Comparison Albatros D-II vs Albatros D-III

Mogadeet · 28 December 2007, 08:14 AM

Was the Albatros D-III really no improvement over the D-II? I believe that the D-II with the wing radiator had less airframe drag, and the D-III had a more powerful engine. But was it's wing loading higher and power-to-weight ratio not real good? I don't believe I've actually seen a comparison of the two.

Mogadeet

Dan_San_Abbott · 28 December 2007, 08:57 AM

Mogadeet:
I am not sure they had different versions of the Mercedes D.III engine. the production occured at the same time. The difference in performance was the D.III had a better rate of climb and a higher service ceiling. the time to climb to 5000 meters was 37 minutes for the D.II and 28 min. 48 seconds for the D.III. The D.II service ceiling was 5200 meters and the D.III was 5800 meters.
The maximum airspeed was 175 km/hr for both. Strength wise, the D.II was superior with the two spar lower wing. The D.II was 2 kg ( 4.4 lbs) heavier than the D.III, D.II was 888 kg gross weight and the D.III was 886 kg.
Happy New Year,
Dan-San

Mogadeet · 28 December 2007, 09:27 AM

Thank You.

Mogadeet

Roadhog · 29 December 2007, 03:29 AM

Yep Mogadeet, the lower wing juncture with the fuselage on the D-III was a structual nightmare. It was the aircraft's Achilles' heel and its failure in fight cost several German pilots life or limb. As I recall it was this failure that almost killed ol' MvR himself during combat and caused him to return to flying his trusty Halberstadt D-II for a while.

Many of the German air service's units resorted to adding an additional brace to the lower wing to reinforce its strength. As I understand it most of these were manufactured in the field by Jasta mechanics.

Gang, please correct me if my memory has failed me. VR, Scott Price

Breguet · 30 December 2007, 12:55 PM

Though of course it did give a better downward vision which is why they did it in the first place. Now as then life is full of compromises

PfalzPflyer · 30 December 2007, 02:17 PM

There are also important aerodynamic advantages to the sesquiplane configuration of the D.III. The smaller lower wing causes less interference with the lift generated by the top wing, for a net gain in lift despite the reduced wing area.

As many Nieuport and Albatros V-strutter pilots discovered the hard way, the downside was the reduced structural strength of the single-spar lower wing.

Dean in Omaha

jtisch · 30 December 2007, 03:40 PM

Interesting to note that the Oeffag-built DIIIs (Austro-Hungary) and even the OAW-built DIIIs didn't seem to have the lower wing problems to the extent that the Johannisthal-built DIIIs did.Sources seem to vary on this though.

Uhlan · 30 December 2007, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtisch

Interesting to note that the Oeffag-built DIIIs (Austro-Hungary) and even the OAW-built DIIIs didn't seem to have the lower wing problems to the extent that the Johannisthal-built DIIIs did.Sources seem to vary on this though.

IIRC engineers at Oeffag completely re-engineered the lower wing on the D.III. They also fitted the excellent 185, 200 and 225hp Austro-Daimler engines and dispensed with the nose cone half way through the 153 series which apparently boosted performance. All in all the Austro Hungarian D.III was a totally different beast from the mass manufactured German D.III and D.V/Va. Except for the Schwarzlose machine gun the Oeffag Albatros D.III fighters were superior to their German contemporaries.

Pips · 30 December 2007, 08:26 PM

Were the Oeffag Albatross common on the Western Front? Were they allocated to specific Jasta or just allocated willy-nilly? And did Manfred fly one?

And would it be asking too much to perhaps post some details of the Oeffag's performance as a comparison to the Johannisthal version?

FOKKERJ · 30 December 2007, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pips

Were the Oeffag Albatross common on the Western Front? Were they allocated to specific Jasta or just allocated willy-nilly? And did Manfred fly one?

And would it be asking too much to perhaps post some details of the Oeffag's performance as a comparison to the Johannisthal version?

Hi Pips,

I believe that the Austro-Hungarian aircraft such as the Oeffag Albatros D.III Series were used possibly on the Eastern Front and definetly in the campaign against Italy by the pilots of Austro-Hungary. I believe they were also used in the Romanian Theater ("Black Triangles on wing tips).

They would have been allocated to Fliks (the A-H equivalent to a Jasta).

I have no idea if MvR ever flew one. I would imagine that he would have wanted at least one if he had!

Hopefully this will hold you until someone more knowledgeable can answer your question.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, FOKKERJ