weight and performance calculations for the Fokker F.III
Fokker F.III H-NABI c/n 1505. On 04 November 1925 the rudder broke off in flight and the pilot J.B.Scholte had to make a crash landing at Hamburg. There were no casualties but the aircraft was a write-off.
Fokker F.III
role : light passenger aircraft
importance : ****
first flight : 20 November 1920 flown by Hinchcliffe operational : April 1921
design : Reinhold Platz
production : 66 aircraft in Schwerin, Germany, Amsterdam and Veere, The Netherlands. Fokker Grulich license built in Staaken, Germany.
general information :
Appeared after the Fokker F.II. It was slightly larger and the more spacious passenger cabin could take 5 passengers. The wider fuselage made it possible that the pilot was positioned besides the engine which was offset laterally 10 [cm]. This unique location gave the pilot a far more better view and during flight he could make adjustments to the engine. There was only not enough space for all the instruments (6 gauges) in front of the pilot and some were positioned besides his head in the open clearing in the wing leading edge. To read them he had to turn his head …
The pilot was seated in the open air, so at one side he could get frozen in the cold wind and on the other side he was nearly burned by the heat of the engine.
The F.III was praised by the passengers for its luxury interior, with luxury armchairs, curtains, upholstered walls carpet on the floor, a flap table with ashtray and even flowers in a vase ! For this reason it was given the name Limousine. The cabin was heated by air warmed by the engine, but it smelled badly after exhaust gasses and oil fumes, getting the passengers more air sick.
Luxurious interior
The F.III H-NABA was presented at the Paris Air Show, in the autumn of 1921. Fokker avoided to use the name of Fokker, with WWI still in everybody’s memory, he used the name Netherlands Aircraft Factory. But soon the connection was made with the name Fokker, giving great commotion , the stand had to be shielded of from the angry crowd and Fokker needed a bodyguard. Hinchcliffe demonstrated the aircraft, flying it like a fighter airplane over Le Bourget and doing some forbidden tricks.
Fokker F.III H-NABA on display at the Paris air show 1921. H-NABA c/n 1550 was sold to Malert and flew with this airline as H-MABB.
In the summer of 1921 Reinhold Platz and his staff moved from Schwerin to Veere, were production continued in a shed of the MLD.
The F.III was successful, and was even sold in the USA. It was reliable and could continue in weather when other airlines ceased operation.
In Germany it was built under license, by Aero Lloyd under supervision of Dr.Ing. Karl Grulich, these became known as Fokker-Grulich F.III and were in general fitted with a BMW IV engine. Lufthansa flew with the F.III upon till 1935.
Some F.III’s were built as parasol monoplane with some space between the wing and fuselage (H-NABV and H-NABU)
The KLM made the first scheduled flight with the F.III on 14 April 1921 on the Amsterdam – London route, the H-NABH was flown by WWI ace Gordon P.Olley. Eventually it had 14 F.III’s in service and used it upon 1930.
Flying characteristics were good and it was reliable but it needed main overhaul every 50 flying hours.
Nose stands could easily happen upon landing or during taxien
users : KLM (14), Deutsche Aero Lloyd, DDL, Deruluft, Malert, Balair, Deutscher Luft
Reederei, Avio Linee Italiana, Sabena.
crew : 1 passengers : 5
registrations : H-NABG, H-NABH, H-NABI, H-NABJ, H-NABK, H-NABL, H-NABM,
H-NABN, H-NABR, H-NABS, H-NABT, H-NABU, H-NABV, T-DOFB, T-DOFC, T-DOFD, CH-156, D-353, D-378, D-468, D-516, D-533, DZ8, G-AALC
F.III pilots : L.Sillevis , I.W.Smirnoff , G.J. Geysendorffer , J.B.Scholte , A.P.J.Pijl ,
Hendrik Klunder , J.J.E. Duimelaar , R.A.Reiber , A.B. de Vos, Evert Van Dijk ,
Quirinus Tepas , R.Hofstra, Adolf Parge, ir. J.C.G. Grasé , H.Wende , R. Gnädig, C.T. Holmes, Gordon.P.Olley , W.Warnaar , A.N.J. Thomassen a Thuessink van der Hoop , J.J.Schott , Walter G.R. Hinchcliffe
engine : 1 Armstrong Siddeley Puma liquid-cooled 6 -cylinder inline engine 230 [hp](171.5 KW)
The KLM made the first scheduled flight with the F.III on 14 April 1921 on the Amsterdam – London route, the H-NABH was flown by WWI ace Gordon P.Olley.
Two years later the aircraft was lost when on 19 October 1923 pilot Iwan.W. Smirnoff had to make an emergency landing due to engine failure at the Goodwin Sands, a sand bank in the North sea between Dover and Ramsgate. (51°14’00”N, 1°35’00”E). Smirnoff
Fired a flare and could so draw the attention from a nearby Lightship “East Goodwin” . Smirnoff and his passengers were just in time pick up by the vessel S.S.Primo before the upcoming tide flooded the bank and the airplane was washed away and was lost.
Goodwin sands is a treacherous shallow and many ships found there final end here, like HMS Stirling Castle , VOC ship Rooswijk and SS Montrose , but it was to the rescue for Smirnoff and his passengers.
In 2021 East Goodwin Lightvessel is still active, but operates now unmanned.
British merchant steamer S.S.Primo , 1250 grt, built by Campbelltown Shipbuilding in Scotland and launched 1915 it was in use upon till 1961 when it was broken up.
dimensions :
wingspan : 17.68 [m], length : 11.07 [m], height : 3.2[m]
wing area : 45.65 [m^2]
Wing span : 53 ft 6 in = 16.30m without ailerons length : 33 ft 10 in = 10.31m area of wings 473 sq ft = 43.94 m2 chord at wing root : 10 ft 4 in = 3.15 [m]
weights :
max.take-off weight : 1905 [kg]
empty weight operational : 1200 [kg] useful load : 500 [kg]
performance :
maximum speed :169 [km/hr] at sea-level
cruise speed :152 [km/u] op 100 [m]
service ceiling : 4000 [m]
range : 1000 [km]
description :
parasol wing with fixed landing gear and tail strut
two spar cantilever wing
engines, landing gear attached to the fuselage, luggage compartment in the rear of the fuselage
H-NABG c/n 1503 was later sold to Balair, who flew the aircraft with registration CH-152
airscrew :
fixed pitch 2 -bladed tractor airscrew with max. efficiency :0.65 [ ]
estimated diameter airscrew 2.85 [m]
angle of attack prop : 19.78 [ ]
reduction : 1.00 [ ]
airscrew revs : 1400 [r.p.m.]
pitch at Max speed 2.01 [m]
blade-tip speed at Vmax and max revs. : 180 [m/s]
calculation : *1* (dimensions)
measured wing chord : 2.71 [m]
mean wing chord : 2.58 [m]
calculated wing chord (rounded tips): 2.92 [m]
wing aspect ratio : 6.85 []
seize (span*length*height) : 626 [m^3]
calculation : *2* (fuel consumption)
oil consumption : 3.4 [kg/hr]
fuel consumption(cruise speed) : 37.9 [kg/hr] (51.7 [litre/hr]) at 65 [%] power
distance flown for 1 kg fuel : 4.01 [km/kg] at 2000 [m] cruise height, sfc : 342.0 [kg/kwh]
estimated total fuel capacity : 385.98 [litre] (282.92 [kg])
calculation : *3* (weight)
weight engine(s) dry : 308.0 [kg] = 1.80 [kg/KW]
weight 34.4 litre oil tank : 2.93 [kg]
oil tank filled with 1.3 litre oil : 1.2 [kg]
oil in engine 9.6 litre oil : 8.6 [kg]
fuel in engine 1.2 litre fuel : 0.86 [kg]
weight 22.0 litre gravity patrol tank(s) : 3.3 [kg]
Parasol winged H-NABV c/n 1663, in 1930 it was sold to British New Guinea
weight radiator : 24.6 [kg]
weight exhaust pipes & fuel lines 21.7 [kg]
weight self-starter : 4.2 [kg]
weight cowling 6.9 [kg]
weight airscrew(s) (wood) incl. boss & bolts : 48.8 [kg]
total weight propulsion system : 428 [kg](22.5 [%])
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fuselage skeleton (steel tubes) : 4.18 [cm] diam): 152 [kg]
cabin layout : pitch : 87 [cm] (1+1) seating in 2 rows
weight 5.0 windows : 4.50 [kg]
passenger cabin width : 1.42 [m] cabin length : 2.17 [m] cabin height : 1.90 [m]
weight cabin furbishing : 12.51 [kg]
weight cabin floor : 19.81 [kg]
bracing : 11.9 [kg]
fuselage covering ( 23.1 [m2] doped linen fabric) : 7.1 [kg]
weight instruments. : 2.5 [kg] (rev counter, ammeter, clock, altimeter, speedometer, compass)
weight lighting : 1.1 [kg]
weight controls : 6.3 [kg]
weight seats : 30.0 [kg]
weight 364 [litre] main fuel tank empty : 29.1 [kg]
weight air conditioning : 8 [kg]
weight engine mounts & firewalls : 9 [kg]
total weight fuselage : 293 [kg](15.4 [%])
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weight plywood wing covering : 42 [kg]
total weight ribs (40 ribs) : 113 [kg]
load on front upper spar (clmax) per running metre : 554.3 [N]
load on rear upper spar (vmax) per running metre : 286.9 [N]
total weight 4 spars : 99 [kg]
License built in Staaken, Germany, Fokker – Grulich F.III D-503 “Leine” c/n 1556.
The pilot can be seen sitting left of the 250hp BMW IV engine.
weight wings : 254 [kg]
weight wing/square meter : 5.57 [kg]
weight cables (71 [m]) : 58.5 [kg] (= 827 [gram] per metre)
diameter cable : 11.6 [mm]
weight fin & rudder (3.6 [m2]) : 20.8 [kg]
weight stabilizer & elevator (5.1 [m2]): 29.0 [kg]
total weight wing surfaces & bracing : 363 [kg] (19.0 [%])
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wheel pressure : 952.5 [kg]
weight 2 wheels (820 [mm] by 126 [mm]) : 49.6 [kg]
weight tailskid : 3.2 [kg]
weight undercarriage with axle 26.5 [kg]
total weight landing gear : 79.3 [kg] (4.2 [%]
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calculated empty weight : 1163 [kg](61.1 [%])
weight oil for 7.9 hours flying : 27.1 [kg]
weight cooling fluids : 37.0 [kg]
calculated operational weight empty : 1227 [kg] (64.4 [%])
published operational weight empty : 1200 [kg] (63.0 [%])
***o***
"
weight crew : 81 [kg]
weight fuel for 2.0 hours flying : 76 [kg]
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operational weight empty: 1384 [kg](72.7 [%])
weight 5 passengers : 385 [kg]
The pilot was seated besides the engine
weight luggage & freight : 115 [kg]
operational weight loaded: 1884 [kg](72.7 [%])
fuel reserve : 20.9 [kg] enough for 0.55 [hours] flying
operational weight fully loaded : 1905 [kg] with fuel tank filled for 34 [%]
published maximum take-off weight : 1905 [kg] (100.0 [%])
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calculation : * 4 * (engine power)
power loading (Take-off) : 11.11 [kg/kW]
power loading (operational without useful load) : 8.07 [kg/kW]
total power : 171.5 [kW] at 1400 [r.p.m]
calculation : *5* (loads)
manoeuvre load : 3.0 [g] at 1000 [m]
limit load : 3.0 [g] ultimate load : 4.5 [g] load factor : 1.4 [g]
design flight time : 4.60 [hours]
design cycles : 739 sorties, design hours : 3400 [hours]
operational wing loading : 297 [N/m^2]
wing stress (3 g) during operation : 160 [N/kg] at 3g emergency manoeuvre
calculation : *6* (angles of attack)
angle of attack zero lift : -1.22 ["]
max. angle of attack (stalling angle) : 12.70 ["]
angle of attack at max. speed : 1.49 ["]
Fokker F.III Dz5 c/n 1539 was built in Schwerin and was operated by Aero Lloyd. BMW IV engine. Later it flew with Lufthansa and was registered as D-1028. It was written off under unknown circumstances 17 August 1928.
calculation : *7* (lift & drag ratios
lift coefficient at angle of attack 0° :0.10 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. angle of attack : 1.14 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. speed : 0.22 [ ]
induced drag coefficient at max. speed : 0.0031 [ ]
drag coefficient at max. speed : 0.0382 [ ]
drag coefficient (zero lift) : 0.0352 [ ]
KLM affiche 1924. The pilot is pointing Willem van der Decken , captain of the legendary ghostship “ the Flying Dutchman ”, at his Fokker F.III which he apparently has left for this occasion. The registration H-NABE was not used for a F.III, a ghost registration…
calculation : *8* (speeds
stalling speed at sea-level (OW): 74 [km/u]
stalling speed at sea-level (MTOW): 87 [km/u]
landing speed at sea-level: 87 [km/hr]
min. drag speed (max endurance) : 101 [km/hr] at 2000 [m](power :37 [%])
min. power speed (max range) : 111 [km/hr] at 2000 [m] (power:40 [%])
max. rate of climb speed : 101.7 [km/hr] at sea-level
cruising speed : 152 [km/hr] op 2000 [m] (power:65 [%])
design speed prop : 161 [km/hr]
maximum speed : 169 [km/hr] op 100 [m] (power:98 [%])
climbing speed at sea-level : 265 [m/min]
calculation : *9* (regarding various performances)
take-off speed : 104.4 [km/u]
static prop wash : 90 [km/u]
take-off distance at sea-level : 299 [m]
take-off distance erg lang, check if emergency power for TO is possible
lift/drag ratio : 10.71 [ ]
climb to 1000m with max payload : 8.44 [min]
climb to 2000m with max payload : 22.84 [min]
climb to 3000m with max payload : 48.82 [min]
published ceiling (4000 [m]
practical ceiling (operational weight) : 4763 [m] with flying weight :1384 [kg] line 3385
practical ceiling fully loaded (mtow- 30 min.fuel) : 3298 [m] with flying weight :1886 [kg]
max. dive speed : 394.2 [km/hr] at 2298 [m] height
turning speed at CLmax : 113.5 [km/u] at 50 [m] height
turn radius at 50m: 48 [m]
H-NABL c/n 1508 made an unfortunate landing near Hekelingen, south of Waalhaven, Rotterdam, 21 May 1921 and later made a bad landing in the dark while performing a mail flight on 26 October 1921, piloted by R.Hofstra who was suffering from night blindness. The pilot was unhurt but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. Parts of the aircraft were used for H-NABR c/n 1533.
time needed for 360* turn 9.6 [seconds] at 50m
load factor at max. angle turn 2.33 ["g"]
calculation *10* (action radius & endurance)
published range : 1000 [km] with 1 crew and 347.5 [kg] useful load and 88.1 [%] fuel
dit bereik is niet mogelijk met alle pax > nakijken, evt bereik verlagen
range : 388 [km] with 1 crew and 500.0 [kg] useful load and 34.2 [%] fuel
range : 388 [km] with 5.0 passengers with luggage and 34.2 [%] fuel
Available Seat Kilometers (ASK) : 1941 [paskm]
max range theoretically with additional fuel tanks for total 814.2 [litre] fuel : 2394.1 [km]
useful load with range 500km : 472 [kg]
F
09 July 1924 a bull Nico V. is carried from Rotterdam to Paris aboard F.III H-NABR
useful load with range 500km : 4 passengers
production (useful load): 71.81 [tonkm/hour]
production (passengers): 760.50 [paskm/hour]
short range airliner
oil and fuel consumption per tonkm : 0.58 [kg]
oil and fuel consumption per paskm : 0.05 [kg]
fuel cost per paskm : 0.05 [eur]
writing off per paskm : 0.33 [eur]
insurance per paskm : 0.01 [eur]
crew cost per paskm : 0.20 [eur]
maintenance cost per paskm : 0.19 [eur]
direct operating cost per paskm : 0.79 [eur]
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Fatal accidents :
24 April 1924 KLM Fokker F.III H-NABS c/n 1535 disappeared in fog over the North Sea on a flight from Croydon via Lympne to Rotterdam. Never there was a trace found of the aircraft. Pilot Adriaan.P.J. Pijl and passengers W.J. van Hien and C.J.M.Modderman died. Investigation report is in the Dutch national archive, toegangsnummer 2.16.57.20
Lit. : www.hdekker.info
25 June 1925 KLM Fokker F.III H-NABM c/n 1509 crashed in the Foret de Mormal, Locquignol, 10km north of Landrecies, Flight from Amsterdam to Paris. Killing all 4 on board.
High grounds in the forest, 150m high, were covered in low clouds > result : Controlled flight into terrain (CFIT). Pilot H.Klunder, passengers : L.P.A. van den Brandeler, H.Groginsky, J.T.J. Labouchere. Aircraft flying hours 649 hrs, (Wing 1186 hrs, wing was attached to new aircraft frame after crash landing 17 July 1923 near Croydon). Crash site : vak 725, lieudit Chene de Guerre.
Crash investigation report is in the Dutch national archive , toegangs nummer 2.16.57.23 Lit. : www.hdekker.info
Remains of H-NABM in the Foret de Mormal
08 October 1926 Lufthansa Fokker-Grulich F.III D-468 c/n 1554 crashed near Buren, North-Rhine Westpahlia, Germany, all 4 on board killed. BMW IV engine.
22 April 1927 Lufthansa Fokker-Grulich F.III “Unstrut” D-729 c/n 1567 crashed near Floh-Seligenthal, Germany. Both occupants died. BMW IV engine
24 July 1928 KLM Fokker F.III H-NABR c/n 1533 stalled upon take-off from Waalhaven near Rotterdam. Crashed into the water of the harbour. Pilot and 4 passengers could escape in time, 1 passenger Madame A. ten Cate de Lorraine drowned. Pilot J.J.Schott
Dutch National archive 2.16.57.24
The H-ANBR is salvaged from the water
06 September 1928 Fokker F.III “Furt Main”operating for Bodensee Aerolloyd reg. D-180 c/n 1531 crashed near Heroldsbach, Germany. All 3 occupants died. Former reg. Dz-8.
It was built in Amsterdam, Puma engine.
18 May 1929 Malert Fokker F.III H-MABC c/n 1604 wing broke off in flight, crashed at Csepel Island, killing both crew. Crash near Tokol, Pest, Hungary. It was built in Veere and had a BMW IIIa engine
With the RR Eagle engine the pilot was seated at the left side of the engine. It was thought that the higher placed parasol wing would give a higher speed, but in practice this was found not to be so..
F.III H-NABU c/n 1662 with parasol wing. It was built in Veere and had at first a 360 hp Rolls Royce Eagle engine with 4-bladed airscrew, this was later replaced by a Jupiter radial engine. 13 April 1926 it crash landed at Schiphol and was written off.
Literature :
Praktisch handboek vliegtuigen deel 2 page 197
Piston-engined airliners page 12
Fokker verkeersvliegtuien 1920-1940 page 14 – 17
Fokker verkeersvliegtuigen page 22 -29
Fokker – bouwer aan de wereldluchtvaart page 51,52,53
Van Spin tot Fokker 100 page9,13,14,15
Vermetele vliegende Hollanders page 28
F.II en F.III bouwjaren - rompnummers.pdf
Alles over de Fokker Friendship page 16,17,18,19, 112
www.dutch-aviation.nl/index5/Civil/index5-2 F3.html (dutch-aviation.nl)
World directory of airliner crashes pages 14,15,16
F.IIIW c/n 1600 ? floatplane
DISCLAIMER Above calculations are based on published data, they must be
regarded as indication not as facts.
Calculated performance and weight may not correspond with actual weights
and performances and are assumptions for which no responsibility can be taken.
Calculations are as accurate as possible, they can be fine-tuned when more data
is available, you are welcome to give suggestions and additional information
so we can improve our program. For copyright on drawings/photographs/
content please mail to below mail address
Fokker F.III H-NABV was built in Veere, c/n 1663, 360hp RR Eagle engine, later refitted with a 440hp Gnome-Rhone Jupiter radial engine (reg. PH-ABV) with all-metal Curtiss-Reed propellor. It was the last F.III delivered to the KLM August 1922, but was kept in service for long time. In December 1930 it was sold and flew on as VH-UQF with Pacific Aerial Transport Co in Australian New-Guinea. It his seen here in front of the pre-WWII ATC tower at what is now Schiphol Oost.
Deruluft flew with 10 F.III’s fitted with 360hp RR Eagle engines, driving a 4 bladed airscrew. It flew the Berlin – Moscow route. 15 June 1927 RR7 was written off after a crash
Also F.III’s found there way to the USA. Famous pilot Bert Acosta flew one named “Halve Maen” after the ship of Henry Hudson . from Hazelhurst field , 22 April 1922, while Soprano Jeanette Vreeland sang the first radio concert from an airplane as she flew over New York. You can find Jeanette Vreeland on Spotify > Gurre-lieder. The Fokker had a 50 Watt transmitter and could broadcast with a range of 500km.
(c) B van der Zalm 05 February 2021 contact : info.aircraftinvestigation@gmail.com python 3.7.4