Schütte-Lanz D.I
| D.I | |
|---|---|
| Role | Fighter |
| Manufacturer | Schütte-Lanz |
| Designer | Walter Stein |
| First flight | 1915 |
| Introduction | never |
| Primary user | Luftstreitkräfte |
| Produced | 1915 |
| Number built | 1 |
The Schütte-Lanz D.I was a German single-seat biplane fighter, often said to be Germany's first biplane attack aircraft. The D.I was light-weight and made of wood covered in fabric, apparently based on the British design of the Sopwith Tabloid.
Operational history
[edit]After Idflieg testing in 1915, the plane was rejected on the grounds that the biplane design afforded less vision to the pilot than a monoplane and was as such unsuitable for use as a fighter. A modified version, the Schütte-Lanz D.II was produced in the same year.
Specifications
[edit]General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Length: 5.4 m (17 ft 9 in)
- Wingspan: 7.5 m (24 ft 7 in)
- Powerplant: 1 × Oberursel U.0 7-cyl. air-cooled rotary piston engine, 60 kW (80 hp)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 135 km/h (84 mph, 73 kn)
Bibliography
[edit]- William Green and Gordon Swanborough. The Complete Book of Fighters. Colour Library Direct, Godalming, UK: 1994. ISBN 1-85833-777-1
Further reading
[edit]- Herris, Jack (2020). German Aircraft of Minor Manufacturers in WWI: A Centennial Perspective on Great War Airplanes. Great War Aviation Centennial Series (50). Vol. 2: Krieger to Union. n.p.: Aeronaut Books. ISBN 978-1-935881-86-5.