LFG Roland D.I

Last updated
D.I
Roland D.I 002.jpg
General information
TypeFighter
National originGermany
Manufacturer LFG, Pfalz
Designer
Dipl Ing Tantzen
Primary user Luftstreitkräfte
Number builtca. 20
History
First flightJuly 1916

The LFG Roland D.I was a German fighter designed by Luft-Fahrzeug-Gesellschaft (LFG) during World War I. It was a single-seat aircraft based originally on the Roland C.II two-seat reconnaissance type. It shared its predecessor's unusual design feature of having a deep fuselage that completely filled the interplane gap, but in comparison, the fuselage was much sleeker. While the C.II's appearance had earned the Walfisch ("Whale"), the D.I became known as the Haifisch ("Shark"). [1] The I-struts that had been used to brace the C.II's wing were replaced by more conventional struts. Other changes to the wing included the removal of stagger from the design and the introduction of slight sweepback. [1]

Contents

The prototype flew in July 1916 and was accepted by the Idflieg for military service. Production was interrupted, however, by a fire at the factory after only around twenty machines had been built. When production eventually resumed, it was of the improved Roland D.II.

Variants

LFG Roland D.I
The standard fighter.
Roland D.I (Pfal)
D.I production from Pfalz. Originally designated Pfalz D.I. Twenty aircraft licence-built by Pfalz Flugzeugwerke, s/n: 1680-1699/16, from February 1917 renamed Roland D.I (Pfal). [2]
LFG WD
Two float seaplane version first flown 29 June 1917 and tested at Warnemünde in July. It was found wanting both in its flight characteristics and the view forward and downwards. The latter criticism was frequently made of the D.I and its descendants, visibility blocked by engine radiators and the lower wing.modifications were made, but further official testing in September lead to the refusal of a production order. Modified yet again, the single example ended with the seaplane single-seat fighter school. It is sometimes referred to as the LFG W, though this name is also used for a LFG floatplane version of the Albatros C.Ia. [3] [4]

Operators

Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria
Flag of the German Empire.svg German Empire

Specifications

Data fromDie deutschen Militärflugzeuge 1919-1934 [5]

General characteristics

Performance

Armament

Notes

  1. 1 2 World Aircraft Information Files File 900 Sheet 06
  2. ↑ Herris, Jack. Pfalz Aircraft of World War I. Great War Aircraft in Profile, Volume 4. 2001. ISBN   1891268155. P.27
  3. ↑ Green & Thetford 1970, p.464
  4. ↑ Green & Swanborough 1994, p.338
  5. ↑ Kroschel, Gunter; Stutzer, Helmut (1994). Die deutschen Militärflugzeuge 1919-1934 (in German) (Lizenzausg ed.). Augsburg: Weltbild. p. 139. ISBN   3893506934.

Bibliography

Further reading

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