LFG Roland D.VI

Biplane Fighter Aircraft

Imperial Germany | 1918

"The LFG Roland D.VI biplane fighter series arrived in small numbers by the end of World War 1 - making a minimal impact on the air war."

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 07/31/2019 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

The LFG Roland D.VI was adopted by the German Air Service of World War 1 (1914-1918) as a successor to the outgoing Albatros D.Va and Pfalz D.IIIa series biplane fighters. It originally failed to overcome the competing Fokker D.VII in a fly-off competition but was nonetheless ordered for serial production pending the outcome of the D.VII's development and production phases. The D.VI existed in 350 total aircraft and was introduced during the final year of the war.

As completed, the D.VI became an all-new biplane fighter attempt that broke away from the accepted norms witnessed in earlier Roland aircraft attempts. A "klinker-built" - or "lapstrake" - construction method was employed which used thin overlapping strips of wood over a wooden understructure producing a "planking" effect - similar to that as used in boats. This method was first witnessed on the earlier, ultimately abandoned LFG Roland Dr. IV triplane fighter prototype and now continued with the new D.VI effort.

The D.VI entered its flight test phase during November of 1917 as the war raged on. This form was outfitted with the Mercedes D.III series engine of 160 horsepower and three total prototypes were eventually completed for the D.VI test program. Due to limitations in the availability of the D.III engine, the Benz Bz IIIa of 150 horsepower was also tested and this phase took the aircraft into January of 1918.

That same month, the D.VI fell to the Fokker D.VII in a fly-off but was ordered into serial production as a failsafe to the Fokker design. In February an order for fifty of the LFG Roland aircraft was placed which would include Mercedes-engined versions as the "D.VIa" and Benz-engined versions as the "D.VIb". Deliveries occurred from May into June and strength reached seventy before the final months of the war - 58 were of the D.VIa type and 12 of the D.VIb model.

In practice, the new biplane performed admirably well for its role as fighter. It was modestly armed through 2 x 7.92mm LMG 08/15 machine guns synchronized to fire through the spinning propeller blades and its straightline performance was good with agility being a noted quality. The aircraft lacked an improved rate-of-climb when compared to the aircraft it was to succeed and the end of the war limited its reach in both terms of operational service and production numbers - total manufacture netted 150 D.VIa and 200 D.VIb aircraft before the end.

Performance specifications included a maximum speed of 125 miles per hour, a service ceiling of 19,000 feet and a rate-of-climb near 865 feet per minute. The aircraft found varying levels of service within the inventory of the German Air Service and the German Navy.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the LFG Roland D.VI Biplane Fighter Aircraft.

1 x Benz Bz.IIIa engine developing 200 horsepower and driving a two-bladed propeller unit at the nose.
Propulsion

124 mph
200 kph | 108 kts
Max Speed

19,029 ft
5,800 m | 4 miles
Service Ceiling

249 miles
400 km | 216 nm
Operational Range

860 ft/min
262 m/min
Rate-of-Climb

Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the LFG Roland D.VI Biplane Fighter Aircraft.

1
(MANNED)
Crew

20.7 ft
6.32 m
O/A Length

30.9 ft
(9.42 m)
O/A Width

9.2 ft
(2.80 m)
O/A Height

1,444 lb
(655 kg)
Empty Weight

1,863 lb
(845 kg)
MTOW

Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the LFG Roland D.VI Biplane Fighter Aircraft .

2 x 7.92mm LMG 08/15 machine guns in fixed, forward-firing positions along the fuselage.

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the LFG Roland D.VI family line.

D.VI - Base Series Designation

D.VIb - Production model

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the LFG Roland D.VI. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 350 Units
Contractor(s): Luft-Fahrzeug-Gesellschaft GmbH (LFG Roland) - Imperial Germany

[ German Empire ]

1 / 1

Image from the Public Domain.

Going Further...
The LFG Roland D.VI Biplane Fighter Aircraft appears in the following collections:

HOME

AVIATION INDEX

AIRCRAFT BY COUNTRY

AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURERS

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Scale Military Ranks of the World U.S. Department of Defense Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols Breakdown U.S. 5-Star Generals List WWII Weapons by Country World War Next

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.

©2024 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2024 (21yrs)