'De Vliegmensch'

In 2001 maakten regiseur Hank Onrust en Sytze van der Zee een documentaire van een uur over Frits Koolhoven die werd uitgezonden door de VPRO en waarvoor ik uitgebreid werd geïnterviewd.
Wat blijkt?
Die documentaire is on-line nog steeds te bekijken:

https://www.npo3.nl/de-vliegmensch-frits-koolhoven-1886-1946-een-vergeten-legende/27-12-2010/WO_VPRO_041637

Avia-Fokker F.IX D-AATG

The F.IX was the largest of the many trimotor-models built by Fokker. Fokker only built two examples for KLM, but many more were built under license in Czechoslovakia by the Avia-factory for civil (F.IX) and military (F.39) use. On 15 March 1939, the remainder ("rump") of Czechoslovakia was invaded by Germany and divided into the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia and the puppet state of Slovakia. The Germans captured the sole remaining Avia-built F.IX and applied German markings (note the swastika on the tail) and the German registration D-AAFG, formerly OK-AFG of Československé Státní Aerolinie (CSA). The aircraft was later sold to the puppet state of Croatia.

Captured Douglas DC-2’s, DC-3’s and Fokkers

I have been looking for years for a good reproduction of this photograph and today I finally found it. I feel it is an important photograph because it proves that civil aviation did not come to an immediate standstill after Germany divided Czechoslovakia into the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia and the puppet state of Slovakia on 15 March 1939. The airline CLS (CESKOSLOVENSKA LETECKA SPOLECNOST) was allowed for a while to continue to fly some of their services. German registrations were applied, but the name CLS remained on the aircraft. In the far distance a number of Fokker trimotors can bee seen, also with German registrations. By the end of 1939 Lufthansa claimed the modern Douglases, while most of the Fokkers were sold to Croatia.

Another photograph of the same occasion (courtesy André Ran)

Fokker-Douglas DC-2 PH-AKF

Dutch registration PH-AKF was used by Fokker during 1934/1935 as a kind of test-registration for Douglas DC-2’s, assembled and sold by Fokker. Only once a DC-2 was officially registered to Fokker as PH-AKF. This was c/n 1318, that was registered in Holland from 17 November to 3 December 1934. Fokker exported the aircraft to Germany as D-ABEQ. PH-AKF was used for at least five other DC-2’s. To confuse matters even a bit more: after being PH-AKF for a short while, c/n 1319 was repainted as PH-FOK – and also not officially registered! – and used by Fokker as a demonstrator during 1934/1935. It was sold to Italy as I-EROS. Because the PH-AKF’s remained in Holland for just a short time, photographs of them are rather rare and of the few photographs that exits, it is not always clear which one is which… with at least one exception.

(via Harm J. Hazewinkel)

A-500

In 1932 a Junkers F.13 was ordered for Austrian Bundesminister für Land- und Forstwirtschaft Dr. Engelbert Dollfuß for his various trips abroad. Pilot of the aircraft was Wilhelm Elssler. On 20 May 1932 Dollfuß became Bundeskanzler and the number of is travels abroad increased markedly. In 1934 Elssler advised Dollfuß to replace the Junkers by a DC-2, to give him more comfort and increase the speed of his travels. The DC-2 (c/n 1320) cost 565.000 Austrian Schilling and arrived by ship, packed in crates, in the French port of Cherbourg. The aircraft was transported to Schiphol Airport near Amsterdam, assembled and test-flown as PH-AKF. The future Austrian registration A-500 was already marked beneath the Dutch registration.

Beneath the Dutch registration PH-AKF the future Austrian registration A-500 is clearly visible.

Registered as A-500 Wilhelm Elssler and mechanic Hölzl flew the DC-2 on 1 November 1934 to Wien-Aspern airport. In the meantime Dollfuß had been murdered on 25 July 1934 and was succeeded by Dr. Kurt Schuschnigg. Because A-500 was hardly used, it was sold to Swissair on 12 March 1936 and had made only 124 hours and 37 minutes of flying time.

 In Switserland the former PH-AFK was registered as HB-ISA.

Six months later the Swiss sold the DC-2 to the Spanish Republicans as EC-AGA. It was finally written off in April 1946.