The American Fokkers
Introduction
From 1923 onwards, Fokker was active in the United States, building aircraft for the military and civil markets in the USA and abroad.
Later, new types were also designed, which took place in Fokker's own factories on American soil.
For further information on this, see the article “Fokker in the USA” in the “Library” of this site.
A number of Fokker aircraft designed and built in the USA were built under license by other manufacturers in Canada and Japan.
Division into two groups
The aircraft types discussed here were all built or assembled in one of the American Fokker factories.
The approximately 30 types are divided into two groups:
- The first group will be referred to as “Fokker Atlantic Holland”.
These are aircraft that are not entirely designed and/or built in the USA.
This concerns components that were partly built in the Netherlands and assembled with components of a specific type built in the USA.
It could also involve complete aircraft shipped from the Netherlands that were modified or converted in one of the American Fokker factories.
- The second group of types will be discussed under the heading “Fokker Atlantic”.
Although the Fokker factories in the USA have had different names, this designation is used in this chapter for all aircraft completely built in the USA.
On December 14, 1923, the articles of incorporation for Fokker's new company, the Atlantic Aircraft Corporation, were officially approved by the New Jersey government.
Any Fokker aircraft shipped to the USA from the Netherlands before this date will not be covered here. These include, for example, the Fokker C.II, D-VII, etc.
The type designations
In both groups the planes will alphabetically are treated according to their type designation.
As is almost usual, the American type designations are also complex.
Many types were used by the US Army, Navy or Air Force.
They had their own designation system where sometimes, in an experimental phase of an aircraft, the letter X was temporarily added to the registration.
Later, such an X was removed and the same aircraft was given a different registration designation.
All Fokker aircraft delivered in the USA also had a model number.
Some types sometimes had the same model number.
Model 1: USAAS DH-4M-2 and USAAC XCO-8
Model 2: Fokker S.3 (S.III)
Model 3: USAAC AO-1, XCO-4, CO-4A
Model 4: Universal, Standard Universal
Model 5: USAAC XLB-2
Model 6: Fokker F.VII, F.VIIA, F.VIIA-3m and F.VIIB-3m Tri-Motor
Model 7: USAAC C-2, C-2A, C-7, C-7A; US Navy TA-1 (RA-1), TA-2 (RA-2), TA-3 (RA-3)
Model 8: Skeeter (model number reused)
Model 8: Universal Special, Super Universal, US Navy XJA-1, Japan Ki-6 and C2N
Model 9: Fokker B.III (B.IIIC) / F.11 Flying Yacht, F.11A/Special/AC Sky Yacht, F.11AHB/AHS Amphibian
Model 10: Fokker F.10 Super Tri-Motor, F.10A Deluxe Tri-Motor, USAAC C-5, US Navy RA-4
Model 11: Fokker-Hall H-51
Model 12: Fokker F.32 "Quad", USAAC YC-20
Model 13: Prototype with side-by-side cockpit, supported parasol wing and linen-covered fuselage
AF-14: Fokker F.14/14A/14B Parasol, USAAC Y1C-14/-14A/-14B, Y1C-15/-15A Ambulance
AF-15: General Aviation FLB (Flying Life Boat) = USCG PJ-1 and PJ-2
AF-16: USAAC XO-27, XB-8/XO-27A, YO-27, YB-8/Y1O-27
AF-17: USAAC XA-7
AF-18: US Navy XFA-1
The AF designation stands for Atlantic Fokker.
USAAS stands for United States Army Air Service, on July 2, 1926 this became USAAC, United States Army Air Corps.
USCG stands for United States Coast Guard.
If an aircraft registration number is preceded by the letters AS, it is an Air Service aircraft.
If the number precedes the letters AC, it is an Air Corps aircraft.
In addition to the USAAS/USAAC military registration system, some machines had a P-number on the tail.
These aircraft were tested at McCook Field, later at Wright Field in the USA.
Accountability
For the American Fokkers on this site, publications from/by:
- Theo Wesselink Fokker monograph 11;
- Gert Blüm, various issues of the magazine Luchtvaartkennis;
- Joop Gerritsma, Fokker commercial aircraft;
- Joe Baugher
