Koolhoven FK-58
| F.K.58 | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Koolhoven FK.58 anti-aircraft defense patrol D.A.T. (Polish) at Clermont-Aulnat, June 1940 | |
| Role | Fighter |
| Manufacturer | Koolhoven |
| Designer | Erich Schatzki |
| First flight | 17 July 1938 |
| Introduction | 1940 |
| Retired | 1940 |
| Primary users |
French Air Force Polish Air Force |
| Produced | 1939-1940 |
| Number built | 20 |
The Koolhoven F.K.58 was a single engine, interceptor-fighter aircraft designed and mainly manufactured by N V Koolhoven in the Netherlands under contract by France. Intended for Armée de l'Air use, the F.K.58 saw limited service in the Battle of France.
In 1937, the French Conseil Supérieur de l'Air decided that domestic aircraft manufacturing capacity could not, in the event of war, equip the Armée de l'Air with fighters quickly enough. The Dutch manufacturer Koolhoven was contracted to design a cheap, easily built, high-performance fighter, that could be built and serviced with French-supplied engines and other components. According to some sources, the Koolhoven fighter was intended primarily for fighter units based in French colonies.
On 17 July 1938, the prototype Koolhoven Model 1166 (later renamed the F.K.58) flew for the first time. Designed by Erich Schatzki – a Jewish refugee from Germany – the F.K.58 may be seen as a development of his preceding fighter design: the Fokker D.21. The F.K.58 used the same composite materials as the D.21: the structure of the fuselage consisted of welded steel tubing covered with sheet metal (front part) and fabric (aft); the wings had wooden members with a plywood and fabric skin.
In January 1939, the Armée de l'Air placed an order for 50 aircraft, to be powered by Gnome-Rhône 14N engines.
Due to the unavailability of Gnome-Rhône engines and French instruments, just 17 aircraft – six F.K.58s and 11 F.K.58As – were completed at the Koolhoven works, with Dutch supplied engines and instruments – and delivered to the Armée de l'Air. Production was transferred to Nevers, where the aircraft were re-built with French components and the extraneous parts were returned to the Netherlands. However, only one more F.K.58 was produced from scratch at Nevèrs.
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