Siemens-Schuckert D.VI

Siemens-Schuckert · German Empire · first flew 1919 · fighter

The Siemens-Schuckert D.VI was a single-seat fighter biplane developed at the very end of World War I, first flying after the Armistice in 1919. It represented the final evolution of the SSW fighter line.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, straight
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	6.5 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Single-engine post-WWI German biplane fighter
Siemens-Halske rotary-derived engine
Very late wartime/immediate postwar design

Compact single-bay biplane with a rounded fuselage and distinctive Siemens-Halske engine cowling. Smaller and more refined than earlier SSW fighters.

Specifications

The Siemens-Schuckert D.VI has a length of 6.5 m (21 ft).
It has a wingspan of 9.37 m (31 ft).
Its maximum speed is 220 km/h (137 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

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

History

Siemens-Schuckert developed a series of high-performance fighters powered by Siemens-Halske counter-rotary engines during the later stages of WWI. The D.VI was the last in this lineage, completing its first flight just after hostilities ended. The Treaty of Versailles effectively ended German military aviation development.

Variants

The D.VI was the terminal model of the SSW D-series that included the D.I through D.V; no production variants were built as Germany was prohibited from building military aircraft.

Where you'll see it

Did not enter operational service due to the end of WWI. It remained a prototype and historical curiosity illustrating the advanced state of German fighter development in 1918-1919.

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