JOHAN VISSCHEDIJK COLLECTION
No. 9993. Koolhoven F.K.43 (PH-ASN c/n 4311) KLM Royal Dutch Airlines "Nonvlinder" (Nun Moth)
Source unknown

Koolhoven F.K.43

08/31/2010. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "Derived from the F.K.41 the small four-seat F.K.43 cabin monoplane was used as a sports, business, and taxi aircraft. The welded steel tube frame was covered with fabric while the wing was of wooden construction. Power plant was an 130 hp de Havilland Gipsy Major four-cylinder in-line engine.

Of the twelve produced in the 1930s, eight went to the KLM, another example was produced under license by SAFA (Société Anonyme Francaise Aéronautique) of Paris, France, while after WW II eight were produced by Fokker. Despite many modifications and an 160 hp engine, these eight were registered under the original Type Certificate as Koolhoven F.K.43s, but were referred to by technicians and builders as Fokker F.K.43s, while they were also nicknamed "Fokhovens".

As pictured the aircraft was registered to the KLM on May 23, 1938, fifteen months later it was pressed into service with the Dutch LVA (Luchtvaartafdeling, Aviation Service) with serial 965, and used as a trainer. Four days after the start of the hostilities in the Netherlands, the aircraft was flown to the UK by Justus Heijmans on May 14, 1940, and the aircraft was used by the RAF as a liaison aircraft under the serial MX459.

Subsequently it returned to Dutch military service, serialed K-54. On June 17, 1946 it was reregistered to the KLM as PH-NAU, but within three months it was sold to a private owner. A year later, September 29, 1947, it was registered to the Nationale Luchtvaartschool (National Aviation School) and used for five years as a trainer. It was deregistered on September 8, 1952, and went to the Anthony Fokker School, to be broken up in 1955."


Created August 31, 2010