Everything about Albatros D Ii totally explained
The
Albatros D.II was a
German fighter aircraft used during the
First World War. After a successful combat career, it was succeeded by the
Albatros D.III.
Design and development
Albatros designers Thelen, Schubert and Gnädig produced the D.II in response to pilot complaints about poor upward vision in the
Albatros D.I. The solution was to reposition the upper wing 14 in (36 cm) closer to the
fuselage and stagger it forward slightly. Rearrangement of the cabane struts also improved forward view. The D.II otherwise retained the same fuselage, engine installation, and armament as the D.I. Basic performance was unchanged.
Idflieg ordered an initial batch of 100 D.II aircraft in August 1916.
In November 1916,
Idflieg banned Windhoff "ear"
radiators in operational aircraft. This was due to the fact that the WIndhoff radiators were at a lower level than the crankcase of the engine they were cooling, and a shot into either radiator would likely drain the cooling system of coolant-resulting in engine failure. Late production D.IIs switched to using a Teves und Braun "airfoil shape" radiator (the Teves company still exists in the 21st century) in the center section of the upper wing.
Operational history
D.IIs formed part of the initial equipment of
Jagdstaffel 2 (
Jasta 2), the first specialized fighter squadron in the German air service. Famous pilots included
Oswald Boelcke and
Manfred von Richthofen. With its high speed and heavy armament, the D.II won back
air superiority from Allied fighter types such as the
Airco DH.2 and
Nieuport 11.
Albatros built 200 D.II aircraft. LVG (Luft-Verkehrs-Geselleschaft) produced another 75 under license. Service numbers peaked in January 1917, when 214 machines were in service. The D.II operated well into 1917. As of 30 June 1917, 72 aircraft were in the frontline inventory.
Oeffag (Oesterreichische Flugzeugfabrik AG) also built the D.II under license for the
Luftfahrtruppen. The Austrian machines used a 185 hp Austro-Daimler engine. Oeffag produced only 16 examples before production shifted to the
Albatros D.III.
Operators
Specifications (D.II)
Further Information
Get more info on 'Albatros D Ii'.
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