Fokker S.11 Instructor — Primary-Source Technical Documentation Collection
The Fokker S.11 Instructor completed its maiden flight on 18 December 1947, entering service as the Royal Netherlands Air Force's foundational post-WWII military pilot trainer. Designed and manufactured by N.V. Koninklijke Nederlandsche Vliegtuigenfabriek Fokker, the S.11 became one of the most widely exported Dutch aircraft of the postwar era — adopted as the standard trainer by the Netherlands, Italian, and Israeli Air Forces, with large series orders from Brazil and licence production by Aeronautica Macchi (as the Macchi M.416) and Fokker Indústria Aeronautica S.A. The aviation press was unambiguous: “On the whole the Fokker Works have reason to be proud of their new product which should have a useful service life ahead.” — Flight & Aeroplane, 1949.
This living archival collection assembles the core technical and operational literature of the S.11 programme, drawn from original factory and RNLAF operator sources. Documents are added as they are processed; purchasers receive all future additions at no extra cost.
📋 Document Manifest — Current Collection (5 Documents)
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Instructie Handboek — Fokker S.11 (Instructor's Handbook)
Language: Dutch | Publisher: RNLAF / Fokker
Scope: Instructor methodology and ab initio training philosophy; briefing structure; teaching & learning principles; student psychology; type familiarization exercises; pre- and post-flight procedures. Covers S-11, Piper Super Cub, and T-33 (TVO phase in English). Sections: De Betekenis van dit Handboek — Onderwijzen en Leren — Oefening 1: Familiarisatie op het Type — Oefening 2: Handeling voor en na de Vlucht. -
Reparatie-Handboek — Fokker S.11, Deel II C&D (Repair Manual)
Language: Dutch | Publisher: N.V. Koninklijke Nederlandsche Vliegtuigenfabriek Fokker
Scope: Structural repair procedures — damage assessment; structural support during repair; bolt and rivet installation standards; corrosion prevention; sheet metal treatment; marking; riveting; pop-rivets; paint scheme (Schilderschema). -
Beschrijvend Handboek — Fokker S.11 (Systems Description Handbook)
Language: Dutch | Publisher: N.V. Koninklijke Nederlandsche Vliegtuigenfabriek Fokker
Scope: Hoofdstuk I — Beschrijving: fuel system (Pliocel wing tanks, 80L each / 70L usable, 80 octane, 4-position fuel cock, engine-driven + hand + injection pumps); oil system (wet sump, 11.5L, combined pressure/temp gauge); vacuum system (artificial horizon + directional gyro); electrical system (600W/12V generator, 35Ah battery); magneto switch (4 positions); dual controls (stick + 3-position adjustable rudder pedals, left stick folds); trim tabs (elevator adjustable in flight; rudder and aileron ground-adjustable only); flaps (3 positions: in / 20° / 60°); hydraulic toe-pedal brakes (independent L/R, parking brake); carburettor heat; cockpit heating; ventilation; night lighting; emergency equipment (fire extinguisher, first aid kit). Hoofdstuk II — Procedures & Vlieggegevens: pre-flight walkaround procedure. -
Handboek S-11.1, Deel I, Sectie 0 (General Description & Specifications Handbook)
Language: Dutch | Publisher: N.V. Koninklijke Nederlandsche Vliegtuigenfabriek Fokker
Scope: §0.1 General description — construction overview (steel tube fuselage, all-metal wing, fabric control surfaces, levered suspension gear, dual controls, cable-operated surfaces, 12V electrical, optional radio). §0.2 Dimensions — span 11.0 m; length 8.2 m; height 2.4 m; NACA 2417 (root) / NACA 2412 (tip); dihedral 6°30'; wing area 18.5 m²; full control deflection data. §0.3 Component specifications — landing gear (C.G.E.A. Olaer, Good Year 7.00×8, 1.9 Ato); tailwheel (Good Year 10”, 1.75 Ato); engine (Lycoming O-435-A, 80 oct, SAE-40/50); propeller (Frits Diepen FDV 2015, Ø2.15 m); fuel/oil system specs; brakes (Aeroshellfluid No. 4); fire extinguisher (Essex No. 3, 2.07 kg); electrical (Delco Remy 25A generator, Exide 6 TAS 9B 34Ah battery); full instrument list (Kollsman ASI, VSI, altimeter, Schwien turn indicator, Sperry gyro compass & artificial horizon, Aero Marine combined gauge, Air Associates fuel gauge, Kollsman vacuum gauge, Stewart-Warner ammeter, Kohler injection pump, Kollsman clock); switch panel (Cutler Hammer, 9 switches); Hughes P-11 compass (s/n 6190–6214 only). -
Fokker Training Aircraft Brochure 1949 (S.11 / S.12 / S.13 Family)
Language: French / English (bilingual parallel columns) | Publisher: N.V. Koninklijke Nederlandsche Vliegtuigenfabriek Fokker | 11 pp.
Scope: Manufacturer's official 1949 sales and technical brochure for the complete Fokker trainer family. Covers: S.11 Instructor (tailwheel primary trainer); S.12 (nosewheel variant, identical airframe and performance, maximum spare parts commonality); S.13 (twin-engine crew trainer, 2× P&W Wasp 600 hp, tricycle gear, 4–6 occupants, built to British A.P. 970 spec). Includes: design philosophy; full bilingual technical description; confirmed operator nations; licence production details (Macchi M.416 / Fokker Indústria Aeronautica S.A.); factory series production photographs; instrument panel photograph; cutaway structural drawing; and the definitive three-engine variant Specification & Performances comparison table (Lycoming O-435-A / Cirrus Bombardier / Mathis G.8.R.).
🔄 Forthcoming additions: Illustrated Parts Catalog (IPC), Maintenance Manual (MM) — Italian translation, Overhaul Manual, Engine Manual (Lycoming O-435-A). Price will increase as the collection grows — early purchasers are locked in at the founding price.
📊 Specification & Performances — Three Engine Variants (Factory Brochure Data, 1949)
| Parameter | Lycoming O-435-A (Aeromatic) | Cirrus Bombardier (Rotol) | Mathis G.8.R. (Fixed Wood) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max Power (SL) | 190 hp | 180 hp | 180 hp |
| Cruise Power (1,000 m) | 110 hp | 127 hp | 125 hp |
| Empty Weight | 795 kg / 1,750 lb | 790 kg / 1,735 lb | 785 kg / 1,730 lb |
| MTOW | 1,085 kg / 2,395 lb | 1,090 kg / 2,400 lb | 1,085 kg / 2,395 lb |
| Max Speed (SL) | 215 km/h / 134 mph | 215 km/h / 134 mph | 210 km/h / 131 mph |
| Cruise Speed (1,000 m) | 170 km/h / 106 mph | 190 km/h / 118 mph | 180 km/h / 112 mph |
| Min Speed | 98 km/h / 61 mph | 98 km/h / 61 mph | 98 km/h / 61 mph |
| Rate of Climb (SL) | 4.6 m/s / 995 ft/min | 3.7 m/s / 730 ft/min | 3.6 m/s / 710 ft/min |
| Climb to 1,000 m | 4.1 min | 5.0 min | 5.0 min |
| Climb to 2,000 m | 9.2 min | 11.2 min | 12.0 min |
| Climb to 3,000 m | 15.7 min | 20.3 min | 24.0 min |
| Service Ceiling | 4,400 m / 14,500 ft | 4,200 m / 13,700 ft | 3,700 m / 12,100 ft |
| Absolute Ceiling | 4,900 m / 16,000 ft | 4,800 m / 15,700 ft | 4,300 m / 14,100 ft |
| Endurance | 3.55 h | 4.5 h | 3.65 h |
| T/O Run (5.5 mph hw) | 140 m / 460 ft | 130 m / 420 ft | 200 m / 610 ft |
| Landing Run (5.5 mph hw) | 150 m / 490 ft | 150 m / 490 ft | 150 m / 490 ft |
✈️ Aerodynamic Development History
- NLL Wind Tunnel Studies: Scaled-model testing at the National Aviation Laboratory finalized wing and tail architecture prior to serial production clearance.
- Dihedral Modification: Early flight testing forced an aerodynamic redesign increasing wing dihedral to 6°30' to improve lateral stability.
- Empennage Redesign: A severe pitch-down flow separation flaw under rudder deflection was corrected by adding a substantially larger vertical fin, extended rudder, and prominent dorsal fin.
🔄 Handling & Stability — RNLAF Service Evaluation
| Flight Phase / Axis | Characteristics |
|---|---|
| Directional Stability | Marginal in early studies; required constant left-rudder input during landing — factory rudder trim tab not adjustable from cockpit. |
| Lateral & Longitudinal | Highly effective and sufficiently crisp for basic aerobatics once tail modifications were implemented. |
| Stall Characteristics | Docile and highly predictable with prominent pre-stall buffeting — ideal for student pilot training. |
🛠️ Engineering & Service Bulletins
- Main Landing Gear Reinforcement: Mandatory structural reinforcement after cracks developed under high-stress student landings. Some export variants used upgraded assemblies sourced from Nardi.
- Cockpit Heating Retrofits: Engineering modifications permitting regional operators to integrate custom heating ducts.
- Aeromatic Propeller Retrofit: RNLAF fleet-wide retrofit of self-regulating Aeromatic propellers to optimize takeoff and climb profiles.
🔗 Related Collection
The Fokker S.11 was licence-built in Italy by Aeronautica Macchi as the Macchi M.416. The primary-source Italian documentation for that variant — including the Italian-language Maintenance Manual and Illustrated Parts Catalog — is available separately:
→ Macchi M.416 Aircraft Manuals Collection
Nature of the Collection
This is an archival, static-copy edition fixed at its original publication date. Intended for historical reference, flight simulation, museum restoration, and educational use only. Not approved for active airworthiness maintenance under FAA 14 CFR § 43.13, EASA Part-M, or equivalent international regulations. Operators of active aircraft must use current, revision-controlled publications from the Type Certificate holder or an authorized distributor.
⚠️ Regulatory Notice: Under FAA 14 CFR § 43.13 and EASA Part-M, any mechanic performing maintenance on an active aircraft must use current, manufacturer-approved revision-controlled data. This archival document does not satisfy that requirement.
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