Euler D.II Biplane Fighter Aircraft

Specifications

Year: 1917
Status: Retired, Out-of-Service
Manufacturer(s): Euler-Werke - German Empire
Production: 30
Capabilities: Fighter;

Crew: 1
Length: 19.52 ft (5.95 m)
Width: 24.44 ft (7.45 m)
Height: 9.02 ft (2.75 m)
Weight (Empty): 838 lb (380 kg)
Weight (MTOW): 1,356 lb (615 kg)

Power: 1 x Oberursel U.I. 7-cylinder rotary piston engine developing 100 horsepower and driving a two-bladed propeller unit at the nose.

Speed: 90 mph (145 kph; 78 kts)
Range: 134 miles (215 km; 116 nm)
Rate-of-Climb: 700 ft/min (213 m/min)

Operators: German Empire

Success during the fighting of World War 1 (1914-1918) often meant that tactics and technology were often mimicked by the other side. This proved the case with the various technical implementations seen in both camps, particularly concerning the air war. Case-in-point was the successful French-made Nieuport 11 "fighting scout", a single-gunned, single-seat biplane which helped to turn the tide of the air war back in favor of the Allies during 1916. To potentially mimic the success of this enemy platform, German authorities called on local industry to reproduce this machine and the best representation to arise from this endeavor came in the form of the Euler D.I.

The D.I did not prove an outright success and suffered through a development period that saw only two hit the Front in a training role before the end of 1916. Flight trials were only had in early-1917 and fifty were ordered before another fifty were added. With an engine change to produce the D.II fighting standard, the latter fifty-strong order was converted to cover these newer, potentially better-performing machines.

Between the two marks, the airframe was left largely intact with the defining feature being a switch from the earlier Oberursel U.O. 7-cylinder rotary of 80 horsepower to the more potent Oberursel U.I. 7-cylinder rotary of 100 horsepower. The engine was still being used to drive a two-bladed wooden propeller at the nose and performance included a maximum speed of 90 miles per hour (slightly faster than the original D.I model) and an increase to the aircraft's rate-of-climb.

Armament remained a single 7.92mm machine gun in a fixed, forward-firing mounting over the nose, synchronized to fire through the spinning propeller blades.

In March of 1917, German authorities placed an order for thirty of the type to be featured in the fighting. However, production of these machines ultimately proved slow under wartime conditions and the first forms were not delivered until December. Overtaken by other mounts, the D.II was used strictly in the fighter training role and little more was had from the line. The war ended with the Armistice of November 1918.

Armament

1 x 7.92mm machine gun in fixed, forward-firing mounting over the nose and synchronized to fire through the spinning propeller blades.

Graphical image of an aircraft medium machine gun

Variants / Models

• D.II - Base Series Designation.