Aviatik D.VI

Single-Seat Biplane Fighter Prototype

Imperial Germany | 1918

"The Aviatik D.VI appeared for the German Empire in the last year of World War 1 but engine issues forced the prototype to miss official military competitions."

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.

Aviatik of the German Empire built a solid resume for itself after being established in 1909 in Mulhausen (as Automobil und Aviatik AG). In time, the concern became a well-recognized German aircraft-maker whose designs helped to stock the German Air Service during World War 1. Designs ranged from various reconnaissance and fighter types to experimental and development-minded models. During the war's final year (1918), the company was hard at work on several prototype fighter projects that included the D.VI.

The D.VI was outfitted with the Benz Bz.IIIbm model series engine of 195 horsepower and was, by and large, an evolutionary offshoot of earlier Aviatik fighter types. The aircraft went airborne for the first time in August of 1918. Its overall construction was of wood with fabric covering. The engine was fitted at front in the usual way and the single-seat, open-air cockpit was situated aft and under the upper wing assembly. The wing members were joined by parallel struts. The undercarriage was fixed in flight and wheeled at only the two main legs. Proposed armament was consistent with other fighters of the war - 2 x 7.92mm LMG 08/15 machine guns synchronized to fire through the spinning propeller blades.

As flown, the D.IV had an estimated maximum speed of 117 miles per hour and could reach 16,405 feet in under 18 minutes. The design was known to have very good flight characteristics.

However, all this was moot for the Benz engine provided trouble for the development team which, in turn, nixed the aircraft's involvement in the second D-type fighter program of June 1918. Before long, the D.IV was abandoned by Aviatik in favor of the D.VII - though only one prototype of this biplane was built as well.

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Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Aviatik D.VI Single-Seat Biplane Fighter Prototype.

1 x Benz Bz.IIIbm geared engine developing 195 horsepower and driving a two-bladed propeller unit at the nose.
Propulsion

117 mph
188 kph | 102 kts
Max Speed

20,177 ft
6,150 m | 4 miles
Service Ceiling

447 miles
720 km | 389 nm
Operational Range

910 ft/min
277 m/min
Rate-of-Climb

City-to-City Ranges
Operational range when compared to distances between major cities (in KM).

NYC

LON

PAR

BER

MOS

TOK

SYD

LAX

NYC

Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the Aviatik D.VI Single-Seat Biplane Fighter Prototype.

1
(MANNED)
Crew

20.0 ft
6.10 m
O/A Length

31.7 ft
(9.65 m)
O/A Width

8.2 ft
(2.50 m)
O/A Height

1,653 lb
(750 kg)
Empty Weight

2,094 lb
(950 kg)
MTOW

Design Balance
The three qualities reflected below are altitude, speed, and range. The more full the box, the more balanced the design.

RANGE

ALT

SPEED

Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the Aviatik D.VI Single-Seat Biplane Fighter Prototype .

PROPOSED:
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 Aviatik D.VI family line.

D.VI - Base Series Designation

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

Total Production: 1 Units
Contractor(s): Automobil und Aviatik AG (Aviatik) - German Empire

[ German Empire (cancelled) ]

Relative Max Speed

Hi: 120mph

Lo: 60mph

Aircraft Max Listed Speed (117mph).

Graph Average of 90 MPH.

Era Crossover

Showcasing Aircraft Era Crossover (if any)

Max Alt Visualization

Production Comparison

1

36183

44000

Entry compared against Ilyushin IL-2 (military) and Cessna 172 (civilian) total production.

MACH Regime (Sonic)

Sub

Trans

Super

Hyper

HiHyper

ReEntry

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Aviation Timeline

EarlyYrs

WWI

Interwar

WWII

ColdWar

Postwar

Modern

Future

♦

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Image from the Public Domain.

Mission Roles
Some designs are single-minded in their approach while others offer a more versatile solution to airborne requirements.

AIR-TO-AIR COMBAT

X-PLANE

Recognition
Some designs stand the test of time while others are doomed to never advance beyond the drawing board; let history be their judge.

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1

Going Further...
The Aviatik D.VI Single-Seat Biplane Fighter Prototype appears in the following collections:

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