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Albatros D.I
role : fighter
first flight : operational : August 1916
country : Germany
design : Dipl. Ing Robert Thelen
production : 50 aircraft
general information : First of the famous Albatros fighters that would regain the air
supremacy that was lost due to the allied DH2 and Nieuport 11 in late spring of 1916. The use of the powerful 160 hp Mercedes engine made it possible to fit two synchronised machineguns without loss of performance. It was not as agile as the Fokker monoplanes but it’s high speed, rate of climb and firepower made it an superior fighter plane. It entered service at the same time that the Luftwaffe was being reorganized into Jagdstaffeln. The first operational sorties with completely D.I- equipped Jasta’s took place in September 1916. At this moment Boelcke also returned to the front after a long leave following the death of Immelmann. December 1916 there were 50 D.I’s fighting at the front but by then it was already replaced on the production line by the even better D.II with better forward visibility that entered service in October 1916
It carried a total of 1000 rounds for it’s two machine guns
Gap : 1.515m chord : 1.62m
The Albatros D.I was powered by either a 110 kW (150 hp) Benz Bz.III or a 120 kW (160 hp) Mercedes D.III six-cylinder water cooled inline engine. The additional power of the Mercedes (Daimler) engine enabled twin fixed Spandau machine-guns to be fitted without any loss in performance
users : Luftwaffe
crew : 1
armament : 2 synchronized 7.92 [mm] (0.312 in) Spandau LMG 08/15 machine-guns
engine : 1 Benz Bz.III liquid-cooled 6 -cylinder inline engine 150 [hp](110.3 KW)
dimensions :
wingspan : 8.6 [m], length : 7.3 [m], height : 2.9[m]
wing area : 25.0 [m^2]
weights :
max.take-off weight : 898 [kg]
empty weight operational : 647 [kg] bombload : 0 [kg]
performance :
maximum speed : 175 [km/hr] at sea-level
climbing speed : 168 [m/min]
service ceiling : 5000 [m]
endurance : 1.5 [hours]
estimated action radius : 118 [km]
description :
1-bay biplane with fixed landing gear and tail strut
two spar upper and lower wing
engines, landing gear, fuel and bombs in or attached to the fuselage
airscrew :
fixed pitch 2 -bladed tractor airscrew with max. efficiency :0.63 [ ]
estimated diameter airscrew 2.80 [m]
angle of attack prop : 17.29 [ ]
The D. I is distinguishable from the D. II by the other attachment of the upper wing to the fuselage
reduction : 1.00 [ ]
airscrew revs : 1420 [r.p.m.]
pitch at Max speed 2.05 [m]
blade-tip speed at Vmax and max revs. : 214 [m/s]
calculation : *1* (dimensions)
mean wing chord : 1.45 [m]
calculated wing chord (rounded tips): 1.66 [m]
wing aspect ratio : 5.92 []
gap : 1.51 [m]
gap/chord : 1.04 [ ]
seize (span*length*height) : 182 [m^3]
calculation : *2* (fuel consumption)
oil consumption : 2.2 [kg/hr]
fuel consumption(cruise speed) : 30.4 [kg/hr] (41.5 [litre/hr]) at 63 [%] power
distance flown for 1 kg fuel : 5.18 [km/kg]
estimated total fuel capacity : 71 [litre] (52 [kg])
calculation : *3* (weight)
weight engine(s) dry : 278.0 [kg] = 2.52 [kg/KW]
weight 7 litre oil tank : 0.6 [kg]
oil tank filled with 0.8 litre oil : 0.7 [kg]
oil in engine 6 litre oil : 5.5 [kg]
fuel in engine 1 litre fuel : 0.6 [kg]
weight 18 litre gravity patrol tank(s) : 2.6 [kg]
weight radiator : 15.8 [kg]
weight exhaust pipes & fuel lines 9.7 [kg]
weight cowling 4.4 [kg]
weight airscrew(s) (wood) incl. boss & bolts : 19.0 [kg]
total weight propulsion system : 336 [kg](37.5 [%])
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fuselage skeleton (wood gauge : 5.62 [cm]): 59 [kg]
bracing : 3.0 [kg]
fuselage covering ( 10.1 [m2] doped linen fabric) : 3.2 [kg]
weight controls + indicators: 5.6 [kg]
weight seats : 3.0 [kg]
weight other details, lighting set, etc. : 5.1 [kg]
weight 53 [litre] main fuel tank empty : 4.2 [kg]
weight engine mounts & firewalls : 6 [kg]
total weight fuselage : 89 [kg](9.9 [%])
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weight wing covering (doped linen fabric) : 16 [kg]
total weight ribs (50 ribs) : 53 [kg]
load on front upper spar (clmax) per running metre : 716.3 [N]
load on rear upper spar (vmax) per running metre : 297.3 [N]
total weight 8 spars : 30 [kg]
weight wings : 100 [kg]
weight wing/square meter : 3.99 [kg]
weight 4 interplane struts & cabane : 10.6 [kg]
weight cables (44 [m]) : 2.1 [kg] (= 48 [gram] per metre)
diameter cable : 2.8 [mm]
weight fin & rudder (0.9 [m2]) : 3.6 [kg]
weight stabilizer & elevator (2.8 [m2]): 11.4 [kg]
total weight wing surfaces & bracing : 127 [kg] (14.2 [%])
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weight machine-gun(s) : 34.0 [kg]
weight ammunition magazine(s) :3.5 [kg]
weight synchronizing system : 2.0 [kg]
weight armament : 40 [kg]
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wheel pressure : 449.0 [kg]
weight 2 wheels (750 [mm] by 99 [mm]) : 21.2 [kg]
weight tailskid : 1.9 [kg]
weight undercarriage with axle 17.2 [kg]
total weight landing gear : 40.3 [kg] (4.5 [%]
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calculated empty weight : 632 [kg](70.4 [%])
weight oil for 1.8 hours flying : 4.0 [kg]
weight cooling fluids : 23.8 [kg]
weight ammunition (1000 rounds) : 35.0 [kg]
weight automatic pistol with spare magazines : 1.2 [kg]
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calculated operational weight empty : 696 [kg] (77.5 [%])
published operational weight empty : 647 [kg] (72.0 [%])
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weight crew : 81 [kg]
weight fuel for 1.5 hours flying : 46 [kg]
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operational weight : 823 [kg](91.6 [%])
estimated bomb load : 25 [kg]
operational weight bombing mission : 848 [kg]
fuel reserve : 6 [kg] enough for 0.20 [hours] flying
possible additional useful load : 44 [kg]
operational weight fully loaded : 898 [kg] with fuel tank filled for 100 [%]
published maximum take-off weight : 898 [kg] (100.0 [%])
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calculation : * 4 * (engine power)
power loading (operational without bombload) : 7.46 [kg/kW]
total power : 110.3 [kW] at 1420 [r.p.m]
D.I with Windhoef radiator to the side of the fuselage. Fuel tanks were placed in front of the pilot.
calculation : *5* (loads)
manoeuvre load : 2.9 [g] at 1000 [m]
limit load : 4.5 [g] ultimate load : 6.8 [g] load factor : 1.8 [g]
design flight time : 1.20 [hours]
design cycles : 250 sorties, design hours : 300 [hours]
operational wing loading : 323 [N/m^2]
wing stress (3 g) during operation : 243 [N/kg] at 3g emergency manoeuvre
calculation : *6* (angles of attack)
angle of attack zero lift : -1.27 ["]
max. angle of attack (stalling angle) : 13.07 ["]
angle of attack at max. speed : 1.59 ["]
calculation : *7* (lift & drag ratios
lift coefficient at angle of attack 0° :0.10 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. angle of attack : 1.13 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. speed : 0.23 [ ]
induced drag coefficient at max. speed : 0.0048 [ ]
drag coefficient at max. speed : 0.0395 [ ]
drag coefficient (zero lift) : 0.0346 [ ]
calculation : *8* (speeds
stalling speed at sea-level (OW): 78 [km/u]
landing speed at sea-level (OW without bombload): 93 [km/hr]
min. drag speed (max endurance) : 121 [km/hr] at 2500 [m](power :49 [%])
min. power speed (max range) : 128 [km/hr] at 2500 [m] (power:51 [%])
max. rate of climb speed : 109.9 [km/hr] at sea-level
cruising speed : 158 [km/hr] op 2500 [m] (power:67 [%])
design speed prop : 170 [km/hr]
maximum speed : 175 [km/hr] op 100 [m] (power:99 [%])
climbing speed at sea-level (without bombload) : 243 [m/min]
calculation : *9* (regarding various performances)
take-off distance at sea-level : 165 [m]
lift/drag ratio : 8.69 [ ]
max. practical ceiling : 4375 [m] with flying weight :756 [kg]
practical ceiling (operational weight): 3875 [m] with flying weight :823 [kg]
practical ceiling fully loaded (mtow- 1 hour fuel) : 3550 [m] with flying weight :868 [kg]
published ceiling (5000 [m]
climb to 1500m (without bombload) : 7.11 [min]
climb to 3000m (without bombload) : 19.08 [min]
max. dive speed : 377.1 [km/hr] at 2550 [m] height
load factor at max. angle turn 1.72 ["g"]
turn radius at 500m: 61 [m]
time needed for 360* turn 13.3 [seconds] at 500m
calculation *10* (action radius & endurance)
operational endurance : 1.70 [hours] with 1 crew and 69 [kg] useful (bomb)load and 100.0 [%] fuel
published endurance : 1.50 [hours] with 1 crew and possible useful (bomb) load : 75 [kg] and 88.1 [%] fuel
action radius : 261 [km] with 1 crew and 20[kg] photo camera/radio transmitter or bombload
max range theoretically with additional fuel tanks for total 214 [litre] fuel : 812 [km]
useful load with action-radius 250km : 60 [kg]
production : 9.49 [tonkm/hour]
oil and fuel consumption per tonkm : 3.44 [kg]
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Literature :
Warplanes WOI page 87
Jane’s fighting aircraft WWI page 140dft
Wikipedia
They fought for the sky page 109
DISCLAIMER Above calculations are based on published data, they must be
regarded as indication not as facts.
Calculated performance and weight may not correspond with actual weights
and performances and are assumptions for which no responsibility can be taken.
Calculations are as accurate as possible, they can be fine-tuned when more data
is available, you are welcome to give suggestions and additional information
so we can improve our program.
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(c) B van der Zalm 21 August 2019 contact : info.aircraftinvestigation@gmail.com python 3.7.4