Fokker F-32

The Fokker F‑32 was a pioneering four‑engine airliner built by the Dutch company Fokker in the late 1920s. First flown on 28 May 1929, it entered service with Transcontinental & Western Air (later TWA) in 1931 as one of the world’s earliest large passenger transports. The aircraft featured a high‑wing cantilever monoplane layout, a fully enclosed fuselage, and a distinctive twin‑tail design that improved stability. Powered by four Pratt & Whitney Hornet radial engines mounted on the wing, the F‑32 could carry up to 32 passengers or a mixed load of mail and freight, and it offered a cruising speed of about 190 mph with a range of roughly 1,200 km. Innovative for its time, the F‑32 incorporated pressurised cabin components, sound‑proofing, and a sophisticated navigation suite. Although only three examples were produced before the Great Depression curtailed sales, the F‑32 demonstrated the viability of multi‑engine, long‑range commercial flight and influenced later designs such as the Douglas DC‑2 and Boeing 247. Its brief operational history highlighted both the technical ambition of Fokker and the economic challenges that shaped early air transport development.