Fokker - 100
In 1950 Fokker produced a draft design known as “Project P275”for a pressurised, 32 seat, high-wing, twin-engined airliner. Although the company lacked the internal resources to develop the aircraft, the Dutch Aircraft Development Institute (NIV) funded the construction of four prototypes. A twin turboprop configuration with a high-mounted, high aspect ratio wing was chosen from the outset. After studying similar techniques in use at De Havilland in the UK, Fokker elected to make extensive use of redux metal bonding in the aircraft’s construction, which was unique in an airliner at that time. Fibreglass was also used in non-stressed areas of the design. Although initially favouring the Armstrong Siddeley Mamba, Fokker in the end chose the Rolls-Royce Dart, which had been flying successfully for four years aboard Vickers Viscounts. The initial Dart 507 drove Rotol four-bladed propellers of 3.51m diameter. The prototype of what became known as the F27 Friendship made its maiden flight on 24 November 1955. The first order came on 9 March 1956 from Trans Australian Airlines. Others soon followed from Braathens SAFE and Aer Lingus. An agreement was reached with Fairchild for licensed production and marketing of the aircraft in the US on 26 April 1956, the US company quickly taking orders from West Coast Airlines, Bonanza and Piedmont. The aircraft was displayed and impressively flown at the 1957 Paris Air Show, but orders were so slow that in 1958 Fokker considered winding up production. Prospects improved rapidly thereafter, however, and consortium of banks provided extra funding while the Dutch Air Force ordered twelve transport versions which became known as the F27M-300MTroopship, followed by the Dutch Government which ordered a single aircraft for use by the Dutch Royal Flight. The initial production model was the Mk.100. The first Dutch built F27-100 entered service with Aer Lingus in December 1958. The series 200, first flight 20 September 1959, became the standard production model, offering increased range and seating for 48 passengers. Power was provided by the Dart 528-7 of 1391 kW, and later the Dart 536-7R. The F27-400 Combiplane was a cargo or cargo/passenger version of the 200 featuring a reinforced and watertight cabin floor, while the Mk.400M was the military version. The Mk.500, first flight 15 November 1967, introduced a fuselage stretch of 1.5 metres, enabling 60 passengers to be carried, and a large front cargo door. Fifteen Mk.500s were ordered by the French postal service, for operation by Air France. The Mk.600 was the equivalent of the Mk.400 Combiplane but with a standard floor, which could however be fitted with a quick change interior featuring roller tracks and palletised seats. The F27 sold well not only as an airliner, but was also used in a wide range of additional civil and military tasks, including corporate transport, fire-fighter, oil pollution dispersal, and in various military roles including troop carrier, parachute platform, search and rescue, anti-submarine warfare and border surveillance. Rolls Royce elected not to produce a replacement for the ubiquitous Dart in 1970 and settled instead for upgrading their long-lived design with the improved turbine and compressors of the Dart 551, but F27 sales slowed significantly from the early 80s onwards in the face of competition from more modern 30-40 seaters powered by a new generation of turboprops from Pratt and Whitney Canada and General Electric. The Last F27, a series 500, was delivered to Air Wisconsin in June 1986. At that time 579 Fokker produced F.27s had been built including 85 Mk.100s, 138 Mk.200s, 13 Mk.300s, 106 Mk.400/600s and 12 Mk.500s.
