Country of origin:

The Netherlands

Description:

Commercial airliner

Power Plant:

Two 1,425 kw (1,910 eshp) Rolls Royce Dart 528-7E turboprops

Specifications:

History:

In the 1950s the famous Fokker organisation in The Netherlands commenced the design of a replacement for the Douglas DC-3. As a result, the most successful first generation turbine-powered transport in the world was developed and, when production ceased in favour of the Fokker 50 series, some 787 examples had been produced.

On the drawing board, the project was known as the P-275, powered by Rolls Royce Dart turboprops and featuring a shoulder wing and 32 seats. The design was later developed to the 40-seat F-27, with a range of 483 km (300 miles) in 1952.

The first of two prototypes (PH-NIV) was flown on 24 November 1955, followed by the second on 29 January 1957. The first prototype was fitted with Dart 507 engines, but the second had Dart 511s and a 0.91 m (3 ft) longer fuselage. The latter configuration was adopted for production aircraft.

The first production machine (PH-FAA), which became known as the Friendship, was flown on 23 March 1958. At about this time the Fairchild Corporation in the United States obtained a licence to build the aircraft as the FH-227, with some minor changes to meet American customer requirements, including a lengthened nose for weather radar, a feature which was later adopted by Fokker.

A number of variants were produced and these included the F-27 Mk 100, of which 85 were built. The Mk 200 had more powerful RDa7 Mk 528 Dart engines, improved performance, and an increase in gross weight to 20,410 kg (45,000 lb). A total of 138 Mk 200s was built. The Mk 300, of which 13 were built, introduced a large freight door in the forward fuselage and a strengthened floor. It could be used for freight, passenger, or combined operations.

As noted, the F-27 series was licence built by Fairchild, commencing with the F-27A which was the equivalent of the F-27-200 and had Dart RDa.6 engines. The F-27B was similar to the Mk 300 and had a cargo door but only three were built. The F-27F was an executive variant with RDa.7 Mk 527-7E engines and increased fuel capacity. The series then moved to the F-27G, an example being built as a demonstrator for the United States Air Forced (USAF) with a cargo door and reinforced floor. Final variant was the F-27F with up-rated engines, and the F-27M modified for hot and high performance.

When Fairchild merged with Hiller Aircraft Corporation in 1964 the designation of the Fokker F-27 was revised to FH-227 and the new models became known as the FH-227B; FH-227C with a stretched and strengthened fuselage; the FH-227D with Mk 532-7C engines and FH-227E with Mk 532-7L engines. Over a period of ten years 207 Friendships were built in the United States, comprising 128 F-27s and 78 FH-227s.

The Friendship has been particularly successful in this region, with 79 examples operated in Australia alone. The first to operate the F-27 series 100 was Trans Australia Airlines (TAA – later Australian Airlines) which received VH-TFA (c/n 10111) on 24 June 1959. This aircraft during its service carried the names ‘Dirk Hartog’, ‘Charles Todd’ and ‘Lae’, and was eventually transferred to Air Niugini on 1 November 1973. TAA operated 21 Friendships, registered in the VH-TFA to VH-TFW, and VH-TQN to VH-TQT blocks.

The Department of Civil Aviation (as it then was) was the next operator, with VH-CAT (c/n 10132) and VH-CAV (c/n 10133) being delivered in September 1959. Later a third aircraft VH-TFE (c/n 10120) was transferred from TAA. These aircraft were subsequently disposed of, VH-TFE and VH-CAV being exported to the United Kingdom as G-BLFJ and G-STAN respectively, whereas VH-CAT entered service with the CSIRO.

Operators have included East West Airlines (22 aircraft in the registration range VH-EWA to VH-EWZ, VH-TFK, VH-TFL and VH-MMB); Ansett Airlines and its subsidiaries, which included Airlines of NSW, Queensland Airlines, Airlines of South Australia, MacRobertson Miller Airlines (33 aircraft, mostly registered in the VH-FNA block, although MacRobertson Miller aircraft were in the VH-MMB block, and VH-FCA to VH-FCF); Bush Pilots Airways / Air Queensland operating three registered VH-FNM (c/n 10292), VH-FNV (c/n 10252) and VH–FNW (c/n 10254); and charter operator Cruise Air operating two, VH-JCC (c/n 10176) and VH-NLS (c/n 10105); Airlines of Northern Australia (VH-MMO); and Setair of Essendon, VIC for freight work from Melbourne to Launceston, TAS.

A few were lost in accidents, including: VH-FNE (c/n 10145) at Essendon on 25 March 1971; VH-FNH (c/n 10180) which crashed at Launceston on 17 March 1965; VH-TFB (c/n 10112) at Mackay, QLD on 10 June 1960; VH-TQQ (c/n 10388) at Amberley, QLD on 9 June 1982; VH-EWL (c/n 10344) at Bathurst on 31 May 1974.

A couple was scrapped, and many went to Australian Aircraft Sales which later on-sold them to overseas operators. One (VH-EWP) was modified by Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in 1984 to map ocean depths around the continent using laser technology. In 1977 East West Airlines fitted two F-27-500s (VH-EWP and VH-EWQ) with long-range fuel tanks to operate the Sydney to Norfolk Island service. The type was also used extensively by Air Niugini.

The type also saw extensive service in New Zealand. Three Mk 120s serials NZ2781 (ex ZK-BXB, PH-FCF), NZ2782 (ex ZK-BXC, PH-FCG), and NZ2783 (ex ZK-BXD, PH-FCH) were operated by the RNZAF Navigation and Air Electronics Squadron based at Wigram, these having been obtained from Air New Zealand, replacing de Havilland Devons in this role. The first aircraft was received in March 1980. They provided training facilities for two student navigators, one student air electronics operator, and one instructor, as well as providing seating for 18 passengers. Later a radio-teletype machine was added to the fit-out. They were declared surplus to requirements in 1992 and sold overseas to The Philippines where they became RP-C3888; RP-C5888, later XU-881; and RP-C6888.

Others saw service with civil operators, including the New Zealand National Airlines Corporation (NZNAC), which received its first Fokker F-27 ZK-BXA (‘Kuaka’) in December 1960. This was followed by the remainder of the Series 120 and 120A aircraft, including ZK-BXB (c/n 10167) to ZK-BXH (c/n 10190) and series 183 ZK-BXI (c/n 10286). Further F-27s were imported, these being ZK-DCA, ZK-DCB and ZK-DCG; and ZK-NAA, ZK-NAB, ZK-NAF, ZK-NAH and ZK-NAV, being Series 100s.

The Fokker F-27 series made more than 1.4 million flights on scheduled services with NAC and Air New Zealand, flying 346 million km (215 million miles) during 930,000 operational hours and carrying 30 million passengers. After retirement they were exported, a number going to Tunisia Aviation. Whilst awaiting sale a couple received new registrations, eg ZK-NAH became VH-NLS.

A few have survived in New Zealand. The fuselage of ZK-BXG (c/n 10189) has been held by the RNZAF Museum at Wigram; Indian- registered F-27 VT-NED (c/n 10692) was stored at Woodbourne for some years; and F-27 N385BA was broken up at Christchurch.

VH-CAT when with the CSIRO had a much modified nose to take scientific equipment for atmospheric tests. In 1993 as part of the Southern Alps Experiment to try to understand the influences of mountains on weather patterns, the F-27 operated for a period from Christchurch over the New Zealand alps and out into the Tasman collecting data. It also made visits to Japan on similar work.

In 1984, as part of Project Aquarius Conair, a Canadian-based company with a fleet of aircraft involved in air-delivery of fire retardant on bushfires, brought one of its aircraft, an F-27, to Australia where it joined the National Safety Council of Australia (NSCA) at its Victorian Division facility at West Sale. This aircraft was fitted with a 6,365 litre (1,400 Imp gal) tank for retardant and had eight doors which could be operated in unison, four at a time, or individually as necessary. It could be loaded in four minutes via a hose connected to the aircraft from a supply tank. It was also able to carry 20 personnel and their equipment; or it could be configured for spraying crops or chemical spills from an under-wing boom system. It returned again in 1988 for the fire season.

The oldest airworthy Fokker F-27, and the first production aircraft, VH-NLS (ex-ZK-NAH, EI-AKA) which first flew on 23 March 1958, returned to The Netherlands in December 2004 where it took up residence with the Fokker Heritage Trust.

The type is almost extinct in this part of the Pacific except for two retired from use at Tamworth, NSW. One of these (VH-FNQ / VH-WAN) was obtained by the Queensland Air Museum in 2008 and trucked to Caloundra where it has been painted in its old Ansett-ANA colours. The other remained at Tamworth in open storage.