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Anthony Herman Gerard Fokker



Anthony Herman Gerard Fokker

Anthony Herman Gerard Fokker
ANTHONY HERMAN GERARD FOKKER
Pioneer Dutch Aircraft Designer
Born 6 April 1890, Blitar, Java. By natural inventiveness built his first aircraft at age 20 and taught himself to fly. World War I heightened his prominence as he designed and produced many aircraft designs for the German air force. At war's end moved to Holland and reestablished production with his new company. Emigrated to the U.S. in 1924, established the Fokker Aircraft Corporation and became a U.S. citizen. The transport aircraft he produced became the basis for airline travel by the late 1920s.

Before his death in 1939 he saw these rugged high performance birds establish many records -- first non-stop transcontinental flight, the Question Mark endurance flight, Kingsford-Smith's span of the Pacific in "Southern Cross", and the polar flights by Byrd. Died 23 December 1939.
Elected to the International Aerospace Hall of Fame
1970