Fokker C.II

The Fokker C.II was a two‑seat, single‑engine reconnaissance and trainer aircraft built by the Dutch firm Fokker in the late 1910s. Developed as an evolution of the earlier C.I, the C.II entered service with the German Luftstreitkräfte during World War I after the Netherlands remained neutral and Fokker sold the design to the Imperial German Army. Powered typically by an 80‑hp Oberursel rotary engine, the aircraft featured a wooden fuselage with fabric covering, a rectangular wing layout of equal span, and a simple fixed‑tail skid undercarriage. Its cockpit accommodated a pilot and observer seated in tandem, providing excellent forward visibility for reconnaissance and artillery‑spotting missions. Although only a few hundred were produced, the C.II proved reliable and easy to maintain, making it a popular trainer for new pilots after the war. The type also saw limited use by post‑war civil operators, influencing the development of later Fokker biplanes such as the successful F.VII. The C.II’s modest performance and straightforward construction exemplify Fokker’s early design philosophy, and its service record helped establish the company's reputation for versatile, robust aircraft that would dominate interwar aviation.