Dark side

[carrick58 23]

The Albatross D-3, I must admit flys nice. Doesnt seem to have any bad habits. Took up, Emil von Tripez and two wingmates .I found 5 56 sgn SE5s attacking the next airfield. The flight got one an d after much twisting turning and seeing the other SE5 slideing under me, I got him in a upward left turn 12 hits across his wings. I nosed up kicked right rudder and saw my winmate hit him with a burst. After that the tommy seemed to fly level. Deceding in a slow sprial to line up on his tail , I fired three short bursts 12 to 18 hits along the body wings and cockpit. Broke right and saw him fly into the ground. No other aircraft around so landed. I can see the power of the darkside plus all the &^%^$% Rolands that fly on after u hit em.

[Olham 164]

The Albatros D III is a lovely fighter, carrying no less but 1.000 rounds.

She performs nicely, when you got to know her well, she is neither a perfect energy fighter

(cause her lower wings break easily at dives - so be careful when you hear stress noise),

nor a turn fighter, but she can do both good enough to gain some time to fire a devastating

burst into a more agile craft - and then it's not so agile anymore (Lol!).

 

I think, the Albatros D III OAW is even a little better, although I still don't know the differences

apart from the larger rudder. Can anyone tell us?

[carrick58 23]

I ONLY HEARD that the Albatross D-3 OAW was bulit better the the other machines. I think it was thought be the Top of that line and I Think that the topic would be worth researching.

[carrick58 23]

The Albatros D.III was produced by several manufacturers including 840 completed by the Ostdeutsche Albatros Werke (OAW) at the East German factory at Schneidemuhl. The OAW built variant was virtually identical to those built at the Albatros factory at Johannistahl, with the only significant difference being the shape of the rudder. Thats all I found so far.

 

 

[Firecage 1]

I find the Albs to be a good general purpose plane. They dont twek easy and if you can DF in a YO YO fight they do very well. Mot times the early one will against the Neuip's and you can pull above them well and hammer over on top of them till they are damaged enuff to get better shots.

 

Later on I find them dangerous because camel's start to come along and they are a BIG handful of trouble in the albs unless you can get them to stall in a climb.

 

THey do pretty well I feel vs the Spads.

 

Not a real fast acting plane on a roll idea though.

[Hasse Wind 46]

 

THey do pretty well I feel vs the Spads.

 

 

The Albatros is a real SPAD killer - the S.VII in particular usually has no chance against me when I fight them with my D.II or D.III. The S.XIII is more of a challenge because of its great speed, but I'd rather meet a flight of S.XIII any day with my D.Va than a flight of Camels.

[Olham 164]

Flying the Albatros type of the time (with the exception of the D V perhaps), and with enough altitude,

I would be able to be superiour to most Sopwith Pup, Nieuport 11 and 17, SPAD VII and XIII, S.E.5a.

All these craft are dangerous though, when flown by aces.

 

The toughest opponents are Sopwith Triplane and Sopwith Camel - these I regard as equal, when

flown by average pilots, and superiour, flown by veterans or aces. Still though, I usually kill them,

before they can get me down. But that has more to do with good shooting and firepower.

[carrick58 23]

I was visiting a site called Modeling madness.com and noticed a bunch of 1/48 and 1/32 plastic kits of the OAW Albatross D-3s. The kit reviewer didnt list his information notes. He stated that The OAW type was so superior to the the other D-3s built that 54 of the D-3s were still in action and serviceable at wars end.

[Olham 164]

There where units, that came back to the Albatros D III OAW, after flying later types

or Pfalzes. ButI don't think the craft was extremely different to the other D III.

Maybe the rudder was better, and that would make quite some difference already,

but not much more. The D Va was a more powerful craft, and it carried 1.100 rounds,

which is quite some extra. Von Richthofen scored well in the D Va.

But I can understand those pilots, who preferred a more agile craft, which the D III

was. And so some Jastas must have used it again. That they took the OAW type, could

be because it was a bit better - or because Schneidemühl produced it longer, whilst

Johannestal was already doing the D V and then the D Va.

 

You will find that represented here in OFF: you can fly D III OAW even later on in the war.

Edited September 27, 2009 by Olham

[carrick58 23]

Good information