and because of him, we now have a large Fokker documentation in the archives of the Aviodrome.

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Thank you Mathieu and G-1 Reaper.

You are certainly correct, as all DC-3s sold by Fokker were indeed referred to as Fokker-Douglas aircraft. A lot can happen to a model in 74 years. The nose lettering (Douglas DC-3 Bomber) is very old and was painted by hand. Maybe the model traveled to the USA at some point and its Fokker origins were removed? In any case, it was returned to the Schiphol plant and kept in storage for decades. I am grateful that somebody pulled it out of the trash, and very happy that you gentlemen have found some original papers and drawings to document this little-known project.

I used to think it was the ugliest airplane in my collection, but now I really like it. Thanks again,

John

[atticmanalan]

I am the person who pulled the model'out of the trash'.Many years ago I placed an advertisment for old aircraft models in 'de Telegraaf' and recieved a reply from a scrap metal merchant in the town of Hoorn.He told me he had a DC 3 bomber model amongst his scrap zink. When I first saw it it was in a sorry state,missing one wing,undercarridge and both props.A while later I sold the model to my friend Sir George Cox in England who had it beautifully restored albeit with a wooden wing.Later he traded it with an American collector.The story of how it ended up in a scrapyard in derilict state ,i'm sure,will be far more interesting the having been found in a skip at Schiphol.......I only wish I knew what that story was.

[Chris]

I am the person who pulled the model'out of the trash'.

Do you have any photos of the model as how it was when you found it?

Chris

[atticmanalan]

Sorry Chis,I dont usually take pre restoration photos.Suffice to say it looked like freeze dried ****.