The Fokker T.V was a twin-engine bomber, built for the Netherlands Air Force.
It was modern for its time, but by the German invasion of 1940, it was outclassed by the airplanes of the Luftwaffe.
Nevertheless, the T.V was used with some success against the German onslaught.
The first 11 T.Vs, by now considered medium bombers, were delivered in 1938, with the last 4 following in 1939.
Although it had good handling characteristics, it suffered from reliability problems with its engines and propellers, and by the summer of 1939, the Netherlands was planning to purchase 24 Dornier Do 215s to replace them.
On 10 May 1940, Germany invaded the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.
The T.V saw its first combat, when taking off from Schiphol to avoid air attack, eight T.Vs encountered a formation of German bombers, shooting down two.
After this, the T.V reverted to its primary bomber role, being used in attacks against German airborne troops landing at The Hague and Rotterdam.
By the end of the first day of fighting only two T.Vs were serviceable, being sent against bridges over the River Maas at Rotterdam on 11 May, where a further aircraft was shot down, with the final T.V being shot down during attacks on bridges at Moerdijk on 13 May.
As the T.V lacked self-sealing fuel tanks, they gained a reputation for rapidly catching fire when hit by enemy fire.
