Koolhoven F.K.52

Infobox Aircraft
name = F.K.52
type = Reconnaissance-fighter
manufacturer = Koolhoven


caption =
designer =
first flight = 9 February, 1937
introduced = 1939
retired = 1943
status =
primary user = Dutch Air Force
more users = Finnish Air Force
produced = 1938-1940
number built = 6
unit cost =
developed from =

Koolhoven F.K.52 was a Dutch designed, two-seat reconnaissance-fighter biplane, which was developed in the 1930s by Koolhoven. The aircraft was equipped with an enclosed cockpit and single-strut landing gear. Only 6 aircraft were produced. The aircraft saw some service in the Finnish Air Force.

Design and development

The prototype aircraft made its maiden flight on February 9, 1937. The aircraft was however lost in an accident on August 11 the same year.

Although the Koolhoven was an obsolete design by 1938, they began building a few FK.52s. The Dutch Air Force ordered 36 aircraft in 1939, but only five had been manufactured, when the Germans invaded Holland.

Operational history

During the Winter War, two Koolhovens were purchased by the Swedish count Carl Gustav von Rosen and given to the Finnish Air Force. The aircraft were flown to Finland on January 18, 1940. They were given the codes KO-129 and KO-130. In March 1940 they bombed and machine gunned Soviet troops attacking over ice to Vironlahti. During the Winter War the summed up about 15 combat sorties. Both FK.52 planes got hits from enemy fire.

In 1941 the aircrafts were used by LeLv 6 in the Hanko area. Both aircraft were destroyed during the Continuation War, KO-130 was lost during a leaflet dropping mission over Hanko and made a forced-landing 80 km south of Tallinn, Estonia on August 16, 1941. Both crew members died in the crash. Estonian guerrillas burned the plane and buried the crew in Velise.

The other aircraft, KO-129, was destroyed in an accident in 1943. The pilot bailed out and survived. The plane crashed north of the village Pernaa in Kauhava.

Operators

;FIN
*Finnish Air Force operated two aircraft.;NLD
*Royal Netherlands Air Force

pecifications (F.K.52)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop

ref={Syöksypommittajat} [cite book
last=Keskinen
title=Syöksypommittajat - Suomen ilmavoimien historia 13
first=Kalevi
coauthors=Stenman, Kari and Niska, Klaus
publisher=Tietoteos
year=1989
location=Forssa
isbn=951-9035-42-7 ]

crew=Two (pilot and observer/gunner)
capacity=
length main=8.25 m
length alt= 27 ft 1 in
span main=9.80 m
span alt= 32 ft 2 in
height main=3.30 m
height alt=10 ft 10 in
area main=28.40 m²
area alt=305.6 ft²
airfoil=
empty weight main=1,650 kg
empty weight alt=3,630 lb
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=2,500 kg
max takeoff weight alt=5,500 lb
more general=

engine (prop)=Bristol Mercury VIII
type of prop=radial engine
number of props=1
power main=625 kW
power alt=840 hp
power original=

max speed main=380 km/h
max speed alt= 205 knots, 234 mph
cruise speed main=308 km/h
cruise speed alt=166 knots, 190 mph
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main=1,130 km
range alt=610 nm, 697 mi
ceiling main=9,800 m
ceiling alt=31,144 ft
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=