German(?) arrow biplane - ID wanted

[Flamingo]

Hi everyone,

have you an idea what this plane might be?

[FOKKERJ]

Greetings Flamingo,

It looks like a cross between a Lloyd and the "Bat-Mobile"!

I don't have a clue, Probably Kees or someone else will be able to help you to identify it.

HAPPY TRAILS, FOKKERJ

[Varese2002]

This Pfeil Doppeldecker (Arrow Biplane) is a great rarity, built in one example in probably 1911-1912. It is the Pfeil Doppeldecker built by Flugwerk Deutschland, a firm which ended operations in 1912/1913.

This Pfeil Doppeldecker was powered by a 4-cylinder Rapp engine. The wings were of 3-bay construction with an extra 45 degrees strut. Machine had a conventional central skid between the undercarriage and radiators at the side of the fuselage [Lamellen-Kühlung].

Typically different from all the Pfeil Doppeldeckers of Lohner, Union, Lloyd etc. are the upper wing V-form construction (especially the middle back part), the very slender fuselage and the form of the rudder.

This is possibly the only picture known of this Flugwerk Deutschland Pfeil Doppeldecker, but I will give it a try.

Cheers

Kees

[Flamingo]

Thank you Kees

Looked in Bruno Lange for Flugwerk Deutschland and - there is the picture!

Could have, should have found it myself!

[Varese2002]

Dr. Oskar Wittenstein [Pilotenschein Nummer 81 [29.04.1911] was the designer of Flugwerk Deutschland. He probably designed all the 6 (six) different machines which were constructed by the firm.
On the ALA 1912 two models of Wittenstein exhibited under his name (no hint of Flugwerk Deutschland here) , a monoplane and a biplane.

The firm Flugwerk Deutschland liquidated on April 17, 1913. The engine division of Flugwerk Deutschland continued under the name Flugmotorenfabrik Deutschland G.m.b.H, München-Milbertshofen.

Later in the war he worked on the A.E.G. R.I Riesenflugzeug (R 21/16), but he lost his life in the crash of this machine on September 3, 1918.

Cheers

Kees

[Flamingo]

Thanks for the additional info on Dr. Oskar Wittenstein.

Now I found another picture in the older Lange book:



Must have had tomatoes on my eyes!

[Varese2002]

Great picture Flamingo, you deserve

Kees

[Varese2002]

Comparing the two pictures of the Flugwerk Deutschland Pfeil Eindecker I observed a completely different engine installation.

The first picture shows the Pfeil Doppeldecker with an engine installation and radiators at the side of the fuselage.

The second picture shows the Pfeil Doppeldecker with a different engine installation. Behind the engine is a big radiator mounted squarely in the fuselage (taking away the forward view of the observer ). Behind that radiator can be seen the petrol tank lying in the fuselage. Unfortunately in the second picture there are too many people obscuring the view of the machine, but I have a suspicion that the fuselage is slightly different from the first, the same for the elevator.

Although this is surely a Pfeil Doppeldecker, it fits somewhat the description of another Flugwerk Deutschland design:

Doppeldecker, 100 PS Argus-Motor bespannter Rumpf. 2 Parallelstiele, Kühler hinter dem Motor. Konstruirt von Dr. Oskar Wittenstein. Wurde in München gebaut und 1912 auf der ALA gezeigt, die Bayer. Militärverwaltung erwarb ihn.

Although the description does not fit for 100% (2 Parellelstiele) it could be this machine. Perhaps some evidence can be found in the uniforms worn by the people in front of this machine as this special machine was bought by the Bayerische Militärverwaltung

Cheers

Kees