Nice Photo of an Obscure WWI German Aerpolane

[+RAF_Louvert]

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Here's a fine HQ photo of an unusual Great War German single-seater. I've run across smaller examples of this particular photo, however never one this large. So who here can ID this particular craft?

 

 

 

 

Enjoy!

 

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[+Olham]

At first look it had something of a Pfalz Doppeldecker, but then it isn't.

The nose and fuselage back remind me of Sablatnig's sea-triplane.

Is it a Sablatnig design?

[+RAF_Louvert]

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No Olham, not a Sablatnig model. However, Luft-Fahrzeug-Gesellschaft, (better known as LFG and/or Roland), was under contract to build aeroplanes for both Sablatnig and the company responsible for the above design.

 

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[+Olham]

Could it be a Roland C.V or C.VIII ?

Edited May 7, 2012 by Olham

[+RAF_Louvert]

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No no, not a Roland of any kind Olham, I only meant that LFG was licensed to build planes for the company that actually designed the one in the photo. Also, to the best of my recollection, the kite shown never went into production as it was not seen as an improvement over the Albatros of the day.

 

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[Von Paulus]

Perhaps a Halberstadt D.II...

[+RAF_Louvert]

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VP, the Halb D.II was a workhorse of the WWI German Air Service. Remember, I mentioned this was an unusual single-seater, and IIRC not one that ever ended up going into production.

 

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[Von Paulus]

I need to see the fin, Lou.

It could be an Albatros or a Halberstadt, just looking for it.

But I leave it to the experts.

[+Olham]

As it's a prototype, I have no idea. It looks like a Halberstadt/Pfalz/Roland chimera.

[+RAF_Louvert]

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VP and Olham, it is not an Albatros, Halberstadt, Pfalz, or Roland of any kind. Nor is it a Fokker. Think about companies far more noted for producing bombers ... heavy bombers.

 

 

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[Rugbyfan1972]

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VP and Olham, it is not an Albatros, Halberstadt, Pfalz, or Roland of any kind. Nor is it a Fokker. Think about companies far more noted for producing bombers ... heavy bombers.

 

 

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RAFL,

 

You have got me stumped, I originally thought it was an AEG D1 or D6/7, but I am not sure if they made bombers. On a side note I had not realised how many different 2 seaters albatross made, nor how many AEG made. I would love to see a couple of those in a future phase of OFF if they are not already included in P4.

 

I look forward to someone putting us out of our misery and letting us know what the plane is.

[Cody Coyote]

Looks like a Friedrichshafen D-1.

Edited May 7, 2012 by Cody Coyote

[33LIMA]

Friedrichshafen DI, 1916, serial # D2405, 160hp Merc DIII, 2x'Spandaus'.

Edited May 7, 2012 by 33LIMA

[Cody Coyote]

You got me Lima. I misread my source document and typed in the wrong name. When I went back to edit, you were already there.

[Maeran]

You two posted just as I was scanning. I was going to say that it looks very like the Friedrichshafen scout.

 

 

 

[+RAF_Louvert]

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And there you have it: A Friedrichshafen FF 46 (D.I) fighter/scout. Well done Cody, LIMA, and Maeran.

 

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[+Hasse Wind]

Well that's an obscure fighter. Never heard of it.

[Maeran]

I wouldn't have got it if it wasn't for the bomber clue.

[+RAF_Louvert]

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Hasse Wind, I said it was obscure.

 

Maeran, did that photo you posted come from W.M. Lamberton's, "Fighter Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War" ?

 

RugbyFan, meant to say earlier, I'd love to see a few of those same two-seaters as well in OFF2. We live in hope.

 

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[+Olham]

Damn, I had been searching through "Rosebud's", but never thought of clicking on any "Friedrichshafen".

But when you look close enough, it is there. Never heard of this plane.

It looks sharkish sharp - as if it could be better than Albatros.

But you said it was rather similar?

[+RAF_Louvert]

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Yes Olham, in the scant information that still exists concerning this plane, there is noted that it did not perform notably better than the Albatros Scout and so it was passed on for production. Also, if you had clicked through the Friedrichshafen pics listed on Rosebud's you would have found the very photo, albeit a much smaller and lower quality version.

 

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[Maeran]

The photo I scanned was from Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War I, which is a sort of anthology version of the Jane's publications from around the time.

[+RAF_Louvert]

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Ah yes, I am familiar with that particular Jane's publication, though I do not have a copy of it on my own shelves ... yet.

 

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[+Olham]

Just found one more photo of the Friedrichshafen D.I on a Russian website.

 

 

[+RAF_Louvert]

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Wouldn't that make it a д.1 then, Olham?

 

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