Our History: The Stork Fokker heritage 1912-1996

In those years, Stork (then Werkspoor) already supplied wood-structured wings to Fokker with over 800 wings being manufactured. Even more interestingly, both Fokker and Stork together with the Netherlands Airforce (then the Dutch Army Corps) developed the first Dutch helicopter under supervision of its designer ir. A.G. van Baumhauer. Recession unfortunately brought a quick end to this project.

A similar story applies to Stork's 'Jumbo'. In 1927 the KLM gave Stork an order for the construction of a special freight aircraft, named the 'Jumbo'. The aircraft flew for some time with KLM and was destroyed in the first days of WW II.

The heritage of Anthony Fokker started with the 'Spin' in 1911. Although the 'Spin' was actually designed by Jacob Goedecker, Anthony Fokker further improved and commercialized the aircraft, causing it to be remembered as the first Fokker plane.

Later on Fokker developed many successful WW I fighters, particularly the superlative Fokker D.VII and the DR.I, known from the legendary 'Red Baron'.

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1919-1945 'Inroads into civil aviation'
As from 1919 Anthony Fokker started making inroads into civil aviation with the four-seat F.II; Fokker's first plane specifically built for passenger transport.

Other passenger aircraft followed. Particularly the eleven-seat F.IV was very successful in achieving many spectacular world records at that time.
Fokker's best selling aircraft in this period between the two World Wars was the three-engined F.VII; a three-engined passenger plane with the world's first air-cooled engine of which 230 were built.

By 1930, 172 out of the 596 aircraft operated by European airlines were Fokkers, worldwide 54 airlines had Fokker planes and in 22 countries Fokker aircraft were manufactured under license.

Many of today's global airlines started or expanded their air transport with Fokker aircraft in their early years, like KLM but also Lufthansa which started its first (and international) flight with a Fokker-Grulich F.ll on April 6, 1926. Other known airlines in those days operating Fokker aircraft are PanAm, TWA, Mexicana, and Alitalia amongst many other known airlines.

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1950-1980 'Return form the ashes'
After WW II, Fokker restarted its activities in aviation with the help of the Netherlands government and some industrialists. It is here where the relationship between Stork and Fokker is being formalized as Stork is asked to appoint a seat in the Advisory Board of Fokker. Stork has done so till 1996.

In November 1958 Fokker delivered its first turboprop aircraft after the War, the Fokker F27 Friendship to Aer Lingus. The F27 became the world's best selling turboprop aircraft till today. A total of 786 F27s were built, 581 by Fokker and 205 aircraft by Fairchild under a license agreement. The aircraft still is a real 'workhorse' among many airlines around the globe.

After the F27 Fokker delivered its first jet aircraft, the Fokker F28 Fellowship to LTU in Germany in February 1969. A total of 241 were built and finally the Fokker 100 superceded the F28 in 1986.

After already having built 100s of other military fighters like the Gloster Meteor and the F104 Starfighter, Fokker assembled 300 F-16 fighter aircraft for the Netherlands Airforce, and also for the Airforces in Denmark and Norway in the seventies.
Also Fokker was asked to become an associated manufacturer for the Airbus A300, the first aircraft from Airbus. Fokker today still manufacturers the moveable parts of the A300 wing, which in total represent about 6% of the aircraft's total value.

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1980-1996 'Fokker 50,70 and 100'
In 1983 Fokker simultaneously launched the successors of the F27 and the F28, the Fokker 50 and the Fokker 100.

The Fokker 50 made its first flight in December 1985, The aircraft, like the Fokker 100, was an all-new technology plane of which a total of 212 were manufactured. In August 1987, the first Fokker 50 was delivered to Ansett Australia.

A year later than the Fokker 50, the Fokker 100 made its maiden flight in November 1986 with Swissair as the launching customer taking delivery of the first aircraft in February 1988. A total of 278 Fokker 100s were manufactured.

Later two family derivatives were developed. First the Fokker 70, a shortened version of the Fokker 100 of which a total of 47 were built. Second, the Fokker 60 utility was launched as a stretched military variant of the Fokker 50 for the Netherlands Air Force.

The worldwide airline crisis of the 1990s, fierce competition and a wobbly dollar unfortunately put an end to Fokker in March 1996.

The heritage of Anthony Fokker is in good hands. Stork Aerospace continues to expand the enormous wealth of experience and expertise accumulated within Fokker as the Aerospace Industry's best technology partner!

1996-2008 'Stork Aerospace'

In 1996 Stork acquired Fokker and the company succesfully changed from aircraft integrator into a specialist for structures, wiring and services with an impressive portfolio.

In 2002 Stork Aerospace receives the Flight award for the development of Glare, in 2003 Stork Aerospace opens a new facility  for Glare. Glare is a revolutionary new FML (Fibre Metal Laminate) material of which 500m2 is applied in the Airbus A380.

In 2003 Stork Aerospace is seclected by Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman as a main supplier of wiring, inflight opening doors and arresting gear for the Lockheed Martin JSF (Joint Strike Fighter)

In 2005 Stork Aerospace receives the Flight award for the succesful re-marketing programs of the the Fokker Aircraft. The Future 50 and the Future 100 programs.

In 2006 Stork Aerospace takes over AIRINC in the USA

In 2007 Stork Aerospace is selected as supplier for the Boeing 747-800 Flaps. this order is considered a break-through in the relationship with Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

February 2008 Stork Company is de-listed from the stock exchange, the company with two divisions  (technical services and aerospace) is  now under ownership of private equity fund Candover

March 2008 Stork Aerospace announced to be selected by Gulfstream to design and produce the composite tail and fuselage panels for the all new G650 business jet

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