Fokker F.VIIb/3m
Fokker · Netherlands · first flew 1925 · transport aircraft
The Fokker F.VIIb/3m is the trimotored version of the Fokker F.VII airliner, one of the most significant transport aircraft of the 1920s and 1930s and the first type to fly across the Pacific Ocean.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 3 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | fixed spatted undercarriage under a deep slab-sided fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- high parasol-braced wing with three radial engines — one on nose, one under each wing
- corrugated metal skin typical of Dutch construction of the era
- fixed spatted undercarriage under a deep slab-sided fuselage
High-wing braced monoplane with three widely spaced radial engines — a layout almost identical to the Ford Trimotor — distinguished by Fokker's wooden wing construction and the less angular fuselage compared to the all-metal Ford.
Specifications
- The Fokker F.VIIb/3m has a length of 14.5 m (48 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 21.71 m (71 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 185 km/h (115 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Anthony Fokker adapted the single-engine F.VII to take three engines after seeing Ford's trimotor concept at the 1925 Ford Reliability Tour; the /3m suffix denotes three motors. Richard Byrd flew a Fokker trimotor over the North Pole in 1926, and Charles Kingsford Smith made the first transpacific flight in the Southern Cross in 1928.
Variants
The F.VIIa/3m had a shorter span than the F.VIIb/3m; numerous engine combinations were fitted including Wright Whirlwind, Pratt & Whitney Wasp, and various European radials. Licensed production occurred in the United States as the Atlantic Aircraft trimotor.
Where you'll see it
Operated by airlines across Europe, North America, and Australia; military variants served with several European air forces. The type was pivotal in establishing scheduled air services in the interwar period.
Related aircraft
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