Dr.I Triplane
Fokker · Germany · first flew 1917 · fighter
The Fokker Dr.I triplane is forever linked with Manfred von Richthofen, the Red Baron, who scored his final victories and died in one.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Very short span and stumpy fuselage give it a boxy, compact look |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Triplane, the only stack of three wings most people will ever see
- Very short span and stumpy fuselage give it a boxy, compact look
- Curved comma-shaped rudder with no fixed fin, a Fokker trademark
Three stacked wings make identification trivial: it is the only famous triplane. Note the tiny overall size, the axle fairing between the wheels that acts as a fourth lifting surface, and the rounded rudder with no fixed fin. The deep cowling encloses a rotary engine.
Specifications
- The Dr.I Triplane has a length of 5.77 m (19 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 7.19 m (24 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 185 km/h (115 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Inspired by the success of the Sopwith Triplane, Fokker's Dr.I first flew in mid-1917 and reached front-line Jastas that autumn. Its three wings gave a phenomenal rate of turn and climb, though it was slow and early wing-structure failures grounded the fleet. Only 320 were built before production ended in May 1918.
Variants
The Dr.I remained essentially a single production model, developed from the V.4 prototype, with steel-tube fuselage and cantilever wooden wings needing minimal bracing. Richthofen's all-red machines are the most famous individual examples.
Where you'll see it
No original Dr.I survives anywhere; the last authentic airframe was destroyed in Berlin during WWII. British enthusiasts know it through flying replicas that appear at UK airshows and the full-scale reproduction displayed at the RAF Museum. Replica Dr.Is remain airshow favourites worldwide thanks to the Red Baron legend.
Related aircraft
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