Hansa-Brandenburg D.I (Phönix built)
Pilot: Several including Frank Linke-Crawford
Unit: Flik 41J, Sežana, Slovenia, 1917
The first purely Austro-Hungarian fighter to enter production was the Hansa-Brandenburg D. I biplane, which was designed by one of the German firm’s top engineers, Ernst Heinkel. 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. The design had a deep fuselage, which gave a poor forward view for the pilot and blanketed the small rudder, giving poor lateral stability and making recovery from spins extremely difficult. Later production introduced a larger rudder and tail fin which helped somewhat. Early production aircraft were then retrofitted with the improved tail / rudder combination. Armament was a single Schwarzlose machine gun, which owing to difficulties in synchronizing the Schwarzlose, was fitted in a fairing on the upper wing, firing over the propeller.
Even though aware of its deficiencies, Austro-Hungary was desperate for any type of fighter and at the time, this was the only option. So, its production was ordered.
The D.I entered service in Autumn, 1916. Its unusual arrangement of interplane bracing gave rise to the nickname "Spider", while its poor handling gave rise to the less complementary nickname "the Coffin". 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.
Production was 122 aircraft (72 built under license by Phönix in Vienna). 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.
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The model, textures. panel and air files are by Captain Kurt. The pilot figures were developed from Wolfi's freeware Japanese pilot .fsc source file. The prop spinning texture is by Kelticheart.
Gauges are by Martin Klein with texture change outs by Captain Kurt, .
Pilot: Several including Frank Linke-Crawford
Unit: Flik 41J, Sežana, Slovenia, 1917
The first purely Austro-Hungarian fighter to enter production was the Hansa-Brandenburg D. I biplane, which was designed by one of the German firm’s top engineers, Ernst Heinkel. 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. The design had a deep fuselage, which gave a poor forward view for the pilot and blanketed the small rudder, giving poor lateral stability and making recovery from spins extremely difficult. Later production introduced a larger rudder and tail fin which helped somewhat. Early production aircraft were then retrofitted with the improved tail / rudder combination. Armament was a single Schwarzlose machine gun, which owing to difficulties in synchronizing the Schwarzlose, was fitted in a fairing on the upper wing, firing over the propeller.
Even though aware of its deficiencies, Austro-Hungary was desperate for any type of fighter and at the time, this was the only option. So, its production was ordered.
The D.I entered service in Autumn, 1916. Its unusual arrangement of interplane bracing gave rise to the nickname "Spider", while its poor handling gave rise to the less complementary nickname "the Coffin". 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.
Production was 122 aircraft (72 built under license by Phönix in Vienna). 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.
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The model, textures. panel and air files are by Captain Kurt. The pilot figures were developed from Wolfi's freeware Japanese pilot .fsc source file. The prop spinning texture is by Kelticheart.
Gauges are by Martin Klein with texture change outs by Captain Kurt, .
