Rare outing for this D.VII replica, framed with the replica 1928 Amsterdam - Schiphol terminal at the Aviodrome. Belonging to the Early Birds Foundation elsewhere at EHLE, it was not flown today. Aviodrome threw a nice event though around the 40th anniversary of the Fokker Four.

Registered PH-LVA two days earlier. Gerson van Messel was nicknamed 'Fiets' (bike) because he served with the bicycle infantry before becoming a well-known military and KLM pilot. I had the honour of driving him home on one occasion and he told me his favourite aircraft to fly were the D.VII and the Constellation! He died not long after that in 2000, 97 years old.

Fokker D VII in from the era the Netherlands Air Force existed as "Luchtvaart Afdeling" (hence registration PH-LVA), the aviation department of the army,