Fokker F.10A (Model 10)

The Fokker F-10 /F-10A Super Trimotor model 10

In 1927, the Guggenheim Fund wanted to stimulate air transport in the US. Therefore, it announced it would support a model airline with a large loan on favorable terms. Western Air Lines from Los Angeles was eager to qualify. To this end, it planned to open a route between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Although sales of the F.VII Trimotor were limited, Fokker saw a future for a slightly larger version of this aircraft. This version would be equipped with three more powerful P&W Wasp engines. The existing "b" wing was used. The cabin had room for 12 passengers. The WAE/Fokker partnership proved to have the best credentials and was selected to receive the loan. The Atlantic Aircraft Corporation received an order from WAE for three aircraft. Thus, the F-10 Super Trimotor was born.

Gassner designed the type, which likely made its maiden flight on March 23, 1928. Bert Balchen flew it. An initial series of five aircraft (msn 1000-1004) was built in Hasbrouck Heights. WAE's airline became a great success, and two more aircraft (msn 1005-1006) were soon ordered. Fokker anticipated good sales opportunities for the type and commissioned a new factory for production in Glen Dale, West Virginia, not far from Wheeling. The slightly improved model built there featured a larger, American-built wing and was designated the F-10A. Production began with an order for six aircraft for Pan American Airways and a follow-up order from WAE. The first aircraft for PAA was completed in October 1928. However, due to the inexperience of the crew, it was so poorly designed that PAA refused to purchase it. The production quality was only satisfactory towards the end of the year. Universal Air Lines (a predecessor of American Airways) also ordered a significant number of aircraft.

The type's stability, however, wasn't as perfect as that of the F.VII Trimotor. To achieve this, the horizontal tailplanes were enlarged, and from msn 1041 onward, the nose was also lengthened slightly. A steerable tail ski was also installed during production, and later a tail wheel. During the turbulent growth period until the end of October 1929, production had increased to one aircraft per week. But due to the economic downturn, demand also waned. The factory slowed down, and Fokker was left with unsold inventory. The US Navy did order the last production aircraft (msn 1064) but abandoned the purchase when stability problems couldn't be resolved.

F-10As flew on a significant number of US airlines, sometimes modified to include separate mail compartments and fewer passengers. An accident that dominated publicity from coast to coast for days changed all that. On March 31, 1931, a portion of the wing of a Transcontinental & Western Air F-10A broke off in flight, causing it to crash. One of the passengers was the famous baseball coach Knute Rockne. This led to the first passenger ban on a type being issued a month later. Within weeks, a program for wing inspections and the installation of balanced ailerons was agreed upon. After modifications, the F-10As continued to fly on a limited basis but were quickly supplanted after the introduction of the DC-2.

Click on the photo to enlarge the photo

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The fuselage frame of the F-10 prototype. It's clearly visible that it's essentially a stretched version of the F.VII trimotor fuselage.
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Anthony Fokker standing in front of the nearly finished F-10 prototype. Bernt Balchen, who was about to fly the aircraft, is in the foreground.
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The F-10 prototype (msn 1000) still in a neutral color scheme around the time of its first flight.
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The first F-10 for Western Air Express to operate on the Los Angeles-San Francisco model airline at Oakland Airport
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The first F-10 now in service with the merged Transcontinental & Western Air airline in front of the iconic terminal building in Glendale, CA. The aircraft was now equipped with Townend rings around the engines, which Fokker preferred over the NACA cowling.
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The third aircraft for WAE (msn 1002) en route to the West Coast. Still registered as 5358 without (N)C.
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In addition to the three aircraft for WAE, AAC built two F-10 DeLuxe aircraft. The first was for the Richfield Oil Company of future Fokker chairman Talbot. Here's the aircraft shortly after completion at Teterboro Airport.
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The Richfield aircraft in its element. Note the straight center section of the F-10's "B" wing.
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The second F-10 DeLuxe was a demonstrator aircraft from the factory. Fokker made this clear. This aircraft was the only one with a cockpit glazing that sloped backward.
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F-10 Deluxe msn 1004 was sold to Shell at the end of 1928.
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F-10, MSN 1005, for WAE, apparently had a new fuselage paint scheme as a trial. The Indian head had been replaced by a large arrow. However, only a few aircraft carried this paint scheme.
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The last F-10 (msn 1006) again got the familiar Indian head on the fuselage.
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A look inside the cabin of the first F-10. Here too, the upholstered rattan seats that Fokker frequently used.
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The interior of the F-10 DeLuxe looked very different. The photo shows the cabin of MSN 1004 after completion.
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The cutaway drawing of the F-10A provides a good impression of the improved version of this type. The shape of the larger wing, which tapers to the fuselage, is clearly visible. The top-view drawing still shows the F-10's 'B' wing.
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The first F-10A was proudly rolled out of Glen Dale. MSN 1008 was painted in PAA colors, but there were too many defects to be accepted by them.
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MSN 1008 was flown to Hasbrouck Heights for refurbishment. The PAA logo was already half-removed in the photo. The rudder registration was 135E.
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After MSN 1008 was brought to production standard it was sold to Universal Air Lines.
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Delivery dates for PAA's first F-10As were still set for 1928. Models 1010 (pictured here) and 1012 were delivered just in time that year.
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A view of the Glen Dale factory on January 10, 1929. MSN 1011 at the front and MSN 1014 at the rear for PAA. The 279 E for WAE was also delivered with the large arrow marking on the rear fuselage.
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MSN 1011 was fitted with uniform metal trim on the sides of the cabin for each seat. Besides 279 E and 393 E (msn 1013) for WAE, none of the other aircraft had this feature.
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Richfield traded in its F-10A DeLuxe for a new one. This aircraft was originally ordered by WAE but went to Hasbrouck Heights to be converted into a DeLuxe version. The photo shows the compass being adjusted.
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The cockpit of the MSN 1015 with the steering wheel that could be turned to both sides.
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Msn 1015 had a well-appointed panty.
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Opposite the entrance door to the cabin was a toilet
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In October 1930, a merger was forced between WAE and Transcontinental Air Transport for cross-America mail. Part of WAE's fleet was then transferred to Transcontinental & Western Air, later TWA. MSN 1017 was also part of this fleet.
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The Air Corps also purchased an F-10A specifically to transport Assistant Secretary of War for Aeronautics F. Trubee Davison. Unfortunately, it crashed after just eight months.
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This aircraft was delivered to the Robertson Aircraft Corporation of Universal Air Lines. It then flew for Southern Air Fast Express, which soon became Southern Transcontinental Airways. This airline was absorbed into American Airways in August 1931.
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American Airways' earliest livery originated when Universal Air Lines became part of the new combined company. A lighthouse was depicted in the white area of UAL, as seen here on MSN 1029.
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A second oil company also purchased an F-10A DeLuxe. The aircraft for Rio Grande (msn 1035) was built in Hasbrouck Heights and flew with the registration NC535 E.
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Fokker wanted to demonstrate that the F-10A could also fulfill a bomber role. To this end, MSN 1040 was fitted with two P&W Hornet engines, a new cockpit, and a larger vertical stabilizer. The Air Corps' report on this was severely negative. Later, conversion to a freighter was considered.
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To improve the stability of the F-10A, the nose was lengthened by 20 cm. MSN 1041 was the first to receive this modification. It was delivered as part of a follow-up order to PAA.
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After some wandering, MSN 1041 found a new user in Transamerican Airlines Corporation, which even had ambitions to fly to Europe.
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Although Pacific Air Transport was part of the United group, which also included Boeing, it briefly operated Fokker F-10As. The photo shows MSN 1044. These aircraft were acquired when West Coast Air Transport was forced to close. Shortly thereafter, two of the three F-10As were sold to WAE.
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PAA didn't operate part of the second series of F-10As for long. Within a year, three were transferred to the subsidiary Compania Mexicana de Aviación SA. Msn1053 became X-ABCS there.
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Standard Air Lines ordered three F-10As in mid-1929 to replace its Super Universals. Expectations for the routes flown were high, given the 14-passenger capacity its F-10As were designed to carry. WAE soon took over SAL's routes. MSN 1055 carried the name "The Arizonian."
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West Coast Air Transport operated Bach Trimotors when it was acquired by WAE. In October 1929, three new F-10As were delivered to meet the expected growth in demand. Due to the Depression, these were not delivered, and in March 1931, PAT took over the aircraft. The photo of MSN 1056 shows a new design of landing gear suspension.
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Just before the market collapsed in October 1929, Fokker was able to sell an F-10A Deluxe version with MSN 1057 to the MacMillan Oil Company. A few years later, WAE acquired the aircraft.
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Converted to a standard F-10A at WAE, MSN 1057 was assigned fleet number 124. It was sold to Mexico in 1936. With 25 F-10/F-10As, WAE was the largest operator of the type.
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WAE also received a new F-10A in October 1929. This was msn 1063. After the partial merger with TAT, the aircraft entered service with Transcontinental & Western Air. It crashed on March 31, 1931, with baseball coach Knute Rockne on board. Given the impact this had, this is discussed separately in the library under "special events."
The plane crash with Knut Rockne and the consequences for Fokker
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After sales of the F-10A stalled at the end of 1929, the US Navy finally ordered one in late 1930. MSN 1064 was intended for the Marine Corps as a transport and ambulance aircraft.
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The aircraft was delivered in January 1931, but during testing, it proved to be unstable longitudinally. The factory worked unsuccessfully to remedy this until the end of 1931. The purchase contract was terminated in January 1932.
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To overview Fokker Atlantic series

The Fokker F-10 /F-10A Super Trimotor model 10

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