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German Aviation 1917
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 The Albatros D.V and D.Va retained the wing and tail design of the Albatros D.III. As soon as the D.V entered service, there was a series of fatal crashes caused by wing failure. Small struts and additional wire bracing were added to increase wing strength and pilots were warned not to dive too steeply when flying the D.V, but the crashes continued. |
Albatros D.V Manufacturer: Albatros Werke GmbH Type: Fighter First Introduced: 1917 Engine: Mercedes IIIa, 180 hp Wing Span: 29 ft 8¼ in Length: 24 ft ½ in Height: 8 ft 10¼ in Gross Weight: 2061 lb Max Speed: 116 mph at 3281 ft Ceiling: 18,700 ft Endurance: 2 hours Crew: 1 Armament: 2 Spandau machine guns |
 The German Air Service began equipping fighter units with the rugged and reliable Pfalz D.III in August 1917. Together with the Albatros D.Va the D.III and the improved D.IIIa, helped revive Germany's air superiority over the Allies. Compared to its rivals, the Pfalz D.III was not a great fighter, but it was very fast in a dive. |
Pfalz D.III Engine: 1 x Mercedes D.III 160 hp. Wingspan: 9.40 m Length: 6.95 m Weight: 689 kg/922 kg Max. speed: 164 km/h Ceiling: 4900 m Crew: 1 Armament: 2 x machineguns |
 The Fokker DR.I triplane was built after the Sopwith Triplane. While not as fast as contemporary biplanes, the Dreidecker could easily outclimb any opponent. Small, lightweight and highly maneuverable, it offered good upward visibility and lacked the traditional bracing wires that could be shot away during combat. This combination of features made it an outstanding plane in a dogfight. When the DR.I first entered service, antagonists scoffed until pilots like Werner Voss showed what it could do in a fight. Flying a prototype, Voss shot down 10 British aircraft in 6 days of aerial combat during September 1917. Unfortunately, the DR.I was not without problems. By the end of October 1917, it was temporarily withdrawn from service when several pilots, including Heinrich Gontermann, were killed as a result of wing failures. Despite structural improvements, the Fokker triplane's reputation among German airmen never recovered. |
Fokker Dr.I Manufacturer: Fokker Flugzeug-Werke GmbH Type: Fighter First Introduced: August 1917 Number Built: 320 Engine: Oberursel UR.II, 9 cylinder reciprocating Wing Span: 23 ft 7 3/8 in 7.19 m Length: 18 ft 11 1/8 in 5.77 m Height: 9 ft 8 in Empty Weight: 893 lb Gross Weight: 1,289.2 lb 586 kg Speed: 103 mph 165 kmh 13120 ft 4000 m Ceiling: 20,013 ft 6100 m Endurance: 1.5 hours Crew: 1 Armament: 2 Spandau 7.92 mm machine guns |
 The Fokker D.VI was an excellent aircraft that was not to be. It was overshadowed by the success of the Fokker D.VII. The design was a biplane based on a streched Dr.1 fuselage. Only a handfull were built and entered service. |
Fokker D.VI Manufacturer: Fokker Flugzeug-Werke GmbH Type: Fighter Engine: 1 x Rhone 110 hp. Wingspan: 7.66 m Length: 6.19 m Weight: 392 kg/582 kg Max. speed: 201 km/h Ceiling: 5940 m Crew: 1 Armament: 2 x machineguns |
 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 D.III Manufacturer: Siemens-Schuckert Type: Fighter Engine: 1 x Siemens-Halske SH.III 160 hp. Wingspan: 8.40 m Length: 5.75 m Weight: 534 kg/725 kg Max. speed: 180 km/h Ceiling: 8000 m Crew: 1 Armament: 2 x machineguns |
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Original material copyright © 7/8/99 W. Ira Boucher. All Rights Reserved. |
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