Dutch at Heart: 97 Years Of Fokker And KLM History In A Special Book

I don’t doubt it for a moment: orange, KLM, and Fokker all score high on the list of all things Dutch. The fact that I’m thinking of the Fokker while in the cockpit of the Boeing 777 has nothing to do with the fact that the portrait of Anthony Fokker has recently adorned the tail of one of our last Fokker 70s. It is also unrelated to the fact that I had my first experience as a pilot on the Fokker 28.

However, it has everything to do with the publication of the book Dutch at Heart, which describes the ninety-seven year history that KLM and Fokker have written together. That history is coming to an end in October when the last Fokker 70s leave the blue fleet. It won’t be possible to acquire a new generation of Fokkers as the manufacturer of this world-renowned brand went bankrupt in 1996.

Fokker 7 KLM

Emotions

Since its inception on 7 October 1919, KLM has flown a variety of aircraft types. Most disappeared quietly from the stage after years of loyal service. But, just as the phase-out of the last McDonnell Douglas aircraft triggered strong emotions among many staff members and aviation fans three years ago, such is the case now that the Fokker operation will soon pass. Aircraft that capture the imagination as these deserve a book.

fokker bye

Personal and never shown

So I’m proud that my team and I have the opportunity to create a book about the relationship between KLM and Fokker. Similar to other books we have created, Farewell MD-11 and End of Flightplan, Dutch at Heart will appear in pure KLM house style. Of course, the publication will contain many personal stories from KLM and external staff who worked on or in the KLM-Fokker aircraft. Designers, builders, salespeople, and test pilots for the final series of Fokkers will also have a chance to say something.

You can read about how KLM established its reputation in 1920 with the Fokker F.II and which aircraft it flew thereafter, with emphasis on the Fokker 70. On each page you’ll see special images – some of which have not been shown before – provided generously by the Fokker Archives, private collectors, and aviation photographers.

Dutch at heart

Your choice

Right now, I’m putting on the finishing touches on this new publication together with chief editor Lieneke Koornstra and graphic designer Valentin Ocheda. However, we’ve found ourselves with a few loose ends. For instance, we have to make a choice about which photo we’ll use to conclude the story. So, I’m asking for your advice. This way, Dutch at Heart will get some support from the readers of this blog.

You’ll see some selected photos, below. It’s your choice which one it will be. The photo with most votes wins. Please write the number of your choice in an email to klmfokker70@gmail.com. People sharing their ideas will have the chance to win part of the hull from a Fokker 70.

Valentin, Lieneke, and I look forward to seeing your choice.

1 Fokker 70

2 Fokker 70

3 Fokker 70

Want to order the book? You can do so here! Please note that the book will be published in the Dutch language with some additional English texts.

Posted by:   Charley Valette  | 
Join the conversation Show comments

Frank and Willy Van Ee. ( Boot )

Thank you for asking for ,,My Choice , of the Fokker 70. ,,I think it is great that you ask your costumers to participate in this My choose is fisrt. Number Three. ” Flighting into thre sunset”
Secound Number. Two
Third. Number. One. Thank You KLM Love your Company ,,you fly us from Calgary to Amsterdam and Stavenger many times already. ,,and we hope to be back.

Charley

Thankou so much for your reply. Hope to welcome you on board of one of our aircraft soon!
Kind regards,
Charly

Charley

Thank you so much for your reply. Hope to welcome you on board of one of our aircraft soon!
Kind regard
Charley

EMUAKPEJEKESSENA

HI

EMUAKPEJEKESSENA

KLM LOVE

Peter van Staalduinen

My first choice is nr. 2 why? (Old) “Fokker’s never die, they just fade away”. A fitting goodbye…….

Flixx

Will there be any “goodbye” Fokker flights? If so, how can you sign up for these?

Jeff Cacy

I like number 1. In service to the last. A big price of aviation history. Many happy flights around Europe
I’ll be ordering the book!

Henk Eijkman

I like photo 1: i like to think of this aircraft in terms of gear up and flying of into the blue (KLM) skies (rather than the scrapyard). Am ordering the book now

Bedankt – living in Australia (and an ex-Qantas maintenance engineer) but still “Dutch at heart” too

Eddo Leferink

Picture one with the emblem on the speed-brake is nice.
Regards.

Jane J. de Wilde

My father was one of the first stewards when he joined the KLM in 1937 and was on several trips to Indonesia with the Fokker machine. His experience in choosing the right food to be served during flights, started the food service at Schiphol. He had to go to the market to buy food to be served during the next part of the flight.

Charley Valette

Hello Jane,
What a great story. Do you pictures of your father working on an Fokker aircraft? We might be interseted to publish such a picture in the book Dutch at Heart.

Kind regards,
Charley

Franz Pfister (jr)

For Jane de Wilde: your dad probably caught up with mine (Franz Pfister) who joined KLM as a Steward in 1950.

Rob van de Pol

Hi Jane,

Than you must be a daughter of Barry de Wilde? My Grandma was his sister. I have good memories of the things he had to tell on my Grandma’s birthdays about the early years of the KLM. Great guy.

Jeff Cacy

Dear People,
I am in the US, and would like to order the book (two Copies) but I cannot understand the Dutch ordering page. Can you help me? Jeff Cacy (pnwjet@gmail.com)

Charley Valette

Hi Jeff,
thank for inquiring. Please note the book is written in Dutch only supplemented with some English texts from our British collegues. Shortly after the release we will have the dutch texts available on our website in plain text. You can copy those in any translation programme.

to order please find the BESTELLEN button in the buttom of our homepage
You will find the button RESERVEER NU! first select the amount of copies just left of this button
On the next page verify the amount of copies just behind the picture of the book

Below Winkelmand-totalen
At verzending select PostNL
press button Doorgaan naar afrekenen
fill out this form
Voornaam: First Name
Achternaam: Last Name
Skip bedrijfsnaam
Land: Country (select Verenigte Staten) This will recalculate the postal charges
Straat: Street adress
Nr.: Number
Postcode: Zip code
Plaats: City
Telefoon: Phone number
E-mail adress

Select Payment
agree on IK HEB DE ALGEMENE VOORWAARDEN GELEZEN EN GA ERMEE AKKOORD
Press button: Bestelling plaatsen

You will receive a confirmation of your order. The book will be ship in early November since we are still finalizing the contents.

Kind regards,
Charley

Inske den Dulk

Picture no. 2 is my favorite: says it all! We have the MD-11 books and looking forward to this one!!

A.M.J. Bijen

my father helped built the FOKKER,long time ago.He was the propeller maker,in this time they were made from wood,a big block of clued together and later shaped by hand to make a propeller.
His name was A.BIJEN.I still got a old propeller at home made from wood.

Charley

You must be very proud that your father wirked for Fokker. A great company. Any idea when he wirked for Fokker?

Charley

Sorry about my mistakes in the text. I am replying from my mobile phone currently

Frodo van oostveen

Photo no. 3 – my father worked his full life at Fokker and very good memories. I am living in Yangon (myanmar) and there is still a Fokker standing still next to airport (for training / education / capacity building purpose). Perhaps there is story there as well?! Best frodo

I would like to order book for myself and my father.

Jan Smit

Mijn keuze , foto 1, met Fokker logo op de speedbrake, samen met KLM logo op de staart.

Gert Burger

Foto nummer 1 is mijn keuze.

Tom

3rd picture where it glies into the sunset

Konstantinos

I like photo number 1. Simply because it’s grande in all its appearance displaying clearly the klm colours. A royal plane for a royal airline flown by the royal His Majesty himself.

Rens van Wingerden

Working as an aircraft engineer at Fokker I would never have guessed that the love and admiration for the aircraft and the brand Fokker stands for, would last forever!

Marco

Foto 1 is de perfecte foto!

willemheitlager@gmail.com

all destroyed by Fance and Germany(air france and vfw

Rodney Boekhoudt

Photo nr. 1 is the perfect one to end this beautiful love story between KLM and Fokker……..

Kees Vonk

Only photo 1 seems to me appropriate as it clearly can be identified as a Fokker. Although the other two are beautiful, it’s less clear it’s a Fokker.

Wayne Mallinger

photo #1 is KLM awesome. Use photo #2 as back cover. Photo #3 is nice incoming photo but not appropriate. Limited Edition, will you be posting notice when book is available to public? Hope to be flying KLM soon…..I hear October in A’dam is special. KLM & Amsterdam is always special.

Alex Dijkstra

I prefer number one. I hope to take some Fokker flights soon for some city trips!

Wouter

I would most definitely choose picture 1. It takes little imagination to hear the roaring if the engines as it flies away followed by a faint some trail, climbing out for another flight. Absolutely beautiful and recognizable (especially for the lucky bastards among us that we’re allowed to pilot on of these)

Roeland Dreischor

My selection will be photo number 1.
The Fokker model inflight features are visible and also the KLM livery.

Mebrate

I think foto number two is the best.
Great that you involve your customers in this. Always a pleasure to fly with KLM and it all adds up!

Frank van der Voet

Hi Charley,
Thanks once again to you and your team for putting to paper another chapter of Dutch Aviation history. I will order the Fokker book very soon. The quality of this publication, like those of the earlier MD-11 series, is bound to be superb.
The F-28 series of twin jets was flown by Dutch airlines and the Royal Family. A silhouette of this aircraft against an Orange sky seems perfect – my choice is therefore #3

John Haan

As my email said, #1 is best! Shows the beautiful aircraft and the gorgeous, world known paint on KLM’s aircraft.

Vadoud Sana

Love picture number 1
My favorite aircraft was always the fokker f-28-1000
The f-70 comes a close 2nd.

Lennon Gallagher

I don’t want the Fokker 70’s to fade out. KLM can you at least keep one aircraft. I want to fly on one so bad, but I can’t. Could you put out a livery competition? Everyone enters a picture of an F-70 livery, and the winner gets their livery on an F-70 aircraft. I am only 11 years old, but I LOVE planes, but I love KLM more.

Lars Franz

My favorite is the nr.1 picture, it’s really beautiful:-)
Can’t wait to receive the publication in a few months, thanks for letting us know about it, really easy order proces. Good luck on finishing then publication!

Yozu Bruinsma

Number 1. So many great details visible !

Dutchflybird

Number 1 is the number 1 :)

Clearly showing the F70 in detail and ‘flying away in all her glory’

Ollie

Number 1

Tyrell

of course like your web site but you have to take a look at the spelling on quite a few of your posts. Several of them are rife with spelling problems and I find it very troublesome to inform the reality however I will surely come back again.

http://www.memates.com.au/blogs/3368/20610/discovering-more-about-natural-p

Bram

It’s no. 1 for me.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Loading