Britain - 1917 Mann Egerton Type H

Rather early on in the Great War Britain recognized the need for ship-borne fighters to add to the flexibility of naval aviation. Several attempts were tried with none of the candidates performing particularly well in the role which they were intended.

Mann Egerton Type H - 1917

The Mann Egerton Type H, also known as the Mann Egerton H.2, was an unsuccessful British ship-borne fighter aircraft designed in 1916.

The Type H was the first original design by Mann Egerton, and was designed by J W Carr according to Air Ministry specification N.1a in 1916. Its biplane wings could be folded manually (a feature first introduced in 1913 on the Short Folder), due to its intended use as a naval fighter. Other features of the design were the use of flotation chambers and a float attached to the underside of the fuselage for extra buoyancy. An innovation was that the undercarriage could be jettisoned if the aircraft needed to land on water. However, in autumn 1917, the aircraft failed flotation tests, and a new aircraft prototype, the Type H Mk II was developed.

This aircraft had inflatable flotation bags in place of the large float on the Mk I, a more conventional undercarriage and a horn-balanced rudder. This aircraft was tested in December 1917, however it was determined as unfit for production in the Fleet Air Arm and further development was discontinued.

References

1. "Mann Egerton Type H". (2008, August 25). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 23:45, August 5, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mann_Egerton_Type_H&oldid=234206123
2. Green, William; Gordon Swanborough. "The Complete Book of Fighters". Godalming, UK: Salamander Books.

Germany - 1917 Fokker D.VI

Early Fokker Aircraft part 5

It was early in 1917 when the next design from Fokker was released. It was the Fokker D.V which I have already written about in another article. The plane had marginal success and was soon supplanted by the Fokker D.VI. It was close to the time when the nimble iconic Fokker Dr.I triplane would explode onto the scene creating legends and making the skies a much more dangerous place to fly.

Fokker D.VI - 1917

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 stretched Dr.1 fuselage. Only a hand full were built and entered service.

Fokker Flugzeug-Werke had finally hit their stride and continued produced some of the most successful fighter aircraft during the remainder of the war. Even though there were issues concerning safety and poor craftsmanship, their designs proved that light weight aircraft with tubular steel construction was a better method of building a cost effective agile fighter. The days of heavy plywood construction were numbered.

References

1. "Fokker D.VI", From Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fokker_D.VI
2. Gray, Peter and Owen Thetford. "German Aircraft of the First World War". London: Putnam, 1962. ISBN 0-93385-271-1
3. Taylor, Michael J. H. "Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation". London: Crescent Books, 1993. ISBN 0-51710-316-8.
4. Weyl, A.R. "Fokker: The Creative Years". London: Putnam, 1965. ISBN 0-85177-817-8.

Germany - 1916 Fokker D.IV

Early Fokker Aircraft part 4

The attempts to create a effective fighter continued The next development returned to the basic structure of the Fokker D.I.fitted with a more powerful engine, an increase in the space between the upper wing and fuselage, and a new set of wing bracing. The D.IV ws the first Fokker aircraft to use an N shaped wing strut. The had a short service life due to more effective aircraft coming n line.

Fokker D.IV - 1916

The Fokker D.IV was a German fighter biplane of World War I, this was the last variant in the development of the D.I. In the quest for improved performance it was fitted with the more powerful Mercedes D.III inline six-cylinder water-cooled engine, generating 160 hp (120 kW). The aircraft was fitted with twin fixed, forward-firing synchronised 0.312 in (7.92 mm) LMG 08/15 "Spandau" machine guns. The upper wing was raised and the wing struts were strengthed by bracings configured in an N-pattern.

The aircraft was purchased in small numbers (40) by the German Army and the Swedes bought 4. The D.IV production life did not last long. It was soon superceded by newer and better designs. This type was soon overshadowed in 1917 by the higher performance D.VI and the iconic Fokker Dr.I triplane.

References

1. "Fokker D.IV," From Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fokker_D.IV
2. Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). "Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation". London: Studio Editions. pp. 399.
3. "World Aircraft Information Files". London: Bright Star Publishing. pp. File 894 Sheet 40-41.
4. Green, William; Gordon Swanborough (1994). "The Complete Book of Fighters. London": Greenwich Editions. pp. 221.
5. Lamberton, W. M. (1960). "Fighter Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War". Letchworth,Herts: Harleyford Publications Limited. pp. 218.

Germany - 1916 Fokker D.III

Early Fokker Aircraft part 3

Once again Fokker-Flugzeugwerke's designer Martin Kreutzer had to go back to the drawing board. His next attempt was designated as the M.19. The design retained the basic shape of the M.17-D.II. The main differences were the installation of a more powerful engine, and horn-balanced ailerons on late production aircraft. The M.19 was shorter in length, but heaver that the M.17. The landing gear and cabane struts were reworked, however the height of the aircraft remained the same.

The Fokker D.III (M.19)

Fokker D.III - 1916

The Fokker D.III (Fokker designation M.19) was a German single-seat fighter aircraft of World War I.

The M.19 began as an effort to improve the performance of the Fokker D.II (Fokker designation M.17). The M.19 featured the Oberursel U.III 14-cylinder, two-row rotary engine, combined with the two-bay wing cellule of the Fokker D.I. The U.III engine, first used in the Fokker E.IV, required a revised fore-and-aft mount and a strengthened fuselage. The prototype M.19 arrived at Adlershof for testing on 20 July 1916. Idflieg issued a production order for 50 aircraft at that time, followed by orders for an additional 60 aircraft in August and 100 in November. The new aircraft was designated D.III by Idflieg.

The first seven production aircraft were delivered on 1 September 1916. On that date, two D.III aircraft were ferried from Armee Flug Park 1 to Jagdstaffel 2 at Bertincourt. Oswald Boelcke received serial 352/16 and obtained seven victories in it between 2 September and 15 September.

While the D.III offered better performance than the D.I and D.II, Boelcke nevertheless found the D.III to be too slow. The D.III was plagued by its U.III engine, which wore out quickly and was difficult to manufacture. Low compression resulted in poor performance at altitude and cooling of the rear row of cylinders proved problematic. Moreover, the D.III offered indifferent maneuverability. On Boelcke's recommendation, the D.III was withdrawn from heavily contested sectors of the Western Front, but it continued to serve in quieter sectors.

In early October 1916, evaluation of Fokker's M.21 prototype at Adlershof revealed poor construction and workmanship. In response, Idflieg directed that a production D.III be tested for quality control purposes. In November 1916, serial 369/16 was disassembled and tested to destruction at Adlershof. While the wings proved acceptable, the fuselage and tail surfaces failed to meet specifications. Idflieg reprimanded Fokker for his firm's substandard construction practices, but permitted D.III production to continue. The Kogenluft, however, forbade the use of Fokker aircraft for frontline duties.

Fokker built 210 D.III aircraft at its Schwerin factory before production ceased in the spring of 1917. Late production aircraft replaced the wing-warping system with horn-balanced ailerons on the upper wing. Though unsuitable for front line service, the D.III continued to serve in home defense units until late 1917. In October 1917, Germany supplied 10 D.IIIs to the Netherlands. These aircraft remained in service with the Luchtvaartafdeling until 1921.

Boelcke's D.III, serial 352/16, survived the war to be displayed at the Zeughaus museum in Berlin. The aircraft was destroyed by an Allied bombing raid in 1943.

References

1. "Fokker D.III", From Wikipedia "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fokker_D.III"
2. Gray, Peter and Owen Thetford. "German Aircraft of the First World War". London: Putnam, 1962, ISBN 0-93385-271-1
3. Green, William and Gordon Swanborough. "The Complete Book of Fighters". New York: Smithmark, 1994, ISBN 0-8317-3939-8.
4. Lamberton, W.M., and E.F. Cheesman. "Fighter Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War". Letchworth: Harleyford, 1960. ISBN 0-90043-501-1.
5. Leaman, Paul. "Fokker Dr.I Triplane: A World War One Legend". Hersham, Surrey, UK: Classic Publications, 2003. ISBN 1-90322-328-8.
6. Van Wyngarden, Greg. "Early German Aces of World War I" (Aircraft of the Aces No. 73). Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2006. ISBN 1-84176-997-5.
7. Van Wyngarden, Greg. "Jagdstaffel 2 Boelcke: Von Richthofen's Mentor" (Aviation Elite Units No. 26). Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2007. ISBN 1-84603-203-2.
8. Weyl, A.R. "Fokker: The Creative Years". London: Putnam, 1965. ISBN 0-85177-817-8.

Germany - 1916 Fokker D.II

Early Fokker Biplanes 1916 part 2

Martin Kreutzer one of the chief designers at Fokker-Flugzeugwerke created several different aircraft types during 1916. The Fokker (M.18) D.I - B.III project did not result in a viable light scout. The other attempt was the (M.17) B.II - D.II type aircraft. This design used a rotary engine similar to the one used in the D.III, D.V, D.VI, and Fokker Dr.I triplane. It provided a lighter power plant which was hoped to give the aircraft a better weight to power ratio. The new problem plaguing the design was the 100 hp (75 kW) Oberursel U.I did not provide the power needed or the reliability for extended duty in the field.

The Fokker B.II

Fokker B.II - 1916

The Fokker B.II designation was shared by two different unarmed German observation aircraft of World War I. One was developed from the same M.17 prototype that had been developed into the Fokker D.II fighter, and the other from the M.10. Both machines had a crew of two and resembled the B.I.

The Fokker D.II

Fokker D.II - 1916

The Fokker D.II was a German fighter biplane of World War I. It was a single seat fighter aircraft developed before the Fokker D.I. It was based on the M.17 prototype, with single-bay unstaggered wings and a larger fuselage and shorter span than production D.IIs. Using a 100 hp (75 kW) Oberursel U.I, the D.II was underpowered, though the single 0.312 in (7.92 mm) LMG 08/15 machine gun was normal for 1916. The German Army purchased 177.

In service, the D.II proved to be little better than the earlier Fokker Eindecker fighters - in particular, it was outclassed by the superior French Nieuport 11 and 17. Several Fokker D.IIs were used by the Kampfeinsitzerkommandos and the early Jagdstaffeln alongside the Halberstadt D.II but the early Fokker biplanes were quickly discarded when the new Albatros fighters came out.

References

1. "Fokker B.II", From Wikipedia "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fokker_B.II_(1916)"
2. "Albatros D.II", From Wikipedia "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fokker_D.II"
3. Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). "Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation". London: Studio Editions. pp. 399.
4. "World Aircraft Information Files". London: Bright Star Publishing. pp. File 894 Sheet 40.