Fokker S.III

The Fokker S.III was a Dutch primary trainer aircraft built by the Fokker company in the early 1920s. Designed to replace the earlier S.I and S.II types, the S.III first flew in 1922 and entered service with the Royal Netherlands Air Force the following year. It featured a conventional single‑bay biplane layout with equal‑span wings, a lightweight wooden frame covered in fabric, and a simple open cockpit for the student and instructor. Power was supplied by a reliable 130 hp (97 kW) de Havilland Gipsy I rotary engine, giving the aircraft modest performance suitable for basic flight instruction, including easy stall characteristics and forgiving handling. Only a limited number were produced—approximately 30 airframes—but the type proved influential in shaping Dutch pilot training doctrine during the interwar period. Its straightforward construction and low operating costs allowed the Netherlands to maintain a cadre of trained pilots despite constrained defence budgets. The S.III also served as a template for later Fokker trainer designs, contributing to the firm’s reputation for practical, rugged aircraft that could operate from primitive fields. Even after its retirement, several S.III examples survived in museums, preserving an important chapter of early aviation training history.