AEG D.I

Biplane Fighter Prototype Aircraft

Imperial Germany | 1917

"The AEG D.I biplane fighter program was marred by crashes of two of the three prototypes - as such the 20-strong pre-series order was cancelled."

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

1 x Daimler D.IIIa 6-cylinder liquid-cooled inline piston engine developing 160 horsepower and driving a two-bladed propeller at the nose.
Propulsion

127 mph
205 kph | 111 kts
Max Speed

16,404 ft
5,000 m | 3 miles
Service Ceiling

289 miles
465 km | 251 nm
Operational Range

1,313 ft/min
400 m/min
Rate-of-Climb

Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the AEG D.I Biplane Fighter Prototype Aircraft.

1
(MANNED)
Crew

20.0 ft
6.10 m
O/A Length

27.9 ft
(8.50 m)
O/A Width

8.7 ft
(2.65 m)
O/A Height

1,510 lb
(685 kg)
Empty Weight

2,072 lb
(940 kg)
MTOW

Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the AEG D.I Biplane Fighter Prototype Aircraft .

2 x 7.92mm LMG 08/15 machine guns synchronized to fire through the spinning propeller blades.

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the AEG D.I family line.

D.I - Base Series Designation; three prototypes completed.

Dr.I - Triplane variant of 1917 based on the D.I design.

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.

Allgemeine Elektricitats-Gesellschaft AG (AEG) served the German Empire in World War 1 (1914-1918) as an aircraft maker. Among their contributions was the short-lived AEG D.I biplane fighter. This design managed only three prototypes for its time and a first-flight was held during May 1917. The AEG Dr.I was an off-shoot of the series, developed along the lines of a triplane fighter. It was no more successful with just one example constructed.

The D.I marked the first fighter to be developed by the company and it incorporated traditional biplane qualities - an over-under wing arrangement, fixed wheeled undercarriage (tail-dragger), and open-air cockpit. The wings were slightly unequal span with a single bay each and single struts reinforced the members outboard of the fuselage. The pilot sat in an open-air cockpit under and aft of the upper wing assembly. The engine was fitted forward of the pilot in a streamlined housing and drove a two-bladed propeller at the nose. Internally there was a steel-tubed understructure and fabric skinning was used along the wing surfaces. Proposed armament was 2 x 7.92mm LMG 08/15 machine guns set over the nose and synchronized to fire through the spinning propeller blades. Power was from a Daimler D.IIIa 6-cylinder liquid-cooled inline piston engine of 160 horsepower.

As tested, the D.I managed a top speed of 127 miles per hour and ranged out to 300 miles. Its service ceiling was 16,000 feet and initial rate-of-climb reached 1,313 feet per minute.

A total of three prototypes were eventually completed by AEG with the first arriving in May of 1917. Between August and September of that year, the aircraft saw a lengthening of its fuselage to improve stability. The radiators were changed in the second and third prototypes.

Despite a prototype having crashed during testing, some twenty pre-production forms were ordered by the German Air Service for active evaluations. Following the crash of a second prototype on September 5, 1917, this commitment was abandoned and the D.I fell to history - proving to be unstable and a handful at the controls.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

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

Total Production: 3 Units
Contractor(s): Allgemeine Elektricitats-Gesellschaft AG (AEG) - Imperial Germany

[ German Empire (cancelled) ]

1 / 1

Image from the Public Domain.

Going Further...
The AEG D.I Biplane Fighter Prototype 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)