Appendix 5

Specifications for MLD Planes in the Netherlands East Indies

(Total Number Available, Approximately 130 Planes)

Dornier Do. 24K-1/K-2 (“X” boats)

Type: Air\Sea Rescue\Reconnaissance Flying Boat

Crew: 6

Number: 37

*Performance:

Powerplant:      3 × 1,000 hp engines (Wright Cyclone GR1820 F-52)

Max Speed At 9,900 Feet:      211 mph

Cruising Speed:      137 mph

Maximum Range:      2,920 miles

Ceiling:      24,605 feet

     6 minutes to 6,650 feet

*Weight:      20,723 lbs empty

     35,715 lbs loaded

*Dimensions:

Wing Span:      88 feet, 7 inches

Length:      72 feet, 4 inches

Height:      18 feet, 10¼ inches

Wing Area:      1,162 square feet

Armament:      2 × 7.7mm Browning machine guns, 1 × 20mm Hispano-Suiza cannon, and maximum bomb load of 2,642 pounds.

Comments:      Design originally built to Dutch specifications for service in the East Indies. K-1 was the original model and was to be replaced by new Dutch-assembled K-2 versions. However, X-37 was the only K-2 version to arrive in the NEI before the invasion of Holland in May 1940.

*Do. 24K-1 Version

Dornier Do. 15 “Whale” (“D” Boats)

Type: Reconnaissance Flying Boat

Crew: 4

Number: 10

Performance:

Powerplant:      2 × 750 hp Rolls Royce Eagle or Lorraine Dietrich engines; Do. Whale F models: 2 × 600 hp Lorraine Courlis engines

Maximum Speed:      143 mph

Cruising Speed:      124 mph

Range:      1,180 miles

     7 minutes to 9,842 feet

Weight:      10,362 lbs empty

     17,637 lbs loaded

Dimensions:

Wing Span:      76 feet, 1½ inches

Length:      60 feet, ½ inch

Height:      17 Feet, 6½ inches

Wing Area:      1,033.34 square feet

Armament:      2 × 7.7mm machine guns, maximum bomb load of 2,200 pounds.

Comments:      In use with Netherlands East Indies Naval Air Force since the mid-1920s. Original order numbered 46 planes, but only 10 remained operational by the outbreak of the Pacific War.

Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina (“Y” Boats)

Type: Patrol Bomber Flying Boat

Crew: 7

Number: 36

Performance:

Powerplant:      2 × 1,200 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1830-82 engines

Max Speed At 5,700 Feet:      200 mph

Cruising Speed:      115 mph

Range:      1,895 miles

Ceiling:      21,600 feet

Weight:      17,400 lbs empty

     33,389 lbs loaded

Dimensions:

Wing Span:      104 feet

Length:      63 feet, 10 inches

Height:      18 feet, 11 inches

Wing Area:      1,400 square feet

Armament:      4 × .50 Browning machine guns, 4 × depth charges, 2 × torpedoes or 4 × 1,000 pound bombs.

Comments:      36 PBYs were completed for the Netherlands East Indies Naval Air Force at the Consolidated aircraft factory in San Diego, California between August and October 1941. Although the first PBY arrived at Soerabaja September 5 of that year, the last Catalinas did not arrive until January 1942, well after the outbreak of war with Japan. An additional 12 amphibious aircraft were still on order when Java fell and were delivered to the remnants of MLD at Ceylon from March 1942.

Fokker T.IVa (“T” Boats)

Type: Torpedo Bomber/Reconnaissance Floatplane

Crew: 4

Number: 11

Performance:

Powerplant:      2 × 768 hp Wright Cyclone SR-1820-F2

Max Speed At 2,624 Feet:      161 mph

Cruising Speed:      135 mph

Range:      970 miles

Ceiling:      19,360 feet

     3 minutes, 6 seconds to 3,280 feet

Weight:      10,284 lbs empty

     15,873 lbs loaded

Dimensions:

Wing Span:      85 feet, 11½ inches

Length:      57 feet, 9 inches

Height:      19 feet, 8¼ inches

Wing Area:      1,052 square feet

Armament:      3 × 7.7mm FN-Browning machine guns, maximum (internal) bomb load of 1,764 pounds or 1 × torpedo under fuselage.

Comments:      Designed for service in the East Indies and first flown in 1927. All 24 planes constructed were sent to the Far East. Eleven were left in December 1941, and served in auxiliary roles.

Fokker C.XIV-W (“F” Class)

Type: Trainer/Reconnaissance Floatplane

Crew: 2

Number: 10

Performance:

Powerplant:      1 × 450 hp Wright R-975E-3 engine

Maximum Speed:      143 mph

Cruising Speed:      120 mph

Range:      590 miles

Ceiling:      17,720 feet

     3 minutes, 48 seconds to 3,280 feet

Weight:      2,930 lbs empty

     4,300 lbs loaded

Dimensions:

Wing Span:      39 feet, 5 inches

Length:      31 feet, 2 inches

Height:      13 feet, 11 inches

Wing Area:      342.22 square feet

Armament:      2 × 7.9mm FN-Browning or 7.7mm Browning machine guns. For aircraft operating in Europe, 7.9mm was the standard caliber, while 7.7mm was the standard for aircraft in the NEI. As these aircraft were originally built and delivered to units in Holland, they would have been armed with 7.9mm weapons; however, it is unknown whether they were rearmed after their arrival in the NEI in mid-1940.

Comments:      These aircraft were 11 survivors from the German invasion of Holland in May 1940. They were initially evacuated to England and eventually sent on to the East Indies later that year.

Fokker C.XI-W (“W” Class)

Type: Cruiser Reconnaissance Floatplane

Crew: 2

Number: 8

Performance:

Powerplant:      1 × 750 hp Wright Cyclone SR-1820

Max Speed At 5,750 Feet:      174 mph

Cruising Speed:      146 mph

Range:      453 miles

Ceiling      20,990 feet

     2 minutes, 24 seconds to 3,280 feet

Weight:      3,792 lbs empty

     5,622 lbs loaded

Dimensions:

Wing Span:      42 feet, 8 inches

Length:      31 feet, 1 inches

Height:      14 feet, 9 inches

Wing Area:      430.4 square feet

Armament:      2 × 7.7mm FN-Browning machine guns

Comments:      Dual-purpose floatplane intended for shipboard and land-based operations. Entered service in 1938 and most sent to the Far East. Eight were aboard the cruisers Hr.Ms. De Ruyter and Hr.Ms. Java, but were later off-loaded for land operations. Only five were operational. Also operated aboard the cruisers Hr.Ms. Sumatra and Hr.Ms. Tromp, although the latter’s aircraft was destroyed in a landing accident before the outbreak of war and was not replaced.

Fokker C.VII-W (“V” Class)

Type: Light Reconnaissance/Trainer

Crew: 2

Number: 12 (Original Number Sent To East Indies)

Performance:

Powerplant:      1 × 225 hp Armstrong Siddely Lynx engine

Maximum Speed:      100 mph

Cruising Speed:      81 mph

Maximum Range:      625 miles

Ceiling:      7,870 feet

     27 minutes to 6,560 feet

Weight:      2,643 lbs empty

     3.776 lbs loaded

Dimensions:

Wing Span:      42 feet, 4 inches

Length:      31 feet, 2 inches

Height:      13 feet, 2 inches

Wing Area:      389 square feet

Armament:      1 × fixed forward firing Browning 7.7mm machine gun and 1 × flexible 7.7mm Lewis gun in observer’s cockpit; assorted small bombs under aft fuselage.

Comments:      First flown in 1926. Twelve eventually sent to Naval Squadron in Far East. Six left in auxiliary capacity when Japanese attacked, although these might have been retired from service in 1941.