Fokker

Fokker is a Dutch aerospace company founded by Anthony Fokker, a Dutch aviation pioneer who established the firm in 1912. The company became one of the leading aircraft manufacturers of the 20th century, contributing to military and commercial aviation with a range of notable designs and innovations. Fokker’s early fame arose from World War I fighter aircraft, including the Eindecker series, which used a synchronization gear to fire through the propeller. The most famous fighters associated with Fokker’s name from this era include the Eindecker line, as well as the Dr.I triplane and the D.VII, which achieved widespread recognition.

After World War I, due to the Treaty of Versailles and wartime restrictions, Fokker relocated many of its operations to the Netherlands. The company shifted toward civil aviation and produced several influential airliners, notably the Fokker F.VII tri-motor, which helped establish modern commercial air travel and long-range air routes in the 1920s and 1930s. The Fokker fleet continued to expand with other passenger and cargo designs that served airlines around the world.

In the postwar era, Fokker became known for a series of successful turboprops and jets. The Fokker 27 Friendship, introduced in the 1950s, became a widely used regional turboprop. The company then developed jet airliners such as the Fokker F28 Fellowship and, later, regional jets like the Fokker 100. Throughout the late 20th century, Fokker remained a prominent name in European and global aviation.

Facing financial difficulties in the 1990s, Fokker filed for bankruptcy in 1996 and its assets were sold off, with the Fokker brand eventually continuing in limited forms through successor entities and service organizations. The company’s legacy lives on in its long-running influence on regional air travel and early modern jet and turboprop designs.