View source for VFW-Fokker

{{Short description|1969–1980 West German aircraft manufacturer}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2021}}
[[File:VFW-614 DLR vr.jpg|thumb|right|The VFW 614 used by the [[German Aerospace Center|DLR]] for  ATTAS in the 1990s]]

'''VFW-Fokker GmbH''' was a joint venture of [[Fokker]] and [[Vereinigte Flugtechnische Werke]] (VFW) started in 1969 that, from then on, controlled the [[Entwicklungsring Nord|ERNO]] initiative.

The '''Entwicklungsring Nord''' (Northern development circle) — abbreviated ERNO — was a 1961 joint venture of [[Bremen (city)|Bremen]]-based [[Weser Flugzeugbau GmbH|Weserflug]] and [[Focke-Wulf]] with [[Hamburger Flugzeugbau]] to develop parts for rockets and get involved in space activities.

== VFW-Fokker 614 ==
See main article: [[VFW-Fokker 614]]

In 1961 work began on a small, jet-powered transport aircraft initially styled Erno-61-4. After Weserflug and Focke Wulf formally merged into [[Vereinigte Flugtechnische Werke]] (VFW) in 1964, the machine was redesignated [[VFW-Fokker 614|VFW 614]]. The draft design was amended to a [[STOL]] 40-44 passenger jet with overwing engines, for easier operation from unprepared runways. German government [[Subsidy|subsidies]] enabled development to start in earnest in 1966. The first prototype started in August 1968, but then VFW and [[Fokker]] of the Netherlands formed a joint transnational holding company.

The prototype flew on July 14, 1971, but crashed next February. Two more prototypes flew in 1972. German, [[Federal Aviation Administration|FAA]], and French DGA certifications completed in 1974, 1975, and 1976 respectively. The collaborative production arrangements involved [[Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm]] (MBB) in Germany, [[VFW-Fokker]] in the Netherlands and [[Société Anonyme Belge de Constructions Aéronautiques|SABCA]] and [[Avions Fairey|Fairey]] in Belgium. The first sale was to [[Cimber Air]], which started commercial flights in November 1975.

The VFW-Fokker alliance affected the VFW 614 negatively, as Fokker needed to sell its competing [[Fokker F27|F27]] and [[Fokker F28|F28]].{{Citation needed|date=October 2008}} National subsidies were diverted to the [[Airbus]] program, and the end came for the VFW-614. On August 19, 1977, the nineteenth (including prototypes) and last machine was completed.

Few VFW 614 aircraft remained in use. Only the Koln/Bonn Flugbereitschaft der Luftwaffe continued flying VFW 614 until they finally ceased in 1998. The last flying example of the aircraft was retired in 2012 as a research bed.

== Other developments ==
VFW-Fokker teamed with [[Republic Aviation]] to develop the ''D-24 Alliance'' Variable sweep wing [[VTOL]] aircraft as part of the AVS ("Advanced Vertical Strike").<ref>https://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1967/1967%20-%200918.PDF {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Germany's Failed Attempts to Build a Cold War Jump Jet |url=https://warisboring.com/germany-s-failed-attempts-to-build-a-cold-war-jump-jet/}}</ref>

The [[European Space Agency]] ESA in June 1974 named a consortium headed by ERNO-VFW Fokker (Zentralgesellschaft VFW-Fokker GmbH) to build pressurized modules for [[Spacelab]]. [[British Aerospace]], under contract to ERNO-VFW Fokker, built five {{convert|10|ft|m|abbr=on}}-long, unpressurized, U-shaped pallet segments.

West Germany provided 53.3% of Spacelab's cost and fulfilled 52.6% of all Spacelab work contracts. ERNO VFW Fokker, in competition with MBB, submitted the winning design, and became the prime contractor for Spacelab. MBB in 1981 took over VFW Fokker. The ERNO plant in Bremen continued as the headquarters for Spacelab design, production management, component testing, and assembly. Today, it is a part of [[EADS Astrium Space Transportation]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|VFW-Fokker}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20081122102331/http://www.flug-revue.rotor.com/FRTYPEN/FRVFW614.htm VFW-Fokker Vfw 614 Regional jet]

{{Fokker}}
{{VFW-Fokker aircraft}}

[[Category:Defunct aircraft manufacturers of Germany]]
[[Category:Former joint ventures]]
[[Category:Fokker]]