Five Brothers and a War

May 10, 1940—Dutch Air Force

The Dutch Luchtvaartafdeling (“Aviation Department”) was decimated on the first day of the war, and was unable to fight thereafter, leaving the Luftwaffe with air supremacy.

Holland’s most advanced planes were the Douglas-8Ns. They had 18 to begin the war. • One crashed prior to the outbreak of the German invasion. Thus, there were a total of 17 Douglas-8N Bombers available for the fighting. • Twelve were located in Ypenburg AFB, just east of Den Haag, one of which was in maintenance, meaning 11 were in combat readiness. • The additional five were parked in Ockenburgh AFB, just south of Den Haag, without spark plugs. They were destroyed by the Germans before they even flew one mission. • Of the 11 that took off from Ypenburg, all were lost—and all on their maiden mission. It is shocking that not one plane flew twice. In fact, they never flew more than one hour in combat. The basis of the problem was that these planes were not designed as fighters, but as bombers. So the Luftwaffe fighters easily outclassed them. ID # OUTCOME 381 Shot down by three Bf-110's over the North Sea. Crew perished. 382 Shot down a Ju-52; crashed at Honselersdijk [Delft]. One crew member killed. 384 Crash landing at Rozenburg [Rotterdam]. Heavy damage; Crew survived. 385 Shot down and crashed at Kijkduin [Den Haag]. Crew perished. 387 Shot down at Nootdorp [Delft]. Crew survived. 388 Shot down by three Bf-109Es and two Bf-110s at Voorschoten. One crew member killed. 389 Landed at Ockenburgh AFB. Later destroyed on the ground by German fighter. 390 Shot down a Ju-52. Emergency landing at Schipluiden [near Delft]. Crew survived. 391 Landed at Ockenburgh AFB. Later destroyed on the ground by German fighter. 392 Crash landed at Zoetermeer. Destroyed by German fighters. Crew survived 393 Shot down and crashed ino burning oil vessel at Vlaardingen. Crew perished.

the war

Five Brothers and a War

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