Daimler D.I

The Daimler D.I (also known by the company designation L6) was a German fighter aircraft of World War I. It was a conventional biplane design with a very small interplane gap - the top wing nearly touched the top of the fuselage. Power was provided by a Daimler D.IIIb water-cooled V-8 engine.

D.I
Role Fighter
Manufacturer Daimler
Designer Karl Schopper
First flight 1918
Number built 6

Design and development

The L6 prototype competed in the second Idflieg competition for a new fighter design in 1918. The competition was held at Adlershof from 22 May through 21 June. This resulted in an order for 20 aircraft being placed.[1]

History

Production commenced in 1918. Six examples were built by the time of the Armistice, at which time production was abandoned.[2]

Specifications (D.I)

Data from The Complete Book of Fighters [1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 7.3 m (23 ft 11 in)
  • Wingspan: 9.9 m (32 ft 6 in)
  • Height: 2.76 m (9 ft 1 in)
  • Wing area: 22.6 m2 (243 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 750 kg (1,653 lb)
  • Gross weight: 925 kg (2,039 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Daimler D.IIIb V-8 water-cooled piston engine, 138 kW (185 hp)
  • Propellers: 2-bladed fixed-pitch propeller

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 183 km/h (114 mph, 99 kn)
  • Endurance: 2 hours
  • Time to altitude: 6,000 m (19,685 ft) in 30 minutes

Armament

References
  1. Green and Swanborough 1994, p.145.
  2. Gray and Thetford 1962, p.315.

Further reading
  • Gray, Peter; Thetford, Owen (1962). German Aircraft of the First World War. London: Putnam.
  • Green, W; Swanborough, G (1994). The Complete Book of Fighters. New York: Smithmark. ISBN 0-8317-3939-8.
  • Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 297.
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