Dominion of Nusantara:
General Information:
The following is an overview of Nusantara military aircraft from their introduction in 1915 through the end of the conflict with Imperial Japan during World War II.
Prewar Timeline:
1905: Sumatra Automobielbedrijf (Sumatra Motor Car Company) is founded in the coastal city of Medan. Starting in 1920 the company branches out into aircraft engines when they acquire a license to manufacture Hispano-Suiza designs
1912: The Ministry of Aeronautics – commonly known as the Air Ministry – is created by the Nusantaran government.
1914: Nationale Luchtvaart (National Aviation) or NLv is founded as the country’s first dedicated aircraft manufacturer. Over the next two years a number of experimental aircraft are built and tested, although none are placed in production.
1915: The Koninklijk Nusantara Signaalkorps (Royal Nusantara Signal Corps - KNS) is created as the country’s first military aviation service as an auxiliary to the Royal Nusantara Army. By the beginning of 1916 the KNS has its first operational squadron in service – consisting of 12 Nieuport 10’s purchased from France prior to the outbreak of WWI.
1916: The Marineluchtdienst van Nusantara (Nusantara Naval Air Service - MvN) – is founded as the naval aviation branch of the Royal Nusantara Navy. A group of 24 Curtiss H.12A’s purchased from the US form No.1 and No.2 Patrol Squadrons which provide reconnaissance throughout the archipelago.
Ngurawan Karya Otomotif (Ngurawan Automotive Works) is founded as the country’s fourth automaker, but quickly moves into the aircraft engine manufacturing arena with a series of rotary (later radial) designs.
1917: The first indigenously built military aircraft – a group of 24 Nieuport 10’s built under license – enter service. Manufactured by NLv, they are retroactively designated as Na.1’s under the 1923 Aircraft Designation System.
1918: The tricolor roundel (blue-white-orange) is adopted across all Nusantaran military aviation branches, replacing the national flag used since 1915. It remains in use until 1951 when it is replaced by the blue-orange “ying & yang” style roundel adopted by the newly established Republic of Nusantara.
1919: The capabilities of the KNS are greatly enhanced by the acquisition of 24 surplus Fokker D.VII’s through military contacts in the Dutch government. In 1922, a follow-on contract to mass-produce the fighter’s successors, the D.IX and D.XI, under license locally begins a two-decade long relationship between Nusantara and Fokker.
1921: Irodikromo Luchtvaart Werken ((Irodikromo Aeronautical Works) is founded as Nusantara’s first privately-owned aircraft manufacturer (Nationale Luchtvaart was originally chartered by the Air Ministry and remained state-owned).
1922: Under the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty, two cancelled Nusantaran battleships are allowed to be converted to aircraft carriers. Construction resumes by the summer of the following year.
1923: The Aircraft Designation System is adopted by the Air Ministry – it remains in use to this day.
1925: The KNS is replaced by the Koninklijk Legerkuchkorps van Nusantara (Royal Nusantara Army Air Corps – KLvN) as the primary land-based aviation branch. The KLvN is in turn replaced in early 1942 by the Koninklijke Nusantara Luchtmacht KNLu (Royal Nusantara Air Force) – the country’s first independent air force.
An order for 48 Vought VE-7’s begins arriving from the US. Although intended as carrier fighters, the planes spend the next two years as land-based and training aircraft.
1926: Braam en Bodi Ingenieursbureau (Braam & Bodi Engineering Company) is founded as Nusantara’s first dedicated aircraft engine manufacturer. Their first design is the Type AB – a 24 liter W12 patterned after the British Napier Lion. Designated as the BW24 under the 1930 Unified Engine Designation System, the engine remained in production until 1940.
1927: Sjahrir Vliegtuigmaatschappij (Sjahrir Aircraft Company) is founded.
KNS Havik (A.1) is commissioned as Nusantara’s first aircraft carrier, she is followed a year later by KNS Valk (A.2).
1928: A group of 40 Boeing PB patrol seaplanes (production XPB-3’s) are built in the US for the MvN. An additional 80 are built by National Luchtvaart as the V3N – replacing the now obsolete Curtiss Model H-12’s.
1932: Dijkstra Vliegtuigwerken (Dijkstra Aircraft Works) is founded.
1934: The Air Ministry approaches the American Vought company about purchasing the sole XO5U prototype and contracting for 24 production versions of the observational floatplane. The company, having lost the contract with the US Navy to Curtiss, jumps at the chance. The aircraft are shipped to Nusantara disassembled along with company engineers to oversee their reassembly and testing. Leading the Americans is a young aeronautical engineer named Eugene Royer. After the O5U’s enter service by the end of 1935, Royer makes the decision to remain in Nusantara, petitioning the Air Ministry to build a factory – initially to build the O5U under license – but later becoming one of the country’s largest aircraft manufacturers.
1936: Royer Vliegtuigmaatschappi (Royer Aircraft Company) is formally founded. The new company’s first projects are the VWR “Gull” (license-built O5U) as well as the OR “Trainer” (license-built NAF N3N). A total of 172 of the former, and 264 of the latter, are eventually built.
1938: Royer creates an aircraft engine division – Royer Afdeling Aeromotoren (Royer Aero-Engine Division) – focusing on radial type designs. The division’s first engine – the YR27 – is a 9-cylinder air-cooled design similar to the American P&W R-1690 Hornet and Germany’s BMW 132.
1939: The last prewar aircraft manufacturer to be founded; Kneijnsberg Vliegtuigbouw (Kneijnsberg Aeronautical Engineering), is created by a disgruntled ex-Dijkstra engineer named Ujang Kneijnsberg.
Royal Nusantara Navy Aircraft:
Curtiss H-12A:
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/gq0m9ubvg7ekpioi7exw1/Curtiss-H-12-1916.png?rlkey=cu2ieiqans2g60rjysqz2olb2&st=wlke7oh9&dl=1)
Specifications:
Type: Patrol seaplane
In service: 1916-1927
Crew: 4
Length: 14.7 meters
Wingspan: 28.3 meters
Height: 5.0 meters
Wing area: 113.0 m^2
Empty weight: 3,308 kg
Gross weight: 4,831 kg
Wing loading: 42.8 kg/m^2
Engines: 2 x 400hp Liberty L-12 liquid-cooled V-12
Maximum speed: 74 knots
Range: 390 nm
Ceiling: 3,300 meters
Armament: 4 x 7.92mm MG; 180-200 kg bombload
Number built: 24
Vought VE-7:
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/h26114kmuy5nfxskkt34z/Vought-VE-7-1925.png?rlkey=ae7oycecjb1f82peqnb9lhzx7&st=4tqmhr5e&dl=1)
Specifications:
Type: Carrier fighter
In service: 1925-1936
Crew: 2
Length: 7.5 meters
Wingspan: 10.5 meters
Height: 2.6 meters
Wing area: 26.4 m^2
Empty weight: 631 kg
Gross weight: 879 kg
Wing loading: 33.3 kg/m^2
Engines: 1 x 180 hp Wright Hispano E liquid-cooled V-8
Maximum speed: 92 knots
Range: 250 nm
Ceiling: 4,600 meters
Armament: 1 x 7.92mm MG
Number built: 48
More to come!
Cheers!
Stealthjester
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/6y3jf8p5ppt7rgeqjk9zh/Irodikromo-A2L-1926.png?rlkey=x0wyb8kz5qx1ootgzwmgz27na&st=de4h1482&dl=1)
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/cqbdyzwxttxwm0k1of4ik/Nationale-V3N-1928.png?rlkey=rxkm8qk5v4hgbv9silqlzdzlr&st=8nvy1yvb&dl=1)
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/xjyf1zr78gl2abodjy6lm/Douglas-T3D-1932.png?rlkey=yr5u8nfuseds2jr3wivknkc2a&st=mxfdisj8&dl=1)
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/lrt8y9q26kj76bnm31d0r/Nationale-V5N-1933.png?rlkey=eww2u7tfe38fb8hhivb5derbk&st=lshkldwz&dl=1)
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/tdshiilnh605zwufkw7sy/Dijkstra-JD-1934.png?rlkey=uap82e3c4nj90cbeb8iylpi9w&st=hcts0rnq&dl=1)
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/vha1iiertkl556yxyerd3/Sjahrir-JS-1935.png?rlkey=kgqw1dcvf53mvaga1j96ulzu1&st=o6opm8c5&dl=1)
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/pqfb0h4vcpo8gh3cyxai6/Royer-VWR-1937.png?rlkey=ejg5r319xu7kk5rdz6ysa0nli&st=4ijhbebd&dl=1)
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/1bje5ekvlnsh6i0hq9z1s/Royer-D2R-1938.png?rlkey=j9dx6aw20umkckct1t6vmblhy&st=qixc54gq&dl=1)
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/nsvxz932e2vn5mxwtp6m2/Kneijnsberg-TK-1940.png?rlkey=h3sbm8gll8lb4su5yeycm1que&st=zg7c5st3&dl=1)
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/zttocyqeghjj7pbae23lg/Royer-J3R-1941.png?rlkey=htnvjuuylrrny9hs5kqdi2q7p&st=equrutbn&dl=1)
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/zvxf9b85uhqnwkzwhyloy/Sjahrir-J5S-1942.png?rlkey=t89mvtxcjnh0fumyd0sps2ohf&st=kuiopeau&dl=1)
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/n3eud5fpginvcq9n29rk6/Nationale-LN-1941.png?rlkey=qwuzozexcyuunni7sn3wecrvu&st=pzwauq7t&dl=1)
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/bhotvutiaz8zb74z64n88/Dijkstra-V4D-1942.png?rlkey=pkvu5xmnsag7h43vt6lfq34j7&st=jh07ctm0&dl=1)