Albatros D.XI
Albatros Flugzeugwerke · Germany · first flew 1918 · fighter
The Albatros D.XI was a late-war German single-seat fighter biplane powered by the unusual Siemens-Halske Sh.III counter-rotating geared rotary engine, developed as an alternative to the successful Fokker D.VII. It did not progress beyond prototype evaluation.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 5.58 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
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Spot it by:
- Late-war German single-seat fighter biplane
- Siemens-Halske geared rotary engine
- Compact sesquiplane with small lower wing
A compact biplane sesquiplane with a noticeably small lower wing, rotary-engine cowling, and the plywood-monocoque fuselage typical of late Albatros fighter designs.
Specifications
- The Albatros D.XI has a length of 5.58 m (18 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8 m (26 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 190 km/h (118 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed in 1918 as Albatros sought to regain competitiveness with its D-series fighters, the D.XI used the high-power Siemens-Halske engine in a compact airframe. While the engine offered impressive power, its torque characteristics and the late stage of the war meant the D.XI never reached production. Evaluation revealed performance broadly similar to existing types.
Variants
Only prototype examples were built; no production variants were completed before the armistice.
Where you'll see it
Did not enter operational service; evaluated by the German Luftstreitkräfte in 1918 but overtaken by events.
Related aircraft
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