Albatros D.II
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The Albatros D.II was a German fighter airplane used during World War I.
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[edit] Design and development
It was the successor to the Albatros D.I, designed by Thelen, Schubert and Gnädig to improve the pilot's view in the D.I. The solution used in the D.II was to lower (by 14 inches) and slightly stagger the upper wing of the D.I. An initial batch of 100 aircraft was ordered in August 1916. The standard D.II used a 160 hp Mercedes D.III six-cylinder inline engine and was armed with two synchronized LMG 08/15 machine guns mounted on the cowling. Later examples replaced the Windhoff "ear" radiators with a Teeves and Braun radiator in the center section of the upper wing.
The D.II was also produced under license by LVG (Luft-Verkehrs-Geselleschaft) and Oeffag (Oesterreichische-Gesellschaft), the latter for the Austro-Hungarian Air Service (Luftfahrtruppen). The Oeffag machines used a 185 hp Austro-Daimler engine.
[edit] Operational history
D.IIs formed part of the initial equipment of Jagdstaffel 2 (Jasta 2), the first specialized fighter squadron in the German air service (such squadrons had existed in French and British service since 1915). Famous pilots included Oswald Boelcke and Manfred von Richthofen. The new Jagdstaffels (or "Jastas") quickly won back air superiority for the Germans, as the Albatros outflew all contemporary allied types.
Peak strength of type was 214 machines in service in January 1917.
The design was superseded by the Albatros D.III.
[edit] Operators
Germany: Luftstreitkräfte
Austria-Hungary: Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Aviation Troops
Poland: Polish Air Force (post-war)
[edit] Specifications
[edit] General characteristics
- Crew: one
- Length: 24 ft 3.3 in (7.40 m)
- Wingspan: 27 ft 10.66 in (8.50 m)
- Height: 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m)
- Wing area: 263.72 ft² (24.50 m²)
- Empty: 1,404 lb (637 kg)
- Loaded: 1,958 lb (888 kg)
- Maximum takeoff: lb ( kg)
- Powerplant: 1x 160 hp Mercedes D.III or 185 hp Austro-Daimler six cylinder water-cooled inline engine
[edit] Performance
- Maximum speed: 109 mph ( 175 km/h)
- Endurance: 1.5 hours
- Service ceiling: 16.990 ft (5.180 m)
- Time to climb: 5.5 min to 3,280 ft (1000 m)
[edit] Armament
- 2x forward-firing 7.92 mm LMG 08/15 machine guns
[edit] Related content
Related development:
Comparable aircraft: Albatros D.I - Nieuport 11
Designation sequence: D.I - D.II - D.III - D.IV - D.V - D.VI - D.VII - Dr.I - D.VIII - D.IX - D.X - Dr.II - D.XI - D.XII -
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