This is the prototype of the C.I. The orange sphere of the old LVA (Air Force) has been applied to the fuselage. This aircraft was built in Schwerin (Germany).

In the second seat is the Minister of War, Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck, who is given a demonstration.

Around 30 C.I reconnaissance aircraft were delivered to the LVA, still with German camouflage painting.

All in all, around 70 C.I aircraft came along with the famous train transport from Schwerin to Amsterdam.

Initially, most of them were temporarily stored in a shed in the Petroleumhaven.

After all, in 1919 the ELTA (First Air Traffic Exhibition Amsterdam) was held in the halls in Amsterdam North.

Fokker only started the factory in Amsterdam North from the end of September 1919.

The C.I prototype still as V.38, in the German camouflage colors, but without the German crosses.

In the Fokker factory in Amsterdam-Noord around 1919 the German crosses were quickly replaced by the orange spheres.

The photo was probably taken at Soesterberg airfield, the first military airfield of the LVA (Aviation Department of the Royal Netherlands Army).

The prototype of the Fokker C.I Repainted in plain army green, with which the German camouflage colors disappeared.

Initially referred to as V.38 Pilot Aircraft.

The original engine was a 185 hp BMW.

The company in Schwerin was managed until 1921 by Reinhold Platz, who started there with the first V.45 (Versuchsflugzeug 45), the later Fokker F-II.

After that Platz was put in charge in Amsterdam.

The same prototype from the other side.

There was probably a Fokker logo on the slightly darker spot on the hull for a while.

Then this could be the C.I, which flew at the 1919 ELTA aviation exhibition in Amsterdam.

After some time other engines were also used, such as the BMW with 220 hp, the Oberursel with 160 hp or the Mercedes with 260 hp.

A C.I scout with bomb racks for 4 bombs of 12.5 kg each.

The further armament consisted of a fixed Spandau machine gun in front of the pilot and a movable machine gun for the observer.

A serious crash where the plane has been fixed some time ago.

A research group of the LVA (air force) at work.

The same situation quite shortly after the same accident.

The photo dates from around 1921,

One of our visitors suggested that the holes in the top wing were made to check the aileron cables.

Faulty or trapped cables could have caused this accident.

(Thanks to Erik).

The Naval Aviation Service buys 16 C.I scouts as an intermediate phase between the Spijker, the Fokker S.III, the D.VII and the Van Berkel seaplanes.

The C.I is often perceived as a more difficult plane than the S.III.

The C.Is are designated F-1 to F-16.

For the sea planes, the pilots go to De Mok on Texel and for the other planes they stay at Vliegkamp De Kooij near Den Helder.

Deliveries take place between 1920 and 1925. The engine will be the 185 hp BMW, just like the LVA.

The lifespan for most aircraft runs until 1938. A very long time, as is often the case with the MLD.

Only the F-3 crashes on September 21, 1922 at De Kooij Air Base.

The pilot, First Lieutenant at Sea J. Goedhart is killed and a day later observer Off.Mach 2 W. De Jong dies in hospital.

In this photo the remnant of the F-3 with behind it two mourning MLD men.

The first delivered C.I of the LVA. (Aviation Department), still made in Germany as V.38 and brought to Amsterdam-Noord by freight train.

The German camouflage colors have already been removed and the entire plane is now painted in army green.

The orange LVA spheres can already be seen on the lower wing and the designation 485 on the fuselage.

At the back of the hull is still the German way of designating FOK. BMW 185. (engine designation).

The Fokker C.I 486 of the LVA.

After 1921 the LVA, MLD and the LA-KNIL switched to the red-white-blue-orange rosette.

And the pilots were provided with more solid leather flying jackets, a considerable purchase at the time.

The flying helmet was also replaced by a more modern version.

The 491 of the Aviation Department.

The location of the pilot is clearly visible, with the location of the observer / gunner behind it.

The engine used is a 185 hp BMW.

A quiet moment at LVA's Fokker C.I 491 in the first half of the 1920s.

Under the fuselage hang two shard bombs of probably 25 kg.

The fuel tank between the front wheels is clearly visible on the left.

Standing next to the scout are three first lieutenants from left to right: Van Dorst, Sissingh and Van Gemeren.

The C.I and the D.VII on exercise for the LVA Aviation Department.

With large tent hangars for the equipment and for accommodation and food for all those LVA people.

We do not know where the photo was taken, but it is clear that we are talking about a series of exercises somewhere between 1921 and 1925.

It is no coincidence that the C.I and the D.VII work together a lot. The first construction of both aircraft was originally still done in Germany.

Naturally, the assembly and complete construction in Amsterdam North will be continued from 1919 onwards.

In the foreground the C.I 495 and 525 from LVA.

Behind it the D.VII 268 and 266 of LVA. And behind it again on the left the C.I 487 also from LVA.

The LVA's 497 on its nose.

This is often the result of a too low landing speed.

The 499 of the LVA in formation flight.

The wingspan of the machine is 10.5 m, the length 7.2 m and the height 2.8 m.

The 500 of the LVA at Soesterberg airport

Empty weight 855 kg.

Nose position of the same 500 at Soesterberg airport.

The Fokker C.I 506 of the LVA, the later Air Force.

Striking is the so-called sitting parachute of the pilot.

This provides the pilot with a pleasant pillow in any case.

This recording will also have been made somewhere in the early twenties.

The 511 of the LVA.

The 516 of the LVA with a successful pilot's license.

A heavy crash of the LVA's 526 on a site of the Amstel brewery in Amsterdam (Mauritskade).

The 529 of the LVA in Soesterberg.

This aircraft already has the new 200 hp Armstrong-Siddeley Mongoose engine, but rudders and wheels have not been replaced yet.

So this is not yet the C.Ia.

The same 529, flying.

The 529 of the LVA, still like the old C.I

In the previous photo already with modernized vertical tail as C.Ia.

The 530 of the LVA.

The 535 of the LVA undergoing major maintenance.

Halfway through an engine change.

The 538 of the LVA (Aviation Department).

The 541 of the LVA, suitable for blind flying.

That is flying, only on the instruments of the plane such as altimeter, compass, artificial horizon.

The hood will soon be about the pilot in training.

Start of the blind flying exercise in the 541 of the LVA

The 545 of the LVA around 1930 at Waalhaven airport (Rotterdam).

The building with the text “APC” belongs to the American Petroleum Company, later called Esso.

To the left of that small office is the big Hangar “A” and further on the hotel-café-restaurant “Waalhaven”.

The former 527 of the LVA was sold in 1937 to Mr. Adriaan Dekker as PH-DEK.

Later re-registered as PH-APL of Syndic Dekker Octrooien The Hague.

Shown here during the testing of this very special propeller at Ypenburg Airport (The Hague).

Adriaan Dekker gained a lot of knowledge about wing shapes by building the first windmills before the Second World War.

After the capitulation in 1940, the Germans transferred the plane to Germany.

We received this photo from Richard van der Kuijl.

Next to the C.I is Leendert Jan van der Kuijl, about 26 years old. (left in the picture). He is Richard's great uncle.

Richard: I never believe he was a pilot, probably an observer because after this period he sailed the merchant navy as an oiler. I don't see an officer pilot doing that so easily.

One of three two-seat Fokker C.Is purchased in 1922 for use as transition trainers in the Russian Air Force.

With the exception of the engine type and second cockpit configuration, the two-seat Fokker C.I trainer resembled the C.III.

Twelve were sold to Russia in 1922.

Sold to Russia, but used secretly by the Germans.

The Fokker C.Is were assigned to the 1st Higher School of Military Pilots in Moscow.

This example has an interesting motif on the hull.

Around 1921 42 C.I aircraft were delivered to the Soviet Union.

They are scouts, but they are also later deployed at flight schools.

This C.I already has a red star on tail and wings.

On the hull it says: “ШКОЛА”, which means SCHOOL in full.

So WK1 is school nr 1.

The delivery is part of a much larger delivery by Fokker, including the D.VII and some new types.

In service at the military aviation schools around Moscow.