![]() ![]() By the summer, however, the Mercedes-powered D.VII was already having difficulty keeping pace with the latest Allied fighters. Initially, the D.VII was powered by a 160-horsepower Mercedes D.III engine. The Johannisthal-built aircraft carried the designation Fokker D.VII (Alb) and those constructed at Schneidemühl were identified Fokker D.VII (O.A.W.).įokker D.VIIs began to reach front line units in April 1918. Concerned that the Fokker factory would be unable to meet the demand for the new fighter, IdFlieg (Inspektion der fliegertruppen), directed Albatros, (Fokker's great rival) to produce D.VIIs under license. The V.11 was largely the creation of Fokker's chief designer, Reinhold Platz and was completed just before the Adlershof competition began on January 21, 1918, so Fokker had little time to test it beforehand.įokker received a production order for 400 Fokker D.VIIs. The selected one (on 31) was the in-line-engined Fokker V.11, which became the Fokker D.VII as a production airplane. To counter this, the German government invited aircraft manufacturers to submit prototype single-seat fighter designs for evaluation at a competition to be held at Adlershof airfield in Berlin in January 1918. The German Fokker D.VII is for many the best fighter aircraft of the First World War.ĭuring the latter half of 1917, the Allies had regained air superiority over the Western Front with the S.E.5 and the Spad fighters. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |