New Netherlands Aircraft Companies

New Netherlands Aircraft Companies

Grumman Aeronautical Engineering Co.

When Loening Aircraft Engineering Coöperatie a small aircraft company in the kingdom of New Netherlands was bought by Keystone Aircraft Corporation in 1928 and it moved its aircraft production from New Netherlands to the United States of America, several employers from Loening Aircraft Engineering Coöperatie decided to start their own company in an old Cox-Klemin Aircraft Co. factory in Heemstad (OTL Hempstead) on Lange Eylant (OTL Long island), New Netherlands.

The company filed as a business on December 5, 1929, and opened its doors on January 2, 1930 as Grumman Aeronautical Engineering Co. First the company kept itself busy by welding aluminum tubing for truck frames, the company eagerly pursued contracts with the Royal New Netherlands Navy. Grumman designed the first practical floats with a retractable landing gear for the Navy, and this launched Grumman into the aviation market.

Aircraft produced by Grumman Aeronautical

MJ-1, the first Grumman aircraft produced for the Royal New Netherlands Navy, the Grumman MJ-1 (MJ means naval fighter translated into Dutch) is a biplane with retractable landing gear and was used onboard the two Royal New Netherlands Navy aircraft carriers.

MJ-2, Grumman's success with the two-seat MJ-1, which was significantly faster than even the single-seat fighters of its time, resulted in a contract for the single-seat MJ-2. The new design also incorporated watertight compartments to reduce weight and improve survivability in the event of a water landing. The prototype first flew on October 18th 1933. The Royal New Netherlands Navy ordered 54 MJ-2-1 fighters in May 1934, with the first aircraft delivered in January 1935. The MJ-2-1 had a relatively long service life for the time, serving in front-line squadrons from 1935 to late 1939, when squadrons began to receive the MJ-3-as a replacement.

MJ-3, an improved version of the Grumman MJ-2 which replaced the MJ-2 from 1936 onwards when it began to be deployed onboard the Royal New Netherlands Navy two aircraft carriers. In 1937 work began on the successor to the MJ-2 and the MJ-3, this resulted in the Grumman MJ-4 (OTL F4F Wildcat) which in February 1940 made its first flight.

MV-1 Eend (Duck) the MV-1 (MV means navy reconnaissance floatplane translated into Dutch) first flew on April 25th 1933 and more than 24 where manufactured from 1934 until 1935, when production switched to the MV-2 and later variants.

MV-2 Eend, an improved version of the earlier MV-1, with its main difference being a longer float. The MV-2 first flew on April 2nd 1936 and was delivered to the Royal New Netherlands Navy on the same day.

Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company

The Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company was founded by the merging of Curtiss Aeroplane Company of Hammondsport, New Netherlands and Curtiss Motor Company of Wilhelmine (OTL Bath) in 1916. The first major order for the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company where for 144 Model F flying boats for the Royal New Netherlands Naval Aviation Service.

In 1916 the company moved its headquarters and most manufacturing activities to Buffalo, New Netherlands, where there was far greater access to transportation, manpower, manufacturing, and much needed capital. Despite the Kingdom of New Netherlands remaining neutral in World War I, the company saw large growth thanks to it selling its aircraft both to the British and Canadians which resulted that it had more than 9,000 employers working in in Buffalo and 1,500 in Hammondsport, producing 5,000 aircraft during 1914-1918. On July 5, 1929, Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company merged with Wright Aeronautical to become the Curtiss-Wright Coöperatie.

Wright Aeronautical

An aircraft and aircraft engine manufacturer located in New Netherlands. It evolved from the 1909-1916 Wright Company, which merged with the Glenn L. Martin Company in 1916 to form the Wright-Martin Aircraft Corporation. Glenn Martin resigned from Wright-Martin and reformed an independent Glenn L. Martin Company in September 1917. Wright-Martin was renamed Wright Aeronautical in 1919. On July 5, 1929, Wright Aeronautical merged with the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company on to become the Curtiss-Wright Coöperatie.

Curtiss-Wright Coöperatie

Curtiss-Wright came into existence July 5th 1929, the result of a merger of Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company of Buffalo and Wright Aeronautical. With $75 million in capital, it was the largest aviation company in the Kingdom of New Netherlands surpassing even Grumman Aeronautical Engineering Co., Fokker Aircraft Coöperatie of New Netherlands and Vliegtuigenfabriek Seversky.

Throughout the 1930s, Curtiss-Wright designed and built aircraft for military, commercial, and private markets. In 1937, the company developed the Curtiss J-36 ( OTL P-36 Hawk ) fighter aircraft, resulting in the largest peacetime aircraft order ever given by the Royal New Netherlands Army Air Force and followed a year later by the New England Air Corps (Designated as the J-36NE). Curtiss-Wright also sold the J-36 to the Netherlands (Designated as the J-36NL) where they were used in combating German fighter planes during the invasion of the Netherlands in May 1940.

Also in October 1939, the Netherlands East Indies government ordered 24 Curtiss J-36s. The fighters were shipped in April 1940 (and were almost rerouted to the Netherlands, when Germany invaded in May 1940).

Aircraft produced by the Curtiss-Wright Coöperatie

Curtiss MV-35 Zeemeeuw, a single-engine scout observation biplane aircraft, designed for the Royal New Netherlands Navy. The Curtiss MV-35 Zeemeeuw ( OTL Curtiss SOC Seagull ) was ordered for production by the Royal New Netherlands Navy in 1933 and first entered service in 1935.by 1940 more than 135 MV-35 Zeemeeuws where in service with the Royal New Netherlands Naval Aviation Service, Royal New Netherlands Marine Corps and the New England Navy.

Curtiss J-36, a single-seat fighter which entered into service with the Royal New Netherlands Army Air Force in 1937 with a total of 77 J-36s ordered.

Curtiss J-38, single-engine fighter and ground attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The Curtiss J-38 (OTL Curtiss P-40 Warhawk) is a modification of the previous Curtiss J-36s; this reduced development time enabled a rapid entry into production and operational service. In April 1939, the Royal New Netherlands Army Air Force, witnessing the new sleek, high speed, in-line-engine fighters of the European air forces, placed an order of 224 Curtiss J-38s, its largest single fighter order it had ever made up to that point.

Vliegtuigenfabriek Seversky

Vliegtuigenfabriek Seversky (OTL Seversky Aircraft Company) was founded in 1931 by Alexander de Seversky, a Russian expatriate and veteran World War I pilot who had lost a leg in the war. In the beginning, many of Vliegtuigenfabriek Seversky designers were Russian and Georgian engineers whom Seversky had rescued from Joseph Stalin's purges by bringing them to the New Netherlands. After several failed attempts, Vliegtuigenfabriek Seversky finally won a design competition for a new Royal New Netherlands Army Air Force fighter and was awarded its first military contract in 1936 for the production of more than 76 Seversky J-35 fighters.

In 1939, Vliegtuigenfabriek Seversky again entered in a military fighter competition, this time with the much improved Seversky J-39 (OTL Seversky XP-41). The Royal New Netherlands Army Air Force pleased with the aircraft's medium- and high-altitude performance ordered 108 Seversky J-39s.

Aircraft produced by Vliegtuigenfabriek Seversky

Seversky J-35, a single-seat fighter which entered into service in 1937 with more 76 build for use with the Royal New Netherlands Army Air Force.

Seversky J-39, a modified fighter plane derived from the Seversky J-35, having a new streamlined canopy, a new engine with a two-speed supercharger, and revised landing gear. The Seversky J-39 first flew in March 1939 and more than 108 where ordered by the Royal New Netherlands Army Air Force as a replacement of the Seversky J-35.

Fokker Aircraft Coöperatie of New Netherlands

In 1924 the founder of the Fokker Company, Anthony Fokker established the New Netherlands subsidiary of the Fokker Company called the New Netherlands Aircraft Manufacturing Company (also known as Fokker-New Netherlands). The company was based in the city of New Amsterdam.

The New Netherlands Aircraft Manufacturing Company was succeeded by the Fokker Aircraft Coöperatie which held the license rights of the Fokker designs and remained responsible for selling the aircraft from the Netherlands based Fokker factory becoming a full subsidiary of it. In 1925 the company also began to manufacture one of its own designs, the Fokker Universal.

In 1927 the Fokker Aircraft Coöperatie of New Netherlands was founded, which took over the Fokker Aircraft Coöperatie.

Aircraft produced by Fokker Aircraft Coöperatie of New Netherlands

Fokker Model I, the New Netherlands produced Fokker F.VII aircraft which was built by the Netherlands based Fokker factory. The Fokker Model I was produced from 1925 to 1932. More than 130 where build for use in commercial service and 24 where build for use by the Royal New Netherlands Army Air Force.

Fokker Model II, also known as the Fokker Universal or "Standard”, it was produced from 1926 to 1934 with more than 66 produced.

Fokker Model III, an enlarged and improved version of the Fokker Model II and also known as the Fokker Super Universal, it was produced from 1928 to 1936.

Fokker Model IV, an enlarged version of the Fokker Model I airliner, built in the late 1920s it carried 12 passengers, four more than the F.I, and had a larger wing and more powerful engines.

Fokker Model V, a passenger aircraft built by Fokker Aircraft Coöperatie of New Netherlands in 1929. It was the first four-engined aircraft designed and built in on the North American continent. Twenty examples were built, but they only entered limited commercial service; their high cost and problems with the cooling of the after engines proved prohibitive. The Royal New Netherlands Army Air Force evaluated the Fokker Model V and bought ten of them.

Fokker Model J-24, the New Netherlands produced Fokker C.V light reconnaissance and bomber aircraft which was built by the Netherlands based Fokker factory. The J-24 was the first military fighter plane produced by Fokker Aircraft Coöperatie of New Netherlands. More than 80 where produced where produced from 1924 to 1932 and still remain in limit service in May 1940 in the role as light reconnaissance aircraft.

Fokker Model T-24, the New Netherlands produced Fokker S.IV military trainer aircraft which was built by the Netherlands based Fokker factory. More than 15 where produced from 1925 to 1927.

Fokker Model J-33, the New Netherlands produced Fokker Fokker C.X aircraft which was built by the Netherlands based Fokker factory. The J-33 replaced the J-24 and more than 33 where produced from 1933 to 1936 with their role being as scouts and light bombers.

Fokker Model J-37, the New Netherlands produced Fokker D.XXI fighter which was built by the Netherlands based Fokker factory. The Fokker Model J-37 was the attempt by Fokker Aircraft Coöperatie of New Netherlands to supply the Royal New Netherlands Army Air Force with the newest fighter in 1937, two where build who were used for test flight by Royal New Netherlands Army Air Force, however the fighter contract was awarded to Curtiss-Wright Coöperatie who supplied the Curtiss J-38 to the Royal New Netherlands Army Air Force.

Fokker Model B-38, the first new Netherlands produced twin-engine bomber which is built by the Netherlands based Fokker factory. The B-38 is the license version of the Fokker T.V twin-engine bomber produced by the Netherlands based Fokker factory for use with the Army Aviation Brigade (Luchtvaartbrigade).Production of the B-38 began in 1939 with more than 32 ordered by the Royal New Netherlands Army Air Force.

Fokker Model B-39, a joint Fokker Aircraft Coöperatie of New Netherlands and Netherlands based Fokker factory project to build their first all-metal bomber. Designated the Fokker T.IX by the Netherlands Army Aviation Brigade it first flew in September 1939 in the Netherlands, a second prototype flew in the New Netherlands in November 1939.When the Germans invaded the Netherlands in May 1940 the two Fokker T.IX prototypes where destroyed by the Fokker engineers working on the project leaving only the two New Netherlands versions (B-39) intact.