Hansa-Brandenburg D.I

infobox Aircraft
name = D.I
type = Fighter
manufacturer = Hansa-Brandenburg


caption =
designer = Ernst Heinkel
first flight = 1916
introduced = 1916
introduction=
retired =
status =
primary user = Austro-Hungary
more users = Austria
produced =
number built = 122
unit cost =
developed from =
variants with their own articles = Hansa-Brandenburg KDW
Phönix D.IThe Hansa-Brandenburg D.I, also known as the KD ("Kampf Doppeldecker") was a German fighter aircraft of the First World War. Despite poor handling it was built for Austro-Hungary, some aircraft serving to the end of the war.

Development and design

Ernst Heinkel chief designer of the Hansa und Brandenburgische Flugzeug-Werke developed the KD in 1916 to meet the requirements of the Austro-Hungarian Air Force ("Kaiserliche und Königliche Luftfahrtruppen "or" K.u.K. Luftfahrtruppen"). It was a single seat, single engined biplane, of wooden construction, with plywood fuselage skinning and fabric wing skins. The wings featured an unusual "Star-Strutter" arrangement of interplane struts, where four Vee struts joined in the centre of the wing bay to result in a "star" arrangement. The interplane struts themselves were steel tubes. Green and Swanborough 1994, p.83.]

The KD had a deep fuselage, which gave a poor forward view for the pilot and tended to blanket the small rudder, giving poor lateral stability and making recovery from spins extremely difficult. Gray and Thetford 1962, p.64.] Armament was a single Schwarzlose machine gun, which owing to difficulties in synchronising the Schwarzlose, was fitted in a fairing on the upper wing, firing over the propeller. Williams and Gustin 2003, p.62]

Despite these handling problems, the aircraft was ordered by Austro-Hungary as the D.I. A total of 122 D.Is were built, with 50 built by Hansa-Brandenburg in Germany (powered by 150 hp (112 kW) Austro-Daimler engines, while a further 72 were built under license by Phönix in Vienna, powered by 185 hp (138 kW) Austro-Daimler engines. While it was intended that the D.I also be built by Ufag, none were delivered.Silen, Art. [http://www.ipmsusa2.org/Reviews/Books/Aircraft/windsock_hansa_d1/windsock_hansa_d1.htm IPMS Book Review: Albatros Productions, Ltd Windsock Datafile #118 Hansa Brandenburg D.1] "IPMS USA". Retrieved 2 March 2008] The KD also formed the basis for the Hansa-Brandenburg KDW floatplane fighter.

Operational history

The D.I entered service in Autumn 1916. Its unusual arrangement of interplane bracing gave rise to the nickname "Spider" [http://www.theaerodrome.com/aircraft/austrhun/hansa_di.php Hansa-Brandenburg D.I - The Aerodrome - Aces and Aircraft of World War I] Retrieved 02 March 2008] , while its poor handling gave rise to the less complementary nickname "the Coffin". Angelucci 1981, p.54.] The D.I was the standard fighter aircraft of the "Luftfahrtruppen" until mid 1917, being used by several Austro-Hungarian air aces such as Godwin Brumowski and Frank Linke-Crawford. Some Phönix built D.Is remained in use until the end of the war, being used briefly by the armed forces of The Republic of German Austria ("Republik Deutschösterreich"), where they were used to fight Yugoslav attacks on Klagenfurt in Carinthia. Hooton 1994, p.25-26]

Operators

;flag|Austria-Hungary
*"Kaiserliche und Königliche Luftfahrtruppen";flag|Austria
*Republic of German Austria

pecifications (D.I)

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop

ref="The Complete Book of Fighters"
crew=1
capacity=
length main= 6.35 m
length alt= 20 ft 10 in
span main= 8.50 m
span alt= 27 ft 10⅔ in
height main= 2.79 m Angelucci 1981, p. 43]
height alt= 9 ft 2¾ in
area main= 23.95 m²
area alt= 257.8 ft²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 672 kg
empty weight alt= 1,481 lb
loaded weight main= 920 kg
loaded weight alt= 2,028 lb
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=
engine (prop)= Austro-Daimler
type of prop= 6-cylinder air cooled inline
number of props=1
power main= 138 kW
power alt= 185 hp
power original=
max speed main= 187 km/h
max speed alt= 101 knots, 116 mph
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main=
range alt=
ceiling main= 5,000 m
ceiling alt= 16,400 ft
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main= kg/m²
loading alt= lb/ft²
thrust/weight=
power/mass main= W/kg
power/mass alt= hp/lb
more performance=*Endurance: 2 hours 30 minutes
*Climb to 1,000 m (3,280 ft): 3 minutes.
armament=*One 8 mm Schwarzlose machine gun.
avionics=

ee also

aircontent

related=*Hansa-Brandenburg KDW

*Phönix D.I
similar aircraft=*Albatros D.I
lists=
see also=

References

Notes

Bibliography

*Angelucci, Enzo (ed.). "World Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft." London: Jane's, 1981. ISBN 0 7106 0148 4.
*Gray, Peter and Thetford, Owen. "German Aircraft of the First World War". London: Putnam, 1962.
*Green, William and Swanborough, Gordon. "The Complete Book of Fighters". New York: Smithmark, 1994. ISBN 0-8317-3939-8.
* Hooton, E.R. "Phoenix Triumphant: The Rise and Rise of the Luftwaffe".London: Arms & Armour Press, 1994. ISBN 1 85409 181 6.
* Williams, Anthony G. and Gustin, Emmanuel. "Flying Guns World War I". Ramsbury, Wiltshire: Airlife, 2003. ISBN 1 84037 396 2.

External links

* [http://www.history-of-flight.net/Aviation%20history/photo_albums/timeline/Hansa.htm Hansa Brandenburg D.I]
* [http://www.theaerodrome.com/aircraft/austrhun/hansa_di.php Hansa-Brandenburg D.I - The Aerodrome - Aces and Aircraft of World War I]
* [http://www.swwisa.net/kuklft/planes.html Fighter Aircraft of the LFT]
* [http://www.ipmsusa2.org/Reviews/Books/Aircraft/windsock_hansa_d1/windsock_hansa_d1.htm IPMS Book Review: Albatros Productions, Ltd Windsock Datafile #118 Hansa Brandenburg D-1]