How a Dutch aviator built a global aviation empire from a German factory

Wars & Conflicts · Published 15 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Anthony Fokker transformed early aviation by pioneering synchronization gear that allowed machine guns to fire through propeller arcs. His company dominated the civil market for decades, survived two world wars, and navigated complex international partnerships before its eventual 1996 bankruptcy. The Fokker legacy persists today through specialized aerospace technology firms.

Anthony Fokker began his career in Germany, founding his first company in 1912. During World War I, he became a central figure in German military aviation. His development of a synchronization gear for the Fokker Eindecker created a period of air superiority known as the Fokker Scourge. By the end of the war, his firm produced iconic aircraft like the Dr.I triplane and the D.VII biplane. Following the war, Fokker returned to the Netherlands, smuggling parts and aircraft across the border to establish a new factory near Amsterdam.

The 1920s marked the company's zenith. Fokker became the world's largest aircraft manufacturer by the late 1920s, with its F.VIIa/3m trimotor capturing 40% of the American market by 1936. However, the company faced significant challenges, including a reputation-damaging structural failure in 1931 and intense competition from American manufacturers like Ford. Anthony Fokker eventually moved to the United States, where he briefly merged his operations with General Motors before resigning in 1931. He passed away in New York City in 1939.

Post-war recovery was difficult, but the company found success with the F-27 Friendship, the world's best-selling turboprop airliner. Fokker also diversified into space technology, contributing to satellite projects and the Ariane rocket. Despite these successes, the company struggled with rising development costs for the Fokker 50 and 100. After failed negotiations with DASA and Bombardier, the company declared bankruptcy in 1996. Today, the Fokker name continues through various entities, including Fokker Technologies and the hydrogen-focused Fokker Next Gen.

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