Fokker Civil Jet Transport Scrapbook

Anthony Fokker built and flew his first aircraft before World War I, in 1910. The Dutch citizen later moved to Germany and started his namesake – aircraft building company in 1912. His company was successful with the design and production of numerous aircraft used by Germany during the First World War, among them the Fokker Eindecker monoplane (which was the cause of the “Fokker Scourge”), the famous Fokker DR.1 triplane (sometimes used by the Red Baron) and the  very successful D.VII fighter. After the War, he relocated his company back to the Netherlands and designed and built transports, fighters and reconnaissance types for many European customers, including the Royal Netherlands Air Force.

In the 1920s and 1930s, Fokker built airliners, such as the F.VII tri-motor. The type was successful in both Europe and in North America. Indeed, part of his aircraft company merged with U.S. automobile maker General Motors in 1930, and Anthony Fokker resigned from the company soon thereafter. In 1931, a Fokker Transcontinental and Western trimotor transport crashed in Kansas; football coach Knute Rockne among the fatalities. Wooden wing failure due to “wood rot” was found to be the cause, and Fokker trimotors in America were all grounded. Anthony Fokker lived until 1939, when he died while  in New York City. 

During World War II, the Netherlands – based Fokker aircraft company, which had produced fighters and transports in the years leading up to the Second World War,  was taken over by invading Germany forces and the factories produced trainers and parts for the Luftwaffe. After the Second World War, as the Netherlands rebuilt, the Fokker company designed several trainers, including the successful S-11, and under license built Gloster Meteors and Lockheed F-104 Starfighters. 

A new turboprop transport, the Fokker FK-27 Friendship, was designed in the 1950s and was produced into the 1980s as a best-selling twin turboprop airliner.

Fokker FK-28-2000

Fokker FK-28-4000

In 1962, the Fokker FK-28 Fellowship regional jet transport was announced, although the prototype’s first flight occurred later, in 1967.  Fokker produced 241 airframes in the Netherlands from 1967 through 1987. Six versions of the FK-28 were offered, with two primary fuselage lengths, several wing modifications and seating capacities between 70 and 85 passengers.  Two hundred forty one FK-28 airliners were built. 

Fokker FK-100

Fokker FK-70

Modernized versions of this design were offered as the Fokker 70 and larger Fokker 100. Three hundred thirty airframes of these modernized versions were built between 1982 and 1997. Seating capacity ranged between 72 and 97 passengers. 

The Fokker 28 competed against a handful of similar short-haul and regional jets like the DC-9-10, BAC 1-11 and BAe-146. The later Fokker 70 and 100 jetliners competed against the BAe RJ70/85/100  jets, the Airbus A-318 and the Boeing 717.

Here are a series pf photos of the various Fokker FK-28, FK-70 and FK-100 jet transports:

Fokker Fellowships: