FokE3

Fokker E-III "Eindecker"

The Fokker E-III "Eindecker" was really a mediocre machine, but few knew this during the fall of 1915

The Fokker E-III "Eindecker":

Historical Notes:

The Fokker E.III (and its sisters, the E.I, II, and IV) was the first major German aircraft of World War One. The Eindecker achieved its fame on the basis of being the first major fighter equipped with an interruption gear for the machinegun mounted on the engine cowling. Contrary to popular belief, it is unlikely that Antony Fokker developed the system himself, but almost certainly copied another system already patented in Germany. The actual engineers who made the Fokker gear were Leinberger and Luebbe. Placing this gear onto an airplane was greatly influenced by the capture, on April 19, 1915, of the French ace Roland Garros. Garros had installed on his airscrew two steel wedges, which deflected bullets away from the Hotchkiss machinegun he had mounted over the cowling of his Morane-Saulnier N monoplane. He had already used this plane with success, but during a patrol over the front he got disoriented in the mist and was forced to land behind German lines. He desperately tried to burn his plane, but the damp straw he stuffed into the fuselage just wouldn't light. A German patrol captured him and his unique machine intact.

Evaluation demonstrated that Garros' device was actually quite dangerous, as deflected bullets could be hurled back into the rotary cylinders, or even at the pilot. However, the army officials did recognize the superiority in actually "aiming" the airplane at a target, versus using a hand movable machinegun. Fokker's engineers had the presence of mind to recognize the value of the previously patented (but generally forgotten) interruption equipment, and quickly installed their modified version into Fokker's latest design. Oswald Boelcke and his boisterous friend Max Immelmann each got a chance to review the design and were impressed.

The "Eindecker" was at first seen as a defensive plane, used to escort reconnaissance machines along the front. It was Immelmann and Boelcke who changed that, using the machine offensively to hunt and pursue Allied aircraft, with Immelmann scoring his first victory on August 1, 1915 while flying an E.I. Immelmann set the pace in evolving novel solo tactics, while Boelcke followed with the idea of organizing fighters into actual units (called "Jastas" for Jagdstaffeln). The Immelmann Turn, the process of climbing and half-looping to make another attack pass, was named for Max Immelmann, though it's unclear if he actually devised the technique himself.

The impact of the Eindecker was somewhat over exaggerated, especially by British politicians, who railed against the "Fokker scourge." Recent research has indicated that no more than 50 Eindeckers were in operation along the entire front at any one time, and while members of Parliament thundered for immediate and drastic action, less than a dozen Allied planes had fallen to the Fokker machine at that time. When an Eindecker was finally captured and evaluated, it was found to be quite ordinary, and even mediocre. The newer Allied machines, such as the DH-2 and Nieuport 11 could easily out turn it, and when a group of French pilots at the evaluations saw how the Eindecker could be beaten, they let out a collective cheer.

By 1916, it was clear that the Eindecker was outclassed, and that the German air service desperately needed a replacement. Fokker attempted to keep his design alive by building an enlarged version called the E.IV. This was armed with twin Maxims, but the weight significantly reduced its maneuverability. For a brief time, Immelmann used a specially designed E.IV with three machineguns, but he abandoned this in favor of the older E.III. Immelmann would be killed in combat on June 18, 1916, apparently when his synchronization gear malfunctioned, shooting off just one of the propellers. The rotor continued to turn with one prop, the vibrations tearing the machine apart in mid-air.

The Eindecker was somewhat unique in construction, being fashioned of steel tubing welded into a box girder, and reinforced with wire. The rudder and horizontal stabilizers were completely movable, with no fixed surfaces. Consequently, a pilot had to constantly take care as to his stick and rudder handling, which made the Eindecker somewhat tiring to fly. The wings were designed around two "I" shaped main spars, and were very flexible, using the older warp-type control methodology, instead of ailerons. This was the purpose of the various wires extending outward from a central inverted "V" post behind the cowling.

Although really a mediocre aircraft, the Eindecker set the pace for aerial tactics and earned its way into the aircraft hall of fame. Only about 150 were built before being phased out in 1916 for more advanced machines.

Basic performance statistics: Fokker E.III "Eindecker"

Engine: 100hp Oberursel UI 9 cylinder rotary engine

Weight: empty 878 lbs; loaded 1,232 lbs

Maximum speed: 82-87 mph (depending on source)

Climb rate: to 3,280 feet.... 5 min; to 9,840 feet.... 30 min.

Service ceiling: 12,000 feet

Flight endurance: 1.5 hours

Basic Specifications (vary widely from model to model):

Manufacturer: Fokker Flugzug Werke

Dimensions: Span 31 ft, 3 in; Length 23 ft, 7.5 in; Height: 7 ft, 10.5 in

Areas: Wings 172.8 sq ft

Fuel: na in sources, however probably about 16-18 gallons.

Armament: Single Maxim machinegun synchronized to fire through the airscrew.

Typical ammo load: 400-450 rounds typical load

Primary sources: "Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War I, 1919 (1990 reprint); "British Aeroplanes, 1914-1918," J.M. Bruce; "German Aircraft of the First World War," Gray and Thetford; "Fighter Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War" Lamberton et al; "Aircraft Camouflage and Markings 1907-1954," Robertson et al; "Military Small Arms of the 20th Century," Hogg and Weeks.

Fighting and winning in the Fokker E.III "Eindecker":

The Eindecker is fairly advanced...... for mid-1915! If you use it against late-war scouts, you're in for the fight of your life. Although able to absorb more damage than some contemporaries (thanks to it's steel girder construction), the Eindecker is clearly outclassed by later machines. However, it does have some advantages of it's own when flying against planes like the de Havilland DH-2. The DH-2 has a mediocre climb rate, and the Eindecker can top it in this category. Use the climb rate to position yourself above the enemy, then dive down for the attack. Once you make the first pass, pull back on the stick and perform the classic Immelmann (!), then come back for a second pass. The Maxim machinegun is better than the Lewis on the DH-2, and you carry a little more ammunition. This will help you finish the kill. However, avoid a turning dogfight with a DH-2, since he can cut a sharper inside circle.

There is some confusion and speculation as to what exactly is the Immelmann maneuver. It is commonly described as pulling straight back on the stick until vertical, then slowly coming over the top of a loop, then aileron rolling into an upright position to make another attack. However, other sources have indicated something different. It appears that the true Immelmann maneuver is as follows: once you make a diving attack on the enemy and start to overshoot, pull back on the stick and begin to climb into a loop, while applying some aileron to position your enemy to your side. As you reach the vertical position, reduce throttle and kick the rudder in the direction the enemy is flying. The plane flicks out of the stall and begins to drop nose first, taking you into an ideal position for a second pass. In some ways, the Immelmann as described here almost resembles a hammerhead stall. However, whichever one it is makes little difference, since both are effective maneuvers (although the latter takes much more practice).

Although outclassed by late-war machines, the Eindecker, when in the hands of a skilled flyer, can still down any of the WW I planes out there. This demonstrates that it's not just the machine...... it's the skill of the pilot. For a real challenge..... take on the late-war planes with a true Fokker Eindecker! You'll find out what kind of virtual pilot you really are.




	Fokker E-III "Eindecker"


		The Fokker E-III "Eindecker" was really a mediocre machine, but few knew this during the fall of 1915

The Fokker E-III "Eindecker": Historical Notes: The Fokker E.III (and its sisters, the E.I, II, and IV) was the first major German aircraft of World War One. The Eindecker achieved its fame on the basis of being the first major fighter equipped with an interruption gear for the machinegun mounted on the engine cowling. Contrary to popular belief, it is unlikely that Antony Fokker developed the system himself, but almost certainly copied another system already patented in Germany. The actual engineers who made the Fokker gear were Leinberger and Luebbe. Placing this gear onto an airplane was greatly influenced by the capture, on April 19, 1915, of the French ace Roland Garros. Garros had installed on his airscrew two steel wedges, which deflected bullets away from the Hotchkiss machinegun he had mounted over the cowling of his Morane-Saulnier N monoplane. He had already used this plane with success, but during a patrol over the front he got disoriented in the mist and was forced to land behind German lines. He desperately tried to burn his plane, but the damp straw he stuffed into the fuselage just wouldn't light. A German patrol captured him and his unique machine intact. Evaluation demonstrated that Garros' device was actually quite dangerous, as deflected bullets could be hurled back into the rotary cylinders, or even at the pilot. However, the army officials did recognize the superiority in actually "aiming" the airplane at a target, versus using a hand movable machinegun. Fokker's engineers had the presence of mind to recognize the value of the previously patented (but generally forgotten) interruption equipment, and quickly installed their modified version into Fokker's latest design. Oswald Boelcke and his boisterous friend Max Immelmann each got a chance to review the design and were impressed. The "Eindecker" was at first seen as a defensive plane, used to escort reconnaissance machines along the front. It was Immelmann and Boelcke who changed that, using the machine offensively to hunt and pursue Allied aircraft, with Immelmann scoring his first victory on August 1, 1915 while flying an E.I. Immelmann set the pace in evolving novel solo tactics, while Boelcke followed with the idea of organizing fighters into actual units (called "Jastas" for Jagdstaffeln). The Immelmann Turn, the process of climbing and half-looping to make another attack pass, was named for Max Immelmann, though it's unclear if he actually devised the technique himself. The impact of the Eindecker was somewhat over exaggerated, especially by British politicians, who railed against the "Fokker scourge." Recent research has indicated that no more than 50 Eindeckers were in operation along the entire front at any one time, and while members of Parliament thundered for immediate and drastic action, less than a dozen Allied planes had fallen to the Fokker machine at that time. When an Eindecker was finally captured and evaluated, it was found to be quite ordinary, and even mediocre. The newer Allied machines, such as the DH-2 and Nieuport 11 could easily out turn it, and when a group of French pilots at the evaluations saw how the Eindecker could be beaten, they let out a collective cheer. By 1916, it was clear that the Eindecker was outclassed, and that the German air service desperately needed a replacement. Fokker attempted to keep his design alive by building an enlarged version called the E.IV. This was armed with twin Maxims, but the weight significantly reduced its maneuverability. For a brief time, Immelmann used a specially designed E.IV with three machineguns, but he abandoned this in favor of the older E.III. Immelmann would be killed in combat on June 18, 1916, apparently when his synchronization gear malfunctioned, shooting off just one of the propellers. The rotor continued to turn with one prop, the vibrations tearing the machine apart in mid-air. The Eindecker was somewhat unique in construction, being fashioned of steel tubing welded into a box girder, and reinforced with wire. The rudder and horizontal stabilizers were completely movable, with no fixed surfaces. Consequently, a pilot had to constantly take care as to his stick and rudder handling, which made the Eindecker somewhat tiring to fly. The wings were designed around two "I" shaped main spars, and were very flexible, using the older warp-type control methodology, instead of ailerons. This was the purpose of the various wires extending outward from a central inverted "V" post behind the cowling. Although really a mediocre aircraft, the Eindecker set the pace for aerial tactics and earned its way into the aircraft hall of fame. Only about 150 were built before being phased out in 1916 for more advanced machines. Basic performance statistics: Fokker E.III "Eindecker" Engine: 100hp Oberursel UI 9 cylinder rotary engine Weight: empty 878 lbs; loaded 1,232 lbs Maximum speed: 82-87 mph (depending on source) Climb rate: to 3,280 feet.... 5 min; to 9,840 feet.... 30 min. Service ceiling: 12,000 feet Flight endurance: 1.5 hours Basic Specifications (vary widely from model to model): Manufacturer: Fokker Flugzug Werke Dimensions: Span 31 ft, 3 in; Length 23 ft, 7.5 in; Height: 7 ft, 10.5 in Areas: Wings 172.8 sq ft Fuel: na in sources, however probably about 16-18 gallons. Armament: Single Maxim machinegun synchronized to fire through the airscrew. Typical ammo load: 400-450 rounds typical load Primary sources: "Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War I, 1919 (1990 reprint); "British Aeroplanes, 1914-1918," J.M. Bruce; "German Aircraft of the First World War," Gray and Thetford; "Fighter Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War" Lamberton et al; "Aircraft Camouflage and Markings 1907-1954," Robertson et al; "Military Small Arms of the 20th Century," Hogg and Weeks. Fighting and winning in the Fokker E.III "Eindecker": The Eindecker is fairly advanced...... for mid-1915! If you use it against late-war scouts, you're in for the fight of your life. Although able to absorb more damage than some contemporaries (thanks to it's steel girder construction), the Eindecker is clearly outclassed by later machines. However, it does have some advantages of it's own when flying against planes like the de Havilland DH-2. The DH-2 has a mediocre climb rate, and the Eindecker can top it in this category. Use the climb rate to position yourself above the enemy, then dive down for the attack. Once you make the first pass, pull back on the stick and perform the classic Immelmann (!), then come back for a second pass. The Maxim machinegun is better than the Lewis on the DH-2, and you carry a little more ammunition. This will help you finish the kill. However, avoid a turning dogfight with a DH-2, since he can cut a sharper inside circle. There is some confusion and speculation as to what exactly is the Immelmann maneuver. It is commonly described as pulling straight back on the stick until vertical, then slowly coming over the top of a loop, then aileron rolling into an upright position to make another attack. However, other sources have indicated something different. It appears that the true Immelmann maneuver is as follows: once you make a diving attack on the enemy and start to overshoot, pull back on the stick and begin to climb into a loop, while applying some aileron to position your enemy to your side. As you reach the vertical position, reduce throttle and kick the rudder in the direction the enemy is flying. The plane flicks out of the stall and begins to drop nose first, taking you into an ideal position for a second pass. In some ways, the Immelmann as described here almost resembles a hammerhead stall. However, whichever one it is makes little difference, since both are effective maneuvers (although the latter takes much more practice). Although outclassed by late-war machines, the Eindecker, when in the hands of a skilled flyer, can still down any of the WW I planes out there. This demonstrates that it's not just the machine...... it's the skill of the pilot. For a real challenge..... take on the late-war planes with a true Fokker Eindecker! You'll find out what kind of virtual pilot you really are.