Halberstadt D.III

Halberstadt · Germany · first flew 1916 · fighter

The Halberstadt D.III was a German single-seat biplane fighter of World War I, part of the Halberstadt D-series that formed an important early element of German fighter aviation in 1916. It was powered by a rotary engine and carried synchronised machine guns.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — WingsMid-mounted, straight
E — Engines1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage7.3 m fuselage
T — TailConventional

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A typical mid-WWI German biplane fighter with a rounded fuselage, rotary engine with circular cowling, and the characteristic unequal-span wings of Halberstadt's D-series.

Specifications

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Halberstadt's D-series fighters were among the first German purpose-built single-seat fighters and entered service in 1916 alongside early Fokker Eindeckers. The D.III was an iterative development of the D.II with minor refinements.

Variants

The D-series progressed from D.I through D.V; the D.III and D.IV were built in limited numbers before the type was superseded by the Albatros D-series.

Where you'll see it

The Halberstadt D.III served with German Jagdstaffeln on the Western Front during 1916, though it was relatively quickly replaced by superior designs.

Related aircraft

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