Fokker F-10 Explained

The Fokker F-10 was an enlarged development of the Fokker F.VII airliner, built in the late 1920s by the Fokker Aircraft Corporation of America. It was a trimotor passenger aircraft, and it carried 12 passengers. This was four more than the F.VII it was based on, and it had a larger wing and more powerful engines than that design. A crash of this aircraft in 1931, lead to widespread reforms in the U.S. aviation industry and hurt the reputation of wooden winged' aircraft, especially the Fokker Tri-motor types.

Operational history

Fokker built 65 for commercial and military service. After the crash of a Transcontinental & Western Air F-10 in 1931, killing Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne and seven others, which was caused by the deterioration of the wooden wing spar, the type was temporarily grounded, and it was required to undergo more frequent and rigorous inspection. Its public image was also greatly damaged, leading to its early retirement from U.S. airlines.

Variants

F-10
  • Initial production variant.
    F-10A
  • Improved and revised 14-passenger variant powered by three Pratt & Whitney Wasp radial engines,[1] often called the Super Trimotor.
    C-5
  • United States Army designation for the evaluation of one re-engined F-10A powered by three Wright R-975 radials.
    LB-2
  • Light bomber version.
    RA-4
  • United States Navy designation for the evaluation of one F-10A.

    Operators

    Civil operators

    United States
    Mexico

    Military operators

    United States

    Accidents and incidents

    External links

    Notes and References

    1. Book: AAHS Journal. Spring 2004. 42.
    2. Web site: Fokker F.10 . Fokker, A living history . ThinkQuest Library . 2008-08-25 . 2004-12-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20041208104755/http://library.thinkquest.org/C002752/fokker.cgi?page=db%2Ff-10 . dead .
    3. Web site: Pan American Airways - Fleet List and Airframe Histories - The Early Days . Logbook Magazine . 31 May 2014 . 2015-05-12 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150729002331/http://www.logbookmag.com/databases/articles.asp?ID=91&CatID=47 . 2015-07-29 .
    4. Web site: Cargo Aircraft Designations . March 15, 2006 . 2008-08-25 . 2009-02-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090211181652/http://home.att.net/~jbaugher3/cdesig.html . dead .