Fokker S.14 Machtrainer

The Fokker S.14 Machtrainer is a two-seater military training jet aircraft designed and manufactured by the Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker for the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF). It has the distinction of being one of the first dedicated jet-powered training aircraft to be produced in the world. The unarmed trainer served with Dutch Air Force for 12 years, and one prototype was used by the Dutch Aerospace labs for 6. Two were lost in air crashes, one in 1955 and a second in 1964. The Machtrainer features side-by-side seating with a single engine, although an under-belly gun pod and hardpoints were designed but not put into use.

Development started in the late 1940s at the behest of British engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce, who were seeking out a manufacturer to produce a new trainer aircraft powered by their Derwent turbojet engine. Fokker decided to design such an aircraft, designating it the S.14 Machtrainer. On 19 May 1951, the first prototype performed the type's maiden flight. Having secured an order from the RNLAF for 20 aircraft, the Machtrainer entered service with the service during 1955. It would be operated by the service until the last examples were retired in 1967. Several examples have survived to be on display in the 21st century.

Fokker initially had high sales hopes for the Machtrainer on the global trainer market, which included its manufacture under license overseas. American aircraft manufacturer Fairchild was interested in producing the Machtrainer for the United States Air Force, but failed to secure any orders itself. A test pilot, the same that had taken the S.14 on her maiden flight lost his life in 1955 on a demonstration flight in the USA. Brazil also negotiated for the local manufacture of 50 Rolls-Royce Nene-powered Machtrainers, but political changes derailed this effort as well. Various countries studied its adoption, however, the Machtrainer would ultimately not be adopted by any organisation other than the RNLAF. The Machtrainer used the Derwent 8, but was also tested with Nene 3 and flown with that in 1953 as the Machtrainer II, and that prototype was also used by Dutch air and space laboratory in the 1960s. The aircraft was known for its pleasant flying characteristics, and was unarmed, however, a special under-fuselage gunpod was designed and partly tested during development but not put into use as was the possibility of wing hardpoints. It was offered as option some sales literature of the period. In all there 21 aircraft were produced including the prototype, of those, two were lost in crashes, and few survive as display pieces into the present including the first prototype.