AIRTANK SYSTEM 2.5LAlbatros D.V/Va 1/72
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Albatros D.III 1/32 |
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€39.91
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Albatros D.III The Albatros D.I and Albatros D.II, introduced in 1916, were two of the best planes of their time. They had very good flying characteristics and were structurally strong. However, the pace of technical progress during this period was very quick, and soon the Allies had again taken the initiative, having come up with the outstanding Nieuport 11 Bébé. For a short time it drove the Fokker monoplanes from the sky, creating a new myth about the superior qualities of biplanes. The Nieuport 11 was not a standard biplane, but a sesquiplane: its bottom wing was much smaller in area and chord dimension than the top. It gave the plane increased maneuverability and improved the pilot's view from the cockpit. The dominant feature of aerial combat was the short distances between planes, so these two factors were of prime importance. Oswald Boelcke, the leading ace at that time and the 'father' of aerial tactics, made the greatest contribution to the official report which judged the new French development to be a serious threat to German aircraft. The appearance of the Nieuport 11 forced designers at the Albatros firm to improve on their existing type. The design of the fuselage was not significantly changed, because it was already progressive for its time - in comparison with the fabric-covered frames of other planes, its plywood skin was heavier, but much stronger. The principal changes were made to the wing, taking as its example the French design. Altogether the various design changes allowed the engineers to manage the weight of the plane to give it an opportunity to fight the extremely light Nieuport 11 on equal terms. |
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