Fokker E.II

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E.II
The first production Fokker E.II
Type	Fighter
Manufacturer	Fokker
Designed by	Anthony Fokker
Maiden flight	13 June 1915
Primary user	Imperial German Army Air Service
Produced	1915
Number built	49
Variants	Fokker E.I, Fokker E.III

The Fokker E.II was the second variant of the German Fokker Eindecker single-seat monoplane fighter aircraft of the First World War. The E.II was essentially a Fokker E.I with the 100-hp Oberursel U.I 9-cylinder rotary engine in place of the E.I's 80-hp Oberursel U.0, but whereas the E.I was simply a M.5K with a machine gun bolted to it, the E.II was designed with the weapon system integrated with its airframe.

On 13 June 1915, Anthony Fokker demonstrated the first E.II to an audience of German commanders, including Crown Prince Wilhelm of Germany, at a German Fifth Army airfield. On 23 and 24 June he demonstrated the aircraft at Douai to the German Sixth Army. It was during these demonstrations, before any kills had been achieved in the Eindecker type, that Fokker himself attempted to engage an enemy aircraft but he was unable to find a target.

The major difference between the types was a reduced wingspan on the E.II, intended to increase speed, but handling and climbing performance suffered. The type was therefore quickly superseded by the E.III. The E.II also had a larger fuel capacity, 145 lb (66 kg) to the E.Is 110 lb (50 kg). The pilot was provided with a head support to help him resist the airstream when he had to raise his head to use the gun sights.

The E.II was built in parallel with the E.I and the choice of whether an airframe became an E.I or E.II depended on the availability of engines. In total, Fokker production figures state that 49 E.IIs were built and 45 of these had been delivered to the Western Front Fliegertruppe by December 1915 at which time production switched to the main Eindecker variant, the Fokker E.III, which used the same 100-hp Oberursel U.I engine. Some E.IIs under production were completed as E.IIIs and numerous E.IIs returned to Fokker's factory for repair were upgraded to E.III specification.

[edit] Specifications (E.II)

General characteristics

• Crew: one, pilot
• Length: 7.2 m (23 ft 7 in)
• Wingspan: 9.7 m (31 ft 10 in)
• Height: 2.8 m (9 ft 5½ in)
• Wing area: 16 m² (172.2 ft²)
• Empty weight: 340 kg (745 lb)
• Loaded weight: 500 kg (1,098 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× Oberursel U.I 9-cylinder air-cooled radial engine, 100 hp (74.5 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 87 km/h (54 mph)

Armament

• 1x forward-firing Maschinengewehr 08 machine gun

[edit] Related content

Related development

Fokker E.I - Fokker E.III

Designation sequence

E.I - E.II - E.III - E.IV - E.V

Related lists

List of military aircraft of Germany

See also