Emergency landing of a Spyker trainer between Sint Pancras and Oudorp, near Alkmaar. Photo from: KB - National Library of the Netherlands

The Spyker V.2 trainer was the first aircraft type designed and built in series in the Netherlands, by the Trompenburg company which also made cars under the famous brand name Spyker or Spijker. Ordered off the drawing board, the V.2 first flew in March 1918. 58 V.2s were built for the Dutch army and 20 for the navy. In 1924, nine of the navy's surviving aircraft were transferred to the army, which must have replaced the type with the Fokker S.IV soon thereafter. Photo from: Nederlands Instituut voor Militaire Historie

Desgined and built for the Dutch government for pilot training towards the end of WWI. Because of the neutral position during the war, the general public didn't see the aircraft until after the war, at the Eerste Luchtveerkeer Tentoonstelling in August 1919. The aircraft was flown until 1924, when they were replaced by other aircraft, including the Fokker S.3. Spyker ended up building 78 V.2's. This replica features an original Thulin engine from 1919, with which the real C16 was fitted.

The Trompenburg company from Amsterdam, maker of the Spyker cars, started building aircraft in 1915. Its Spyker V.1 and V.3 fighters were unsuccesful, but the V.2 trainer was produced in quantity for the Dutch army and navy. This replica has an original Thullin engine and propeller, but is a reworked Sopwith Pup replica. No national markings were worn on the fuselage by the navy's early aircraft, but the early Dutch 'orange meatball' marking is just visible on the lower wing.