Fokker F.VIIA-3m IEnglish version)

F.VIIA-3M

Fokker F.VIIA-3m

In July 1925, car manufacturer Henry Ford organized a reliability tour.

A competition for commercial aircraft with an emphasis on reliability (see article in the milestones section).

Aircraft reliability could be increased by designing aircraft with more than one engine.

Anthony Fokker and designer Reinhold Platz responded to this by modifying the single-engine F.VIIA.

The maiden flight of a three-engine F.VIIA-3m took place on September 4th, 1925

at Schiphol.

During the test flights, the aircraft flew almost as well with two or even one engine. So, in the event of an engine failure due to a malfunction, the aircraft could continue to fly and was therefore more reliable.

On September 7th, 1925, the aircraft was shipped to America in time to participate in the reliability tour.

After the reliability tour, which Fokker did not win, the aircraft went to

Richard Byrd.

Richard Byrd made a trip across the North Pole with this F.VIIA-3m on June 9th, 1926.

This aircraft can still be admired in the Henry Ford museum in Dearborn, Michigan, USA. From the third F.VIIA-3m built, the fuselage was extended by 80 cm.

The F.VIIA-3m was mainly equipped with three 200 hp Wright Whirlwind J-4

star engines.

Another engine used for the F.VIIA-3m was the 200 hp Armstrong-Siddeley Lynx.

A number of existing F.VIIAs in use by the airline operators were converted to F.VIIA-3m, this also was the case for a number of KLM aircraft.

The F.VIIA-3m has served airline operators in Europe and the USA.

Click on the photo to enlarge the photo

01

Cn 4900, F.VIIA-3m was shipped from Holland for participation in the Ford
Reliability tour and received the registration number 20.
Being the business man as always, Anthony Fokker had his name put prominently on the aircraft.
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02

The text in the photo speaks for itself, on the right the signatures of Fokker and the passengers during the Ford Reliability tour.
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03

List of Ford Reliability tour participants. At the top left prominent Fokker's name with the assigned race number 20. Underneath Fokker’s name, in small print, it’s mentioned that the aircraft is equipped with “Wright motors”.
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04

Cn 4900, painted on Richard Byrd's aircraft for his Arctic Flight, was
Josephine Ford’s name as a tribute to Henry Ford's granddaughter.
Anthony Fokker had contractually stipulated that his name would also be prominently displayed on the aircraft during the Arctic Flight.
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05

The ski equipped landing gear shows the F.VIIA-3M on its polar flight.
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06

Richard Byrd's F.VIIA-3m in the Henry Ford museum, just outside Detroit in the USA.
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07

CN 4955 with registration NC3908 in "Continental Motors" livery.
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08

Cn 4956 with registration 3080 for Reynolds Airways with modified over wing engine exhausts.
The text “F-VII Trimotor”is applied to the engine cover.
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09

Cn 4982, English F.VIIA-3m with registration G-EBPV.
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10

Cn 4982, Italian registered I-BBEC.
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11

In the Swedish SE-AFH with cn 4991 the engines are preheated before starting.
This F.VIIA-3m is a converted F.VIIA.
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12

The KLM H-NADP with cn 4992 was also originally an F.VIIA.
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13

Cn 5006, H-NAEA was a Fokker factory owned aircraft and made a return flight Amsterdam-Batavia in 1927.
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14

The H-NAEA arrival at Schiphol returning from Batavia. In the photo portraits of
the crew, Frijns, Koppen and Ellerman.
This aircraft would later go to the LVA, the aviation department of the Dutch army.
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15

Cn 5007, Reynolds Airways F.VIIA-3m with registration 3085.
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16

Cn 5059, Italian Avio Linee Italiane, I-BBED.
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17

Cn 5061, Italian Avio Linee Italiane, I-BBEF.
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18

Cn 5063, English G-EBYI.
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19

Cn 5063, KLM H-NAEK, equipped with three 200 HP Armstrong Siddeley Lynx engines.
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20

Cn 5087, English G-EBZJ, was privately owned.
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21

Cn 5087, H-NAEL as a Fokker factory owned aircraft.
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22

Cn 5163, Swiss Ad Astra Aero CH 193.
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