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weight and performance calculations for the LFG Roland D.VIb
LFG Roland D.VIb
role : fighter
importance : ***
first flight : November 1917 operational : July 1918
country : Germany
design : Kurt Tantzen
production : 200 aircraft
general information :
The chief designer of the company, Kurt Tantzen, together with engineers Richter and Cammerer worked out a method of making streamlined fuselages as shells formed from strips of plywood, attached to light skeleton made of multi-layer, glued formers and spruce longerons. This method, known as Klinkerrumpf (lit. clinker construction fuselage), appeared as a way of coping with plywood shortages that were suffered by Germany due to Allied naval blockade. Interestingly, the Klinkerrumpf had its roots in an ancient boat-building technique, employed e.g. by the Vikings. However, the construction process was very time-consuming. After an initial forming of the two halves of a fuselage on a wooden mould, they were put together on a light skeleton. After the assembly, the entire fuselage was coated with a special dope, based on copal resin. Due to shortage of the Mercedes D.III engine Roland made the D.VIb version with Benz Bz.IIIa engine nominally rated at 150hp. It could reach 183 km/u at 2000m. Later D.VIb’s were fitted with a high-compression version of this engine, delivering 200 hp (Benz Bz.IIIau ?) . This engine had a tendency to overheat. Vmax with this engine 199 km/u.
users : Luftwaffe
crew : 1
armament : 2 synchronized 7.92 [mm] (0.312 in) Spandau LMG 08/15 machine-guns
engine : 1 Benz Bz.IIIa liquid-cooled 6 -cylinder inline engine 185 [hp](136.1 KW)
dimensions :
wingspan : 9.39 [m], length : 6.33 [m], height : 2.8[m]
wing area : 22.13 [m^2]
weights :
max.take-off weight : 895 [kg]
empty weight operational (estimation): 673.0 [kg] bombload : 0 [kg]
performance :
maximum speed : 199 [km/u] op 2000 [m]
service ceiling : 5800 [m]
estimated endurance : 1.5 [hours]
estimated action radius : 134 [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 :0.64 [ ]
diameter airscrew 2.84 [m]
angle of attack prop : 18.87 [ ]
reduction : 1.00 [ ]
airscrew revs : 1450 [r.p.m.]
pitch at Max speed 2.29 [m]
blade-tip speed at Vmax and max revs. : 223 [m/s]
calculation : *1* (dimensions)
mean wing chord : 1.18 [m]
calculated wing chord (rounded tips): 1.32 [m]
wing aspect ratio : 7.97 []
gap : 1.25 [m]
gap/chord : 1.06 [ ]
seize (span*length*height) : 166 [m^3]
calculation : *2* (fuel consumption)
oil consumption : 2.7 [kg/hr]
fuel consumption(cruise speed) : 29.4 [kg/hr] (40.1 [litre/hr]) at 61 [%] power
distance flown for 1 kg fuel : 6.10 [km/kg]
estimated total fuel capacity : 68 [litre] (50 [kg])
calculation : *3* (weight)
weight engine(s) dry : 272.0 [kg] = 2.00 [kg/KW]
weight 9 litre oil tank : 1.1 [kg]
oil tank filled with 1.0 litre oil : 0.9 [kg]
oil in engine 8 litre oil : 6.8 [kg]
fuel in engine 1 litre fuel : 0.7 [kg]
weight 17 litre gravity patrol tank(s) : 1.7 [kg]
weight radiator : 19.5 [kg]
weight exhaust pipes & fuel lines 12.3 [kg]
weight cowling 5.4 [kg]
weight airscrew(s) (wood) incl. boss & bolts : 20.4 [kg]
total weight propulsion system : 340 [kg](38.0 [%])
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fuselage skeleton (wood gauge : 5.41 [cm]): 47 [kg]
bracing : 2.1 [kg]
fuselage covering ( 7.6 [m2] doped linen fabric) : 2.4 [kg]
weight controls + indicators: 5.5 [kg]
weight seats : 3.0 [kg]
weight other details, lighting set, etc. : 5.1 [kg]
weight 51 [litre] main fuel tank empty : 4.9 [kg]
weight engine mounts & firewalls : 7 [kg]
total weight fuselage : 77 [kg](8.6 [%])
***************************************************************
weight wing covering (doped linen fabric) : 14 [kg]
total weight ribs (62 ribs) : 53 [kg]
load on front upper spar (clmax) per running metre : 630.7 [N]
load on rear upper spar (vmax) per running metre : 281.2 [N]
total weight 8 spars : 32 [kg]
weight wings : 99 [kg]
weight wing/square meter : 4.48 [kg]
weight 4 interplane struts & cabane : 5.9 [kg]
weight cables (45 [m]) : 2.3 [kg] (= 50 [gram] per metre)
diameter cable : 2.9 [mm]
weight fin & rudder (1.0 [m2]) : 4.7 [kg]
weight stabilizer & elevator (2.5 [m2]): 11.3 [kg]
total weight wing surfaces & bracing : 123 [kg] (13.8 [%])
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weight machine-gun(s) : 34.0 [kg]
weight ammunition magazine(s) :3.5 [kg]
weight Fokker Zentralsteuerung synchronization gear : 2.0 [kg]
weight armament : 40 [kg]
********************************************************************
wheel pressure : 447.5 [kg]
weight 2 wheels (790 [mm] by 100 [mm]) : 21.4 [kg]
weight tailskid : 1.7 [kg]
weight undercarriage with axle 15.6 [kg]
total weight landing gear : 38.8 [kg] (4.3 [%]
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calculated empty weight : 619 [kg](69.1 [%])
weight oil for 1.8 hours flying : 4.9 [kg]
weight cooling fluids : 28.0 [kg]
weight ammunition (1000 rounds) : 28.2 [kg]
weight signal pistol with cartridges : 3.6 [kg]
weight automatic pistol with spare magazines : 1.2 [kg]
*******************************************************************
calculated operational weight empty : 685 [kg] (76.5 [%])
estimated operational weight empty : 673 [kg] (75.2 [%])
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weight crew : 81 [kg]
weight fuel for 1.5 hours flying : 44 [kg]
********************************************************************
operational weight : 810 [kg](90.5 [%])
estimated bomb load : 25 [kg]
operational weight bombing mission : 835 [kg]
fuel reserve : 6 [kg] enough for 0.20 [hours] flying
On top a D.Va, below a D.VIb
possible additional useful load : 54 [kg]
operational weight fully loaded : 895 [kg] with fuel tank filled for 100 [%]
published maximum take-off weight : 895 [kg] (100.0 [%])
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calculation : * 4 * (engine power)
power loading (operational without bombload) : 5.95 [kg/kW]
total power : 136.1 [kW] at 1450 [r.p.m]
calculation : *5* (loads)
manoeuvre load : 3.7 [g] at 1000 [m]
limit load : 4.5 [g] ultimate load : 6.8 [g] load factor : 1.7 [g]
design flight time : 1.20 [hours]
design cycles : 217 sorties, design hours : 260 [hours]
operational wing loading : 359 [N/m^2]
wing stress (3 g) during operation : 240 [N/kg] at 3g emergency manoeuvre
calculation : *6* (angles of attack)
angle of attack zero lift : -1.99 ["]
max. angle of attack (stalling angle) : 11.93 ["]
angle of attack at max. speed : 0.74 ["]
calculation : *7* (lift & drag ratios
lift coefficient at angle of attack 0° :0.17 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. angle of attack : 1.19 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. speed : 0.23 [ ]
induced drag coefficient at max. speed : 0.0039 [ ]
drag coefficient at max. speed : 0.0354 [ ]
drag coefficient (zero lift) : 0.0315 [ ]
calculation : *8* (speeds
stalling speed at sea-level (OW): 80 [km/u]
landing speed at sea-level (OW without bombload): 96 [km/hr]
min. drag speed (max endurance) : 123 [km/hr] at 2900 [m](power :34 [%])
min. power speed (max range) : 132 [km/hr] at 2900 [m] (power:35 [%])
max. rate of climb speed : 122.2 [km/hr] at sea-level
cruising speed : 179 [km/hr] op 2900 [m] (power:56 [%])
design speed prop : 193 [km/hr]
maximum speed : 199 [km/hr] op 2000 [m] (power:77 [%])
climbing speed at sea-level (without bombload) : 369 [m/min]
calculation : *9* (regarding various performances)
take-off distance at sea-level : 148 [m]
lift/drag ratio : 10.56 [ ]
max. practical ceiling : 6300 [m] with flying weight :747 [kg]
practical ceiling (operational weight) : 5850 [m] with flying weight :810 [kg] line 3385
practical ceiling fully loaded (mtow- 1 hour fuel) : 5475 [m] with flying weight :866 [kg]
published ceiling (5800 [m]
climb to 1500m (without bombload) : 4.48 [min]
climb to 3000m (without bombload) : 10.72 [min]
max. dive speed : 444.2 [km/hr] at 4475 [m] height
load factor at max. angle turn 2.34 ["g"]
turn radius at 500m: 58 [m]
time needed for 360* turn 10.5 [seconds] at 500m
2225-18 on display in the Polish Aviation Museum at Krakow. Note the fuselage planking like a boat deck
calculation *10* (action radius & endurance)
operational endurance : 1.70 [hours] with 1 crew and 79 [kg] useful (bomb)load and 100.0 [%] fuel
published endurance : 1.50 [hours] with 1 crew and possible useful (bomb) load : 85 [kg] and 88.1 [%] fuel
action radius : 334 [km] with 1 crew and 20[kg] photo camera or bombload
max range theoretically with additional fuel tanks for total 222 [litre] fuel : 991 [km]
useful load with action-radius 250km : 80 [kg]
production : 14.41 [tonkm/hour]
oil and fuel consumption per tonkm : 2.23 [kg]
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Literature :
Jane’s Fighter Aircraft WWI page 170,171
Fighters 1914-19 page 37
Praktisch handbook vliegtuigen deel 1 page 283
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. For copyright on drawings/photographs/
content please mail to below mail address
(c) B van der Zalm 29 February 2020 contact : info.aircraftinvestigation@gmail.com python 3.7.4
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