Kondor E 3
Kondor Flugzeugwerke · Germany · first flew 1918 · fighter
The Kondor E 3 was a German single-seat parasol monoplane fighter designed and built near the end of the First World War. Its official service designation was Kondor D.I.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Wing joined to the fuselage by struts on each side, with a large cut-out in the trailing edge above the cockpit |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Cantilever parasol monoplane wing, thick at the centre and tapering towards blunt tips, with ribs protruding through the veneer covering
- Wing joined to the fuselage by struts on each side, with a large cut-out in the trailing edge above the cockpit
- Rotary engine under a horseshoe cowling (E 3) or a full circular cowling (E 3a); rudder moving in a cut-out between the elevators
A small, thin-winged parasol fighter with a rotary engine, notable for the rib marks visible on the wing surface.
Specifications
- The Kondor E 3 has a length of 5.5 m (18 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9 m (30 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
Kondor designed it after the success of the parasol-wing Fokker D.VIII, beginning in July 1918. It flew in the late summer and was tested at Adlershof in September, then entered the third D-type fighter competition the following month, where one senior pilot reckoned it the best machine present.
Variants
The E 3 had a 145 hp Oberursel Ur.III eleven-cylinder rotary, while the single E 3a prototype had a 200 hp Goebel Goe III rotary and reached about 200 km/h.
Where you'll see it
An order of about 100 was placed, but the Armistice came with only 8 to 10 delivered. A few flew after the war, including an E 3a bought for aerobatic displays by a Swiss buyer.
Related aircraft
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