Siemens-Schuckert D.IV

Biplane Fighter Aircraft [ 1918 ]

The Siemens-Schuckert D.IV biplane fighter was still in production after the armistice was signed and is considered the best fighter design of the Great War.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 07/31/2019 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

GO TO SPECIFICATIONS [+]

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The Siemens-Schuckert D.IV was a further development of the D-series brand, itself a copy of the spectacular French Nieuport 11. Development of the D.IV stemmed from the D.IIc short wing span prototype ordered after production of the D.I was complete. Performance was improved in the D.IV with new wings and added to the already impressive rate-of-climb that the aircraft would be known for. The D.IV appeared in serviceable numbers in August of 1918, just a few months before Germany's inevitable defeat.

Some 60 D.IV systems were on hand to see operational service with some 123 total examples eventually produced. The D.IV proved to have tremendous climbing capabilities and offered up an impressive service ceiling. Armament consisted of twin 7.92mm LMG 08/15 series machine guns while power stemmed from a Siemens-Halske Sh.III 11-cylinder geared rotary engine of 160 horsepower. Top speed was nearly 120 miles per hour and the aircraft maintained an endurance of 2 hours. In many respects, the system outperformed the challenging Fokker designs and ultimately was regarded as the best fighter design for either side in the whole of the war.

With Germany's capitulation by November of 1918, the armistice was signed and Germany was banned from any future aircraft production - though surprisingly the D.VI continued production through the middle of 1919. Switzerland purchased many surplus D.IV aircraft in the post-war years, keeping them operational well into the 1920's. In any regard, the D.VI can be seen as the pinnacle of the Siemens-Schuckert D-series with the original French Nieuport 11 design to thank for it.©MilitaryFactory.com

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Specifications

Service Year

1918

Origin

Imperial Germany

Status

RETIRED
Not in Service.

Crew

1

Production

123
UNITS

Siemens-Schuckert Werke - Germany

(View other Aviaton-Related Manufacturers)

German Empire; Switzerland

(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

27.4 ft
(8.35 m)

Height

8.9 ft
(2.72 m)

Empty Wgt

1,190 lb
(540 kg)

MTOW

1,620 lb
(735 kg)

Wgt Diff

+430 lb
(+195 kg)

(Showcased structural values pertain to the base Siemens-Schuckert D.IV production variant)

Installed: 1 x Siemens-Halske Sh.III 11-cylinder geared rotary engine developing 160 horsepower driving a four-bladed propeller unit at the nose.

Max Speed

118 mph
(190 kph | 103 kts)

Ceiling

26,247 ft
(8,000 m | 5 mi)

Rate-of-Climb

400 ft/min
(122 m/min)

♦ MACH Regime (Sonic)

Sub

Trans

Super

Hyper

HiHyper

ReEntry

♦

(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the base Siemens-Schuckert D.IV production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)

2 x 7.92mm LMG 08/15 machine guns

Supported Types

Graphical image of an aircraft medium machine gun

(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.

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