Koolhoven F. K. 58A – the fighter

In 1937 the French aviation leadership, due to the fact, that the capacities of the country's aviation industry factories were being used to the maximum, turned to Dutch aircraft manufacturers to design and produce a cheap fighter for the French AF. The request was answered by the aviation company "N. V. Koolhoven Vliegtuigen" from Rotterdam. In 1938 the constructor engineer of this company E. Shatski designed a low-wing fighter of mixed construction - a monoplane, its prototype was produced in two months. On September 22, 1938 it took to the air for the first time and received the designation Koolhoven F.K.58. In October it was demonstrated to the French aviation command, then sent for testing to Cazaux in France. The tests were successful and in January 1939 the French military command ordered 50 fighters of this type and they were to be used for the defense of the colonies. Two types of this plane were ordered, which differed only in the engines, installed in them. The Koolhoven F.K.58 is fitted with a “Hispano-Suiza” 14Aa10 and the Koolhoven F.K.58A with a ”Gnôme-Rhône” 14N16. Production of the aircraft began on June 17, 1939 and soon after they were delivered to France. The search was terminated on September 18, 1939 due to engine delivery problems. During that time 18 aircraft were produced: 11 of which were F.K.58A versions and 7 - F.K.58. Later produced fighters were requisitioned by the Dutch authorities. These aircraft were equipped with Bristol “Taurus” engines, but only two prototypes with this engine were built due to the German attack. Koolhoven F.K.58 fighters were to serve in the French overseas territories, primarily in Indochina. But after the start of World War II, a decision was made to leave them in France and use them in the country's air defense units. At the end of 1939 they started to form links and squadrons for the defense of strategic objects and communication nodes, and their pilots were mostly Poles. Polish pilots flew with 14 fighters of this type.

A simple, well-designed and quite richly detailed aircrafts model, painted in colorful spotted camouflage, flown by Polish pilot Bohdan Grzeszcziak. There are light traces of exploitation. The model is perfect even for modelers with little experience, working under the supervision of a more experienced colleague. Only it should not be one of the first more complex models.