This Day in Aviation History

November 24th, 1955
First flight of the Fokker F27 Friendship.

The Fokker F27 Friendship is a turboprop airliner designed and built by the defunct Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker.

Design of the Fokker F27 started in the 1950s as a replacement to the successful Douglas DC-3 airliner. The manufacturer evaluated a number of different configurations before finally deciding on a high-wing twin Rolls-Royce Dart engine layout with a pressurised cabin for 28 passengers.

The first prototype, registered PH-NIV, first flew on 24 November 1955. The second prototype and initial production machines were 0.9 m (3 ft) longer, addressing the first aircraft’s slightly tail-heavy handling and also providing space for four more passengers, bringing the total to 32. These aircraft also used the more powerful Dart Mk 528 engine.

In 1956, Fokker signed a licensing deal with the US aircraft manufacturer Fairchild for the latter to construct the F27 in the USA. The first U.S.-built aircraft flew on April 12, 1958. Fairchild also independently developed a stretched version, called the FH-227. Most sales by Fairchild were made in the North American market….

Source:
Wikipedia, Fokker F27 Friendship:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fokker_F27_Friendship

YouTube, Fokker bouwt F-27 Friendship (1955):
Fokker bouwt F-27 Friendship (1955)

YouTube, Proefvlucht Fokker F-27 Friendship (1955) “First Flight”:
Proefvlucht Fokker F-27 Friendship (1955)

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