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IMAM Ro.10

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Fokker
IndustryAircraft manufacturing
Founded1912
FounderAnthony Fokker
Headquarters
Netherlands
,
Netherlands
ProductsAircraft, including Fokker F.VII series


Template:Infobox aircraft

The Fokker F.VII, often referred to as the Fokker Trimotor, was a passenger aircraft developed during the 1920s by the Dutch manufacturer Fokker, its American branch Atlantic Aircraft Corporation, and various licensed producers. Depending on the variant, it accommodated between six and twelve passengers and featured different engine setups; while initial models had a single engine mounted at the nose, the majority were manufactured with three engines.

Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the F.VII played a significant role as an airliner, appearing in several configurations and participating in record-setting flights. An enlarged derivative, the F-10, was linked to a notable 1931 aviation accident involving Transcontinental & Western Air, which prompted regulatory changes in the United States. The aircraft was also utilized in an expedition aiming to reach the North Pole—though there remains debate about whether it fully achieved this goal, it certainly operated under Arctic conditions during the mission. More definitively, it completed pioneering flights such as the first transpacific journey from Australia to the United States and earlier flights from the U.S. mainland to Hawaii.

By the 1930s, newer aircraft designs offering greater size, speed, and aerodynamic efficiency began to overshadow the F.VII. Key variants included the larger Fokker F-10, capable of carrying four extra passengers, and the twin-engine Fokker F.VIII, which eliminated the central engine. Production under license extended beyond the Netherlands to manufacturers like SABCA, Avia, Avro, among others.

Design and development

File:Het prototype van de Fokker F.VII op Schiphol (2161 026547).jpg
Prototype of the F.VII at Schiphol Airport.
File:Cutaway of Napier Lion engine in Fokker F.VII H-NFOKKER (7585231968).jpg
Napier Lion engine revealed in the nose section of a F.VII

Conceived by Walter Rethel, the F.VII was initially designed as a single-engine transport aircraft. Five units were constructed for Dutch carrier KLM. One particular plane, bearing registration H-NACC, accomplished the inaugural flight from the Netherlands to the Dutch East Indies in 1924. In 1925, while residing in America, Anthony Fokker learned about the Ford Reliability Tour—a competition aimed at evaluating transport aircraft performance. He tasked chief designer Reinhold Platz with transforming a single-engine F.VIIA into a trimotor configuration powered by 200 hp (150 kW) Wright Whirlwind radial engines. This modified version was designated as the Fokker F.VIIA-3m. After being shipped to the U.S., it secured victory in that year's Ford Reliability Tour. Structurally, this trimotor featured a fuselage made from steel tubing covered with fabric and wings constructed from wood sheathed in plywood.

The subsequent model, Fokker F.VIIB-3m, featured a slightly larger wing area than its predecessor and upgraded powerplants rated at 220 hp (160 kW) each. The F.10 variant was marginally bigger still, providing enclosed cabin space for up to twelve passengers. Collectively, these models became widely recognized as the Fokker Trimotor.

The Fokker F.VIII (also known as F.8) shared similarities but adopted a twin-engine layout instead of three engines and was larger in size. Meanwhile, the Fokker F.IX (or F-9) maintained a trimotor arrangement akin to the F.VII but was substantially bigger with seating capacity for twenty passengers.

Operational history

File:Trójsilnikowy samolot pasażerski "Fokker" F.VIIB-3m (1-G-1710).jpg
Interior layout of the 8-seat F.VIIB-3m
File:Southern cross.jpg
The Southern Cross as seen in 1943.
File:Ad Astra Aero - Fokker F-VII-B 3-m (CH190).jpg
Fokker F.VIIB-3m (CH-190) operated by Ad Astra Aero
File:Fokker FVIIa3m wiki.jpg
The Josephine Ford displayed at The Henry Ford museum

During the late 1920s, the Fokker aircraft, seating between eight and twelve passengers, was favored by numerous early airlines across Europe and the Americas. It held a commanding position within the American aviation market during this period. Nevertheless, its widespread use declined rapidly following the 1931 crash involving a Transcontinental & Western Air Fokker F.10, which tragically claimed the life of Knute Rockne, the famed football coach from University of Notre Dame. The subsequent investigation exposed vulnerabilities in the aircraft's plywood laminate construction, leading to a temporary prohibition on commercial operations, stricter maintenance protocols, and a transition toward all-metal airplanes such as the comparable Ford Trimotor, followed by models like the Boeing 247 and Douglas DC-2.

Pioneers and explorers

Numerous aviation pioneers and explorers utilized the F.VII in their groundbreaking flights, including:

  • On 9 May 1926, Richard E. Byrd asserted that he flew over the North Pole aboard the Fokker F.VIIA-3m Josephine Ford (N267), just days before Roald Amundsen achieved a similar milestone with the airship Norge.[1]
  • The first transpacific flight from mainland United States to Hawaii, covering approximately 2,400 miles (3,862 km), was completed by Lester Maitland and Albert Hegenberger, both lieutenants in the United States Army Air Corps, flying the Atlantic-Fokker C-2 Bird of Paradise on 28–29 June 1927.[1]
  • The inaugural official transatlantic airmail flight was conducted by Richard E. Byrd, Bernt Balchen, and two others in the civilian-owned C-2 America (NX206), which crash-landed near the French coast on 1 July 1927.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
  • On 31 August 1927, Lieutenant Colonel 'Dan' Minchin, Captain Leslie Hamilton, and Princess Anne of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg attempted to become the first aviators to cross the Atlantic from east to west in a Fokker F.VIIa named St. Raphael (G-EBTQ). Their disappearance remains unresolved.[2]
  • An unsuccessful attempt to fly from Old Orchard Beach, Maine, to Rome was made on 6 September 1927 by James DeWitt Hill and Lloyd W. Bertaud in the F.VIIA Old Glory (NX703); both crew and aircraft were lost over the North Atlantic shortly afterward.[3]
  • Sir Charles Kingsford Smith piloted the F.VIIB-3m Southern Cross, marking it as the first airplane to traverse the Pacific Ocean from the United States to Australia in June 1928. It also completed the first crossing of the Tasman Sea, flying between Australia and New Zealand later that same year in September.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
  • The pioneering female aviator Amelia Earhart became the first woman to cross the Atlantic on 17 June 1928 while traveling as a passenger aboard the Fokker F.VIIB-3m Friendship (NX4204).[1]
  • A team of U.S. Army Air Corps pilots led by then-Major Carl Andrew Spaatz established an endurance record exceeding 150 hours using aerial refueling techniques with their aircraft, a Fokker C-2A known as Question Mark, during a flight over Los Angeles from 1 to 7 January 1929.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
  • The FVII registered as G-EBTS, initially named Princess Xenia and later renamed 'The Spider', was involved in several notable long-distance flights:
    • On 2 September 1928, pilots C D Barnard and Eric Alliot completed a journey from Karachi to London covering approximately 5,000 miles within four and a half days.
    • Between 2 and 8 August 1929, C D Barnard, Bob Little, and Mary Russell, Duchess of Bedford flew round-trip between Karachi and London, accumulating about 10,000 miles over eight days.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
    • On 10 April 1930, Barnard, Little, and the Duchess undertook a flight from Lympne to Cape Town spanning roughly 9,000 miles in a total flight time of ninety-one hours and twenty minutes across ten days.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name

Variants

File:Fokker F.VII met Napier Lion motor (2161 026581).jpg
The F.VII equipped with a single inline Napier Lion engine.
File:Fokker F.VII van de KLM (2161 026586).jpg
F.VII modified with a Bristol Jupiter radial engine, displaying KLM colors.
File:Fokker F.VIIa van de CIDNA (2161 026595).jpg
The French-registered F.VIIA operated by CIDNA (Compagnie Internationale de Navigation Aérienne).
File:Franz Schell Album Image (33484539474).jpg
America prior to its transatlantic flight, representing a Civilian C-2 variant
F.VII
A single-engine transport aircraft powered by either a 360 hp (270 kW) Rolls-Royce Eagle or a 450 hp (340 kW) inline 12-cylinder Napier Lion engine, accommodating two crew members and six passengers; five units produced. Among these, one was converted to utilize a 400 hp (300 kW) Bristol Jupiter nine-cylinder radial engine, and two others were adapted for the 480 hp (360 kW) Gnome-Rhône-built Jupiter VI engine.
F.VIIA (F.VIIA-1m)
This single-engine transport variant increased passenger capacity to eight and featured a redesigned simplified undercarriage with suspension enhancements and aerodynamic refinements—ailerons were integrated within the wing’s contour and finished with rounded tips, along with an adjustable stabilizer. Its maiden flight occurred on 12 March 1925. The initial aircraft was powered by a 420 hp (310 kW) V-12 Packard Liberty engine, while the subsequent 39 units predominantly employed Bristol Jupiter or Pratt & Whitney Wasp radial engines.
F.VIIA-3m
Developed to boost reliability, this version incorporated two supplementary underwing engines; first flown on 4 September 1925. The initial two aircraft closely resembled the F.VIIA, but starting with the third unit, the fuselage was extended by 31 in (80 cm) and powered by three [convert: precision too large] Wright J-4 Whirlwind radial engines. Approximately 18 were constructed, with numerous F.VIIA models later upgraded to this standard.
F.VIIB-3m
The principal production model featuring more powerful engines—options included the 300 hp (220 kW) Wright Whirlwind, Armstrong Siddeley Lynx, or 360 hp (270 kW) Titan Major radial engines—alongside an increased wingspan and altered wing design; total production reached 154 units, including licensed builds.
F-9
The American-manufactured variant of the Fokker F.VIIB-3m, produced by the Atlantic Aircraft Corporation in the United States.
F-10
A larger iteration of the Fokker F.VII airliner capable of transporting up to twelve passengers; manufactured by Atlantic Aircraft Corporation in the U.S.
File:Fokker C-2 090713-F-1234K-067.jpg
United States Army C-2 variant
C-2
Military transport adaptation of the Fokker F.9 powered by three [convert: precision too large] Wright J-5 radial piston engines, seating two pilots and ten passengers; three units built in 1926 for the United States Army Air Corps.
C-2A
An enhanced military transport for the US Army Air Corps featuring an extended wingspan and powered by three Wright J-5 radial piston engines rated at 220 horsepower ([convert: unknown unit]), accommodating two pilots plus ten passengers; eight produced in 1928.
XC-7
A single C-2A modified with three 330 horsepower ([convert: unknown unit]) Wright J-6-9 radial piston engines. When four additional C-2As received similar upgrades, they were redesignated as C-7.
C-7
Military transport conversions of C-2A models for the US Army Air Corps achieved by installing 300 hp (220 kW) Wright R-975 engines. The prototype XC-7 and four re-engined C-2As were redesignated in 1931.
C-7A
Six newly built C-7 aircraft equipped with Wright R-975 engines, featuring larger wings, a redesigned vertical fin, and fuselage designs based on the commercial Fokker F.10#F.10A model.
XLB-2
Experimental light bomber variant derived from the C-7, powered by three Pratt & Whitney R-1380 Wasp radial piston engines rated at [convert: invalid number]; only one unit constructed.
TA-1
Military transport version developed for use by the US Navy and Marine Corps; three units produced.
TA-2
Another military transport configuration for the US Navy; three built.
TA-3
US Navy military transport variant powered by three Wright J-6 radial piston engines; one constructed.
RA-1
New designation assigned to TA-1 units.
RA-2
New designation assigned to TA-2 units.
RA-3
New designation assigned to TA-3 units.

Licensed Versions

File:New England Airways Avro X.jpg
Avro 618 Ten
  • SABCA manufactured 29 units.
  • Avia produced 18 units.
  • In Italy, three aircraft were constructed as the IMAM Ro.10, equipped with three 215 hp Alfa Romeo Lynx engines (licensed Armstrong Siddeley designs). These were operated by Avio Linee Italiane and Ala Littoria.
  • Plage i Laśkiewicz built 11 F.VIIB-3m models between 1929 and 1930, along with 20 bomber variants of their own design (F.VIIB-3m), developed by Jerzy Rudlicki.
  • Three units were assembled in Spain.
  • Avro produced 14 aircraft under the designation Avro 618 Ten, powered by Armstrong Siddeley Lynx engines.

Civilian Operators

File:DonThomasPosters13 (19291814749).jpg
Historical poster featuring a stylized Fokker F.VII for Belgian airline SABENA
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  • SABENA operated a fleet of 28 aircraft.
Template:DNK
Template:FRA
  • CIDNA utilized seven F.VIIA aircraft.
  • Air Orient operated eight F.VIIB planes.
  • STAR had one F.VIIA in service.
File:Flag of Italy (1861–1946).svg Italy
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  • Malert operated two F.VIIA airplanes.
Template:Country data Manchukuo
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  • KLM received five F.VII and fifteen F.VIIA aircraft.
File:Dziesięcioosobowy samolot komunikacyjny typu "Fokker F VII A" (1-G-1704).jpg
Polish carrier LOT’s F.VIIA powered by a Lorraine-Dietrich 12Eb engine, manufactured by Polish Skoda Works (PZS)
Template:POL
  • Aero briefly operated six F.VIIA planes in 1928 before transferring them to PLL LOT on January 1, 1929.
  • Between 1929 and 1939, Polskie Linie Lotnicze LOT flew six F.VIIA and thirteen locally license-produced F.VIIB-3m aircraft.
Template:POR
Template:ROU
File:Fokker F.VIIb-3m van de Spaanse maatschappij CLASSA (2161 026619).jpg
Fokker F.VIIB-3m operated by Spanish state airline CLASSA.
Template:ESP
Template:SUI
  • At least one F.VIIB-3m was flown by Ad Astra Aero.
  • Swissair operated one F.VIIA and eight F.VIIB-3m models.
File:Fokker F.VIIb-3m van Pan American Airways (2161 026657).jpg
Pan American Airways’ Fokker F.VIIB-3m
File:Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg United States

Military Operators

Template:BEL
Template:Country data Belgian Congo
Template:Country data Independent State of Croatia
Template:CZS
Template:ETH
Template:FIN
Template:FRA
  • The French Air Force impressed five F.VIIA-3m and two F.VIIB-3m aircraft into military service during 1939/1940.
Template:Flagcountry
File:Flag of Italy (1861–1946).svg Italy
File:Fokker F.VIIA-3m-M Luchtvaartafdeeling (2157 052731b).jpg
Dutch bomber variant derived from the standard F.VIIA-3m, equipped with bomb racks and large landing floodlights, designated F.VIIA-3m/M.
Template:NLD
Template:POL
Template:Country data Spanish Republic
File:Fokker C-2A van de U.S. Army Air Corps (2161 026667).jpg
Slightly enlarged version, the Fokker C-2A, flown by the US Army Air Corps.
File:Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg United States
Template:Country data Kingdom of Yugoslavia

Accidents and incidents

File:Fokker F.VIIa Old Glory (8091733677).jpg
Old Glory was involved in a 1927 transatlantic flight attempt but was lost en route
  • On 7 September 1927, the F.VIIA Old Glory (NX703) vanished over the North Atlantic during an attempted transatlantic journey from Old Orchard Beach, Maine to Rome, Italy. The last known position was approximately 960 km east of Cape Race, Newfoundland. Pilots were Lloyd W. Bertaud and J. D. Hill.
  • On 17 September 1927, a Reynolds Airways F.VII (registration C776) crashed near Dunellen, New Jersey due to engine failure leading to loss of control. Seven out of twelve individuals on board were killed. This aircraft had previously been operated by KLM before being imported into the United States.
  • Belgian financier Alfred Lowenstein disappeared under unclear circumstances on 4 July 1928 while flying over the English Channel as a passenger aboard a Fokker F.VIIA-3m (G-EBYI).
  • On 15 August 1928, a Pan American World Airways F.VIIA-3m named General Machado (NC53) made an emergency water landing in the Gulf of Mexico near Egmont Key, Florida.
  • On 4 July 1929, a Fokker F.VIIA-3m (G-EBYI) was forced to land near Mongalla, Sudan. The pilot and owner was Donald H Drew; among three passengers was Glen Kidston. There were no injuries, but the aircraft sustained irreparable damage.
  • On 11 September 1930, a Sabena F.VII (OO-AIN) caught fire during climbout from Croydon Airport, resulting in a crash that killed both pilots.
  • On 30 October 1930, a Balair-operated Fokker F.VIIb/3m (CH-161) collided with a chimney and crashed in fog while approaching Essen/Mülheim Airport. Three crew members were injured; three passengers escaped unharmed. See also Commons Category:Fokker F.VIIb/3m of Balair.
  • On 6 December 1931, a KLM F.VIIb/3m (PH-AFO) failed to take off in Bangkok and crashed, resulting in five fatalities among seven occupants.
  • On 3 April 1940, a British Overseas Airways Corporation Avro 618 Ten (G-AASP, Hercules), which was based on the Fokker F.VIIb/3m design, crashed during takeoff from Cairo. There were no casualties; however, the aircraft was written off.

Specifications (F.VIIb/3m)

File:Fokker F.VII 3-view NACA Aircraft Circular No.74.jpg
Three-view illustration of the Fokker F.VII/3m from NACA Aircraft Circular No.74

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See also

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References

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Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named famfok
  2. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named EBTQ
  3. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named NX703
  4. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  5. ↑ Baugher, Joe. "Cargo Aircraft Designations." US transports, 11 August 2007. Retrieved: 20 December 2010.
  6. ↑ Painter, K.M. "Help From The Skies." Popular Mechanics, November 1929.

Bibliography

  • Bowers, Peter and Ernest McDowell. Triplanes: A Pictorial History of the World's Triplanes and Multiplanes. St. Paul, Minnesota: Motorbooks International, 1993. ISBN 0-87938-614-2.
  • Dierikx, Marc. Fokker: A Transatlantic Biography. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1997. ISBN 1-56098-735-9.
  • Howson, Gerald. "Fokker's Trimotors Go to War." Air Enthusiast, August–November 1990, no. 13, pp. 43–49.
  • Ives, Don. "Talkback." Air Enthusiast, December 1981 – March 1982, no. 17, pp. 33–34.
  • Molson, K.M. Pioneering in Canadian Air Transport. Winnipeg: James Richardson & Sons, Ltd., 1974. ISBN 0-919212-39-5.
  • Nevin, David. The Pathfinders (The Epic of Flight Series). Alexandria, Virginia: Time-Life Books, 1980. ISBN 0-8094-3256-0.
  • Postma, Thijs. Fokker: Aircraft Builders to the World. London: Jane's, 1979. ISBN 0-7106-0059-3.
  • Prins, François. "Brisbane's Heritage." Air Enthusiast, Winter 1993, no. 52, pp. 26–27.
  • Stroud, John. European Transport Aircraft since 1910. London: Putnam, 1966.
  • Taylor, H.A., and Peter Alting. "Fokker's 'Lucky Seven'." Air Enthusiast, April–July 1980, no.12, pp.24–38.
  • Weyl, A.R. Fokker: The Creative Years. London: Putnam, 1965.
  • Wulf, Herman de. "An Airline at War." Air Enthusiast, August–November 1990, no.13, pp.72–77.

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