Fokker
Fokker S.I
The Fokker S.I, sometimes referred to as the S.1, was a single‑seat primary trainer built by the Dutch firm Fokker in the early 1920s. Designed shortly after the end of World War I, it represented Anthony Fokker’s first effort to redirect the company from wartime fighter production to peacetime aviation education. The aircraft was a conventional wooden biplane with equal‑span, two‑bay wings, a fabric‑covered fuselage and a fixed tailskid undercarriage. Power came from a 60 hp Le Rhône rotary engine that drove a two‑bladed propeller, giving the S.I a modest top speed of roughly 130 km/h and gentle handling characteristics ideal for novice pilots. Only a handful of examples were built, but the type proved popular with the Dutch Army Aviation Service, which used it to teach basic flight controls, take‑offs, and landings. Its simple construction, low operating cost and reliable performance set a template for later Fokker trainers such as the S.II and S.III. By establishing a standardized training platform, the S.I helped professionalize pilot instruction in the Netherlands and contributed to the broader post‑war shift toward dedicated trainer aircraft in Europe.
