Fokker D XXI or D21 1/100 scale

[CMDRTED]

After the Phantom build I needed something to clear my palate, something "simple". Bruno signed this little gem and it certainly "looked easy". It was painted in a basic 3 color camo scheme and Nederlands markings. I fiddled with colors and markings to make a european dutch aircraft.
The D21 was designed 1935 and was simple robust and fairly cheap to build. The framework was tubular metal that was fabric covered, Wings were primarily wood with plywood spars and replaceable aluminium leading edges. Landing gear was the covered spat type. Arms were primarily 4 wing mounted browning guns, in 7.92 or the parent countries caliber of choice. The Finns were the first to use them in combat downing soviet bombers and staying in service throughout the Finn/Russo conflict.
The kit was one sheet and most of the parts were typical oval fuselage parts easily shaped wings/flying surfaces. The landing gear was simple folded over wheel covers with the disc wheels placed inside. Most of the above was done without pics as it went together fairly quick. here are the some assembly pics. I jazzed up the engine face disc, and the prop hubs.

[CMDRTED]

onwards. 2 key notes on the design. the rudder is too long at the bottom. this has to be shortened about 6mm to blend in with the aft fuselage. Also the rear cockpit fuselage segment is a little tricky to mate with the forward segment. there is a middle and upper portion that actually goes over the forward part. Sorry no pics but you can see the slight overlap below the canopy . This little gem needed a few added details such as tail braces fwd mgs a pitot tube and the forward sight tube. these were various pencil leads and paint brush bristles, tips picked up from Rata and Michael S.

[Erik Zwaan]

Hi CMDRTED, that's a great looking D21! One thing is missing in the model, and that's the registration number in front of the fuselage orange triangle. Or perhaps you're not that far yet.

One thing I'm curious about: The picture of the unassembled model has red/white/blue roundels on the wing tips and the Dutch national flag on the rudder, whereas the model you're building has orange triangles. The red/white/blue markings were removed in I think 1938 and replaced by the triangles. This latter version saw action in 1940.

There is by the way an interesting 1:33 model of the D21 in Dutch livery by Modelik, not 100% true to the actual dimensions (also the vertical stabilizer is not entirely correct) but it's certainly worth a go. I built it in 2015.

Cheers,
Erik

[CMDRTED]

Hi Erik. I changed the livery to triangles but my reg numbers didn't come out as i liked so i left them off. consider this a new to squadron transfer awaiting reg numbers or other common military SNAFU.

[CMDRTED]

And the finale, minus registration markings as he squadron leader had not received his official orders ... Sorry Erik, best I could do. Also on the bottom view there is a little scratch built air intake and a make shift exhaust system.

[Rata]

Turned out sweet CMDR. Your extra details really add to this model of to me (like yourself) is a very appealing Dutch fighter.
A few years ago I did add some numbers to the same Bruno model- but with the pre-October '39 markings- but never released to Ecards because I didn't think it qualified as a repaint.

[Butelczynski]

Excellent DXXI! Very nice job on it. One thing that puzzles me are chocolate colored undersides on Dutch planes. I never found out the reason for it.

As for 1:33 models, Modelik wasn't the only one that made it. There was one made by MATA in early 90s Poland (it shows up sometimes in resale online vendors) and some years ago there was one on ecards in "Aces" line of models. It came in Dutch and Finnish liveries . I wish I bought it then.

[gomidefilho]

Very nice my friends!

[gomidefilho]

Originally Posted by Butelczynski

Excellent DXXI! Very nice job on it. One thing that puzzles me are chocolate colored undersides on Dutch planes. I never found out the reason for it.

As for 1:33 models, Modelik wasn't the only one that made it. There was one made by MATA in early 90s Poland (it shows up sometimes in resale online vendors) and some years ago there was one on ecards in "Aces" line of models. It came in Dutch and Finnish liveries . I wish I bought it then.

Karol Nobi have a nice 1/33 model too in early Warbirds series.

[Don Boose]

Beautiful.

I made a post and apparently never hit the "Post" button. Just as well because I said something like the DXXI is the epitome of the later 1930s radial engine fighters, but then began thinking of many more "epitomes" beginnng with the Curtiss Model 75.

Anyway, great model. Yours, too, Garry.

Don