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German Aviation 1918
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 The Fokker D.VII is widely regarded as the best German aircraft of the war. Its development was championed by Manfred von Richthofen. In January 1918, Richthofen tested the D.VII in the trials at Adlershof but never had an opportunity to fly it in combat. He was killed just days before it entered service. When introduced, the D.VII was not without problems. On occasion its wing ribs would fracture in a dive or high temperatures would cause the gas tank to explode. Even so, the D.VII proved to be durable and easy to fly. As noted by one authority, it had "an apparant ability to to make a good pilot out of mediocre material." When equipped with the BMW engine, the D.VII could outclimb any Allied opponent it encountered in combat. Highly maneuverable at all speeds and altitudes, it proved to be more than a match for any of the British or French fighter planes of 1918. |
Fokker D.VII Manufacturer: Fokker Flugzeug-Werke GmbH Type: Fighter First Introduced: End of April, 1918 Number Built: 840 Engines: Mercedes D-III 6 cylinder inline, 160 hp BMW IIIa inline, 185 hp Wing Span:29 ft 3.5 in Length:22 ft 11.5 in Height:9 ft 2.5 in Empty Weight:1,540 lb Gross Weight:1,939 lb Speed:118 mph - Mercedes 124 mph - BMW Ceiling: 18,000 ft Mercedes 21,000 ft BMW Endurance: 1.5 hours Crew: 1 Armament: 2 Spandau 7.92 mm machine guns |
 Winner of the April 1918 fighter competition, the Fokker D.VIII monoplane was delayed by production problems. Only thirty six of them entered service during the last weeks of the war. Equipped with an underpowered engine, the D.VIII was nevertheless an excellent fighter eagerly received by the German air service. Dubbed the "Flying Razor" by Allied pilots, it had the distinction of scoring the last aerial victory of the war. |
Fokker E.V - D.VIII Manufacturer: Fokker Flugzeug-Werke GmbH Type: Fighter First Introduced: 1918 Number Built: About 290 Engine: Oberursel UR-II, 9 cylinder rotary, 110 hp Wing Span: 27 ft 6.75 in Length: 19 ft 4 in Height: 9 ft 3 in Gross Weight: 1,238 lb Max Speed: 115 mph at sea level Ceiling: 20,670 ft Endurance: 1.5 hours Crew: 1 Armament: 2 Spandau machine guns |
 What really set the Junker D.I apart from any previous aircraft was it's cantilevered low-wing design and corrugated duralumin skin. Duralumin, the same metal used for Zeppelin construction, was light yet strong. The Junkers monoplane was rugid, fast, and agile. The D.I was every fighter pilots' dream. The design was a decade ahead of its time appearing a year too late. |
Junkers D.I Engine: 1 x BMW IIIa 185 hp. Wingspan: 9.00 m Length: 7.30 m Weight: 654 kg/834 kg Max. speed: 185 km/h Ceiling: 6000 m Crew: 1 Armament: 2 x machineguns |
 The Pfalz D.XII was the successor to the Pfalz D.IIIa series fighter. They were received into service in late summer of 1918. It was a sturdy, agile, and well designed fighter that nearly rivaled the famed Fokker D.VII in performance. It was not produced in great numbers due to the amount of time needed to form the plywood fuselage. |
Pfalz D.XII Engine: 1 x Mercedes D.IIIa 180 hp. Wingspan: 9.00 m Length: 7.99 m Weight: 792 kg/902 kg Max. speed: 180 km/h Ceiling: 5100 m Crew: 1 Armament: 2 x machineguns |
 Roland D.VIa aircraft were received in the late Spring of 1918 and were still in use at the end of hostilities in November . The Roland D.VI was purported to have good handling qualities, but most pilots wanted the sensational Fokker D.VII. The clinker built body of the Roland D.VI was final refinement of all the shark-like designs that had come before it. |
Roland D.VI Engine: 1 x Mercedes D.IIIa 180 hp. Wingspan: 9.39 m Length: 6.34 m Weight: 690 kg/901 kg Max. speed: 183 km/h Ceiling: 5790 m Crew: 1 Armament: 2 x machineguns |
 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. |
Siemens-Schuckert D.IV Country: Germany Manufacturer: Siemens-Schuckert Type: Fighter Entered Service: 1918 Number Built: 123 Engine: Siemens-Halske Sh IIIa, rotary, 160 hp Wing Span: 8.35 m Length: 5.70 m Empty Weight: 540 kg Max Speed: 184 km/h Ceiling: 26,000 ft in 20 mins Crew: 1 Armament: Two 7.9 mm machine guns |
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Original material copyright © 7/8/99 W. Ira Boucher. All Rights Reserved. |
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