The Albatros D.I was a German fighter aircraft used during World War I.
Although its operational career was short, it was the first of the Albatros D types which equipped the bulk of the German and Austrian fighter squadrons for the last two years of the war.
The D.I had a semi-monocoque plywood fuselage, consisting of a single-layered outer shell, supported by a minimal internal structure.
This was lighter and stronger than the fabric-skinned box-type fuselage then in common use, as well being easier to give an aerodynamically clean shape.
At the same time its panelled plywood skinning, done with mostly four-sided panels of thin plywood over the entire minimal fuselage structure, was less Labor intensive than a “true” monocoque structure.
The Albatros D.I was powered by either a 110 kW (150 hp) Benz Bz.III or a 120 kW (160 hp) Mercedes D.III six-cylinder water cooled inline engine.
The additional power of the Mercedes (Daimler) engine enabled twin fixed Spandau machine-guns to be fitted without any loss in performance.
The D.I had a relatively high wing loading for its time, and was not particularly manoeuvrable.
This was compensated by its superior speed and firepower and it quickly proved the best all-round fighter available.
Specifications
Crew
1
Length
24 ft 3 in (7.4 m)
Wingspan
27 ft 11 in (8.5 m)
Height
9 ft 8 in (2.95 m)
Wing area
246 sq ft (22.9 m2)
Empty weight
1,426 lb (647 kg)
Gross weight
1,980 lb (898 kg)
Powerplant
1 × Benz Bz.III 6-cyl. Water cooled in-line piston engine, 150 hp (110 kW)
