Albatros D.II
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The Albatros D.II was a German fighter airplane used during World War I. It was the successor to the Albatros D.I, designed by Thelen, Schubert and Gnädig in an attempt to rectify the D.I's poor visibility. 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 provided with two synchronized LMG 08/15 machine guns mounted ahead of the pilot on the airplane's 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 empire. The Oeffag machines used a 185 hp Austro-Daimler engine.
The D.II was inaugurated in 1916 by Jagdstaffel 2 (Jasta 2), the world's first specialized fighter squadron. Famous pilots included Oswald Boelcke and Manfred von Richthoven.
Peak strength of type was 214 machines in service in January 1917.
The design was superseded by the Albatros D.III.
Specifications
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
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)
Armament
- 2x forward-firing 7.92 mm LMG 08/15 machine gun
Operators
- Austria-Hungary, Germany
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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