The D.XVII was the successor of the D.XVI, the latter not being a success with lots of crashes and engine troubles. After a short trial period, 10 aircraft were ordered. Including the prototype, they were registered 201-211. According to ASN, '201' was lost while performing aerobatics on May 23, 1936. Both wings broke off at 6000m. The pilot managed to parachute to safety.

As May 10, 1940 passed, only 7 were left in service (202-205, 207, 209 , 210). The Air Force training base at Texel was attacked on this day, during which 204 was likely damaged. From the remaining 6 fighters, 202 and 203 were hit by friendly fire. During other non-operational movements, a further 2 were damaged. Only 1 mission was flown; 205, 209 and 210 were scheduled on a mission to Grebbeberg, where they were to support 4 C.V's and a C.X in a tactical ground support mission. But 209 had engine troubles at the start and didn't participate. The mission was a failure due to several reasons.

10 D.XVII's were ordered by the Air Force (201 - 210) and 207 was built in 1933. In March 1939 207 was part of the 2 JaVA, based at Waalhaven. On May 12, 1940 3 D.XVII's took off for Ruigenroek, but all 3 experienced landing incidents. 203 braked too hard and ground looped, 207 undershot the runway and 205 suffered landing gear damage when running into barbed wire. 203 and 207 were write-offs.

Fokker's last biplane fighter was quite a stunner. Ten D.XVIIs were delivered to the Dutch army air force. By May 1940, seven remained in service with the advanced flying school on Texel Island, where 204 was destroyed by German strafing. Three others carried out one operational mission to the Grebbe Line front on 12 May, flown by rookie pilots. Photo from: Bodo Sandberg collection