Fokker F.III (English version)

The Fokker F.III

Today, one of the reasons for developing a new aircraft is that the previous model has become too small and airlines want more capacity.
This was already the case in 1920, when KLM director Albert Plesman asked Fokker to develop an aircraft larger than the F.II. Plesman was not at all satisfied with the F.II and wanted to sell it back to Fokker.
Designer Platz got to work and came up with the five-seat F.III (instead of the four-seat F.II). The F.III was fitted with the readily available 185 hp BMW IIIa six-cylinder inline engine.
The pilot sat outside, to the left or right of the engine, depending on the engine type.

The 14 F.IIIs ordered by KLM on 29 October 1920 were fitted with the 240 hp, six-cylinder, air-cooled Armstrong Siddeley Puma inline engine. Testing began on Saturday, 20 November 1920, with Hinchliffe's first flight.

It is somewhat unusual that the Englishman Hinchliffe made the first flight in the F.III, as he worked for KLM, not Fokker.

Apparently, this assistance from KLM had been agreed as part of the purchase contract dated 29 October 1920, before the F.III's first flight.

During the operational life of its F.IIIs, KLM itself built two aircraft using components from crashed aircraft. These two were fitted with 360 hp Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII engines, with the pilot seated to the left of the engine.
In the autumn of 1921, the F.III featured in KLM livery at the Paris Air Show.
The F.III in question did not belong to KLM, however; it was a factory aircraft, later acquired by the Hungarian airline Malert.
A total of 66 F.IIIs were built at Schwerin in Germany, Fokker's Veere facility, and Amsterdam-Noord.
Like the F.II, the F.III was also built under licence by Karl Grülich.

In addition to KLM in the Netherlands, the F.III flew with airlines in Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Russia, England, Italy and the USA.

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America

When Anthony Fokker returned to the Netherlands after his trip to America, the eight F.III aircraft ordered by KLM were being prepared for delivery. But he also ordered several F.IIIs from the German Fokker factory in Schwerin to send to America. These were fitted with BMW III engines, like the F.III prototype.

The first aircraft shipped arrived at Hazelhurst Field, L.I., New York, in the second half of July 1921. It differed from the four later F.IIIs in America, with a taller rear fuselage and a three-tube undercarriage. It may have been the actual prototype of this type.

The aircraft, named ‘Half Moon’ after Henry Hudson’s ship, made several flights in quick succession, including trips to cities in the surrounding area. Four F.IIIs arrived soon afterwards, two of which were also made flight-ready.

Despite flights that generated plenty of publicity (including the transport of fresh asparagus, clothing and sweets, as well as a wedding party or concert in the air), no orders followed. There was interest, but potential customers backed out when it came time to pay.

An attempt to sell two more F.IIIs to the Army Air Service also fell through at a late stage in the negotiations.

In early 1925, Noel Wien eventually bought an F.III for the Fairbanks Airplane Corporation in Alaska. It began flying in Alaska in mid-1925. After an inspection in late 1928, it was barred from carrying passengers.

Shortly after Wien’s purchase, Willens also acquired an F.III for his Detroit Airways, Inc. The aircraft was soon resold to Brock & Weymouth of Philadelphia, which also flew C.IIIs.

In 1928, the aircraft was put up for sale and eventually ended up with Bert Acosta by way of several intermediaries. Lester Prosser of Rensselaer, NY, ultimately bought it to make an endurance flight. It was fitted with a Liberty engine for this purpose, but the inexperienced Prosser wrecked the aircraft in September 1930. The ‘Half Moon’ had also been damaged beyond repair earlier, bringing the F.III’s career in America to an end. The two aircraft that had never been unpacked were probably shipped back to the Netherlands.

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