Pfalz Dr-1

[BAPilot2]

Can anyone tell me what the real story is with the Pfalz Dr-1???

How many were produced? When did it enter combat, if at all? Besides an evaluation flight by MvR were there any other pilots of note who actually flew this airplane?

And, does anyone have any idea what its performance characteristics were as compared to the Fokker Dr-1?

Based solely off of visual reference it would seem that the Pfalz Dr-1 would be a bit more stable, with less yaw tendency, than the Fokker, due to the use of a vertical stabilizer. Also, with the middle wing being smaller, with a shorter wing chord, it appears that the pilot would have better forward and downward visibility in the takeoff, landing, and flight configurations.

I welcome any, and all, information and ideas that you may want to put forth on this seldom seen and heard of aircraft.

[Regulus]

Hi,

Not completely certain but I know there were about 10 evaluation planes that went to the front. During trials in August 1917 it had the fastest climbing rate of all German planes, 5000 meters in about eleven and a half minutes. However the engine, Siemens Halske III was not reliable. It seems that the slow cylinder rotation did not give enough cooling. The Fokker Dr I was having more maneuverability, and it seems the Pfalz was also slow ! However I didn't find anything real on it's speed.

Sorry, wish I could be of more help.

Best from Johan

[Patrick]

I'm replying from memory here --

1. MvR flew the prototype Pfalz Dr.I and found it inferior in performance to the Fokker Dr.I. I seem to recall that it climbed well but was not as responsive and manuverable as the Fokker product.

2. Only a handful were built -- something on the order of 10-12 -- and the extent of their active service was limited to defense against bomber formations, where fast climb was essential.

I know I have more detailed data on this plane, but I'll have to go through my library to find it. I'll post here later if others don't get to it first.

Also, I'm assuming that you're referring to the rotary-engined Pfalz Dr.I, not the modified Pfalz D.IIIa. The D.IIIa triplane modification was strictly a testbed to see if adding a third wing increased performance. As you would expect, it's performance was greatly inferior to the biplane D.IIIa and the experiment was abandoned in favor of the design effort that led to the Pfalz Dr.I rotary.

[John Masters]

Welcome to the Forum, BA. The Pfalz Dr.1 was powered by a 160 hp Siemens Halske shIII 11 cylinder rotary engine. It was armed with twin LMG 08/15 guns. It was considered to be worthy of evaluation and arrived at the front by the end of April, 1918. The pilots felt that the plane was too slow and the engine not powerful enough, so the line was not continued. It had a heavier empty weight compared to the Fokker Dr.1 but I think the other stats were similar. I don't know about the flying characteristics, but I'm thinking that since the Fokker Dr.1 arrived on the scene first the new Pfalz had nothing new to show the experienced pilots. Keep digging for flight reports and specificities.

From the Factory on the hill,
John

[Craig]

Originally Posted by JDCMasters

. . . the Fokker Dr.1 arrived on the scene first the new Pfalz had nothing new to show the experienced pilots.

That is the Pfalz Story: E types arrived after Fokker's, D.III after the Albatros D series, D.XII after Fokker D.VII, and the D.XV was too late to see action.

[Rick]

And to round out the story, the Pfalz Dr.I batch numbers were:
3050-3054/17 (5 aircraft)
221-228/18 (8 aircraft)
So as one can see, not many built. R.

[Craig]

Wasn't there one at Jasta 19?

[BAPilot2]

From the information that you have provided it seems that there is not much of a story to tell. I had come across a website;

http://webpages.charter.net/hel0695/...e_pfalz_dr.htm

that leads one to believe that several of these aircraft were produced, something on the order of 220. (Whoever made that webpage is under the impression that the serial numbers, 228/18 and the like, are indicative of the actual number of this model being produced.) Also, it states that the Pfalz DR-1 was used by Jasta 73. Pardon my ignorance, but was there a Jasta 73? I am not that well read regarding the total number of Jasta that operated during the war.

I appreciate all the information that you have provided, as well as the rapid replies, and I look forward to hearing more, if there is more to add.

I had been delving into the various fighter aircraft of WWI when I came across the Pfalz DR-1 but the information that I had found was sketchy at best. So once again thanks for sheading some light on the subject.

Thanks,
Andrew

[Dan_San_Abbott]

BAPilot2;
In 1917 after the capture of a Sopwith Triplane, Idflieg became interested in the triplane configuration and sent that aircraft manufacturers invitation to submit triplanes for study and evaluation. Fokker, Albatros, Euler, DFW, Siemens-Schuckert and Pfalz responded.
Fokker was given and order for three prototypes which became Fok.F.I 101-103/17. Pfalz was awarded an order for three prototypes, Pfalz DR.I 3050-3052/17 and Siemans-Schuckert DR.I was awarded and order for three machine SSW Dr.I3053-3055/17.The only interest Idflieg showed, was in the Fok.F.I and the Pfalz DR.I, the other contestants were dropped and no further developement occured.
Following the successful Type Tests with the Fok.F.I 101/17 in July 1917,the Fokker Flugzeugwerke was awarded an order for 20 triplanes, serial number Fok.DR.I 104/17 to 120/17, which also included the three prototype aircraft.
Pfalz Dr.I submited their Pfalz DR.I for testing and proved to have a superior rate of climb to all other fighter aircraft, could attain 5000 meters in 13 minutes and 13 seconds and a maximum airspeed at sea level of 200 km/hr.
While the Fok.DR.I took 23 minutes, 50 seconds to reach 5000 meters. The Fok.Dr.I had a maximum airspeed at S/L of 185 km/hr.
Following the completion of the Type Tests Pfalz Flugzeugwerke was awarded an order for 10 Pfalz DR.I, serial number 221 to 230/17.
While the Pfalz DR.I shown remarkable promise, the Sh.III rotary engine did not. It still needed developement to improve its reliability.
To resolve this problem, Pfalz made a new slightly smaller triplane, the Pfalz.DR.II, this time powered with the 110Ps Oberursel Ur.II, the same engine as what powered the Fok.DR.I. A paralell developement was the Pfalz DR.IIa, with the 110 Ps Sh.I, a developed engine. The Pfalz D.IIa could reach 5000 meters in 19.4 minutes. The loaded weight of the Pfalz DR.I was 705kg. The Pfalz D.IIa loaded weight was 568 kg, 18kg lighter than the Fok.DR.I.
There was no further orders or developement of the Pfalz DR.I or the D.II and D.IIa. Pfalz lost the battle to Fokker.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

[BAPilot2]

Dan-San,

Thanks for all the great information. I feel like I have been witness to one of Paul Harvey's radio broadcasts, for now I know, "The rest of the story!".

You sir, are a wealth of knowledge and I appreciate the time you took to investigate and inform me, and all the other forum members, about the development and inception of the German triplanes. Kudos to you!

Thank you,
Andrew