Albatros D.II

Albatros D.II
Role	Fighter
Manufacturer	Albatros Flugzeugwerke
Designer	Robert Thelen
Introduction	1916
Primary users	Luftstreitkräfte; Luftfahrtruppen
Number built	291
Variants	Albatros D.III

The Albatros D.II was a German fighter aircraft used during World War I. After a successful combat career in the early Jagdstaffeln, it was gradually superseded by the Albatros D.III.

Design and development

Albatros designers Thelen, Schubert and Gnädig produced the D.II in response to pilot complaints about poor upward vision in the Albatros D.I. The solution was to reposition the upper wing 36 cm (14 in) closer to the fuselage and stagger it forward slightly. Rearrangement of the cabane struts also improved forward view. The D.II otherwise retained the same fuselage, engine installation and armament as the D.I.^[1] Basic performance was unchanged. The Idflieg (Inspektion der Fliegertruppen - Inspectorate of Flying Troops), ordered an initial batch of 100 D.II aircraft in August 1916.

In November 1916, Idflieg banned Windhoff "ear" radiators in operational aircraft because they were at a lower level than the crankcase of the engine they were cooling, and a shot into either radiator was likely to drain the cooling system. Late production D.IIs switched to using a Teves und Braun "airfoil shape" radiator (the Teves company still exists in the 21st century), in the center section of the upper wing. This also proved to be problematic as a leaking or battle damaged radiator could scald the pilot's face. On later Albatros fighters (late models of the D.III, and the D.V) the radiator was moved to the right of the centre section to alleviate this problem.

Operational history

D.IIs formed part of the early equipment of Jagdstaffel (Jasta) 2, the first specialized fighter squadron in the German air service. Famous pilots included Hauptmann Oswald Boelcke (Jasta 2's first commander) and Manfred von Richthofen. With its high speed and heavy armament, the D.II won back air superiority from Allied fighter types such as the Airco DH.2 and Nieuport 17.

Albatros built 200 D.II aircraft. LVG (Luft-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft) produced another 75 under license. Service numbers peaked in January 1917, when 214 machines were in service. The D.II operated well into 1917. As late as 30 June 1917, 72 aircraft were in the frontline inventory, and even in November 11 D.IIs and 9 D.Is were still in service, alongside the by now far more numerous D.IIIs and D.Vs.^[2]

Oeffag (Oesterreichische Flugzeugfabrik AG) also built the D.II under license, as the Oeffag Va.53 / Oeffag series 53, for the Luftfahrtruppen. The Austrian machines used a 138 kW (185 hp) Austro-Daimler engine, and were fitted with a Teves und Braun-style wing mounted radiator. Oeffag produced only 16 examples before production shifted to the Albatros D.III.

Manfred von Richthofen was flying an Albatros D.II on 23 November 1916 when he was engaged in a prolonged dogfight with the RFC's Lanoe Hawker VC. Hawker's DH.2 pusher engined fighter had a better turning circle but the Albatros D.II had twin guns, was faster and could maintain height in a turn better. After firing some 900 rounds von Richthofen shot Hawker in the head and killed him. Hawker's machine crashed and von Richthofen claimed Hawker's Lewis gun for his growing collection of trophies.

Operators

Austria-Hungary

Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Aviation Troops

German Empire

Luftstreitkräfte

Poland

Polish Air Force operated this type postwar.

Turkey

Ottoman Air Force

Specifications (D.II)

General characteristics

Crew: one (pilot)

Performance

Endurance: 1.5 hours

Armament

2 × forward-firing synchronized 7.92 mm (.312 in) lMG 08 (early) or LMG 08/15 (later) machine guns

References

Notes

^ Gray and thetford, P.41
^ Gray and Thetford, P.43

Bibliography

Cheesman, E.F. (1960). Fighter Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War. Harleyford Publications.
Hofling, Rudolf (2002). Albatross D-II Germany's Legendary World War I Fighter. Schiffer Publications, Ltd.
Munson, Kenneth (1968). Fighters, Attack and Training Aircraft of the 1914-1919 War. Blandford Press.
Taylor, John W.R. (1969). Combat Aircraft of the World from 1909 to the Present. Putnam.
Grey & Thetford (1962–70). German Aircraft of the First World War (2nd ed.). Putnam & Company.

[1] Gray and thetford, P.41

[2] Gray and Thetford, P.43

[1]

[2]

v t e World War I aircraft of the Central Powers
Fighters	AEG D.I AEG Dr.I Albatros D.I Albatros D.II Albatros D.III Albatros D.V Aviatik D.I Aviatik C.VI Daimler L.6 Euler D.I Euler D.II Fokker D.I Fokker D.II Fokker D.III Fokker D.IV Fokker D.V Fokker D.VI Fokker D.VII Fokker D.VIII Fokker Dr.I Fokker E.I Fokker E.II Fokker E.III Fokker E.IV Fokker E.V Halberstadt D.II Hannover CL.II Hannover CL.III Hannover CL.IV Hannover CL.V Hansa-Brandenburg W.12 Hansa-Brandenburg W.29 Junkers D.I Kondor D.6 Kondor E.III Naglo D.II Pfalz D.III Pfalz D.XII Pfalz Dr.I Pfalz E.I Pfalz E.II Phönix D.I LFG Roland D.II LFG Roland D.VI Siemens-Schuckert D.I Siemens-Schuckert D.II Siemens-Schuckert D.III Siemens-Schuckert D.IV Zeppelin-Lindau D.I
Bombers and ground attack	AEG DJ.I AEG G.I AEG G.II AEG G.III AEG G.IV AEG G.V AEG J.I AEG J.II AEG R.I Friedrichshafen G.II Friedrichshafen G.III Gotha G.I Gotha G.II Gotha G.III Gotha G.IV Gotha G.V Gotha GL.VII Gotha G.IX Hannover CL.II Junkers CL.I Junkers J.I Rumpler G.I Rumpler G.II Rumpler G.III Siemens-Schuckert L.I Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.II Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.III Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.IV Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI
Reconnaissance	AEG B.I AEG B.II AEG B.III AEG C.I AEG C.II AEG C.III AEG C.IV AEG C.V AEG C.VI AEG C.VII AEG C.VIII AGO C.I AGO C.II AGO C.III AGO C.IV AGO C.VII AGO C.VIII Albatros B.I Albatros B.II Albatros C.I Albatros C.III Albatros C.V Albatros C.VII Albatros C.IX Albatros C.X Albatros C.XII Aviatik B.I Aviatik B.II Aviatik C.I Aviatik C.VI DFW C.V LFG Roland C.II LVG B.I LVG C.II Rumpler C.I Rumpler C.IV Rumpler Taube
Trainers	Euler D.I
Prototypes	Albatros C.II Fokker V.1 Fokker V.2 Junkers J 1 Junkers J 2 Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.I

v t e Aviation in World War I
People and aircraft	Commanders Aces (accuracy) Aircraft of the Entente Powers Aircraft of the Central Powers Zeppelins
Campaigns and battles	Strategic bombing German Cuxhaven Bombing of cities Aerial reconnaissance Fokker Scourge Zonguldak Flight over Vienna Bloody April Battles
Entente Powers air services	British air services Royal Flying Corps Royal Naval Air Service Royal Air Force Australian Flying Corps Canadian Air Force (1918–1920) French Air Service Imperial Russian Air Service Royal Italian Air Corps Romanian Air Corps United States Army Air Service Greek air services Army Air Service Naval Air Service Japanese air services Imperial Japanese Army Air Service Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service
Central Powers air services	Imperial German Air Service Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Aviation Troops Ottoman Aviation Squadrons Bulgarian Army Aeroplane Section

Design and development

Operational history

Operators

Specifications (D.II)

See also

References