The most powerful fighter

Can anybody help me discover these two facts:

1) Which single engined fighter of the 1st world war had the heaviest firepower?
2) Which fighter had the most powerful engine / top speed?
Many thanks. Harpo.

Harpo,

My take on your questions, based on my very limited technical knowledge..

1) Armament. Any aircraft armed with twin synchronized Vickers or Spandaus. There may have been a few planes more heavily armed, but I think they were quite the exception and were not used much in combat.

2)Most powerful engine. Probably the most powerful fighters to see much action were the SPAD XIII and the SE5a

The SPAD had a 235 hp Hispano Suiza engine while the SE5a had a 200 hp Hispano Suiza engine I think.

I think any engine with much more horsepower was reserved for larger aircraft like bombers and observation types.

If you want to include two seat fighters, the
Bristol F2b fighter could mount one synchronized Vickers firing forward and twin lewis guns for the observer.

The Bristol also was sometimes equipped with a 275 hp Rolls Royce engine.

For the best combination of raw power and armament in fighters, perhaps the SPAD XIII and the Bristol F2b are the answer to your question.

Regards,

MDD

[Vigilant]

The Sopwith Dolphin came equipped with four forwrd-firing guns: 2 Vickers and 2 Lewis. As far as I know it was the only fighter of the war to mount this many but the Lewises were frequently removed. Didn't Guynemer get a kill on a canon equipped Spad? ('Allo 'Allo Peter).

Vigilant.
PS - My usual email address will be shut down in a few days. Please note new address.

[PeterL]

Vig, my reading is that Guynemer may have got four with his avion magique, including a double. Reading between the lines is not easily done on Alta Vista translations, but I don't think all of them were the result of canon fire. He probably got some of them with the Vickers. If you want to read it for yourself I've posted the URL up the page.

The Dolphin must be in the running for both palmes though. It's true most of them had the Lewis removed altogether, but some had them retained and relocated out on the lower wing. And the 300hp Hisso on the mk3 was a beast.

Peter L

How about the two experimental Albatros D-V stationed at Jasta 5 with motorised machine guns?
They were at the front and I think shot down a plane or two.

If memory serves me right, the British introduced the Martinside S1 just before the end of the war - it had a top speed of over 145mph and considerable horse power. I don't think it saw any action. Perhaps someone else can clarify a few of the details.