FOKKER F27

In 1910, at the age of 20, while studying in Germany, a young Dutchman named Antonij " Anthony " Fokker ( 1890 - 1939 ) built his initial aircraft, the Spin ( Spider ) - the first Dutch - built plane to fly in his home country. Taking advantage of better opportunities in Germany, he moved to Johannisthal near Berlin. In 1912, he founded his first company, Fokker Aeroplanbau, later moving to the Görries suburb just southwest of Schwerin ( present - day Mecklenburg - Vorpommern ), where the current company was founded, as Fokker Flugzeugwerke GmbH, on February 12th, 1912. 

At the outbreak of the First World War, the German government took control of the factory. " Anthony " Fokker remained as director and alleged designer of many aircraft for the Imperial German Army Air Service ( Luftstreitkräfte ), including the Fokker Eindecker and the Fokker Dr.I, the triplane made famous in the hands of Aces such as Manfred von Richthofen ( the " Red Baron " ). 

In 1919, he returned to the Netherlands and founded a new company near Amsterdam ( North Holland ) with the support of Steenkolen Handels Vereniging ( now known as SHV Holdings ). He chose the name Nederlandse Vliegtuigenfabriek ( Dutch Aircraft Factory ) to conceal the Fokker brand because of his involvement in the First World War. In the 1920s, " Anthony " Fokker entered its glory years, becoming the world's largest aircraft manufacturer by the late 1920s. 

On December 23rd, 1939, " Anthony " Fokker died in New York City ( New York, United States ) after a three - week illness. 

During the Second World War, the Fokker factories were confiscated by the Germans for their own uses. At the end of the war, they were completely stripped by the Germans and destroyed by Allied bombing. 

After the war, the company cautiously started building gliders and autobuses and converting C - 47 Dakota transport planes to civilian versions. During the following decades, the company focused on trainers, jet fighters, airliners, and even aerospace. On March 15th, 1996, the Fokker company was declared bankrupt. 

Today, only some divisions still exist, such as Fokker Technologies and its five individual business units. 

( source : Wikipedia )