02/03/2004. Remarks by Ben Gieze: "The pictured aircraft was the prototype of this series developed from the single-engined F.VII. The nickname "Tri-Motor" was introduced by the media in the USA. The first flight was made on September 4, 1925 from Schiphol airfield near Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and the aircraft was shipped to the USA on September 8.

The photo was taken in September 1925 just before or during the Ford Reliability Tour organised by Henry Ford between September 28, and October 3, (hence the number 20 on the tail), finally won by the F.VIIa-3m.

After the tour Ford's son Edsel Ford bought the aircraft, and registered as NC267 named "Josephine Ford", it was put at the disposal of Lt.Cdr. Richard E. Byrd. On June 9, 1926 the aircraft was flown over the North Pole by Floyd Bennett and his crew, with Byrd as passenger."