Time Period: World War I
Country of Origin: Germany
Type: Biplane, Fighter Aircraft
Manufacturer: Fokker Flugzeugwerke
Fokker D.VII Aircraft Overview
Designed by Reinhold Platz 🔗 of Fokker and based on earlier Fokker prototypes, the Fokker D.VII was a single-seat biplane with a simple yet robust design that emphasized ease of control and superior aerodynamics. It featured a cantilever wing design with minimal bracing, which reduced drag and improved stability. Powered initially by the Mercedes D.III engine, and later by the higher-performance BMW IIIa engine, the D.VII could reach speeds of up to 200 km/h (125 mph) and had excellent climbing ability.
One of the aircraft’s most notable features was its forgiving flight characteristics; it was stable and easy to fly, even for inexperienced pilots, and it could be flown aggressively without the risk of stalling or losing control. This made it particularly dangerous in dogfights, as it could perform tight turns and maintain energy better than many of its contemporaries.
Operational History
The Fokker D.VII entered service with the Luftstreitkräfte (German Air Force) in mid-1918 and was immediately successful, quickly becoming the preferred fighter of many German aces, including Ernst Udet 🔗 and Hermann Göring 🔗. Its excellent maneuverability, combined with a heavy armament of twin 7.92 mm Spandau LMG 08/15 machine guns, made it highly effective in combat.
Pilots praised, in particular, its performance at high altitudes and its ability to remain competitive against Allied aircraft such as the SPAD XIII and Sopwith Camel.
Impact and Legacy
The D.VII’s superiority was so pronounced that it was specifically singled out in the Treaty of Versailles 🔗, which required Germany to surrender all remaining D.VIIs to the Allies. Over 3,300 units were produced, and many were used post-war by various air forces, including those of the United States, France, and Poland.
The Fokker D.VII is often credited with setting a new standard for fighter aircraft design, influencing subsequent aircraft in the interwar period. Its combination of innovative engineering, strong combat performance, and ease of operation solidified its status as one of the most iconic and historically significant aircraft of World War I.
Fokker D.VII Specifications
- Crew: 1 pilot
- Length: 6.954 meters (22 feet 10 inches)
- Wingspan: 8.9 meters (29 feet 2 inches)
- Height: 2.75 meters (9 feet 0 inches)
- Wing Area: 20.5 square meters (221 square feet)
- Empty Weight: 670 kg (1,477 pounds)
- Gross Weight: 906 kg (1,997 pounds)
- Engine Options:
- 1 × Mercedes D.III, a 6-cylinder water-cooled inline piston engine producing 120 kW (160 hp)
- 1 × Mercedes D.IIIa, 6-cylinder water-cooled inline piston engine with 130 kW (170 hp)
- 1 × BMW IIIa, 6-cylinder water-cooled inline piston engine with 138 kW (185 hp), capable of 175 kW (235 hp) on 85 octane fuel at low level in emergency conditions (risk of engine damage)
- Propeller: 2-bladed fixed-pitch propeller
Fokker D.VII Armament
- Guns: 2 × 7.92 mm (0.312 inch) LMG 08/15 “Spandau” machine guns
Fokker D.VII Performance
- Maximum Speed:
- 189 km/h (117 mph, 102 knots)
- 200 km/h (120 mph, 110 knots) with the BMW IIIa engine
- Range: 266 km (165 miles, 144 nautical miles)
- Service Ceiling: 6,000 meters (20,000 feet)
- Rate of Climb:
- 3.92 m/s (772 feet per minute)
- 9.52 m/s (1,874 feet per minute) with BMW IIIa engine
- Climb Time to Altitude:
- 1,000 m (3,300 feet) in 4 minutes 15 seconds (1 minute 40 seconds with BMW IIIa)
- 2,000 m (6,600 feet) in 8 minutes 18 seconds (4 minutes 5 seconds with BMW IIIa)
- 3,000 m (9,800 feet) in 13 minutes 49 seconds (7 minutes with BMW IIIa)
- 4,000 m (13,000 feet) in 22 minutes 48 seconds (10 minutes 15 seconds with BMW IIIa)
- 5,000 m (16,000 feet) in 38 minutes 5 seconds (14 minutes with BMW IIIa)
- 6,000 m (20,000 feet) in 18 minutes 45 seconds with BMW IIIa
- Wing Loading: 43.0 kg/m² (8.8 lb/ft²)
