In KLM service 1933-1936. KLM sold PH-AIQ to Československá Letecká Společnost where they were re-registered as OK-AIQ. They used them on their Prague-Vienna-Berlin route until 1938. OK-AIQ then went to Commercial Aviation Corporation at Lydda, Palestine (now Ben Gurion Airport) in December 1938 where it became VQ-PAF, crashing there on 13 January 1939. The wreck remained on the airfield until 1948 when it was taken on charge by the Israeli Air Force but never re-built and it was subsequently scrapped in Israel.

The original cockpit of the Snip, that operated the first transatlantic flight by KLM's West Indies Company from The Netherlands to the Dutch West Indies. Since 1992, the cockpit and mid engine of this trimotor are displayed in het Curacaosch Museum in Willemstad.

Two new Fokker airliners for KLM, registered in July 1932. Though a conservative extrapolation of the Fokker F.VII-3m, the F.XVIII gave reliable and successful service. PH-AIP Pelikaan is on the left. Oehoe became PJ-AIS in the Dutch West Indies, renamed Oriol. Photo from: Amsterdam City Archives

With the introduction of the DC-2, KLM transferred two F.XVIII (F.18) aircraft to its West Indies Branch, PH-AIS Snip making a transatlantic flight and PH-AIO Oehoe being shipped. They became PJ-AIS and PJ-AIO and the latter was renamed Oriol. Between June 1940 and early 1942 Oriol was used for patrol flights against the German submarine threat. Unfortunately both F.XVIIIs were scrapped after their retirement from KLM duty in 1946, although Snip's nose survives in a Curaçao museum. Photo from: Nederlands Instituut voor Militaire Historie

The 'Snip' is famous for operating the first transatlantic flight for KLM. Between 15-22 December 1934, it flew the routing Amsterdam - Marseille, Alicante, Casablanca, Porto Praia, Paramaribo, La Guaira, Curaçao. Covering 10488 km in 54h27. For support, the Dutch Navy submarine "K XVIII" and ships "Stuyvesant" and "Van Renelaer" were based in the Atlantic Ocean. The aircraft stayed at the Antilles and was reregistered PJ-AIS in February 1936 to KLM West-Indisch Bedrijf. Written off in April 1948 and used as fire trainer. At upload, the cockpit section still preserved at the Curacao museum. Location unknown, although likely to be Curacao.

Belly titles are not a modern invention - KLM aircraft on the East Indies route carried the legend 'Holland-Java'. A reliable but conservative type, the F.XVIII (F.18) was replaced on this route by the DC-2. Snip then made the first flight by a Dutch aircraft to the West Indies, crossing the Atlantic between Praia and Paramaribo. Ironically this was in fact a ferry flight, relegating the Fokker to KLM's West Indies branch as PJ-AIS. Photo from: Leiden Photo University Libraries

Formerly PH-AIQ Kwartel of KLM. To ČSA in October 1935, To Palestine as VQ-PAF in 1938, but soon written off after a bad landing on 13 January 1939. Photo from: ETH-Bibliothek Zürich

One of the countless stops on KLM's intercontinental Holland - Java route, to refuel with BOC petrol. In addition to the mail, only a few affluent passengers were carried. Swiss geologist Arnold Heim was one of them. Photo by: Arnold Heim / ETH-Bibliothek Zürich