Daimler D.I
| D.I | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Role | Fighter Type of aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Daimler |
| Designer | Karl Schopper |
| First flight | 1918 |
| Number built | 6 |
The Daimler D.I (also known by the company designation L6) was a German fighter aircraft of World War I. It was a conventional biplane design with a very small interplane gap - the top wing nearly touched the top of the fuselage. Power was provided by a Daimler D.IIIb water-cooled V-8 engine.
Design and development
The L6 prototype competed in the second Idflieg competition for a new fighter design in 1918. The competition was held at Adlershof from 22 May through 21 June. This resulted in an order for 20 aircraft being placed.[1]
History
Production commenced in 1918. Six examples were built by the time of the Armistice, at which time production was abandoned.[2]
Specifications (D.I)
Data from [1]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Length: 7.3 m (23 ft 11 in)
- Wingspan: 9.9 m (32 ft 6 in)
- Height: 2.76 m (9 ft 1 in)
- Wing area: 22.6 m2 (243 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 750 kg (1,653 lb)
- Gross weight: 925 kg (2,039 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Daimler D.IIIb V-8 water-cooled piston engine, 138 kW (185 hp)
- Propellers: 2-bladed fixed-pitch propeller
Performance
- Maximum speed: 183 km/h (114 mph, 99 kn)
- Endurance: 2 hours
- Time to altitude: 6,000 m (20,000 ft) in 30 minutes
Armament
- Guns: 2 × 7.92 mm LMG 08/15 machine guns
References
- ^ a b Green & Swanborough 2001, p. 145.
- ^ Gray & Thetford 1970, p. 315.
Further reading
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Daimler D.I.
- Gray, Peter & Thetford, Owen (1987) [1970]. German Aircraft of the First World War (2nd ed.). London: Putnam. ISBN 0-85177-809-7.
- Green, William & Swanborough, Gordon (1994). The Complete Book of Fighters. New York: Smithmark. ISBN 0-8317-3939-8.
- Herris, Jack (2020). German Aircraft of Minor Manufacturers in WWI: A Centennial Perspective on Great War Airplanes. Gret War Aviation Centennial Series (49). Vol. 1: Alter to Korn. n.p.: Aeronaut Books. ISBN 978-1-935881-85-8.
- Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 297.
