Time Period: World War I
Country of Origin: Germany
Type: Triplane, Fighter Aircraft
Manufacturer: Fokker
Fokker Dr.I Aircraft Overview
The Fokker Dr.I was a World War I fighter aircraft designed by Reinhold Platz for the German manufacturer Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. It gained fame as the aircraft in which the legendary German fighter ace Manfred von Richthofen, widely known as the “Red Baron 🔗,” achieved many of his victories.
The Fokker Dr.I was a triplane, featuring three wings stacked vertically. It had a distinctive appearance with its narrow fuselage and triple wings, and it was known for its agility and maneuverability. The aircraft’s construction involved a wooden frame and fabric covering.
The Fokker Dr.I entered service in 1917 and quickly became associated with the elite German fighter squadrons. Despite its relatively short operational history, the Fokker Dr.I left a lasting impact on aviation history due to its association with some of the top aces of the war, including Manfred von Richthofen.
The Fokker Dr.I During World War I
Introduced in 1917, the Dr.I was renowned for its distinctive three-wing design, which gave it exceptional maneuverability and a tight turning radius, crucial advantages in dogfights. Despite its relatively slow speed compared to other contemporary fighters, the Dr.I’s agility made it a feared opponent in the hands of skilled pilots.
Its design, inspired by the British Sopwith Triplane, featured a rotary engine and twin Spandau machine guns, making it a formidable dogfighter. However, the Dr.I was not without flaws; it was prone to structural failures due to weaknesses in the wings, which led to several fatal crashes.
It’s important to note that while the Fokker Dr.I was a notable and iconic aircraft, it wasn’t the most numerous or the most successful German fighter of World War I. Despite its operational challenges, though, the Fokker Dr.I remains one of the most recognizable aircraft of the Great War, symbolizing the daring and deadly aerial combat of the era.
Fokker Dr.I Specifications
- Crew: 1 pilot
- Length: 5.77 meters (18 feet 11 inches)
- Upper Wingspan: 7.19 meters (23 feet 7 inches)
- Height: 2.95 meters (9 feet 8 inches)
- Wing Area: 18.7 square meters (201 square feet)
- Aspect Ratio: 4.04
- Empty Weight: 406 kilograms (895 pounds)
- Gross Weight: 586 kilograms (1,291 pounds)
- Engine: 1 × Oberursel Ur.II, a 9-cylinder air-cooled rotary piston engine producing 82 kW (110 hp)
- Propeller: 2-bladed fixed-pitch wooden propeller
Fokker Dr.I Performance
- Maximum Speed: 180 km/h (110 mph, 97 knots) at 2,600 meters
- Stall Speed: 72 km/h (45 mph, 39 knots)
- Range: 300 km (190 miles, 160 nautical miles)
- Service Ceiling: 6,100 meters (20,000 feet)
- Climb Rate: 5.7 m/s (1,120 feet per minute)
- Lift-to-Drag Ratio: 8:1
- Wing Loading: 31.0 kg/m² (6.3 lb/ft²)
- Zero-Lift Drag Coefficient: 0.0323
- Frontal Area at Zero-Lift Drag Coefficient: 0.62 m² (6.7 sq ft)
Fokker Dr.I Armament
- Guns: 2 × 7.92 mm (0.312 in) Maschinengewehr 08 “Spandau” machine guns
