Fokker
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{{Infobox Defunct Company
|company_name = Fokker
|company_logo = [[Image:Fokker logo.gif|center|Logo of Fokker company.]]
|slogan =
|fate = [[Bankruptcy]]
|successor = [[Stork N.V.]]
|foundation = [[22 February]], [[1912]]
|defunct = [[1996]]
|location = [[Amsterdam]], the [[Netherlands]]
|industry = [[Aerospace]]
|key_people = [[Anthony Fokker]]
|products = Commercial airliners<br>Military aircraft
|num_employees =
|parent =
|subsid =
}}
'''Fokker''' was a Dutch [[aircraft manufacturer]] named after its founder, [[Anthony Fokker]]. The company operated under several different names, starting out in 1912 in [[Germany]], moving to the [[Netherlands]] in 1919. During its most successful period in the 1920s and 1930s, it dominated the civil aviation market. Fokker went into bankruptcy in 1996.
==History==
[[Image:Fokker Spin.jpg|thumb|right|Fokker's first airplane, the ''Spin'' (Spider) (1910)]]
At age 20, Fokker built his first plane, the [[Fokker Spin|''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 [[Schwerin]], where the current company was founded, as ''Fokker Aviatik GmbH'', on [[February 22]] [[1912]]<ref>[http://library.thinkquest.org/C002752/fokker.cgi?page=anthony Fokker, A living history - Anthony Herman Gerard<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
===World War I===
[[Image:Fokker Dr1 on the ground.jpg|thumb|left|[[Manfred von Richthofen|Baron von Richthofen]]'s [[Fokker Dr.I]].]]
The German government forced Fokker and [[Hugo Junkers]] to work together. This collaboration resulted in some famous early Fokker planes such as the [[Fokker E.III]], [[Fokker Dr.I]] ''Dreidecker'', and [[Fokker D.VII]]. These were all built for the [[Wehrmacht|German army]] to be used during [[World War I]]. Fokker gained further fame with his [[interrupter gear|synchronizer gear]], allowing machineguns to be fired through the propeller, resulting in the [[Fokker Scourge]]. The [[Fokker Dr.I|famous Dr.I triplane]] was used by [[Manfred von Richthofen]], the "Red Baron", towards the end of his career, who achieved over a quarter of his 80 air combat victories in Fokker aircraft.
Yet some of Fokker's early monoplanes were insufficiently tested and had a tendency to warp and come apart under hard maneuvering. Fokker had managed to cure these problems by the time the ''Dreidecker'' entered service.
===Return to the Netherlands===
In 1919, Fokker separated from [[Junkers (Aircraft)|Junkers]], returned to the Netherlands, and founded his own company near [[Amsterdam]] with the support of ''Steenkolen Handels Vereniging'' (now known as [[SHV Holdings]]). It was called ''Nederlandse Vliegtuigenfabriek'' (Dutch Aircraft Factory), carefully concealing the Fokker name because of his WWI involvement. Despite the strict disarmament conditions in the [[Treaty of Versailles]], Fokker did not return home empty-handed: he managed to smuggle an entire train's worth of D.VII and C.I military planes and spare parts across the German-Dutch border. This initial stock enabled him to quickly set up shop.
After his company's relocation, its main success would lie with commercial rather than military airplanes, although Fokker would continue to design and build the latter, predominantly for the [[Royal Netherlands Air Force|Dutch air force]]. A notable exception was the [[Finland|Finnish]] air force, which was largely equipped with [[Fokker C.V|C.V]], [[Fokker C.X|C.X]] and [[Fokker D.XXI|D.XXI]] aircraft.
[[Image:Southern cross.jpg|thumb|right|Fokker F.VII]]
In the 1920s, Fokker entered its glory years, becoming the world's largest aircraft manufacturer by late 1920s. Their greatest success was the [[Fokker F.VII|F.VIIa/3m trimotor]] passenger aircraft, which was used by 54 [[airline|airline companies]] worldwide and captured 40 percent of the American market in 1936. It dominated the [[Europe]]an market until the arrival of the all-metal [[United States|American]] and German aircraft in the mid-1930s. A serious blow to Fokker's reputation came after the [[TWA Flight 599]] disaster in Kansas. [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish football|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 USA.
In 1923 Anthony Fokker moved to the [[United States]], where he established an American branch of his company, the [[Atlantic Aircraft]] Corporation, in 1927 being renamed Fokker Aircraft Corporation of America. In 1930 this company merged with [[General Motors Corporation]] and the company's new name would be General Aviation Manufacturing Corporation (which in turn merged with [[North American Aviation]] and divested by GM in 1948). A year later, discontented at being totally subordinate to GM management, Fokker resigned. On December 23, 1939, Anthony Fokker died in New York City.
===World War II===
At the outset of [[World War II]], the few [[Fokker G.1|G.1]]s and [[Fokker D.XXI|D.XXI]]s of the Dutch Air Force were able to score a respectable number of victories against German warplanes 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 [[Bücker Flugzeugbau|Bücker]] [[Bücker Bü 181|Bü 181 ''Bestmann'']] trainers and parts for [[Junkers Ju 52]]. At the end of the war, the factories were completely stripped by the Germans and destroyed by Allied bombing.
Ironically enough, the one company that evolved from the original Fokker Aircraft Corporation that remained in operation, North American Aviation, developed and produced three types of aircraft for the US and Allied forces that had a profound impact on the war: the [[AT-6 Texan]]/SNJ ([[US Navy]] designation)/Harvard ([[RAF]] designation) advanced trainer on which the vast majority of US and Allied pilots trained, the [[B-25 Mitchell]] medium bomber, and the [[P-51 Mustang]] fighter which is often credited with the defeat of the German Luftwaffe and establishment of Allied air supremacy in the last year of the war.
===Post-World War II rebuilding===
Rebuilding after the war proved difficult. The market was flooded with cheap surplus airplanes from the war. The company cautiously started building [[glider]]s and autobuses and converting [[C-47 Skytrain|Dakota]] transport planes to civilian versions. A few [[Fokker F25|F25]]s were built. Nevertheless, the [[Fokker S-11|S-11]] trainer was a success, being purchased by several air forces.
A new factory was built next to [[Schiphol]] Airport near Amsterdam in 1951. A number of military planes were built there under license, among them the [[Lockheed Corporation|Lockheed]]'s [[F-104 Starfighter]]. A second production and maintenance facility was established at [[Woensdrecht]].
[[Image:Fokker F27 d-aeld Marcel van Leeuwen 2-2002.jpg|thumb|left|The F-27, world's most successful turboprop airliner.]]
In 1958 the [[Fokker F27|F-27]] Friendship was introduced, Fokker's most successful airliner. The Dutch government contributed 27 million [[Dutch gulden|guilders]] to its development. It became the world's best selling [[turboprop]] airliner, reaching almost 800 units sold by 1986, including 206 under license by [[Fairchild (aircraft manufacturer)|Fairchild]]. There is also a military version of the F-27, the F-27 Troopship.
In 1962, the F-27 was followed by the [[Fokker F28|F-28]] Fellowship. Until production stopped in 1987, a total of 241 were built in various versions. Both an F-27 and later an F-28 served with the Dutch Royal Flight, [[Prince Bernhard]] himself being a pilot.
In 1969, Fokker agreed to an alliance with [[Bremen (city)|Bremen]]-based [[Vereinigte Flugtechnische Werke]] under control of a transnational holding company. They collaborated on an unsuccessful regional [[jetliner]], the [[VFW-614]], of which only 19 were sold. This collaboration ended in early 1980.
Fokker was one of the main partners in the [[F-16 Fighting Falcon]] consortium (EPAF, European Participating Air Forces), which was responsible for the production of these fighters for [[Belgian Air Force|Belgium]], [[Danish Air Force|Denmark]], the [[Royal Netherlands Air Force]], and [[Royal Norwegian Air Force|Norway]]. It consisted of companies and government agencies from the four countries and USA. F-16s were assembled at Fokker and at [[Société Anonyme Belge de Constructions Aéronautiques|SABCA]] in Belgium with parts from the five countries involved.
[http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1076554/M/ The assembly-hall at Fokker with lots of F-16s]
===Aerospace===
In 1967, Fokker started a modest space division building parts for European [[satellite]]s. A major advance came in 1968 when Fokker developed the first Dutch satellite (the ANS) together with [[Philips]] and Dutch universities. This was followed by a second major satellite project, [[IRAS]], successfully launched in 1983. The [[European Space Agency]] (ESA) in June 1974 named a consortium headed by ERNO-[[VFW-Fokker GmbH]] to build pressurized modules for [[Spacelab]].
Subsequently, Fokker contributed to many European satellite projects, as well as to the [[Ariane (rocket)|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 January 1 2006 it was taken over by [[EADS]]-Space Transportation.
===Fokker 50, Fokker 100, and Fokker 70===
[[Image:Fokker.100.750pix.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Fokker 100, Fokker's last successful plane.]]
After a brief and unsuccessful collaboration effort with [[McDonnell Douglas]] in 1981, Fokker began an ambitious project to develop two new aircraft concurrently. The [[Fokker 50]] was to be a completely modernized version of the F-27, the [[Fokker 100]] a new airliner based on the F-28. Yet development costs were allowed to spiral out of control, almost forcing Fokker out of business in 1987. The Dutch government bailed them out with 212 million guilders but demanded Fokker look for a "strategic partner", [[British Aerospace]] and [[DaimlerChrysler Aerospace|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 DASA. This did not however solve Fokker's problems, mostly because DASA's parent company [[Daimler-Benz]] also had to deal with its own organizational problems.
===Bankruptcy===
On [[January 22]], [[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. On [[March 15]] the Fokker company was declared bankrupt.
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: they refurbish and resell F50s and F100s, and converted a few F50s to transport planes. 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.
Meanwhile, [[Rekkof Aircraft]] ("Fokker" backwards) is attempting to restart production of the Fokker 70 NT, supported by suppliers and airlines.
==Famous Fokker aircraft and pilots==
[[Image:RoteBaron.JPG|thumb|right|[[Fokker Dr.I]] replica at the [[Berlin Air Show|ILA 2006]], the "[[Red Baron]]" triplane]]
* In 1915, the Fokker E.I was introduced into the German air force, leading to the first [[Fokker Scourge]].
* [[Manfred von Richthofen]] flew a [[Fokker Dr.I]] [[triplane]] (1917–1918)
* The introduction of the [[Fokker D.VII]] into the German air force in 1918 led to a second [[Fokker Scourge]].
* In 1923, [[Oakley G. Kelly]] and [[John A. Macready]] completed the first non-stop flight spanning the North American continent in a Fokker T-2.
* In 1927, [[Richard E. Byrd]] completed his trans-Atlantic flight from [[New York City]] to [[Paris]] in a [[Fokker F.VII]].
* In 1928, [[Amelia Earhart]], the first woman to fly across the Atlantic as a passenger (from Newfoundland to the small [[Wales|Welsh]] town of [[Burry Port]]) did so in a Fokker F.VII piloted by Wilmer L. Stultz.
* In 1928, [[Charles Kingsford Smith|Charles Kingsford-Smith]] completed the first trans-Pacific flight in another F.VII.
* The [[Fokker S-14]] Machtrainer was the first jet training aircraft in the world specifically designed and built to that end (1951).
==Fokker airplanes==
===1912-1918===
*[[Fokker Spin]]
*[[Fokker M.1]] - [[Fokker M.4 Spin|M.4 Spin]] (military version)
*[[Fokker W.1]] - [[Fokker W.2|W.2]]
*[[Fokker A.III]] (M.5K)
*[[Fokker A.II]] (M.5L)
*[[Fokker M.6]]
*[[Fokker B.I]] (M.7 en M.10E)
*[[Fokker W.3]]
*[[Fokker A.I]] (M.8)
*[[Fokker M.9]]
*[[Fokker B.II]] (M.10Z)
*[[Fokker E.I]] (M.5K/MG)
*[[Fokker E.II]] (M.14)
*[[Fokker E.III]] (M.14v)
*[[Fokker E.IV]] (M.15)
*[[Fokker M.16E]] and [[Fokker M.16Z|M.16Z]]
*[[Fokker B.II]] (M.17Z)
*[[Fokker B.III]] (M.18Z)
*[[Fokker D.I]] (M.18E)
*[[Fokker D.II]] (M.17E)
*[[Fokker D.III]] (M.19)
*[[Fokker D.IV]] (M.21)
*[[Fokker D.V]] (M.22)
*[[Fokker V.1]]
*[[Fokker V.2 and V.3]]
*[[Fokker V.4]]
*[[Fokker F.I]] (V.5)
*[[Fokker Dr.I]]
*[[Fokker V.6]]
*[[Fokker V.7]]
*[[Fokker V.8]]
*[[Fokker V.9, V.11, V.12, V.13. V.14, and V.16]]
*[[Fokker D.VI]]
*[[Fokker D.VII]] (V.11/13)
*[[Fokker V.17]] - [[Fokker V.25|V.25]]
*[[Fokker E.V]]/[[Fokker D.VIII|D.VIII]] (V.26)
*[[Fokker V.27]] - [[Fokker V.37|V.37]]
*[[Fokker C.I]] (V.38)
===1919-1940===
*[[Fokker V.39]] - [[Fokker V.42]]
*[[Fokker C.II]]
*[[Fokker F.6]]
*[[Fokker F.II]]
*[[Fokker F.III]]
*[[Fokker F.IV]]
*[[Fokker T.II]]
*[[Fokker S.I]]
*[[Fokker D.IX]]
*[[Fokker D.X]]
*[[Fokker S.II]]
*[[Fokker B.I]]
*[[Fokker C.IV]]
*[[Fokker F.V]]
*[[Fokker S.III]]
*[[Fokker D.XI]]
*[[Fokker T.III]]
*[[Fokker B.II]]
*[[Fokker F.VII]]
*[[Fokker C.V]]
*[[Fokker D.XII]]
*[[Fokker D.XIII]]
*[[Fokker S.IV]]
*[[Fokker D.XIV]]
*[[Fokker B.III]]
*[[Fokker F.VIII]]
*[[Fokker T.IV]] - [[Fokker T.IVa|T.IVa]]
*[[Fokker C.VIIW]]
*[[Fokker F.XI "Universal"]]
*[[Fokker F.XIV]]
*[[Fokker D.XVI]]
*[[Fokker F.IX]]
*[[Fokker C.VIII]]
*[[Fokker C.IX]]
*[[Fokker F.XII]]
*[[Fokker D.XVII]]
*[[Fokker F.XVIII]]
*[[Fokker F.XX]]
*[[Fokker F.XXXVI]]
*[[Fokker C.X]]
*[[Fokker F.XXII]]
*[[Fokker C.XIW]]
*[[Fokker D.XXI]]
*[[Fokker G.I]]
*[[Fokker T.V]]
*[[Fokker S.IX]]
*[[Fokker C.CIVW]]
*[[Fokker T.VIIIW]]
*[[Fokker D.XXIII]]
*[[Fokker T.IX]]
====American designs====
* [[Fokker XA-7|Fokker A-7]]
* [[Fokker XB-8|Fokker B-8]]
===1945-1996===
*[[Fokker F24]]
*[[Fokker F25]] Promotor
*[[Fokker S-11]] Instructor
*[[Fokker S-12]] Instructor
*[[Fokker S-13]] Universal Trainer
*[[Fokker S-14]] Machtrainer
*[[Fokker F26]] Phantom
*[[Fokker F27]] Friendship
*[[Fokker F28]] Fellowship
*[[Fokker 50]]
*[[Fokker 60]] Utility
*[[Fokker 70]]
*[[Fokker 100]]
*[[Fokker 130]] (concept stage only)
==References==
{{reflist}}
* Bowers, Peter and McDowell, Ernest. ''Triplanes: A Pictorial History of the World's Triplanes and Multiplanes''. Osceola, WI: 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.
* 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 0-531-03708-0.
== External links ==
{{commonscat|Fokker}}
*[http://www.fokker.com Stork Aerospace official website]
*[http://www.rekkof.nl Rekkof official website]
*[http://library.thinkquest.org/C002752/ Fokker, a living history]
*[http://www.fokkerpilot.net FokkerPilot.net - Your resource on the net!]
*[http://www.fokker-aircraft.info Fokker aircraft website]
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{{Aviation lists}}
[[Category:Companies established in 1912]]
[[Category:1996 disestablishments]]
[[Category:Aircraft manufacturers of the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Defunct aircraft manufacturers]]
[[Category:Defunct companies of the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Fokker| ]]
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