Militaire Luchtvaart - Koninklijk
Nederlands Indisch Leger (ML-KNIL) Version_2006_03_26: 35 planes to see here ;-) |
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KNIL was formed by royal decree on March
10, 1830.
It was involved in many campaigns against groups in the
Dutch East Indies including the Padri
War (1821-1845), the
Java War (1825-1830), Bali
(1849), and the war of Aceh
(1873-1901). After Aceh, the
Dutch East Indies were pacified, and the KNIL served a mainly
defensive role protecting the Dutch East Indies from invasion by foreign
countries. As a result of this, the KNIL was the main defense against
the Japanese in the Dutch East Indies during WWII. During this period, which spans from December 1941 to March 1942, the KNIL forces wrote some of the best pages of their military history. The Dutch forces in Indonesia mustered about 85,000 troops, a motley combination of regular Dutch and Indonesian KNIL soldiers, militia and civilian volunteers. The airforce was a sizeable force but most of the airplanes were outclassed by the better Japanese fighters and bombers. Nevertheless, when the Japanese attacked the Dutch colony they encountered a stubborn resistance they probably did not expect. After WWII, the KNIL performed police actions to stall Indonesian independence, this eventually failed and independence was declared. The KNIL ceased to function after July 26, 1950. However, its legacy has lived on in the Regiment Van Heutsz of the Royal Netherlands Army. The KNIL was largely made up out of foreigners just like the French Foreign Legion only the troops got the keep their own identity. Up until after the Aceh war the KNIL drafted many Europeans (Germans, Belgians, Swiss etc), natives (Molukans Timorese and Mandorese) and even the Ashanti (African Ghanese tribe) to fight in the jungles of the East Indies. After the Aceh war the Dutch mainly drafted the natives, Indo Europeans and Dutch living in the East Indies. It was actually forbidden by law to send Dutch consripts to the Dutch East Indies. The ratio of foreign troops to Dutch troops was 60% to 40%. |
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The KNIL Luchvaartdienst (Netherlands East Indies Army Air Service) by
December 1941 was stronger than the home air force had been at the
outbreak of the war, with about 200 aircraft, mostly monoplanes. The LVD saw widespread service from Singapore in December to the fall of Java in early March 1942, but was never a match for the Japanese in terms of numbers and quality. A single flight of four Buffalo fighters was all that remained to cover the last battle at Lembang, 6-7 March. |
| Hoofdkwartier |
|
Soerabaja-JAVA Commandant Luitenant-Generaal L.H. van Oyen |
|
1e Vliegtuiggroep (VLG-I) (Bommenwerpers) |
|
| Andir, Bandoeng-JAVA | |
| 1e Afdeling (1-VLG-I) | 2e Afdeling (2-VLG-I) |
| gest. op Samarinda II, Oost Borneo | gest. op Singkawan II, West Borneo |
| 11x Martin 139 WH-3/3A | 11x Martin 139 WH-3/3A |
| 1941 - Dutch Neutrality Markings | |
| - | - |
| 1942 | |
| - | - |
|
2e Vliegtuiggroep (VLG-II) (Bommenwerpers) |
|
| Singosari, Malang-JAVA | |
| 1e Afdeling (1-VLG-II) | 2e Afdeling (2-VLG-II) |
| gest. op Malang, Java | gest. op Malang, Java |
|
4x Martin 139 WH-1 3x Martin 139 WH-2 12x Martin 139 WH-3/3A |
3x Martin 139 WH-2 8x Martin 139 WH-3/3A |
| 1939 | |
| 4x Martin 139 WH-1 | ? |
| - | - |
| 3x Martin 139 WH-2 | 3x Martin 139 WH-2 |
 (M520) Not sure which unit it belonged to |
 (M530) Not sure which unit it belonged to |
| 12x Martin 139 WH-3/3A | 8x Martin 139 WH-3/3A |
| - | |
| 1941 - Dutch Neutrality Markings | |
| 4x Martin 139 WH-1 | ? |
 (M510) Not sure which unit it belonged to One of the first 13 (M501-M513 ??) and thus a WH-1 |
- |
 (M511) Not sure which unit it belonged to One of the first 13 (M501-M513 ??) and thus a WH-1 |
|
| 3x Martin 139 WH-2 | 3x Martin 139 WH-2 |
| - |
 (M528) Not sure which unit it belonged to |
| 12x Martin 139 WH-3/3A | 8x Martin 139 WH-3/3A |
 (M544) Not sure which unit it belonged to |
 (M556) Not sure which unit it belonged to |
| 1942 | |
| - | - |
|
3e Vliegtuiggroep (VLG-III) (Bommenwerpers) |
|||
| Tjililitan, Batavia-JAVA | |||
|
1e Afdeling (1-VLG-III) |
2e Afdeling (2-VLG-III) |
3e Afdeling (3-VLG-III) |
7e Afdeling
Horizontale Bommenwerpers |
| gest. in Singapore | gest. op Kalidjati, Java | gest. in Singapore | toegevoegd in december 1941 |
| 11x Martin 139 WH-3/3A | 11x Martin 139 WH-2 | 11x Martin 139 WH-3/3A |
1x Martin 139 WH-2 8x Martin 139 WH-3/3A |
| 1941 - Dutch Neutrality Markings | |||
| - | - | - | - |
| 1942, February - Andir, Java | |||
| - | - | - | - |
| 4e Vliegtuiggroep (VLG-IV) | ||
| Maospati, Madioen-JAVA | ||
| 1e Afdeling (1-VLG-IV) | 2e Afdeling (2-VLG-IV) | 3e Afdeling (3-VLG-IV) |
| gest. op Tjilitan en Perak, Java | gest. op Andir, Java | gest. op Laka, Ambon |
| 12x Curtiss Hawk 75A-7 | 16x Curtiss CW-21B DEMON | 4x Brewster B-339D |
| 1941 - Dutch Neutrality Markings | ||
| Maospati Airbase | Andir | - |
 (C-324) - |
 (CW-356) - |
 (B-3132) Unit? |
 (C-329) Sgt. P. C. Van Breen |
 (CW-357) 'Hermann' Sgt. Hermann, September 1941 |
- |
 (C-332) Colonel Boxman |
 (C-383) - |
- |
| 1942, February - Andir, Java | ||
| - | - | - |
| 5e Vliegtuiggroep (VLG-V) | |||
|
1e Afdeling (1-VLG-V) |
2e Afdeling (2-VLG-V) |
3e Afdeling (3-VLG-V) |
|
|
gest. op Samarinda II en Singkawang II Semplak, Buitenzorg-JAVA Borneo |
gest. op Singkawang II, West-Borneo | gest. op Singapore | |
| 12x Brewster B-339D | 5x Brewster B-339D |
12x Brewster B-339D 16x Brewster B-395/396 |
|
| 1941 - Dutch Neutrality Markings | |||
 (B-339) - - - |
 (B-3110) Capt. Jacob P. van Helsdinger, Jan. 1942 3 victories, KIA March 7, 1942 Known Claims: January 12, 1942 : 1xKi-27 |
 (B-396) (Rhino-badge of 2-VLG-V ?) - - |
|
| - |
 (B-3122) unit ? |
 (B3-186) Unit ? |
|
| 1942, February - Andir, Java | |||
 (B-395) Sgt J. Adam |
 (B-3114) - |
- |
|
| 6e Depot Vliegtuiggroep (D-VI-A) |
| gest. op Maospati, Madioen, Java |
|
19x Lockheed L-18-40 2x Lockheed L-212 3x Curtiss CW-22 3x Fokker C.X 1x Bücker Jungmann Bü-131 2x Ryan STM-2 |
| - |
Lockheed Lodestar M.L. Transportvliegtuig-afdeling, Andir 1941;
| diverse trainingseenheden (met diverse toestellen) | |
| Technische Trainingsschool | Vliegschool |
| Gest. op Andir, Bandoeng, Java |
Gest. op Kalidjati, Bandoeng-Java (Jacht en
Verkenning) en op Singosari, Malang-Java (Bommenwerpers) |
| ? | ? |
| 1941 - Dutch Neutrality Markings | |
| - | - |
| 1942 | |
| - | - |
|
Verkenningsgroepen (Recon-Groups) |
|
| Direct onder Commando KNIL Luitenant-Generaal ter Poorten: | |
| Verkenningsafdeling 1 (VkA-1) | Verkenningsafdeling 2 (VkA-2) |
| gest. op Tjikembar, Java | gest. op Djokjakarta, Java |
| 1941 - Dutch Neutrality Markings | |
| 12x Curtiss CW-22 FALCON | 11x Curtiss CW-22 FALCON |
 (CF-464) |
 (CF-465) |
| 1x Fokker C.X | 2x Fokker C.X |
| - | - |
| 1942 | |
| 1942 | |
| - | - |
| Onder het 1e Militair Departement KNIL: | Onder het 2e Militair Departement KNIL: | Onder het 3e Militair Departement KNIL: |
|
Verkenningsafdeling 3 (VkA-3) |
Verkenningsafdeling 4 (VkA-4) |
Verkenningsafdeling 5 (VkA-5) |
| gest. op Kalidjati, Java | gest. op Kalidjati, Java | gest. op Kalidjati, Java |
| 12x Koolhoven FK.51 | 12x Lockheed L.212 (long-range recce planes) | 12x Koolhoven FK.51 |
| 1938 | ||
 (K 12) Plane fought at Java, not sure about unit |
 (L 201) Plane fought at Java, not sure about unit |
- |
| 1941 - Dutch Neutrality Markings | ||
 (K 104) Plane fought at Java, not sure about Unit |
 (L 201) Plane fought at Java, not sure about Unit |
- |
| - |
 (L 208) Plane fought at Java, not sure about Unit |
- |
| Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIb |
|
The KNIL had ordered 12 Mk.I's in 1941 but
these were never delivered due to a lack of engines.
But 24 Mk.IIb's destinated for the RAF in
Singapore were diverted to the Dutch East Indies after the fall of
Singapore late 1941. The Hurricane's equiped two units,
of which one aimed especially at the defense of Batavia. |
| 24x Hawker HURRICANE Mk.IIb |
| 1942, February 16 => - Kalidjati, Java |
 (?) Sgt FJ. de Wilde De Wilde crashlanded with this aircraft on March 1. 1942 after attacking the Japanese fleet. |
|
Marine Luchvaart Dienst (Naval Air Service, organized in independent patrouilles of three aircraft) |
| Groep Vliegtuigen 1 (GVT-1) | ||
| Pontianak | ||
| Dornier Do 24K-1 (X-planes) | ||
|
- (X-1) |
 (X-2) |
- (X-3) |
| Groep Vliegtuigen 2 (GVT-2) | ||
| Sorong | ||
| Dornier Do 24K-1 (X-planes) | ||
|
- (X-4) |
- (X-5) |
- (X-6) |
| (later PBY Catalina) | ||
| - | - | - |
| Groep Vliegtuigen 3 (GVT-3) | ||
| Ambon | ||
| Dornier Do 24K-1 (X-planes) | ||
|
- (X-7) |
- (X-8) |
- (X-9) |
| (later PBY Catalina at Soerabaja) | ||
| - | - | - |
| Groep Vliegtuigen 4 (GVT-4) | ||
| Ambon (later Sambas) | ||
| Dornier Do 24K-1 (X-planes) | ||
|
- (X-10) |
- (X-11) |
- (X-12) |
| Groep Vliegtuigen 5 (GVT-5) | ||
| Tandjong Priok (later Tondano) | ||
| Dornier Do 24K-1 (X-planes) | ||
|
- (X-13) |
- (X-14) |
- (X-15) |
| Groep Vliegtuigen 6 (GVT-6) | ||
| Sedanau (later Morokrembangan) | ||
| Dornier Do 24K-1 (X-planes) | ||
| 1939, Summer - Surabaya, Java | ||
|
- (X-16) |
 (X-17) |
- (X-18) |
| 1941 - Dutch Neutrality Markings | ||
|
- (X-16) |
- (X-17) |
 (X-18) |
| Groep Vliegtuigen 7 (GVT-7) | ||
| Morokrembangan | ||
| Dornier Do 24K-1 (X-planes) | ||
|
- (X-19) |
- (X-20) |
- (X-21) |
| Groep Vliegtuigen 8 (GVT-8) | ||
| Morokrembangan | ||
| Dornier Do 24K-1 (X-planes) | ||
|
- (X-22) |
- (X-23) |
- (X-24) |
| Reserve | ||
| Dornier Do 24K-1 (X-planes) | ||
| (Another 13 Aircraft in Reserve) | ||
|
- (X-25) |
- (X-26) |
- (X-27) |
|
- (X-28) |
- (X-29) |
 (X-30) |
|
- (X-31) |
- (X-32) |
- (X-33) |
|
- (X-34) |
- (X-35) |
- (X-36) |
| Dornier Do 24K-2 (X-planes) | ||
| Just to make the story complete, the story of the final Do 24, delivered later and marked "X-37" | ||
|
One airplane wasn`t ready yet for being shipped to the DEI. It was the example for the new K-2, now with 810 kW/1100 PS strong Wright CYCLONE Gr-1820-G105A engines. First on the 22.
November 1939 she started for her maiden-flight, and was like all others
before, transferred and delivered as D-AYWI on the 21. of
Dezember |
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| Groep Vliegtuigen 11 (GVT-11) | ||
| Kwam (later Morokrembangan) | ||
| Fokker T.IVa | ||
| - | - | - |
| Groep Vliegtuigen 12 (GVT-12) | ||
| Tarakan (later Morokrembangan) | ||
| Fokker T.IVa | ||
| - | - | - |
| Groep Vliegtuigen 13 (GVT-13) | |||
| Morokrembangan and ships | |||
| Fokker C.XI | |||
| - | - | - | - |
| Groep Vliegtuigen 14 (GVT-14) | |||
| Morokrembangan and ships | |||
| Fokker C.XI | |||
| - | - | - | - |
| Groep Vliegtuigen 16 (GVT-16) | ||
| Tandjong Priok | ||
| Consolidated PBY-5A CATALINA (Y-planes) | ||
 (Y-38) |
- (Y-?) |
- (Y-?) |
| Groep Vliegtuigen 17 (GVT-17) | ||
| Ambon | ||
| Consolidated PBY-5A CATALINA (Y-planes) | ||
|
- (Y-?) |
- (Y-?) |
 (Y-74) |
| Groep Vliegtuigen 18 (GVT-18) | ||
| Soerabaja | ||
| Consolidated PBY-5A CATALINA (Y-planes) | ||
|
- (Y-?) |
- (Y-?) |
- (Y-?) |
| Reserve | ||
| Consolidated PBY-5A CATALINA (Y-planes) | ||
| (Another 30 Aircraft in Reserve in the process of organizing into additional GVT) | ||
|
- (Y-?) |
- (Y-?) |
- (Y-?) |
| Vliegschool | ||
| Soerabaja | ||
| 10 Dornier Wal, 1 Fokker T.IV, 6 Fokker C.VII-W, 10 Fokker C.XIV-W, 40 Ryan ST, 5 Tiger Moth | ||
| -- | - | - |
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