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.
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