Siemens Schuckert D.III
Sleek, rugid, fast and nimble were all words that could be used to describe the Siemens Schuckert D.III. Though not produced in great numbers it was an important design from the point of view of future aircraft design.
Siemens-Schuckert Aircraft of World War One
A number of captured Nieuport 17 fighters were given to German aircraft manufacturers to study, the Siemens-Schukert Werke produced the D.I based on the captured fighter. The D.I was a biplane powered by 110 hp (82 kW) Siemens-Halske Sh.I rotary engine. An order for 150 aircraft for the Imperial German Army Air Service was placed, but these were delayed by late delivery of the complicated geared engine, so that the aircraft was outclassed in combat by newer Allied aircraft when delivered. Only 95 aircraft were produced, most of which were used for training.
A single D.Ia was produced with a greater wing area and more powerful engine but was not ordered into production. The development continued through a prototype D.II to the D.III.
Sleek, rugid, fast and nimble were all words that could be used to describe the Siemens Schuckert D.III. Though not produced in great numbers it was an important design from the point of view of future aircraft design.
Modified wing construction and an improved rotary engine made the Siemens-Schuckert D.IV a better aircraft than its predecessor the D.III. Considered superior to the Fokker D.VII, it entered service in small numbers, too late to have much of an impact on the outcome of the air war.
The planes started reaching operational units in August, but of the 280 ordered only 123 were completed by the end of the war, about half of those reaching operational units. In October 1918 it was officially described as superior by far to all single-seaters in use.
