Enthusiasm and pride
The Fokker F.VII flight to the East Indies generated a lot of enthusiasm in both the Netherlands and the Netherlands East Indies. The newspapers were full of reports and articles, and the other media picked up their end as well, including film. The preparations and departure were filmed by many companies and the adventurous camera operator Henk Alsem even travelled to Bulgaria to film the stranded aviators.
Pictures from their landing in the Dutch East Indies and the celebration upon the crew’s return show that there was tremendous interest in these events. The aviators were treated like heroes – but that was in the days when aviation was prestigious and major achievements led to a sense of national pride.