Fokker first began manufacturing planes in Germany in 1912. On 21 July 1919,
Anthony H.G. Fokker founded the "N.V. Nederlandse Vliegtuigfabriek" in Amsterdam.
To commemorate Fokker's thirty years of aircraft manufacture in the Netherlands, they were
granted the title "Royal Dutch Aircraft Manufacturer Fokker" on 21 July 1949.
Until production ended after Fokker collapsed due to financial problems on 15 March 1996,
Fokker have developed and constructed over 100 different types of aircraft, both for military
and civil aviation. Design studies for Fokker's first airliner after World War II were initiated in 1950.
In 1951 Fokker received support for this study for "Ontwerp 271" and the
next two years were spent studying a variety of different configurations
before the decision was made in favour of a twin-Dart aeroplane with
pressurised accommodation for 28 passengers and a minimum range of 483
km with a capacity payload. On 1 September 1953, the development
programme for the F-27 Friendship started. Four prototypes were to be
built, two for test flying (F-1 and F-3) and the other two for static
fatigue tests (F-2 and F-4). The first prototype (F-1) was powered by
two Rolls-Royce Dart 6 Mk.507 engines and flew first on 24 November 1955 as PH-NIV.
The second prototype (F-3), which had a 0.91 meter lengthened fuselage
and the higher-powered Rolls-Royce Dart 6 Mk.511, followed on 31 January 1957 as PH-NVF.
The first production aircraft (F-5 c/n 10105), a Fokker F-27-101 made its first flight on
23 March 1958 as PH-FAA and was h/o to Aer Lingus on 19 November 1958 as EI-AKA. Until production of the
Fokker F-27 ended in 1986, a total of 786 aircraft were built, including
206 manufactured under licence by Fairchild in the U.S.A. |
The 1964-built Fokker F-27-154 Friendship s/n 10245 flew first on 19
February 1964 as PH-FFL. On 6 March 1964, the Fokker F27 was registered
LN-SUE in Norway with Braathens SAFE A/S. The LN-SUE was transferred to
their subsidiary Busy Bee / Airexecutive Norway A/S on 11 November 1975.
After Busy Bee was declared bankrupt on 18 December 1992, the aeroplane
was transferred to Sweden. On 2 June 1993, the aircraft was registered
SE-KZD in Sweden with Swetrail Transport A/B and operated by Air Nordic
Sweden Aviation. On 13 November 1996, the aircraft was withdrawn from
use and ferried to Woensdrecht in the Netherlands. On 31 March 2004, the
aircraft arrived by road at the training facility of RICAS in Heerenveen
in the Netherlands. RICAS Safety Trainingen BV used the aircraft in their training programs.
On 4 February 2010, the airframe was transported by road to Groningen Airport Eelde to be used as
an instructional airframe for the fire-brigade. On 1 October 1983, Busy Bee Air Services A/S' Fokker F-27-154 Friendship
LN-SUE was seen at Groningen Airport Eelde (EHHG/GRQ). The ICAO Aircraft Type Designator for the Fokker F-27-154 Friendship is F27. |