Reading level:

Fokker S-11

Fokker · Fixed Wing / Primary Trainer · Netherlands · Early Jet (1946–1969)

Fokker S-11 — Fixed Wing / Primary Trainer
Open in interactive gallery →

The Fokker S-11 Instructor is a Netherlands single-engine, two-seat tandem-cockpit piston basic trainer — and the first production aircraft Fokker built after the Second World War. First flight came on 18 December 1947, with Royal Netherlands Air Force service entry in 1950. The S-11 then served as the standard RNLAF ab-initio military trainer through the 1950s and 1960s. Production reached 213 airframes split between Fokker in the Netherlands, Macchi in Italy under licence (as the Aermacchi M.416 / SAI Ambrosini S.7), and Fábrica Militar de Aviones in Argentina under licence. Operators included the Royal Netherlands Air Force, Royal Netherlands Naval Air Service, Italian Air Force (as M.416), Israeli Air Force, Bolivian Air Force, Paraguayan Air Force, and several smaller air arms. The type marked Fokker's return to production after the German occupation and remained in some military use into the 1980s. Between 30 and 40 S-11s remained airworthy in 2026, mostly in private warbird ownership across the Netherlands, Italy, Argentina, and the United States.

Dimensions are 8.18 m long with an 11.0 m wingspan. Empty weight is 720 kg and MTOW 1,100 kg. Power comes from a single Lycoming O-435A flat-six rated at 190 hp, giving a maximum speed of 209 km/h (130 mph), a service ceiling of 3,810 m (12,500 ft), and a range of 700 km. Distinctive features include a tandem cockpit (instructor in rear, student in front) with dual controls, fixed tricycle landing gear — the S-11 was Fokker's first design with tricycle gear — full aerobatic clearance for spin and aerobatic training, wood-and-fabric construction over a steel-tube fuselage frame, and bubble canopies on both cockpits for visibility. The design fused 1940s aerobatic-trainer convention (in the lineage of the North American T-6 Texan) with Fokker's structural craftsmanship, and served as the company's postwar brand statement in the training market.

In military service the Royal Netherlands Air Force took delivery of around 73 aircraft and flew them as the standard ab-initio type from 1950 to 1968. Italian Air Force Aermacchi M.416s — about 150 built under licence — became the principal Italian basic trainer between 1952 and 1965. The Israeli Air Force operated some 40 S-11s from 1953 to 1965. Argentina's FMA-built version (around 58 produced) served the Argentine Air Force from 1953 to 1980; it was originally designated FMA IA-50 'Guarani', though that designation was later reused for an unrelated turboprop. Bolivia, Paraguay, and other Latin American operators picked up second-hand examples through the 1960s and 1970s. Fokker also developed an improved S-12 with retractable landing gear, but only 4 prototypes were built — the S-11's success made the costlier S-12 unnecessary. Most S-11s left frontline training rosters by the 1980s as ab-initio instruction shifted to turboprops such as the T-6 Texan II and Pilatus PC-9 / PC-21.

For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version

The Fokker S-11 Instructor was a Dutch trainer plane from the late 1940s. It first flew in December 1947, the first new plane Fokker built after World War II. The S-11 trained Dutch military pilots from 1950 until 1968. About 213 were built in the Netherlands, Italy, and Argentina.

The S-11 is 27 feet long with a 36-foot wingspan, smaller than a school bus. One Lycoming O-435A flat-six engine made 190 horsepower. Top speed is 130 mph, faster than most cars on a highway. Two seats sit one behind the other: student in front, instructor in back.

The S-11 has tricycle landing gear, which was new for Fokker at the time. Older Fokker trainers used a tail wheel and were tricky to land. The S-11 also had a clear bubble canopy on each cockpit for great visibility. The plane could do full aerobatic moves like loops and rolls for training.

The Netherlands, Italy, Israel, Bolivia, Paraguay, and other countries flew S-11s. Italy built its own version called the Aermacchi M-416. About 30 to 40 S-11s still fly today as private warbirds. Owners can be found in the Netherlands, Italy, Argentina, and the United States.

Fun Facts

  • The Fokker S-11 was Fokker's first new plane after World War II.
  • About 213 Fokker S-11s were built in three countries.
  • The S-11 is 27 feet long with a 36-foot wingspan, smaller than a school bus.
  • Top speed is 130 mph, faster than most cars on a highway.
  • The S-11 had tricycle landing gear, new for Fokker at the time.
  • 30 to 40 S-11s still fly today as private warbirds.
  • Italy built its own S-11 version called the Aermacchi M-416.

Kids’ Questions

Why was it Fokker's first post-war plane?

During World War II, Germany occupied the Netherlands and shut down most Fokker production. After the war ended in 1945, Fokker needed to rebuild. The Dutch military needed a new training plane to teach pilots. Fokker designed the S-11 as a simple, sturdy trainer that could be built quickly with available materials.

What is tricycle landing gear?

Tricycle gear has three wheels in a triangle: two main wheels and one nose wheel. The body sits level on the ground, which is easier to take off and land than the older tail-wheel layout. Modern airliners all have tricycle gear. The S-11 was Fokker's first tricycle-gear plane, helping new pilots learn skills they would need on modern jets.

Why are some still flying?

The S-11 is a great aerobatic plane and easy to maintain. Many were sold to private owners in the 1970s and 1980s. Today, about 30 to 40 S-11s fly as warbirds, mostly in the Netherlands, Italy, Argentina, and the United States. They appear at airshows and old-aircraft fly-ins.

Variants

S-11 (Royal Netherlands Air Force, 1950)
Original Fokker production variant. About 73 built for the Royal Netherlands Air Force as the standard ab-initio trainer 1950-1968 — the largest Fokker-built batch.
Aermacchi M.416 (Italian licence, 1952)
Italian licence variant by Aermacchi (and SAI Ambrosini as the S.7). Around 150 built for the Italian Air Force as the principal Italian basic trainer 1952-1965 — the largest single licence run.
FMA IA-50 (Argentine licence, 1953)
Argentine licence variant by Fábrica Militar de Aviones. Around 58 built for the Argentine Air Force 1953-1980. The IA-50 designation was later reused for an unrelated FMA twin-turboprop transport, so the trainer is sometimes retroactively called the FMA IA-X.
Fokker S-12 (retractable-gear prototype, 1956)
Improved variant with retractable tricycle gear. 4 prototypes built. Strong S-11 sales made the costlier S-12 redundant and production never proceeded.

Notable Operators

Royal Netherlands Air Force / Royal Netherlands Naval Air Service (former)
Lead operator. Around 73 S-11s in Netherlands service 1950-1968. Replaced by the SIAI-Marchetti SF.260 and North American T-6 Texan in the late 1960s as RNLAF ab-initio training transitioned to other types.
Italian Air Force (former)
Major licence operator. Around 150 Aermacchi M.416 / SAI Ambrosini S.7 in Italian service 1952-1965. Replaced by the Aermacchi MB-326 jet trainer.
Argentine Air Force (former)
Argentine licence operator. Around 58 FMA IA-50 in Argentine service 1953-1980 — the longest-serving military S-11 operator. Replaced by the Embraer Tucano and SIAI-Marchetti SF-260.
Smaller military operators (former)
Israeli Air Force (around 40 aircraft 1953-1965), Bolivian Air Force, Paraguayan Air Force, and other smaller second-hand operators.
Warbird / private operators (current)
Between 30 and 40 S-11s remained airworthy in 2026 in private warbird ownership. Concentrations in the Netherlands (notably around Aviodrome and the Royal Netherlands Aviation Heritage Foundation), Italy, Argentina, and the United States. Several attend airshows annually as preserved examples of postwar Netherlands aerospace heritage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Fokker develop the S-11 after WWII?

To restart Netherlands aircraft production after the German occupation and to meet Royal Netherlands Air Force training demand. Fokker had produced under German requisition through 1940-1945, and at war's end the company faced both a damaged factory and an immediate RNLAF need for a domestically-built basic trainer. Marius Beeling designed the S-11 as a clean-sheet trainer in 1946-1947, combining 1940s aerobatic-trainer conventions — low wing, tandem cockpit, 190 hp engine — with Fokker's structural craftsmanship. Service entry in 1950 restored Fokker as a credible manufacturer and gave the RNLAF its ab-initio trainer for the next 18 years. Licence agreements with Aermacchi in Italy and FMA in Argentina extended Fokker's industrial reach abroad and helped fund the F27 Friendship and F28 Fellowship that followed.

How does the S-11 compare to the T-6 Texan?

Both are postwar piston trainers of similar concept, but the T-6 dwarfs the S-11 in production scale. The North American T-6 Texan is a U.S. design with around 15,495 built between 1937 and 1955 — the dominant Western basic and intermediate trainer of WWII and the immediate postwar era. The Fokker S-11 is a Netherlands design with 213 built from 1947 to 1958, used as a Netherlands, Italian, and Argentine military trainer. The T-6 has wider production, a larger global operator base, and a stronger warbird preservation community. The S-11 carries Netherlands postwar industrial weight and a licence-production heritage in Italy and Argentina. Both fall in the piston aerobatic trainer class — the T-6 around 600 hp, the S-11 at 190 hp — with the T-6 representing broad Allied training capacity and the S-11 representing Netherlands industrial recovery.

Where can I see a Fokker S-11?

Several preserved airframes are on display alongside an active flying community. Static examples include Aviodrome (Lelystad, Netherlands — the national aviation museum, with comprehensive Fokker heritage including S-11s), the Royal Netherlands Air Force Museum at Soesterberg, the Italian Air Force Museum at Vigna di Valle, the Argentine Air Force Museum at Morón, and several U.S. warbird museums. Flying examples appear regularly on the European and Argentine warbird airshow circuits. The Netherlands hosts a particularly active private-warbird community: the Royal Netherlands Aviation Heritage Foundation (Stichting Koninklijke Luchtmacht Historische Vlucht) operates one or two flyable S-11s for heritage flights and airshow appearances.

Was the S-11 the first Fokker design after WWII?

Yes — the S-11 was Fokker's first post-WWII clean-sheet design and its first new production aircraft after the German occupation ended in 1945. Fokker had been a major pre-WWII manufacturer (Fokker D.VII, Fokker E.III Eindecker, Fokker Dr.I Dreidecker, Fokker F.VII trimotor airliner), but Allied bombing in 1944-1945 and wartime German requisition had left the factory damaged and unable to develop new products. The S-11 — designed in 1946-1947 with first flight in December 1947 — put Fokker back in business. Later post-WWII Fokker designs followed: the S.14 Machtrainer (Netherlands jet trainer, first flight 1951, Europe's first jet trainer), F27 Friendship (40-60 seat short-haul turboprop, first flight 1955), F28 Fellowship (65-85 seat short-haul jet, first flight 1967), and the Fokker 50 / 70 / 100 family of the 1980s and 1990s.

Sources

See Also