Girish Mahajan (Editor)

Siemens Schuckert Dr.I

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Wingspan
  
8.6 m

First flight
  
July 1917

Length
  
5.3 m

Manufacturer
  
Siemens-Schuckert

The Siemens-Schuckert Dr.I was a German single seat triplane fighter aircraft first flown in 1917. Its development and that of a more powerful, uncompleted variant, was abandoned after a flight test programme.

Contents

Design and development

The Dr.I was a single seat triplane developed at the same time as the Siemens-Schuckert D.II. It used the flat sided fuselage of the earlier Siemens-Schuckert D.I biplane rather than that of the rounded D.II. Like the D.I the Dr.III was powered by a 110 hp (82 kW) Siemens-Halske Sh.I nine cylinder rotary engine.

The fighter was first flown in July 1917. Later in its development programme the Dr.I crashed and was seriously damaged. Siemens-Schuckert rebuilt it, though adding 2.90 m2 (31.2 sq ft) to the wing area.

Construction of a version powered by a more powerful 110 hp (82 kW) Siemens-Halske Sh.III eleven cylinder rotary engine, the Dr.II, was well advanced when it was abandoned.

Specifications (before reconstruction)

Data from The Complete Book of Fighters p.529

General characteristics

  • Crew: One
  • Length: 5.30 m (17 ft 5 in)
  • Wingspan: 8.60 m (28 ft 3 in)
  • Wing area: 18.10 m2 (194.8 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 510 kg (1,124 lb)
  • Gross weight: 695 kg (1,532 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Siemens-Halske Sh.I 9-cylinder rotary, 82 kW (110 hp)

    • Performance

  • Time to altitude: 20.6 min to 4,700 m (15,420 ft) post-rebuild

    • References

    Siemens-Schuckert Dr.I Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA