Fokker Universal

Universal
G-CAJD from Western Canada Airways, c.1928
Role	Airliner, Utility aircraft
Manufacturer	Fokker Aircraft Company (Atlantic Aircraft Corporation)
Designer	Robert B.C. Noorduyn
Introduction	1926
Produced	1926-1931
Number built	44
Unit cost	1926 $14,200 (USD)
Developed into	Fokker Super Universal

The Fokker Universal or "Standard" was the first aircraft built in the United States that was based on the designs of Dutch-born Anthony Fokker, who had designed aircraft for the Germans during World War I. About half of the 44 Universals that were built between 1926 and 1931 in the United States were used in Canada. Among the famous pilots who flew the Fokker Universal were Punch Dickins and Walter Gilbert.

Anthony Fokker established the Atlantic Aircraft Corporation at the Teterboro Airport in Teterboro, New Jersey. One of his first ventures for the new company was building other aircraft under license. In 1926, he formulated plans to create an original aircraft designed for utility and air transport. The design was spearheaded by Robert Noorduyn and based on conventional Fokker designs. The mixed-material construction featured a welded steel tube frame for the fuselage and tail surfaces that were covered in fabric as well as a large wing constructed of wood with a wingspan of 14.55 m, mounted above the fuselage. Although the overall design was quite "clean," all cables, horns and attachments were mounted externally, adding considerably to the drag.

When the Fokker Universal was first developed in 1925, it had a 149 kW (200 hp) Wright J-4 or a 164 kW (220 hp) J-5 engine. Later models of the aircraft were powered by 246 kW (330 hp) J-6 engines. Two gasoline tanks were mounted in the wings near the forward edge. As typical of the era, the pilot sat in an open cockpit forward of the wing’s leading edge. The enclosed cabin below and to the rear of the pilot held four to six passengers or could be fitted for cargo hauling. Cargo capacity was estimated to be approximately 427 kg (940 lb); fuel capacity was 280 l (78 US gal) or 213 kg (468 lb)