Russia - 1923 Fokker C.I

Who's Got Fokker Fever? He's Got Fokker Fever!

I have been sitting on references for today's post for a while. Why has it taken so long? It was partly a matter of sloth, and a matter of dropping the ball in the 24/7 world of chaos I call my life.There has always been something calling for my immediate attention. It was time to not accept any more excuses and get it done.

Meet The Fokker D.VII's Big Brother.

The Fokker C.I was a two seat German reconnaissance aircraft based on the formidable Fokker D.VII. The C.I entered production soon after the flight test in the final days of World War I. None entered service and the finished examples and parts were smuggled into the Netherlands when Anthony Fokker fled a sinking ship of state. After setting p production in the Netherlands Fokker produced over 250 C.I for use by the Dutch, Danes, and Soviets.

The C.I was 1 inch (.03m) longer and 2 inches (.07m) taller than the D.VII. It had a wingspan 4 foot 6 inches (1.57m) longer. It weighed in at 345 pounds (157kg) heavier empty and 890 lb (405kg) more when fully loaded. The total load weight for the C.I was 882 pounds (400kg). The Speed and service ceiling were the main differences. The C.I was slightly slower but the service ceiling was much lower.

The Fokker C.I in Soviet Service

Fokker C.I, Unit and Crew Unknown, s/n H 08, 1923

I have found several examples of C.I bearing the "H" (Cyrilic character for "N") on the fuselage and exact same paint scheme. All the examples have uncovered wire wheels and fuel tanks.

Fokker C.I, A. T. Kozhevnikov, s/n unknown, 1923

This profile is based on a coupe photos I saw. It has the Sphinx insignia of the squadron leader of № 1 OIAE, A.T.Kozhevnikov. The colors are conjectural. I used the same scheme as his Fokker D.VII.

Fokker C.I, Unit and Crew Unknown, Winter 1923

This example is painted in winter colors and is fitted with pontoon like skis. The lack of a wheel allows viewing of an ael mounted secondary fuel tank. Also notable is the change to the observer cockpit which is outfitted with ring mount for the trainable gun.The box below the observer's position carry grenades. The C.I could carry up to 110 lb (50 kg) of disposable stores.

A Short Overview of the Fokker C.I

The Fokker C.I was a German reconnaissance biplane under development at the end of World War I. The design was essentially an enlarged Fokker D.VII fighter with two seats and a 138 kW (185 hp) BMW IIIa engine. The C.I was originally developed to sell to the German Army. It never saw service in World War I, but Anthony Fokker managed to smuggle parts out of Germany at the time of the Armistice.

The prototype, V.38, was tested at Schwerin, and put into immediate production. After the armistice, production continued in the Netherlands.

The C.I went into Dutch service after 16 were ordered in February 1919. The USSR bought 42 C.Is. The C.Is served in the reconnaissance and trainer roles. The last C.I left service in 1936.

Variants

• V 38: Prototype.
• C.I: Two-seat reconnaissance aircraft, powered by a 185 hp (138 kW) BMW IIIa piston engine.
• C.Ia: Improved version.
• C.IW: Experimental float plane version.
• C.II: Three-seat passenger transport version, powered by a 185 hp (138 kW) BMW IIIa piston engine.
• C.III: Two-seat advanced trainer version of the C.I, powered by a 220 hp (164 kW) Hispano-Suiza engine.

References

1. Fokker C.I. (2011, December 22). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 13:28, March 7, 2012, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fokker_C.I&oldid=467155072
2. Donald, David, ed. (1997). The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Prospero Books. pp. pg 427. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.
3. Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. pp. 402.
4. World Aircraft Information Files. London: Bright Star Publishing. pp. File 894 sheet 33.