Fokker C . V Fokker C . V was a Dutch light reconnaissance and bomber biplane aircraft manufactured by Fokker . It was designed by Anthony Fokker and the series manufacture began in 1924 at Fokker in Amsterdam . Development . The C . V was constructed in the early 1920s by Anthony Fokker . The aircraft was intended as a twin - seated reconnaissance and bomber aircraft . When shown to the public in 1924 was manufactured in a variety of versions ; the customer could choose from five different wing constructions ( which varied in wing span ) . The radial engines could give between 336 - 723 kW ( 450 - 970 hp ) . The landing gear could be changed from wheels to pontoons . The aircraft became an export success for Fokker , it was sold and / or license manufactured in Bolivia , China , Denmark , Finland , Hungary , Italy , Japan , the Netherlands , Norway , Switzerland , the Soviet Union and the US . Sweden purchased two different versions to use as models for their license manufacturing of the reconnaissance version S 6 and a fighter version J 3 . Operational history . The Dutch Air Force used the C . V in front line service against the German " Luftwaffe " during World War II . After the Dutch surrender , the aircraft were taken over by " Luftwaffe " and used on the Eastern front until 1944 . Use in Finland . The Finnish Air Force used both C . V - Ds and C . V - Es . One C . V - E was purchased in 1927 , with delivery 20 September , and a further 13 were purchased on 17 March 1934 , arriving in the winter of 1935 . During the Winter War , Sweden donated three more C . V - Es . Two C . V - Ds were also flown from Norway to Finland at the closing stages of the Norwegian Campaign . These were interned and turned over to the FAF . The aircraft were used as reconnaissance and light bomber aircraft between 20 September 1927 and 14 February 1945 . During the Winter War , the Finnish C . Vs flew 151 reconnaissance and harassment bombing sorties without suffering any losses . The Continuation War saw the C . Vs flying an unknown number of sorties and suffering one aircraft loss . Use in Italy . The C . VE was built in Italy by OFM ( " Officine Ferroviarie Meridionali " , later IMAM ) under licence in 1927 as the Romeo Ro . 1 . It was used by the Aviation Corps of the " Regio Esercito " ( Italian Army ) as an observation and ground attack aircraft . Well liked in the civilian market , it was selected for use by Air Marshal Italo Balbo , as superior to the Breda A . 7 and Ansaldo A . 120 . It entered service in 1927 , in Italian Libya against the local rebels . It was used both for reconnaissance and light attack . It was convertible as a three - seat machine , or as a light attack aircraft ( two machine - guns ) , or as a very long range aircraft with an auxiliary fuel tank that increased the endurance from five to twelve hours . The last version had a 410 kW ( 550 hp ) engine instead of 321 kW ( 430 hp ) and produced until 1934 , a total of 456 , but it was outdated and too slow for the standards of the mid - 1930s . Although this was only an army observation aircraft , it still had a quite powerful engine and performance . In 1933 , there were 40 squadrons , of seven machines each , related to the Italian Army , with 238 Ro . 1s as the main aircraft force . It was the most numerous Italian aircraft in the Second Italo - Abyssinian War . Use in Norway . The Norwegian Army Air Service bought its first C . V - Ds and C . V - Es in 1926 . The two versions were designated as long - winged ( - E ) and short - winged ( - D ) Fokkers . The initial purchase agreement with Fokker included license production rights , and in the period 1929 - 1931 , 27 C . V - Ds were manufactured at the NoAAS ' aircraft factory at Kjeller . After the production of C . V - Ds ended , a further 15 C . V - Es were followed between 1932 and 1939 . In total , the NoAAS operated 72 Fokker C . Vs , 40 of which were license built in Norway . When the Germans invaded Norway on 9 April 1940 , 40 Fokker C . Vs were still in Norwegian service . The C . Vs were based on several air bases in different parts of the country and mostly saw service as reconnaissance and light transport aircraft . Although the planes were outdated , they still saw extensive and successful service in the bomber role during the April – June 1940 Norwegian Campaign , supporting Norwegian ground troops fighting on the Narvik front . Use in the Netherlands . The type was used by the Luchtvaartafeling ( pre war airforce ) , MLD ( marine luchtvaartdienst ) and KNIL - ML . For the Luchtvaartafdeling 67 examples were produced in several batches between 1926 and 1934 . 28 where still operational at the time of the German attack on the Netherlands on 10 May 1940 . They were used successfully on reconnaissance and bombing missions using " nap of the earth " ( HuBoBe ) ( ? ) flying techniques . Use in Sweden . In 1927 , the Swedish Air Force purchased two C . V - Ds ( J 3 ) and two C . V - E ( S 6 ) to serve as models for the eventual license manufacturing of the aircraft by CVM at Malmen . The four aircraft were flown to Sweden in 1928 . They proved suitable and an agreement for licence production was made and a further four C . V - E and six C . V - D were purchased , the latter designated J 3A . Seven C . V - D ordered from CVM were built as C . V - E , as by 1929 it was clear the type was unsuitable as a fighter , but still they were designated J 3B . In 1931 , the J 3B were redesignated S 6 , the J 3 and J 3A S 6A . Ten C . V - E with Nohab My VI engines instead of Jupiter VI engines were given the designation S 6B . The S 6 became the prime liaison aircraft for the Swedish Air Force . It was used for fire spotting , aerial photographing and liaison duty in conjunction with the Army . At the outbreak of World War II , there were 36 aircraft left in service . They would continue until being replaced by Saab 17 s from 1942 . CVM manufactured 17 S 6 between 1929 and 1932 . Some were fitted with floats and designated S 6H . In 1945 , the SwAF sold three S 6s to " Svensk Flygtjänst " to be used for aerial application over forest . Two other were sold to " Skåneflyg " in 1947 . One is preserved and can be seen in the Swedish Air Force Museum . Lieutenant Einar Lundborg rescued the Italian General Umberto Nobile in 1928 , with a S 6B , equipped with skis . Nobile was on an ice shelf after his airship " Italia " had crashed on its way to the North Pole . Use in Switzerland . After trials in 1927 , Swiss authorities had 48 C . V . - E licence - built in Switzerland for use by the Swiss Air Force ( then the Swiss Army Air Corps ) . 24 machines were built at K + W Thun and 24 at Doflug Altenrhein . The aircraft were in service from 1933 to 1940 and were armed with bombs , two pilot machine guns and a double machine gun for the observer . The Swiss Air Force used their C . Vs as target tugs until 1954 , after their retirement from frontline service . Luftwaffe C . V - Es . During their occupation of Denmark , the Germans requisitioned a number of Danish Fokker C . V . - Es . Some of these aircraft were used by the Estonian volunteer - manned " Nachtschlachtgruppe " 11 ( Night Ground Attack Wing 11 ) at Rahkla in 1944 . NSGr . 11 used its C . V - Es on the Eastern Front to carry out disruptive harassment night bombing sorties against the Russian front lines . These operations were carried out in response to similar nocturnal operations by Soviet light aircraft , such as the Po - 2 biplanes . Two of the C . V - Es of the NSGr . 11 were flown to Sweden in October 1944 by four Estonian defectors , and one of them was handed back to the Danes by the Swedes in 1947 .