The Albatros Dr.II, a single-seat fighter triplane, was a German prototype that took flight in the spring of 1918.
It bore striking similarities to the D.X biplane, utilising the powerful 145 kW (195 hp) Benz Bz.III bo engine and twin 7.92 mm (.312 in) machine guns, among other features.
With its three pairs of wings, the Albatros Dr.II boasted a distinct staggered arrangement, supported by wide I-struts and featuring parallel chords.
Each of the three pairs of wings was equipped with ailerons, which were cleverly interconnected through hinged struts.
Specifications
Dr.II
Crew
1 Length
6.18 m (20 ft 3 in) Wingspan
10m (32 ft 10 in) Height
3.34 m (10 ft 11 in) Wing area
26.6 m2 (286 sq ft) Empty weight
676 kg (1,490 lb) Gross weight
915 kg (2,017 lb) Powerplant
1 × Benz Bz.IIIbo V-8,
Water-cooled piston engine,
145 kW (194 hp) Propellers
2-bladed fixed-pitch propeller Performance
Wing loading
25.4 kg/m2 (5.2 lb/sq ft) Power/mass
0.16 kW/kg (0.097 hp/lb)
Sources German & Austro-Hungarian aircraft manufacturers 1908–1918-T C Treadwell. German Aircraft of the First World War-Peter Gray & Owen Thetford. Flugzeug Publications, Die Deutsche Luftwaffe 1914 – Heute.
