The Fokker F27 Friendship is a turboprop airliner designed and built by the defunct Dutch aircraftmanufacturer Fokker.

Design and development
Design of the Fokker F27 started in the 1950s as a replacement to the successful Douglas DC-3 airliner. The manufacturer evaluated a number of different configurations before finally deciding on a high-wing twin Rolls-Royce Dart engine layout with a pressurised cabin for 28 passengers.

The first prototype, registered PH-NIV, first flew on 24 November 1955. The second prototype and initial production machines were 0.9 m (3 ft) longer, addressing the first aircraft's slightly tail-heavy handling and also providing space for four more passengers, bringing the total to 32. These aircraft also used the more powerful Dart Mk 528 engine.

Production
The first production model, the F27-100, was delivered to Aer Lingus in November 1958. Other early Friendship customers included Braathens SAFE, Luxair, Ansett, New Zealand National Airways Corporation, Trans Australia Airlines and Turkish Airlines.

In 1956, Fokker signed a licensing deal with the US aircraft manufacturer Fairchild for the latter to construct the F27 in the USA. The first U.S.-built aircraft flew on April 12, 1958. Fairchild also independently developed a stretched version, called the FH-227. Most sales by Fairchild were made in the North American market.

Basic price for an RDa.6 powered F-27 in 1960 was £239,000.

At the end of the Fokker F27’s production in 1987, 586 units had been built (plus another 207 F-27s and FH-227s in the USA by Fairchild), more than any other western European civil turboprop airliner at the time.

Many aircraft have been modified from passenger service to cargo or express-package freighter roles and remain in service in 2009. The last major cargo user of the F27 in the United States was FedEx Express, as cargo "feeder" aircraft. These were retired and replaced by ATR42 and ATR72 aircraft by the end of 2009, with the last of the aircraft being donated to Hickory Aviation Museum. The United States Army Parachute Team continues to use a C-31A Troopship for its diving exhibitions in 2011.

In the early 1980s, Fokker developed a successor to the Friendship, the Fokker 50. Although based on the F27-500 airframe, the Fokker 50 is virtually a new aircraft with Pratt & Whitney Canada engines and modern systems. Its general performance and passenger comfort were improved over the F27.

Variants
F27-100 - was the first production model; 44 passengers.
F27-200 - uses the Dart Mk 532 engine.
F27-300 Combiplane - Civil passenger/cargo aircraft.
F27-300M Troopship - Military transport version for Royal Netherlands Air Force.
F27-400 - "Combi" passenger/cargo aircraft, with two Rolls-Royce Dart 7 turboprop engines and large cargo door.
F27-400M - Military version for US Army with designation C-31A Troopship, still in use in 2011.
F27-500 - The -500, had a 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) longer fuselage, a return to the Dart Mk 528 engine, and accommodation for up to 52 passengers. It first flew in November 1967.
F27-500M - Military version.
F27-500F - A version of the -500 for Australia with smaller front and rear doors.
F27-600 - Quick change cargo/passenger version of -200 with large cargo door.
F27-700 - A F27-100 with a large cargo door.
F27 200-MAR - Unarmed maritime reconnaissance version.
F27 Maritime Enforcer - Armed maritime reconnaissance version.
FH-227 - Fairchild Hiller stretched version.