Hansa-Brandenburg D.I
Phönix · Austria-Hungary · first flew 1916 · fighter
The Hansa-Brandenburg D.I was an Austro-Hungarian single-seat biplane fighter designed by Ernst Heinkel and built under licence by Phönix and UFAG, notable for its distinctive star-shaped interplane strut arrangement. Though structurally innovative, the design was tricky to fly and was superseded relatively quickly.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 6.32 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Biplane fighter with unusual Warren-truss interplane struts forming a star pattern
- Single machine gun firing through the propeller arc
- Compact single-bay wings with pronounced stagger
The most distinctive feature is the unusual star-shaped Warren-truss interplane bracing, replacing conventional parallel struts and giving the aircraft a spider-web silhouette between the wings.
Specifications
- The Hansa-Brandenburg D.I has a length of 6.32 m (21 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.5 m (28 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 187 km/h (116 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Designed in 1916 for the Austro-Hungarian k.u.k. Luftfahrtruppen, the D.I entered service that year but earned a poor reputation among pilots due to its handling vices. Phönix and UFAG produced improved variants that addressed some of these problems. The type saw action on the Italian and Eastern Fronts.
Variants
Phönix developed the improved Phönix D.I, D.II, and D.III fighters directly from the Brandenburg lineage, correcting the original's handling problems and achieving considerable success.
Where you'll see it
Served exclusively with the Austro-Hungarian air arm during the First World War; no examples are known to survive.
Related aircraft
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