Fokker

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Fokker
IndustryAerospace
Founded22 February 1912
FounderAnthony Fokker
Defunct1996
FateBankruptcy
HeadquartersBerlin, Germany (former) Amsterdam, Netherlands
Key people
Anthony Fokker, Reinhold Platz, Walter Rethel
ProductsCommercial airliners
Military aircraft

Fokker (N.V. Koninklijke Nederlandse Vliegtuigenfabriek Fokker; lit.'Royal Dutch Aircraft Factory Fokker'), was a Dutch

aircraft manufacturer that operated from 1912 to 1996. The company was founded by the Dutch aviator Anthony Fokker and became famous during World War I for its fighter aircraft. During its most successful period in the 1920s and 1930s, Fokker dominated the civil aviation market. The company's fortunes declined over the course of the late 20th century. It declared bankruptcy
in 1996, and its operations were sold to competitors.

History

Fokker's first airplane, the Spin (Spider) (1910)

Fokker in Germany

At age 20, while studying in Germany, Anthony Fokker built his initial aircraft, the Spin (Spider)—the first Dutch-built plane to fly in his home country. Taking advantage of better opportunities in Germany, he moved to Berlin, where in 1912, he founded his first company, Fokker Aeroplanbau, later moving to the Görries suburb just southwest of Schwerin (at 53°36′45.90″N 11°22′31.60″E / 53.6127500°N 11.3754444°E / 53.6127500; 11.3754444), where the current company was founded, as Fokker Aviatik GmbH, on 12 February 1912.[1]

World War I

Fokker capitalized on having sold several

German Army in World War I. His first new design for the Germans to be produced in any numbers was the Fokker M.5, which was little more than a copy of the Morane-Saulnier G, built with steel tube instead of wood for the fuselage, and with minor alterations to the outline of the rudder and undercarriage and a new aerofoil section.[2] When it was realized that arming these scouts with a machine gun firing through the arc of the propeller was desirable, Fokker developed a synchronization gear similar to that patented by Franz Schneider.[3]

Fokker Eindecker in flight

Fitted with a developed version of this gear, the M.5 became the

Fokker Eindecker, which due to its revolutionary armament, became one of the most feared aircraft over the western front, its introduction leading to a period of German air superiority known as the Fokker Scourge which only ended with the introduction of new aircraft such as the Nieuport 11 and Airco DH.2
.

During World War I, Fokker engineers worked on the Fokker-Leimberger, an externally powered 12-barrel Gatling gun in the 7.92×57mm round claimed to be capable of firing over 7200 rounds per minute.[4]

Later in the war, after the Fokker D.V (the last design by earlier chief designer Martin Kreutzer), had failed to gain acceptance with the Luftstreitkräfte the German government forced Fokker (for their aircraft production expertise) and Junkers (for their pioneering all-metal airframe construction techniques, and advanced design concepts) to cooperate more closely, which resulted in the foundation of the Junkers-Fokker Aktiengesellschaft, or Jfa, on 20 October 1917. As this partnership proved to be troublesome, it was eventually dissolved. By then, former Fokker welder and new designer Reinhold Platz, who had taken the late Martin Kreutzer's place with the firm, had adapted some of Prof. Junkers' design concepts, that resulted in a visual similarity between the aircraft of those two manufacturers during the next decade.

Some of the noteworthy types produced by Fokker during the second half of the war, all designed primarily by Platz, included the

armistice agreement) and the Fokker D.VIII
parasol monoplane.

Return to the Netherlands

In 1919, Fokker, owing large sums in back taxes (including 14,250,000

marks of income tax),[5] returned to the Netherlands and founded a new company near Amsterdam with the support of Steenkolen Handels Vereniging, now known as SHV Holdings. He chose the name Nederlandse Vliegtuigenfabriek (Dutch Aircraft Factory) to conceal the Fokker brand because of his involvement in World War I. Despite the strict disarmament conditions of the Treaty of Versailles, Fokker did not return home empty-handed. In 1919, he arranged an export permit and brought six entire trains of parts, and 180 types of aircraft across the Dutch-German border, among them 117 Fokker C.Is, D.VIIs, and D.VIIIs. This initial stock enabled him to set up shop quickly.[citation needed
]

After his company's relocation, many Fokker C.I and C.IV military airplanes were delivered to Russia, Romania, and the still-clandestine German air force. Success came on the commercial market, too, with the development of the Fokker F.VII, a high-winged aircraft capable of taking on various types of engines. Fokker continued to design and build military aircraft, delivering planes to the Royal Netherlands Air Force. Foreign military customers eventually included Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, Hungary, and Italy. These countries bought substantial numbers of the Fokker C.V reconnaissance aircraft, which became Fokker's main success in the late 1920s and early 1930s.

1920s and 30s: Fokker's glory period

Fokker F.VII

In the 1920s, Fokker entered its glory years, becoming the world's largest aircraft manufacturer by the late 1920s.[6] Its greatest success was the 1925 F.VIIa/3m trimotor passenger aircraft, which was used by 54 airline companies worldwide and captured 40% of the American market in 1936. It shared the European market with the Junkers all-metal aircraft, but dominated the American market until the arrival of the Ford Trimotor which copied the aerodynamic features of the Fokker F.VII, and Junkers structural concepts.

In 1923, Anthony Fokker moved to the United States, where in 1927, he established an American branch of his company, the

General Motors Corporation and the company's name became General Aviation Manufacturing Corporation, which in turn merged with North American Aviation
and was divested by GM in 1948. In 1931, discontented at being totally subordinate to GM management, Fokker resigned.

A serious blow to Fokker's reputation came after the 1931 crash of a Transcontinental & Western Air Fokker F-10 in Kansas, when it became known that the crash was caused by a structural failure caused by wood rot. Notre Dame legendary football coach Knute Rockne was among the fatalities, prompting extensive media coverage and technical investigation. As a result, all Fokkers were grounded in the US, along with many other types that had copied Fokker's wings.

In 1934

Airspeed Ltd
(England) negotiated with Fokker himself for a manufacturing licensing agreement. In January 1935 Airspeed signed an agreement for the Douglas DC-2 and a number of Fokker types, with Fokker to be a consultant for seven years. Shute found him "genial, shrewd and helpful" but "already a sick man"; and he was difficult to deal with as "his domestic life was irregular". Airspeed considered making the Fokker D.XVII for Greece, as Greece wanted to buy from Britain for currency reasons, but the proposal did not "come off"; Shute recommended reading his novel Ruined City on Balkan methods of business. And after a year the drift to war meant that Dutchmen could not go to the Airspeed factory or to board meetings.[7]

On December 23, 1939, Fokker died in New York City after a three-week illness.

World War II

At the outset of World War II, the few G.Is and D.XXIs of the Dutch Air Force were able to score a respectable number of victories against the Luftwaffe, but many were destroyed on the ground before they could be used.

The Fokker factories were confiscated by the Germans and were used to build

Bü 181 Bestmann trainers and parts for the Junkers Ju 52
transport. At the end of the war, the factories were completely stripped by the Germans and destroyed by Allied bombing.

Post-World War II rebuilding

Belgian Air Force
in 1955

Rebuilding after the war proved difficult. The market was flooded with cheap surplus planes from the war. The company cautiously started building

jet trainers, and although not an export success, it served for over a decade with the Royal Netherlands Air Force
.

A new factory was built next to

F-104 Starfighter. A second production and maintenance facility was established at Woensdrecht
.

The Fokker F-27 turboprop airliner

In 1958, the

Fairchild
. Also, a military version of the F-27, the F-27 Troopship, was built.

In 1962, the F-27 was followed by the jet-powered

Prince Bernhard himself being a pilot.[citation needed
]

In 1969, Fokker agreed to an alliance with

VFW-614
, of which only 19 were sold. This collaboration ended in early 1980.

(2014).

Fokker was one of the main partners in the

Danish, Dutch and Norwegian Air Forces. It consisted of companies and government agencies from these four countries and the United States. F-16s were assembled at Fokker and at SABCA
in Belgium with parts from the five countries involved.

Aerospace

In 1967, Fokker started a modest space division building parts for European

VFW-Fokker GmbH to build pressurized modules for Spacelab
.

Subsequently, Fokker contributed to many European satellite projects, as well as to the

Ariane rocket in its various models. Together with a Russian contractor, they developed the huge parachute system for the Ariane 5
rocket boosters which would allow the boosters to return to Earth safely and be reused.

The space division became more and more independent, until just before Fokker's bankruptcy in 1996, it became a fully stand-alone corporation, known successively as Fokker Space and Systems, Fokker Space, and Dutch Space. On 1 January 2006, it was taken over by

EADS
-Space Transportation.

Fokker 50, Fokker 100, and Fokker 70

Fokker 70, Fokker's last successful aircraft
Fokker 100

After a brief and unsuccessful collaboration effort with

DASA
being named most likely candidates.

Initial sales of the Fokker 100 were good, leading Fokker to begin development of the Fokker 70, a smaller version of the F100, in 1991, but sales of the F70 were below expectations and the F100 had strong competition from Boeing and Airbus by then.

In 1992, after a long and arduous negotiation process, Fokker signed an agreement with

Daimler-Benz
also had to deal with its own organisational problems.

Bankruptcy

On 22 January 1996, the board of directors of Daimler-Benz decided to focus on its core automobile business and cut ties with Fokker. The next day, an Amsterdam court extended temporary creditor protection.

Discussions were initiated with Bombardier on 5 February 1996. After having reviewed and evaluated the opportunities and challenges Fokker represented at the time, Bombardier renounced its acquisition on 27 February.[8] On 15 March, the Fokker company was declared bankrupt.[9]

Differences in national culture could have played a role in the failed takeover of Fokker by

Deutsche Aerospace (DASA).[specify][10]

Those divisions of the company that manufactured parts and carried out maintenance and repair work were taken over by

Stork N.V.; it is now known as Stork Aerospace Group. Stork Fokker exists to sustain remarketing of the company's existing aircraft: it refurbishes and resells F 50s and F 100s, and has converted a few F 50s to transport aircraft. Special projects included the development of an F50 maritime patrol variant and an F100 executive jet. For this project, Stork received the 2005 "Aerospace Industry Award" in the Air Transport category from Flight International
magazine.

Other divisions of the company that were profitable continued as separate companies: Fokker Space (later Dutch Space) and

Fokker Control Systems
.

In November 2009, Stork Aerospace changed its name to Fokker Aerospace Group. As of 2011, the Fokker Aerospace Group changed its name to Fokker Technologies. The five individual business units within Fokker Technologies all carry the Fokker name:

  • Fokker Aerostructures
  • Fokker Landing Gear
  • Fokker Elmo
  • Fokker Techniek
  • Fokker Services

The former Fokker aircraft facilities at Schiphol were redeveloped into the Fokker Logistics Park. One of the former Fokker tenants is Fokker Services.

In 1996, a new company named Rekkof Aircraft ("Fokker" backwards) attempted to restart production of the Fokker F70 and F100, supported by suppliers and airlines. The company was later renamed to Netherlands Aircraft Company, and started to focus on developing a new aircraft named F130NG. This attempt was not successful either, and the project came to a standstill in 2010. In 2023, after years of no updates, the company was renamed Fokker Next Gen. Along with the new name reveal, the company announced that they are developing a new hydrogen-powered regional airliner. Visualisations have been provided, but the name of the aircraft is yet not publicly disclosed.

In 2015, GKN considers Fokker Technologies as a possible acquisition to supply for the hybrid car market. The British automotive and aerospace supplier plans to buy the Netherlands-based Fokker for €706 million.[11]

In 2021, Fokker Services and Fokker Techniek are acquired by Panta Holdings, a Dutch investment fund. The acquisition sought to strengthen Panta Holdings’ aerospace footprint.[12] Panta Holdings also owns Fokker Next Gen.

Famous Fokker aircraft and pilots

Red Baron
" triplane

Fokker aircraft

1912–1921

1922–1940

Fokker-Atlantic designs

1945–1996

References

Notes

  1. ^ "Anthony Herman Gerard Fokker." Fokker, A Living History. Retrieved: 19 December 2010.
  2. ^ Weyl 1965, pp. 65–67.
  3. ^ Weyl 1965, p. 96.
  4. ^ "Motor Guns-A flashback to 1914–18." Flight, 8 March 1957, pp. 313–314.
  5. ^ Weyl 1965, p.354.
  6. ^ Hardiman, Jake (2021-09-26). "Fokker: A Brief History". Simple Flying. Retrieved 2022-12-18.
  7. ^ Norway, Neville Shute (1954). Slide Rule. London: William Heinemann. pp. 219–229.
  8. ^ "Bombardier Ends Talks With Fokker" (Press release). Bombardier. February 27, 1996. Archived from the original on April 3, 2019. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  9. ^ Kevin O'Toole (20 March 1996). "Fokker bankrupt". Flightglobal. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  10. .
  11. ^ "GKN to acquire Fokker Technologies for $771 million". Aerospace Manufacturing and Design. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  12. ^ "Panta Holdings acquires Fokker Services and Fokker Techniek". www.journal-aviation.com. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  13. ^ Associated Press in The Hague (17 May 2017). "Dutch king reveals he held part-time job as airline pilot". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 November 2018.

Bibliography

External links

This page is based on the copyrighted Wikipedia article: Fokker. Articles is available under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license; additional terms may apply.Privacy Policy