F.VIIa/1m

The Fokker F.VIIa/1m was a single‑engine, high‑wing monoplane introduced in 1924 as a militarised version of the successful civil F.VII series. Built by the Dutch manufacturer Fokker, the 1m variant featured a strengthened wooden fuselage, reinforced wing spars and a robust fixed undercarriage designed to operate from rough airfields. Powered by a 440‑hp (328 kW) Lorraine‑Djinn or Bristol Jupiter radial engine, it could reach 185 km h⁻¹ (115 mph) and carry a crew of two plus up to 750 kg of payload. The aircraft quickly found favour with a number of European air forces, most notably the Royal Dutch Army Aviation Service, the Swedish Air Force and the United States Army Air Service, which used it for transport, liaison and light bombing duties during the inter‑war period. Its reliability and simple construction made it an ideal platform for early airmail routes and pioneer long‑distance flights, contributing to the expansion of commercial aviation in the 1920s. The F.VIIa/1m also served as a developmental bridge to the later Fokker D.VII fighter, demonstrating Fokker’s mastery of mixed‑material structures and influencing aircraft design worldwide. Its legacy endures in modern turboprop transports that still rely on the same principles of durability and versatility established by the F.VIIa/1m.