Fokker D.VII

Fokker D.VII
Land	Tyskland
Rolle	Fighter
Første flytur	Januar 1918
Bygget	3300

Den Fokker D.VII var et tysk jagerfly fra første verdenskrig designet av Reinhold Platz i Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. Tyskland produserte rundt 3300 D.VII-fly i andre halvdel av 1918. I tjeneste med Luftstreitkräfte viste D.VII seg raskt å være et formidabelt fly. Våpenhvilen som avsluttet krigen krevde spesielt at Tyskland overga alle D.VIIer til de allierte. Overlevende fly så mye service med mange land i årene etter første verdenskrig.

Kilde: Fokker D.VII på Wikipedia

Fokker D.VII Walk Around
Fotograf	Vladimir Yakubov
Lokalisering	Nasjonalmuseet i USAF
Bilder	53

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German WWI Fokker D VII Walk Around
Fotograf	Bill Maloney
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Fokker D.VII

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The Masterpiece of Reinhold Platz

Den Fokker D.VII is widely considered the finest fighter aircraft produced during World War I. Entering service in April 1918, it arrived just in time to restore German air superiority. It was so formidable that the Allied powers included a specific clause in the Armistice agreement (Article IV) demanding that Germany surrender every single D.VII in its inventory. It was noted for being exceptionally easy to fly, famously described as being able to “turn a mediocre pilot into a good one, and a good pilot into an ace.”

Attribute	Technical Specification (BMW Engine Variant)
Rolle	Fighter / Interceptor
Mannskapet	1 (Pilot)
First Flight	Januar 1918
Kraftverk	1 × BMW IIIa 6-cylinder water-cooled inline
Horsepower	185 hp (High-altitude optimized)
Maximum Speed	124 mph (200 km/h)
Service Ceiling	21,000 feet (6,400 m)
Bevæpning	2 × 7.92mm Spandau LMG 08/15 machine guns

Revolutionary Engineering

Cantilever Wing Design: Unlike contemporary biplanes that relied on a complex web of external bracing wires, the D.VII used thick “cantilever” wings. This reduced aerodynamic drag significantly and made the wings incredibly strong, allowing the plane to dive at speeds that would have ripped the wings off other aircraft.
Welded Steel Tube Fuselage: While most aircraft of the era used wooden frames, Anthony Fokker utilized a frame of welded steel tubing. This made the aircraft more durable in combat and better at protecting the pilot during crash landings.
The “Propeller Hang”: The D.VII had a unique ability to “hang on its prop”—essentially flying at a nose-high angle in a near-stalled condition while remaining fully controllable. This allowed pilots to fire upward into the unprotected bellies of Allied aircraft.
BMW IIIa Engine: The later “F” variants were equipped with the high-compression BMW engine. This motor was designed to maintain power as the air thinned at high altitudes, giving the D.VII a massive advantage over Allied fighters like the Sopwith Camel.

A Legacy Smuggled into History

The Great Smuggle: After the war, Anthony Fokker successfully smuggled several trains full of D.VII components and engines across the border into his native Netherlands, defying the Armistice terms and allowing his company to continue production post-war.
Global Service: Because it was so advanced, the D.VII served for years after the war in the air forces of Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and even the United States, where captured examples were used for research.
The Red Baron’s Input: Manfred von Richthofen personally flew the prototype (the V.11) during the January 1918 fighter competition. His enthusiastic recommendation was a key reason the aircraft was rushed into mass production.
Preservation: Only about seven original D.VIIs survive today. One of the most famous is displayed at the Nasjonalt luft- og rommuseum in Washington, D.C., still wearing its original “lozenge” camouflage fabric.