Fokker Eindecker

Eindecker
Captured Fokker E.III 210/16 in flight at Upavon, Wiltshire in 1916, and still in existence in the 21st century.
Role	Fighter
Manufacturer	Fokker
First flight	23 May 1915 (modified M.5 serving as a E.1 prototype)[1]
Number built	416

The Fokker Eindecker was a German World War I monoplane single-seat fighter aircraft designed by Dutch engineer Anthony Fokker.^[2] Developed in April 1915, the Eindecker ("Monoplane") was the first purpose-built German fighter aircraft and the first aircraft to be fitted with synchronizer gear, enabling the pilot to fire a machine gun through the arc of the propeller without striking the blades.^[2] The Eindecker granted the German Air Service a degree of air superiority from July 1915 until early 1916. This period was known as the "Fokker Scourge," during which Allied aviators regarded their poorly armed aircraft as "Fokker Fodder".

Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational history 3 Variants 4 Survivors 5 Specifications (Fokker E.III)

Design and development

The Eindecker was based on Fokker's unarmed A.III scout (itself following very closely the design of the French Morane-Saulnier H shoulder-wing monoplane) which was fitted with a synchronizer mechanism controlling a single Parabellum MG14 machine gun. Anthony Fokker personally demonstrated the system on 23 May 1915, having towed the prototype aircraft behind his touring car to a military airfield near Berlin.^[1]

A close-up photo of Otto Parschau's first Fokker monoplane, armed with a synchronized Parabellum MG14 machine gun in June 1915, which essentially became the "prototype" Fokker Eindecker.

The history of what ended up being the "prototype" Eindecker aircraft, which bore Fokker factory serial number 216, is closely associated with Leutnant Otto Parschau, who was given the "No.216" Fokker A-series monoplane at the beginning of World War I, which bore the Idflieg military serial number A.16/15. This initially unarmed monoplane had belonged to one Oberleutnant von Buttlar, and had been painted a shade of green, the color of von Buttlar's Marburg-based Jäger regiment.^[3] Parschau eventually spent most of his first year's time in the war with this aircraft, which was marked with the words "Lt. Parschau" on the right upper side of the fuselage behind the cockpit, flying it on both fronts that the German Empire was involved in combat. A short time before the beginning of June 1915, while based at Douai with Feldflieger Abteilung 62, the Fokker factory outfitted Parschau's aircraft with the Fokker Stangensteuerung synchronizer and a Parabellum MG14 light machine gun for its armament, with which Parschau had tried some initial attempts in aerial combat with during June 1915, with the Parabellum gun constantly jamming in action. Parschau's aircraft also had an aft-cockpit-located main fuel tank. The aircraft would later be taken back by Fokker for factory armament installation trials, which also allowed the wing location to be lowered to mid-fuselage, a position that would become standard for all regular production Eindeckers. The initial batch of five M.5K/MG production prototypes were completed by the Fokker factory with the shoulder-mount wing mounting location that the original M.5s had used.^[4]
All Eindeckers used a gravity fuel tank which had to be constantly filled by hand-pumping from the main fuel tank, which starting with the Fokker E.II was mounted behind the pilot; this task had to be performed up to eight times an hour. Both the rudder and elevator were aerodynamically balanced, and the type had no fixed tail surfaces. This combination rendered the Eindecker very responsive to pitch and yaw. For an inexperienced pilot, the extreme sensitivity of the elevators made level flight difficult; German ace Leutnant Kurt Wintgens stated "lightning is a straight line compared with the barogram of the first solo". Roll response on the other hand, was poor. This is often blamed on the use of wing-warping rather than ailerons - although monoplanes of the time, even when fitted with ailerons, often had unpredictable or unresponsive roll control due to the flexibility of their wings.
The main difference between the E.I and E.II was the engine, the former having the seven-cylinder 60 kW (80 hp) Oberursel U.0 rotary engine which was essentially a direct copy of the French-made 60 kW (80 hp) Gnôme Lambda seven-cylinder rotary engine, while the latter had the nine-cylinder 75 kW (100 hp) Oberursel U I, a direct copy of the 75 kW (100 hp) Gnome Monosoupape rotary. Both the E.I and E.II versions used the M.5's original 1.88 meter (74 inch) wing chord dimension. Production of the types therefore depended on engine availability and the two variants were built in parallel. Many E.IIs were either completed as E.IIIs or upgraded to E.III standard when returned for repair.

Profile view of an Eindecker at takeoff.

The definitive version of the Eindecker was the Fokker E.III, which used a slightly narrower-chord (1.80 meter, or 71 inch) wing than earlier versions. Boelcke's Feldflieger Abteilung 62 began operating the E.III towards the end of 1915. A few E.IIIs were experimentally armed with two of the same 7.92 mm (.312 in) calibre lMG 08 "Spandau" machine guns that the production E.I through E.III Eindecker models used only one gun of the same model. The final variant was the Fokker E.IV which received a 119 kW (160 hp) Oberursel U.III, 14 cylinder twin-row rotary engine (a copy of the Gnôme Double Lambda rotary) and was fitted with twin machine guns as standard, after a failure of an experimental triple-gun installation, meant to be standard for the E.IV, kept failing.
Total production for the entire Fokker E.I through E.IV series was 416 aircraft (one aircraft's type is unknown).

Operational history

The actual Fokker M.5K/MG aircraft used by Leutnant Kurt Wintgens, in his pioneering aerial engagement on 1 July 1915

The first Eindecker victory, though unconfirmed, was achieved by Leutnant Wintgens on 1 July 1915 when, while flying one of the five M.5K/MG production prototype aircraft, numbered 'E.5/15', he forced down a French Morane-Saulnier L two seat "parasol" monoplane. By this time the first E.Is were arriving as supplementary equipment, one per unit as "attached" aircraft, for the ordinary Feldflieger Abteilung - initially to provide escort protection for their usual quantity of six two-seat reconnaissance biplanes per unit.
Three days after his "unconfirmed" victory, Wintgens would down another "Morane Parasol" with the same E.5/15 aircraft, and a full fortnight after his initial engagement, on 15 July 1915, he became the first Eindecker pilot to be credited with such an official victory.
The two most famous Eindecker pilots were Oswald Boelcke (initially flying M.5K/MG aircraft E.3/15) and Max Immelmann, both of Feldflieger Abteilung 62, who scored their first kills in E.Is in August 1915. Leutnant Otto Parschau, who was instrumental in the introduction of the Eindecker from the very start, flew the M.5K/MG aircraft numbered E.1/15, after the Fokker factory took back his worn-out A.16/15 aircraft.
Boelcke scored the most Eindecker victories; 19 out of his final tally of 40, his last coming on 27 June 1916. Immelmann had the second-highest Eindecker score, having achieved all his 15 victories in the type before being killed when his E.III broke up in June 1916. 11 pilots scored five or more victories in the Eindecker. Boelcke, Immelmann and Wintgens all received Germany's highest military decoration, the Pour le Mérite or "Blue Max", while flying the Eindecker, after each pilot passed the then-required eight victory total for each aviator.
The arrival in early 1916 of the Airco DH.2 and Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2 pusher aircraft, along with the Nieuport 11, brought the dominance of the Eindecker to an end, and with it, the "Fokker Scourge".

Variants

The Eindecker went through five variants:

1. Fokker M.5K/MG (A.III) - 5 built
2. Fokker E.I - 68 built
3. Fokker E.II - 49 built
4. Fokker E.III - 249 built
5. Fokker E.IV - 49 built

Survivors

Max Immelman Fokker EI

Only one original Eindecker remains. On 8 April 1916, a novice German pilot took off from Valenciennes with a new E.III (IdFlieg serial number 210/16) bound for Wasquehal but became lost in haze and landed at a British aerodrome east of St. Omer. He was forced to surrender before he realised his error and could destroy the aircraft. The E.III was test-flown against the Morane-Saulnier N and other Allied types at St. Omer before going to Upavon in Wiltshire for evaluation and finally going on museum display. It now resides at the Science Museum in London. Immelmann's original E.I, with IdFlieg-issued serial E.13/15, also survived the war and went on display in Dresden where it was destroyed by Allied bombing during World War II.

Specifications (Fokker E.III)

General characteristics

• Crew: one, pilot
• Length: 7.2 m (23 ft 6 in)
• Wingspan: 9.52 m (31 ft 2 in)
• Height: 2.4 m (7 ft 9 in)
• Wing area: 16 m² (ft²)
• Empty weight: 400 kg (882 lb)
• Loaded weight: 610 kg (1,345 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× Oberursel U.I 1 Rotary Engine, 74 kW (99 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 140 km/h (76 kn)

Armament

• 1 × 7.92 mm (.312 in) Parabellum MG14 machine gun

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Fokker Dr.I

Fokker Dr.I
Role	Fighter
Manufacturer	Fokker-Flugzeugwerke
Designed by	Reinhold Platz
First flight	5 July 1917
Primary user	Luftstreitkräfte
Number built	320

The Fokker Dr.I Dreidecker (triplane) was a World War I fighter aircraft built by Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. The Dr.I saw widespread service in the spring of 1918. It became renowned as the aircraft in which Manfred von Richthofen gained his last 20 victories, and in which he was killed on 21 April 1918.

Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational history 2.1 Wing failures 3 Postwar 4 Replica aircraft 5 Variants 6 Operators 7 Specifications (Dr.I)

Design and development

V.4 prototype

In February 1917, the Sopwith Triplane began to appear over the Western Front.^[1] The Sopwith swiftly proved itself superior to the Albatros fighters then in use by the Luftstreitkräfte.^[2][3] Fokker-Flugzeugwerke responded by converting an unfinished biplane prototype into the V.4, a small, rotary-powered triplane with a steel tube fuselage and thick cantilever wings,^[4] first developed during Fokker's government-mandated collaboration with Hugo Junkers. Initial tests revealed that the V.4 had unacceptably high control forces resulting from the use of unbalanced ailerons and elevators.^[5]
Instead of submitting the V.4 for a type test, Fokker produced a revised prototype designated V.5. The most notable changes were the introduction of horn-balanced ailerons and elevators, as well as longer-span wings. The V.5 also featured interplane struts, which were not necessary from a structural standpoint, but which minimized wing flexing.^[6] On 14 July 1917, Idflieg issued an order for 20 pre-production aircraft. The V.5 prototype, serial 101/17, was tested to destruction at Adlershof on 11 August 1917.^[7]

Operational history

Triplanes of Jasta 26 at Erchin, France

Jasta 12 flightline at Toulis, France

Fokker produced two pre-production triplanes, designated F.I, which could be distinguished from production Dr.I aircraft by a slight curve to the tailplane leading edge. These aircraft, serials 102/17 and 103/17, were the only machines to receive the F.I designation.^[8] They were sent to Jastas 10 and 11 for combat evaluation, arriving at Markebeeke, Belgium on 28 August 1917.
Richthofen first flew 102/17 on 1 September 1917 and shot down two enemy aircraft in the next two days. He reported to the Kogenluft (Kommandierender General der Luftstreitkräfte) that the F.I was superior to the Sopwith Triplane.^[9] Richthofen recommended that fighter squadrons be reequipped with the new aircraft as soon as possible.^[9] The combat evaluation came to an abrupt conclusion when Oberleutnant Kurt Wolff, Staffelführer of Jasta 11, was shot down in 102/17 on 15 September, and Leutnant Werner Voss, Staffelführer of Jasta 10, was killed in 103/17 on 23 September.
The remaining pre-production aircraft, designated Dr.I, were delivered to Jasta 11.^[10] Idflieg issued a production order for 100 triplanes in September, followed by an order for 200 in November.^[11] Apart from minor modifications, these aircraft were almost identical to the F.I. The primary distinguishing feature was the addition of wingtip skids, which proved necessary because the aircraft was tricky to land and prone to ground looping.^[12] In October, Fokker began delivering the Dr.I to squadrons within Richthofen's Jagdgeschwader I.
Compared to the Albatros and Pfalz fighters, the Dr.I offered exceptional maneuverability. Though the ailerons were not very effective, the rudder and elevator controls were light and powerful.^[13] Rapid turns, especially to the right, were facilitated by the triplane's marked directional instability.^[13] Vizefeldwebel Franz Hemer of Jasta 6 said, "The triplane was my favorite fighting machine because it had such wonderful flying qualities. I could let myself stunt — looping and rolling — and could avoid an enemy by diving with perfect safety. The triplane had to be given up because although it was very maneuverable, it was no longer fast enough."^[14]
As Hemer noted, the Dr.I was considerably slower than contemporary Allied fighters in level flight and in a dive. While initial rate of climb was excellent, performance fell off dramatically at higher altitudes due to the low compression of the Oberursel Ur.II, a clone of the Le Rhône 9J rotary engine.^[15] As the war continued, chronic shortages of castor oil made rotary operation increasingly difficult. The poor quality of German ersatz lubricant resulted in many engine failures, particularly during the summer of 1918.^[16]
The Dr.I suffered other deficiencies. The pilot's view was poor during takeoff and landing.^[17] The cockpit was cramped and furnished with materials of inferior quality.^[18] Furthermore, the proximity of the gun butts to the cockpit, combined with inadequate crash padding, left the pilot vulnerable to serious head injury in the event of a crash landing.^[19]

Wing failures

On 29 October 1917, Leutnant der Reserve Heinrich Gontermann, Staffelführer of Jasta 15, was performing aerobatics when his triplane broke up.^[20] Gontermann was fatally injured in the ensuing crash landing. Leutnant der Reserve Günther Pastor of Jasta 11 was killed two days later when his triplane broke up in level flight.^[20] Inspection of the wrecked aircraft showed that the wings had been poorly constructed. Examination of other high-time Dr.Is confirmed these findings. On 2 November, Idflieg grounded all remaining triplanes pending an inquiry. Idflieg convened a Sturzkommission (crash commission) which concluded that poor construction and lack of waterproofing had allowed moisture to destroy the wing.^[21] This caused the wing ribs to disintegrate and the ailerons to break away in flight.^[21]
In response to the crash investigation, Fokker improved quality control on the production line, particularly varnishing of the wing spars and ribs, to combat moisture. Fokker also strengthened the rib structures and the attachment of the auxiliary spars to the ribs. Existing triplanes were repaired and modified at Fokker's expense.^[22] After testing a modified wing at Adlershof, Idflieg authorized the triplane's return to service on 28 November 1917.^[23] Production resumed in early December. By January 1918, Jastas 6 and 11 were fully equipped with the triplane. Only 14 squadrons used the Dr.I as their primary equipment. Most of these units were part of Jagdgeschwadern I, II, or III.^[24] Frontline inventory peaked in late April 1918, with 171 aircraft in service on the Western Front.^[11]
Despite corrective measures, the Dr.I continued to suffer from wing failures. On 3 February 1918, Leutnant Hans Joachim Wolff of Jasta 11 successfully landed after suffering a failure of the upper wing leading edge and ribs.^[25] On 18 March 1918, Lothar von Richthofen, Staffelführer of Jasta 11, suffered a failure of the upper wing leading edge during combat with Sopwith Camels of No. 73 Squadron and Bristol F.2Bs of No. 62 Squadron.^[26] Richthofen was seriously injured in the ensuing crash landing.
Postwar research revealed that poor workmanship was not the only cause of the triplane's structural failures. In 1929, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) investigations found that the upper wing carried a higher lift coefficient than the lower wing — at high speeds it could be 2.55 times as much.
The triplane's chronic structural problems destroyed any prospect of large-scale orders.^[27] Production eventually ended in May 1918, by which time only 320 had been manufactured.^[28] The Dr.I was withdrawn from frontline service as the Fokker D.VII entered widespread service in June and July. Jasta 19 was the last squadron to be fully equipped with the Dr.I.^[29]
Surviving triplanes were distributed to training and home defense units. Several training aircraft were reengined with the 75 kW (100 hp) Goebel Goe.II.^[30] At the time of the Armistice, many remaining triplanes were assigned to fighter training schools at Nivelles, Belgium, and Valenciennes, France.^[31] Allied pilots tested several of these triplanes and found their handling qualities to be impressive.^[31]

Postwar

Fokker Dr.I (serial 152/17) on display at the Zeughaus

Very few triplanes survived the Armistice. Serial 528/17 was retained as a testbed by the Deutschen Versuchsanstalt für Luftfahrt (German Aviation Research Institute) at Adlershof. After being used in the filming of two movies, 528/17 is believed to have crashed sometime in the late 1930s.^[32] Serial 152/17, in which Manfred von Richthofen obtained three victories, was displayed at the Zeughaus museum in Berlin.^[32] The triplane was destroyed by an Allied bombing raid during World War II. Today, only a few original Dr.I artifacts survive in museums.

Replica aircraft

While no Dr.I airframes survive, large numbers of flying and static replicas have been built. In 1932, Fokker built a Dr.I from the spare parts of various aircraft. The reproduction appeared in the 1939 film D III 88. Bitz Flugzeugbau GmbH built two Dr.I replicas for use in Twentieth Century Fox’s 1966 film The Blue Max. One of these aircraft currently operates in the United States.
Since April 1994, the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base has displayed a reproduction Fokker Dr. I. It is painted in the markings of a Jagdstaffel 19 aircraft flown by Leutnant Arthur Rahn in April 1918.
Large numbers of replica aircraft have been built for both individuals and museums. Due to the expense and scarcity of authentic rotary engines, most airworthy replicas are powered by a Warner Scarab or Continental R-670 radial engine.^[33] A few, however, feature vintage Le Rhône 9 or reproduction Oberursel Ur.II rotary engines.

Variants

• V.3 - Initial prototype
• V.4 - First production prototype
• V.5 - Prototype with Goebel Goe.III engine
• V.6 - Enlarged prototype with Mercedes D.II engine
• V.7 - Prototype with Siemens-Halske Sh.III engine
• V.10 - Prototype with Oberursel Ur.III engine

Operators

 German Empire

• Luftstreitkräfte

Specifications (Dr.I)

Data from Quest for Performance^[34]

General characteristics

• Crew: One
• Length: 5.77 m (18 ft 11 in)
• Wingspan: 7.20 m (23 ft 7 in)
• Height: 2.95 m (9 ft 8 in)
• Wing area: 18.70 m² (201 ft²)
• Empty weight: 406 kg (895 lb)
• Loaded weight: 586 kg (1,292 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× Oberursel Ur.II 9-cylinder rotary engine, 82 kW (110 hp)
• Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0323
• Drag area: 0.62 m² (6.69 ft²)
• Aspect ratio: 4.04

Performance

• Maximum speed: 185 km/h at sea level (115 mph at sea level)
• Stall speed: 72 km/h (45 mph)
• Range: 300 km (185 mi)
• Service ceiling: 6,095 m (20,000 ft)
• Rate of climb: 5.7 m/s (1,130 ft/min)
• Lift-to-drag ratio: 8.0

Armament

• 2 × 7.92 mm (.312 in) "Spandau" lMG 08 machine guns.

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Fokker D.XXI

D.XXI
Role	Fighter
Manufacturer	Fokker
Designed by	Erich Schatzki
First flight	27 March 1936
Primary users	Finnish Air Force Dutch Air Force Danish Air Force

The Fokker D.XXI fighter was designed in 1935 for use by the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force (Militaire Luchtvaart van het Koninklijk Nederlands-Indisch Leger, ML-KNIL) .^[1] As such, it was designed as a cheap and small, but rugged aircraft, which had respectable performance for its time. Entering operational use in the early years of World War II, it provided yeoman service for both the Luchtvaartafdeling (Dutch Army Aviation Group) and the Finnish Air Force, and a few were built by the Carmoli factory before the factory fell into Nationalist hands during the Spanish Civil War.

Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational history 3 Variants 4 Operators 5 Popular culture 6 Specifications (D.XXI)

Design and development

The Fokker D.XXI was a low wing monoplane with a steel tube fuselage covered in large part by fabric. Following some of the standard Fokker design practice, it had wooden wings and a fixed spatted undercarriage. Power was provided by a Bristol Mercury radial driving a three-blade two-pitch airscrew. When it entered service in 1938 it was a quantum leap forward for the Dutch Army Aviation Group though. Until then its fighter force had consisted of aging biplanes with open cockpits. The new Fokker proved to be an extremely sturdy aircraft capable of attaining a speed of 700 km/h in a dive.

Fokker D.XXI aircraft in the Finnish air force during World War II

Operational history

In 1936 a few Fokker D.XXIs were used by the Spanish Republic. Although the order by the ML-KNIL was cancelled, the Luchtvaartafdeeling (Dutch Army Air Force before World War II) placed an order of 36 aircraft, which were all delivered in time to participate in the war against the Germans in May 1940. The Fokker D.XXI, although much slower and more lightly armed than the Bf 109, performed surprisingly well in dogfights, due to its maneuverability. It was also one of the few aircraft that could follow a Stuka bomber into its dive. Nonetheless, the numerical inferiority of the Luchtvaartafdeeling compared to the Luftwaffe resulted in the destruction of most Dutch Fokker D.XXI fighters during the campaign. Some were captured during and after 15 May, but their fates, apart from their capture, are unknown.^[2]
The Fokker D.XXI performed better and for much longer in the Finnish Air Force, which had acquired a number of licence-built fighters prior to the start of the Winter War. Against the aircraft of the Soviet Air Force, the Fokker was more evenly matched, and its rugged design with a radial engine and fixed undercarriage made it very suitable for Finnish conditions. Later in the war, as newer models of Soviet fighters appeared, the Fokker D.XXI was underpowered and too lightly armed (with only four 7.92 mm/.312 in machine guns) to compete. Plans to arm the Fokkers with 20 mm cannons were dropped and only one fighter was armed as such (two 20 mm cannons and two 7.92 mm/.312 in machine guns). Another fighter was equipped with retractable landing gear, but due to less than anticipated performance improvement, wasn't continued in the series. During the Continuation War (1941–44) the Finnish State Aircraft Factory (Valtion Lentokonetehdas, VL) also built some 50 D.XXIs with the Swedish-built Pratt & Whitney R-1535 Twin Wasp Junior as the Bristol Mercury was in short supply. These can be identified by their longer cockpit glazing, smooth cowl, and large ventral air intake under the cowl. The fixed undercarriage lent itself to both unimproved runways and conversion to skis for winter use, both of which were advantages in the Finnish theater.
Several Finnish Air Force pilots became fighter aces on Fokker D.XXI, top scoring Fokker ace being Jorma Sarvanto with 12 5/6 victories. Many other aces scored at least one victory on Fokker. The highest scoring airframe is FK-110, with 10 victories, which survived the war, and is on display at Central Finland Aviation Museum.

Variants

• D.XXI-1 : First production aircraft, they were delivered to Denmark. Number built: 2
• D.XXI-2 : 36 were delivered to the RNLAF. Number built: 53
• D.XXI-3 : Finnish license-built D.XXI-2s. Number built: 38
• D.XXI-4 : Upgraded D.XXI-3, powered by R-1535-SB4C-G Twin Wasp Junior engine 825 hp (615 kW). Number built: 50
• D.XXI-5 : Upgraded D.XXI-4, powered by Bristol Pegasus radial engine 920 hp (686 kW). Number built: 5
• Project 150 : Proposed version powered by a Bristol Hercules radial piston engine. Not built.
• Project 151 : Proposed version powered by a Rolls-Royce Merlin piston engine. Not built.
• Project 152 : Proposed version powered by a Daimler-Benz DB.600H engine. Not built.

Operators

 Denmark

• Danish Army Air Corps received 7 aircraft and built 15 on license.

 Finland

• Finnish Air Force received 7 aircraft and built 90 on license.
  • No. 10 Squadron, Finnish Air Force
  • No. 12 Squadron, Finnish Air Force
  • No. 14 Squadron, Finnish Air Force
  • No. 24 Squadron, Finnish Air Force
  • No. 26 Squadron, Finnish Air Force
  • No. 30 Squadron, Finnish Air Force
  • No. 32 Squadron, Finnish Air Force

 Germany

• Luftwaffe operated an unknown number of captured Dutch aircraft.

 Netherlands

• Dutch Army Aviation Group received 36 aircraft.

1 Luchtvaartregiment (1 aviation regiment) 1 and 2 Jachtvliegersafdeling (JaVa) (fighter squadron) 2 Luchtvaartregiment

Spanish Republic

• Spanish Republican Air Force

Popular culture

A converted North American Harvard trainer masqueraded as a Fokker D.XXI for the Paul Verhoeven movie Soldier of Orange (1977).

Specifications (D.XXI)

Data from Lentäjän Näkökulma & Thulinista Hornetiin

General characteristics

• Crew: One, pilot
• Length: 8.20 m (26 ft 11 in)
• Wingspan: 11.00 m (36 ft 1 in)
• Height: 2.95 m (9 ft 8 in)
• Empty weight: 1,594 kg (3,511 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 1,970 kg (4,399 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× Bristol Mercury VIII air-cooled, 9-cylinder, radial, 618.76 kW (830 hp)

Performance

• Never exceed speed: 700 km/h (434 mph)
• Maximum speed: 460 km/h (285 mph)
• Cruise speed: 429 km/h (267 mph)
• Range: 930 km (502 nmi, 574 mi)
• Service ceiling: 11,350 m (36.089 ft)
• Rate of climb: 6,000 m in 7 min 30 sec (19,680 ft)
• Power/mass: 405 hp/t ()

Armament

• 4 × 7.92 mm (.312 in) FN Browning M36 machine guns

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Fokker D.VII

Fokker D.VII
Role	Fighter
Manufacturer	Fokker-Flugzeugwerke
Designed by	Reinhold Platz
First flight	January 1918
Primary user	Luftstreitkräfte
Number built	approximately 3,300

The Fokker D.VII was a German World War I fighter aircraft designed by Reinhold Platz of the Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. Germany produced around 3,300 D.VII aircraft in the summer and autumn of 1918. In service, the D.VII quickly proved itself to be a formidable aircraft. The Armistice ending the war specifically required Germany to surrender all D.VIIs to the Allies at the conclusion of hostilities.^[1] Surviving aircraft saw continued widespread service with many other countries in the years after World War I.

Contents 1 Development and production 1.1 Powerplants 2 Operational history 3 Postwar service 4 Survivors 5 Replicas 6 Variants 7 Operators 8 Specifications

Development and production

Fokker D.VII

Fokker D.VII(F)

Fokker's chief designer, Reinhold Platz, had been working on a series of experimental planes, the V-series, since 1916. These planes were characterized by the use of cantilever wings, first developed during Fokker's government-mandated collaboration with Hugo Junkers. Junkers had originated the idea in 1915 with the first all-metal aircraft, the Junkers J 1, nicknamed Blechesel ("Sheet Metal Donkey" or "Tin Donkey"). The resulting wings were thick, with a rounded leading edge. This gave greater lift and more docile stalling behavior than conventional thin wings.
Late in 1917, Fokker built the experimental V 11 biplane, fitted with the standard Mercedes D.IIIa engine. In January 1918, Idflieg held a fighter competition at Adlershof. For the first time, frontline pilots would directly participate in the evaluation and selection of new fighters. Fokker submitted the V 11 along with several other prototypes. Manfred von Richthofen flew the V 11 and found it tricky, unpleasant, and directionally unstable in a dive. In response to these complaints, Reinhold Platz lengthened the rear fuselage by one structural bay, and added a triangular fixed vertical fin in front of the rudder. Upon flying the modified V 11, Richthofen praised it as the best aircraft of the competition. It offered excellent performance from the outdated Mercedes engine, yet it was safe and easy to fly. Richthofen's recommendation virtually decided the competition, but he was not alone in recommending it. Fokker immediately received a provisional order for 400 production aircraft, which were designated D.VII by Idflieg.
Fokker's factory was not up to the task of meeting all D.VII production orders. Idflieg therefore directed Albatros and AEG to build the D.VII under license, though AEG did not ultimately produce any aircraft. Because the Fokker factory did not use detailed plans as part of its production process, Fokker simply sent a completed D.VII airframe for Albatros to copy. Albatros paid Fokker a five percent royalty for every D.VII built under license. Albatros Flugzeugwerke and its subsidiary, Ostdeutsche Albatros Werke (OAW), built the D.VII at factories in Johannisthal (designated Fokker D.VII (Alb)) and Schneidemühl (Fokker D.VII (OAW)), respectively. Aircraft markings included the type designation and factory suffix, immediately before the individual serial number.
Some parts were not interchangeable between aircraft produced at different factories, even between Albatros and OAW.^[2] Additionally each manufacturer tended to differ in nose paint styles. OAW produced examples were delivered with distinctive mauve and green splotches on the cowling. All D.VIIs were produced with the lozenge camouflage covering except for early Fokker-produced D.VIIs, which had a streaked green fuselage. Factory camouflage finishes were often overpainted with colorful paint schemes or insignia for the Jasta, or the individual pilot.
Albatros soon surpassed Fokker in the quantity and workmanship quality of aircraft produced. With a massive production program, over 3,000 to 3,300 D.VII aircraft were delivered from all three plants, considerably more than the commonly quoted but incorrect production figure of 1,700.
In September 1918, eight D.VIIs were delivered to Bulgaria. Late in 1918, the Austro-Hungarian company MÁG (Magyar Általános Gépgyár - Hungarian General Machine Company) commenced licensed production of the D.VII with Austro-Daimler engines. Production continued after the end of the war, with as many as 50 aircraft completed.^[3]

Powerplants

Hermann Göring's Fokker D.VII(F) (serial 5125/18)

Many sources erroneously state that the D.VII was equipped with the 160 hp Mercedes D.III engine. The Germans themselves used the generic D.III designation to describe later versions of that engine. In fact, the earliest production D.VIIs were equipped with 170-180 hp Mercedes D.IIIa. Production quickly switched to the intended standard engine, the higher-compression 134 kW (180 hp) Mercedes D.IIIaü. It appears that some of the early production D.VIIs delivered with the D.IIIa were later re-engined with the D.IIIaü.
By the summer of 1918, a number of D.VIIs received the "overcompressed" 138 kW (185 hp) BMW IIIa, the first product of the BMW firm. The BMW IIIa followed the SOHC, straight-six configuration of the Mercedes D.III, but incorporated several improvements. Increased displacement, higher compression, and an alititude-adjusting carburetor produced a marked increase in speed and climb rate at high altitude. Because the BMW IIIa was overcompressed, using full throttle at altitudes below 2,000 m (6,700 ft) risked premature detonation in the cylinders and damage to the engine. At low altitudes, full throttle could produce up to 179 kW (240 hp) for a short time. Fokker-built aircraft with the new BMW engine were designated D.VII(F), the suffix "F" standing for Max Friz, the engine's designer. Some Albatros-built aircraft may also have received a separate designation.
BMW-engined aircraft entered service with Jasta 11 in late June 1918. Pilots clamored for the D.VII(F), of which about 750 were built. However, production of the BMW IIIa was very limited and the D.VII continued to be produced with the 134 kW (180 hp) Mercedes D.IIIaü until the end of the war. With the D.IIIaü, the D.VII was a very competitive fighter, but with the BMW IIIa, it was superlative.
D.VIIs flew with different propeller designs from different manufacturers. Despite the differing appearances there is no indication these propellers gave disparate performance. Axial, Wolff, Wotan, and Heine propellers have been noted.

Operational history

Fokker D.VII of Jasta 66

The D.VII entered squadron service with Jasta 10 in early May 1918. The type quickly proved to have many important advantages over the Albatros and Pfalz scouts. Unlike the Albatros scouts, the D.VII could dive without any fear of structural failure. The D.VII was also noted for its ability to climb at high angles of attack, its remarkably docile stall, and its reluctance to spin. It could literally "hang on its prop" without stalling for brief periods of time, spraying enemy aircraft from below with machine gun fire. These handling characteristics contrasted with contemporary scouts such as the Camel and SPAD, which stalled sharply and spun vigorously.
However, the D.VII also had problems. Several aircraft suffered rib failures and fabric shedding on the upper wing. Heat from the engine sometimes ignited phosphorus ammunition until cooling vents were installed in the engine cowling, and fuel tanks sometimes broke at the seams. Aircraft built by the Fokker factory at Schwerin were noted for their lower standard of workmanship and materials. Nevertheless, the D.VII proved to be a remarkably successful design, leading to the familiar aphorism that it could turn a mediocre pilot into a good one, and a good pilot into an ace.
Manfred von Richthofen died only days before the D.VII began to reach the Jagdstaffeln and never flew it in combat. Other pilots, including Erich Löwenhardt and Hermann Göring, quickly racked up victories and generally lauded the design. Aircraft availability was limited at first, but by July there were 407 on charge. Larger numbers became available by August, when D.VIIs achieved 565 victories. The D.VII eventually equipped 46 Jagdstaffeln. When the war ended in November, 775 D.VII aircraft were in service.

Postwar service

Preserved D.VII in Swiss markings

The Allies confiscated large numbers of D.VII aircraft after the Armistice. The United States Army and Navy evaluated 142 captured examples.^[4] Several of these aircraft were reengined with American-built Liberty L-6 motors, very similar in appearance to the D.VII's original German powerplants. France, Great Britain, and Canada also received numbers of war prizes.
Other countries used the D.VII operationally. The Polish deployed approximately 50 aircraft during the Polish-Soviet War, using them mainly for ground attack missions.^[5] The Hungarian Soviet Republic used a number of D.VIIs, both built by MAG and ex-German aircraft in the Hungarian-Romanian War of 1919.^[6]
The Dutch, Swiss and Belgian air forces also operated the D.VII. The aircraft proved so popular that Fokker completed and sold a large number of D.VII airframes that he had smuggled into the Netherlands after the Armistice. As late as 1929, the Alfred Comte company manufactured eight new D.VII airframes under licence for the Swiss Fliegertruppe.

Survivors

Fokker D.VII preserved in the Deutsches Museum

Fokker D.VII displayed at the Royal Air Force Museum

The widespread acquisition of the D.VII by Allied countries after the Armistice ensured the survival and preservation of several aircraft. One war prize was captured in 1918 when it accidentally landed at a small American airstrip near Verdun, France. Donated to the Smithsonian Institution by the War Department in 1920, it is now displayed at the National Air And Space Museum in Washington, D.C.^[7] Two other American war prizes were retained by private owners until sold abroad in 1971 and 1981. They are today displayed at the Canada Aviation Museum, in Ottawa, Ontario, and the Militaire Luchtvaart Museum in Soesterberg, Netherlands, respectively. The latter aircraft is painted in fictitious Royal Netherlands Air Force markings.
A former Marine Luchtvaartdienst D.VII was discovered in a German barn in 1948. This aircraft is now displayed at the Deutsches Museum in Munich, Germany.^[8]
Both Canada and France also acquired numerous D.VII aircraft. A former war prize, one of 22 acquired by Canada, is displayed at the Brome County Historical Society, in the Knowlton neighborhood of Lac-Brome, Quebec. This unrestored Albatros-built example is the only surviving D.VII that retains its original fabric covering. Of the aircraft sent to France, examples are today displayed at the Royal Air Force Museum in Hendon, England,^[9] and the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace in Paris, France.

Replicas

Many modern D.VII replicas have been built. Most flyable examples are powered by Ranger or Gypsy Queen inverted inline engines. These engines must be turned upright to produce the correct thrust line, thus requiring a new oiling system. A few flying replicas are equipped with original Mercedes D.III engines.

Variants

• V 11 : Prototype
• V 21 : Prototype with tapered wings
• V 22 : Prototype with four-bladed propeller
• V 24 : Prototype with 179 kW (240 hp) Benz Bz.IVü engine
• V 31 : One D.VII aircraft fitted with a hook to tow the V 30 glider
• V 34 : D.VII development with 138 kW (185 hp) BMW IIIa engine
• V 35 : Two-seat development with 138 kW (185 hp) BMW IIIa engine and undercarriage fuel tank
• V 36 : D.VII development with 138 kW (185 hp) BMW IIIa engine and undercarriage fuel tank
• V 38 : Prototype Fokker C.I

Operators

Interned Fokker D.VII in Swiss markings

 Argentina

Argentine Naval Aviation (postwar)

 Belgium

9 Squadron (postwar)

 Bulgaria

 Czechoslovakia

(postwar)

 Denmark

(postwar)

 Finland

Finnish Air Force (postwar)

 German Empire

 Hungary

(postwar)

 Netherlands

(postwar)

 Lithuania

(postwar)

 Poland

(postwar)

 Romania

(postwar)

 Soviet Union

(postwar)

 Sweden

(postwar)

 Switzerland

 United States

(postwar)

Specifications

General characteristics

• Crew: One
• Length: 22 ft 9 in (6.93 m)
• Wingspan: 29 ft 3 in (8.93 m)
• Height: 9 ft 2 in (2.80 m)
• Wing area: 217.4 ft² (20.2 m²)
• Empty weight: 1,540 lb (698 kg)
• Loaded weight: 1,874 lb (850 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 1,936 lb (878 kg)
• Powerplant: 1× Mercedes D.IIIa or au or BMW, 170hp/230 depending on engine (134 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 116 mph 170hp Merecedes D.IIIa (early), faster with 180hp DIIIau, 124 mph BMW (185/230hp)
• Service ceiling: 19,600 ft (5,970 m)
• Rate of climb: 787 ft/min (240 m/min)
• Wing loading: 9.64 lb/ft² (47 kg/m²)

Armament

• 2 × 7.92 mm (.312 in) LMG 08/15 "Spandau" machine guns

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