FOKKER F27 FRIENDSHIP 200 – G-BDVS
The F.27 Friendship airliner was conceived in the early 1950s and designed by Fokker in the Netherlands as a 40-seat replacement for the venerable Dakota. With financial backing from the Dutch government, two prototypes and static test airframes were constructed. The first prototype flew on 24 November 1955, and the first production aircraft flew on 23 March 1958. The Friendship became possibly the most widely sold turboprop airliner of all time; substantial numbers were made under licence by Fairchild (later Fairchild Hiller).
The aircraft’s success was due to its excellent general characteristics, plus the constant modernisation and improvement of the basic design. It went on to be used by more than 60 airlines, for executive transport and military purposes. The F.27-200 followed the initial F.27-100 version.
G-BDVS “Friendship Eric Gander Dower”
This aircraft (c/n 10232) entered service on 15.8.1963 as PH-FEX. Its first operator was Malaysian Airlines as 9M-AMM from 28.9.1963; the company merged to form Malaya and Singapore Airlines on 1.10.67. It returned to Fokker as PH-EXC on 4.5.1971 but was re-registered in May 1972 as PH-FEX. From 19.12.1972 it was operated by the Department of Supply in Australia; on 25.4.1973 it was donated to Bangladesh Biman as S2-ABK and served with them until 1976.
Acquired by East Lease Ltd on 24.3.1976, it was operated by Norwich-based Air Anglia (an amalgamation of Anglian Air Charter, Norfolk Airways, and Rig-Air) as G-BDVS on its ever-expanding route network. On 1.1.1980, “VS” was loaned to British Midland, and returned on 14.1.1980. Two days later, Air Anglia merged with British Island Airways, Air Westward and Air Wales to form Air UK, with bases in Norwich and Stansted. The aircraft was leased to Loganair on 31.8.87, and returned on 23.7.1988, to gain the name “Friendship Eric Gander Dower”. He was the founder of Aberdeen/Dyce Airport and Allied Airways (Gander Dower) Ltd. Air UK ceased in 1998.
On 25.9.1994 the aircraft made its final flight, achieving 72,045 flights and flying time of 60,043 hours 52 minutes. If each flight was made with a full passenger load then a total of 2,881,800 people plus crew were carried safely during its 31 operating years! “VS”, with others of its breed, was then held in open storage at Norwich Airport until cut up in December 1996 but, thanks to the efforts of a museum member, this 18 feet section was saved and donated to the Museum, arriving on 17.12.1996.
Technical Information
- Year Built: 1963
- Manufacturer: Fokker
- Crew: 2/4
- Engines: Two 2,020ehp Rolls-Royce RDa7 Dart 528, or 2,105ehp RDa7 Dart 528-7E,
- or 2,230ehp RDa7 Dart 532-7 Turboprops
- Cruising Speed: 301 mph (486 kph)
- Range: 1,285 miles (2,068 km) with max. payload/1,374 miles (2,211 km) with max. fuel
- Wing Span: 95ft 2in (2,762m)
- Length: 77ft 3in (1,821m)
- Height: 27ft 11in (8.26m)
- Gross Weight: 45,000lb (20,411kg)