The F.27 Friendship In Australian Service

In Australian Service

The Fokker F.27 Friendship Part II

Part Twenty Six in a Series Examining the Airliners That Established Civil Aviation in Australia

Australia’s active participation in the F. 27 started in 1954 when TAA’s Chairman, Norman Watt, and Director of Engineering, John Watkins, visited the Fokker factory. They had been in Britain accepting the first TAA Vickers Viscount and Watkins persuaded Watt to accompany him to Holland to inspect the project at first-hand.

While there, Fokker’s Commercial Director, Frits Diepen, approached Watkins about obtaining from TAA, a letter of intent stating that the Friendship was the type of aircraft that TAA could be interested in buying in the future. Fokker said that they did not expect the letter to represent any firm commitment from TAA at that stage, but that it would indicate to the Dutch Government that Fokker was at least on the right track in producing an aircraft for which a market existed. Watt signed the letter and its production to the Dutch Government aided the flow of funds required for development. It was a gesture which Fokker appreciated and was the start of a close working relationship between Fokker and TM in those early F. 27 days.

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