Exchange of Austrian/German Albatros fighters?

[Volker_Nemsch]

Austria and Germany both produced own versions of the Albatros fighters.

Did they ever exchange aircraft for tests? For example was one of the superior Austrian Albatros fighters tested by a German Jasta in France?

Thanks in advance for your help!

[Cigogne]

I think that engines were tested in airframes at the various aviation companies in Germany who were interested in obtaining orders of their aircraft for export to Austro-Hungary or seeing the engine performance. I don't think it worked the other way around because the Austro-Hungarian industry couldn't handle the production demands for export. They had a hard enough time meeting their own production demands.

I think that aviation representatives from the German Luftstreitkräfte and KuK Luftfahrtruppen visited the respective test establishments at Adlershof or Aspern at regular intervals to gain information about various types and powerplants.

I think the only German company that successfully supplied aircraft to both countries was Hansa-Brandenburg, which was located in Germany, but purchased by magnate Camillo Castiglione who also owned Ufag and Phönix.

The German Marine favored the floatplane and Hansa-Brandenburg designed the KDW, W.12, W.19, and W.29 which, except for the KDW, were used successfully.

The Austro-Hungarians, however, didn't like the floatplane much and preferred the flying boat concept and Hansa-Brandenburg developed the CC, W.18, and others and supplied to them.

Hansa-Brandenburg also was successful with the KuK Army Luftfahrtruppen, the Hansa-Brandenburg B.I, C.I (in numerous iterations and license built versions.)

Also, it seems that Castiglione blurred the borders between his three aircraft companies, the design features of Heinkel being used on the designs of Phönix and Ufag models as well.

Cigogne

[GrzeM]

Another company supplying to both countries was Fokker, who even bought the MAG factory in Budapest. Fokker sold to Austria (or built in Austrian factories) a handful of types, including E.III, various D planes including the D.VII with Austrian engine (shortly before the end of the war, some were finished by independent Hungary AFTER the war).
Also LVG sold to Austria 40 Gotha G.IV with Austrian engines.
Generally Austrians had better engines, and Germans had better planes and more production powers, so the Austrians ordered planes with the Austrian engines in Germany.
German Albies (D.V for sure) were used on the Austro-Italian front, but in the German Jastas.
Austrian Albatros D was much more than the German Albatros with the Austrian engine. It had a lot of modifications, and final version of the Austrian D.III (Bauart 253) was much better plane than German D.V.
Cheers!
G.