Fokker D.III
Fokker · Germany · first flew 1916 · fighter
The Fokker D.III was a single-seat German biplane fighter of 1916 powered by a twin-row Oberursel rotary engine, one of the few Fokker fighters to use rotary rather than inline power during that period.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 6.3 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- WWI German single-seat biplane fighter with rotary engine
- Oberursel U.III twin-row rotary — wider, more circular nose than inline-engined types
- Equal-span wings with single interplane struts each side
Very similar to the D.IV externally but with a rounder, blunter nose cowl characteristic of rotary-engined aircraft; the absence of an exhaust stack ahead of the cockpit helps distinguish it from the inline-powered D.IV.
Specifications
- The Fokker D.III has a length of 6.3 m (21 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.05 m (30 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 160 km/h (99 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The D.III entered service with the German Air Service in 1916 alongside inline-powered contemporaries. The twin-row rotary engine proved troublesome and the type did not match the performance of the Albatros D-series, limiting its operational career. Production numbers were small and it served mainly in secondary theatres.
Variants
No major variants; the D.III was a parallel development to the inline-engined D.I and D.II.
Where you'll see it
Served in limited numbers with German Jagdstaffeln in 1916, primarily on secondary fronts.
Related aircraft
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