Dutch Modelling and Aviation

In Memoriam

Klaas Willem Jonker
(Wilko)
† April 30, 2018

On Monday, April 30, 2018, Wilko Jonker passed away after a long illness at the age of 58. He leaves behind a wife and two children. The Dutch military aviation and plastic model building were his hobby and on this website he has shared all the knowledge he has gathered about it over the many years. His hobby was able to distract him from the raging disease in his body until the last week of his life. The contacts with other hobbyists were a major support for him.

Gotha G-IV - Dutch Gotha G.IV

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August 18, 1917 two German Bombers of the type Gotha G-IV, registered 1055/16 and 1059/16 were on their way back to their home base in Germany. Because of a miscalculation of the navigator they were approaching the Dutch coast. The pilots decided to follow the coast in an attempt to fly to Germany and respecting the Dutch neutral air space. Near the Dollard, they started flying inland. Possibly because of another miscalculation of the navigator and also because of lack of fuel they were flying over the Dutch territory.
The Dutch army started firing on the aircraft and one of the propellers of 1055/16 is hit, causing it to break into pieces. The machine made an emergency landing near Beerta and the crew was interned almost immediately. The other aircraft made also an emergency landing because of lack of fuel, but the crew managed to set fire to the aircraft.

The 1055/16 was dismantled and transported to air base Soesterberg. The aircraft was repaired and the fuselage is painted over with a green colour. The wings were left in their original colours. Dutch roundels and the Dutch serial LA50 were applied.

October 18, 1917 the machine was finished and ready for a test flight. The Dutch crew Van Abeelen, Banning and Van Heyst didn't ever fly in such a large aircraft and they damaged the aircraft. The Gotha was repaired again and used till 1921.

Gotha G.IV LA50, ex 1055/16, in reparatie. sept. 1917. Geïnterneerd bij Beerta op 18 aug. 1917. In december 1917 her-registratie G700.
Gotha G.IV LA50, ex 1055/16, under repairs in September 1917.
[Enclosed photo from BeeldBank NIMH. Click on photo for ordering information]
Gotha G.IV LA50, ex 1055/16. Neergestort ten gevolge van motorstoring in de start op de eerste proefvlucht, 18 okt. 1917. Elt.vl. F.A. van Heijst, elt.vl. W.P. van den Abeelen, sgt.ll.vl. G.H. Bannink.
Gotha G.IV LA50, ex 1055/16. Crashed because of an engine failure during the test flight October 18, 1917.
Elt.vl. F.A. van Heijst, elt.vl. W.P. van den Abeelen, sgt.ll.vl. G.H. Bannink.
[Enclosed photo from BeeldBank NIMH. Click on photo for ordering information]

 

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