I'd like to present you some figher plane I've been working on for quite a while in "adapted for SB" Pixel Marshals/Junior General scale which are 2 times bigger then FD. Big thanks to lads from Pixel Marshals and Junior Generals from Deviant arts for letting me using their scale for potential adaptation and further use in Shipbucket
M4K1 Martlet is a Dutch carrier based fighter, all metal monoplane of The Second Great War which is generally viewed as one of the best if not the best Dutch fighter plane United Kingdom of Netherlands and Wallonia made for run up of the conflict, it proved it self serious opponent for Japanese A6M Zero until United States introduced F6F Hellcat and F4U Corsair. Dutch Forces had this plane in service from very first day of the war and it would serve the crown until 1948 with various modifications made during it service, it was also main carrier based fighter for the British until 1943.
M4K1 MkIIIa
Crew: 1
Length: 9.60 m
Wingspan: 10 m
Height: 2.92 m
Empty weight: 2,752 kg
Gross weight: 3,368 kg
Powerplant: 1 × R-2600 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 1,550 hp
Propellers: 3-bladed constant-speed propeller
Performance
Maximum speed: 610 km/h below 6,200 m
(never exceed speed - 810 km, maximum speed at horizontal flight at low altitude (below 6,200 meters) - 512 km/h)
Take off speed: 140 km/h
Range: 600 km + 170 km with fuel tank
Service ceiling: 10,300 m
Rate of climb: 18.4 m/s
Time to altitude: 5,000 m in 4 minutes 28 seconds
Max rate turn: 16.4 seconds
Armament
Guns: 6 Browning FN-37 MKIII 13.2 milimitre Machine guns at the wings 250 rounds for 4 inner and 150 for 2 outside machineguns.
Bombs: 2 × bombs up to 100 kg each, or single 250kg bomb
Produced - 3563
Development
As soon as Fokker D XXI took entered production and was brought to service by both Koninklijke Nederlands-Waalse Landmacht Luchtdienst (Royal Dutch-Wallonian Army Air Service) and Koninklijke Nederlands-Waalse Marine Luchtvaartdienst (Royal Dutch-Wallonian Navy Air Service) the army and navy were beginning to think of possible replacement of Fokker D XXI, Defence ministry released specifications calling for a modern, all metal plane with retractable landing gear, capable of hitting 570+km/h at 5000 meters and a climb to 5000 meters in 10 minutes, that would also be fairly maneuverabile and could be based on aircraft carriers
In September 1936 work had began and developmental hell followed both companies couldn't find suitable engine in Netherlands, Fokker bought a license for Hispano-Zuiza 12Y-31 engine, while Koolhoven used Bristol-Taurus. By April 1938 both companies made first prototypes and 2nd. Fokker's prototype FrMSF-212 took off and performed relatively well, but Koninklijke Nederlands-Waalse Marine Luchtvaartdienst were not satisfied with its maneuverability and its unreliability, navy did not accept it, though the army showed interest in Fokker's plane and later on would except it when Fokker fixed all the issues with it as a long range interceptor known as Fokker D XXII
Koolhoven's KMSF-45 prototype took off week later and Navy did like it, though it wasn't fast as they wanted (reaching 510 km/h) Koolhoven redesigned the fuselage to fit American R-1830 engine which became available, added drop shape canopy and leading edge slat to help with climb and increasing maneuverability slightly. Plane reached speed of 540km/h at height of 5100 meters, at higher altitude speed dropped to 300-410 km/h, KnMF proved to be very, very good and modern aircraft and it was designated as M4K1 (Marine (naval fighter) 4 Koolhoven's model 1) while standard disegnation was Fighter Koolhoven 58 year's type (age of current monarch that being Queen Wilhelmina), later on it was nicknamed by army and later navy as "Martlet".
KMSF-45 (M4K1 Prototype)
Service History
Production began In January 1st 1939
With 790 produced on outbreak of the World War 2. Before the war however 24 M4K1s were send into China as volunteer force with 450 Dutch Serviceman known as LVG-1 "Sky Dogs" (Luchtvaartgroep-1) under command of L.H. van Oyen, here career of best Dutch Ace - Tim Van Vesser starts who during his service in LVG-1 shot down 14 enemy aircraft, at June 2 1939 Martlets scored first air-to-air victory when 12 M4K1s led by lieutenant August Diebel attacked 18 Japanese Ki-27 and 6 A5M Japanese claimed that only 14 planes were shot down (13 Ki-27 and 1 A5M) and scoring 2 losses on Dutch while in actuality none of the August Diebel's planes were down though they sustained some damage and shot down 16 Ki-27 and 3 A5M
By the time they were called out back to Netherlands and were divided into various Dutch Aircraft Carriers. Martlets shot down 188 aircraft while loosing only 2 from June to September 1939
At the time of German Invasion of Poland 821 M4K1 were active, the modification of a figher was in a process and M4K1 MkII would be brought in mid September but wasn't since German Bombing of Koolhoven's Factory in Rotterdam delayed it until End of October, main changes of the MkII was slightly more powerful engine with higher speed performance. During Battle of Netherlands, France and Britain The Martlet quickly gained a fearsome reputation among German fighter pilots (more then Supermarine Spitfire). Thanks to a combination of good maneuverability – compared to contemporary Axis fighters – high climb rate and speed as well as excellent armament. It proved a difficult opponent even for the Bf/Me109s.
After fall of UKNW and France production was moved into USA but main production line was located in Kaap (South Africa) In 1942 old MkII had major problems in fighting German FW-190 and Italian Re. 2005s as they were faster and had better climb rates and the need of modification of the plane was understood at the end of 1940 - next MkIII were re-engined to American R-2600, completely redesigning cooling system and radial systems this resulted increasing of speed and climb but traded off manoeuvrability slightly (as good as Spitfire MkIV), 2 variants were made - MkIIIa which carried only 6 50 cal machineguns and MKIIIb which would carry 2 50 cal and 2 20 mm British-Hispano cannons though due to reliability of earlier 20 mm British-Hispano pilots preferred MKIIIa and generally MkIIIa firepower was deemed sufficient.
In Pacific M4K1 were the only Allied Fighters which could fight toe-to-toe with Japanese A6M Zero until introduction of F6F by US. M4K1 were loosing in manoeuvrability but surpassed them in climb-rate, speed and better survivability (possessing self-sealing fuel tanks and 8 mm plate for pilot) this remained as such all the way until Japanese surrender in December 1944, MkIIIs were the main workhorse of Dutch, British and Australian airforces participating in every South Pacific engagement. After Japanese surrender work had began on last MkIV modification which would fight in Europe for a short time.
In the aftermath of The Second Great War, the Dutch Royal Airforce consolidated much of its wartime combat force and selected the M5KF2 (Marine model 5, Koolhoven-Fokker model 2) as a "standard" piston-engined fighter, while, M4K1 were given substantially reduced roles such as training for example.
Variants and specifications
M4K1 MkI (January 1939)
Crew: 1
Length: 8.50 m
Wingspan: 9.8 m
Height: 2.65 m
Empty weight: 2,006 kg
Gross weight: 2,868 kg
Powerplant: 1 × R-1830 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 1,040 hp
Propellers: 3-bladed constant-speed propeller
Performance
Maximum speed: 540 km/h below 5,200 m
Take off speed: 130 km/h
Range: 600 km + 150 km with fuel tank
Service ceiling: 10, 300 m (36,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 12.6 m/s (3,290 ft/min)
Time to altitude: 5,000 m (16,404 ft) in 6 minutes 48 seconds
Max rate turn: 15.7 seconds
Armament
Guns: 4 Browning FN-37 13.2 milimitre Machine guns 250 rounds each.
Bombs: 1× bomb up to 100 kg.
Produced 1233
M4K1 MkII (October 1939)
Crew: 1
Length: 8.60 m
Wingspan: 9.9 m
Height: 2.65 m
Empty weight: 2,142 kg
Gross weight: 2,968 kg
Powerplant: 1 × R-1830 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 1,340 hp
Propellers: 3-bladed constant-speed propeller
Performance
Maximum speed: 570 km/h at 5,400 m
Take off speed: 134 km/h
Range: 620 km + 150 km with fuel tank
Service ceiling: 10,300 m
Rate of climb: 14.7 m/s
Time to altitude: 5,000 m in 5 minutes 47 seconds
Max rate turn: 15.4 seconds
Armament
Guns: 4 Browning FN-37 13.2 milimitre Machine guns at the wings 250 rounds each.
Bombs: 2 × bombs up to 100 kg each or single 200 kg.
(No Visual outside differences from MkI and MKII)
M4K1 MkIIIb (January 1942)
Crew: 1
Length: 9.50 m
Wingspan: 9.8 m
Height: 2.78 m
Empty weight: 2,800 kg
Gross weight: 3,450 kg
Powerplant: 1 × R-2600 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 1,550 hp
Propellers: 3-bladed constant-speed propeller
Performance
Maximum speed: 600 km/h below 6,200 m
Take off speed: 143.5 km/h
Range: 600 km + 170 km with fuel tank
Service ceiling: 10,300 m
Rate of climb: 17.3 m/s
Time to altitude: 5,000 m in 4 minutes 28 seconds
Max rate turn: 16.4 seconds
Armament
Guns: x2 20 milimitre Hispano-Suiza auto-cannons, at wings, 100 rounds each, x2 Browning FN-37 13.2 milimitre Machine guns at the wings 250 rounds each
Bombs: 2 × bombs up to 100 kg each.
Produced - 1450 planes
M4K1 MkIV (April 1943)
Crew: 1
Length: 9.55 m
Wingspan: 10 m
Height: 2.80 m
Empty weight: 2,909 kg
Gross weight: 3,668 kg
Powerplant: 1 × R-2600 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 1,750 hp
Propellers: 4-bladed constant-speed propeller
Performance
Maximum speed: 665 km/h at 6,200 m
Take off speed: 160 km/h
Range: 500 km + 170 km with fuel tank
Service ceiling: 10,300 m
Rate of climb: 21.2 m/s
Time to altitude: 5,000 m in 4 minutes 33 seconds
Max rate turn: 17.0 seconds
Armament
Guns: x2 20 milimitre Hispano-Suiza auto-cannons 100 rounds each at wings x4 Browning FN-37 MkIII 13.3 milimitre Machine guns at the wings 250 rounds 2 at fuselage and 2 at wings.
Produced 610 planes