Fokker C.IV

The Fokker C.IV was a Dutch two‑seat reconnaissance and trainer aircraft built by the Fokker company in the early 1920s. Developed from the earlier C.I and C.II models, the C.IV first flew in 1922 and entered service with the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force and several foreign operators, including the United States Army Air Service, which purchased a handful for evaluation. Its wooden sesquiplane wing structure, fabric‑covered steel tube fuselage and 138 hp (103 kW) Rolls‑Royce Eagle or 200 hp (149 kW) Hispano‑Suiza engine gave it a modest top speed of about 115 km/h (71 mph) and a service ceiling near 4 500 m. The aircraft featured dual controls, a flexible rear gun mount, and could be fitted with radios, making it suitable for both observation and pilot training. The C.IV’s reliability and low operating cost helped it become a workhorse in colonial theatres, where ruggedness and short‑field performance were essential. Although quickly superseded by more powerful monoplanes, the C.IV demonstrated the versatility of Fokker’s mixed‑construction approach and contributed to the transition from World War I‑type biplanes to the more modern aircraft of the interwar period.