The Siemens-Schuckert D series of fighters evolved from captured French-made Nieuport 11 aircraft. The D.III appeared as an improved D.I - a design which arrived too late to be of much use and was therefore relegated to trainer. The D.III was developed from the D.IIc longer wing span prototype and featured a smaller propeller with shortened landing gears.
Production of the D.III began as an initial batch of fifty aircraft with all being received by the end of February 1918. The D.III was well-received by her pilots as she sported unparalleled climbing attributes vital in any dogfight. The honeymoon was soon over, however, as the 160 horsepower proved to overheat consistently after just 10 hours of operation time. While engine issues were ironed out, the D.III was pulled from service in favor of the Fokker D.VII. D.III systems were back in service by July 1918 with their engines adjusted for better cooling along with a redesigned rudder. Thirty of these "new build" D.III series aircraft were delivered and put into action immediately.
The D.III was eventually followed up with the D.IV, another D.series design developed from a D.IIc short wing span prototype.
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Air-to-Air Combat, Fighter
General ability to actively engage other aircraft of similar form and function, typically through guns, missiles, and/or aerial rockets.
Length
18.7 ft (5.70 m)
Width/Span
27.7 ft (8.43 m)
Height
9.2 ft (2.80 m)
Empty Wgt
1,177 lb (534 kg)
MTOW
1,598 lb (725 kg)
Wgt Diff
+421 lb (+191 kg)
(Showcased structural values pertain to the base Siemens-Schuckert D.III production variant)
Installed:
1 x Siemens-Halske Sh III 11-cylinder air-cooled rotary engine developing 160 horsepower driving a four-bladed propeller unit at the nose.
(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)
Hardpoint Mountings: 0
D.I - Pilot trainer; Nieuport 11 direct copy; 95 produced.
D.II - Prototype; Siemens-Halske Sh III 160 horsepower rotary engine; larger fuselage to accomodate new engine; larger propeller blades.
D.II - Larger and wider fuselage
D.IIa - Prototype
D.IIb - Prototype
D.IIc - 2 Prototypes (long and short wing span versions)
D.IIe - Prototype
D.III - Upgraded powerplant to Siemens-Halske 160 horsepower rotary engine.
D.IV - Late arriving and post-Armistice production variant; 60 produced.
D.V - Proposed sesquiplane variant
D.VI - Parasol Monoplane variant becoming the E.I.
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.
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