PfalzD12

Pfalz D.XII

Developed as a competitor to the Fokker D-VII, the Pfalz D-XII had a slightly better snap turn, not to mention longer flight endurance and more rugged construction.

Artwork by Bob Pearson.

Historical Notes:

Often not understood about the German aircraft industry of WW I was its lack of centralized continuity. This served to both cripple German aviation efforts, but also served to provide a measure of competition, thereby actually giving the impetus for the development of quality machines. This level of competition was temporarily stifled with the dominance of the Albatros machines, but finally broken in late 1917 when the German Air Service was facing the extreme circumstances of total war.

Out of this environment was born the Pfalz D-XII. The Pfalz firm, based in the quasi- independent state of Bavaria, attempted to compete with firms like the Albatros and Fokker concerns who enjoyed special access to the Prussian-dominated imperial government in Berlin. After the deployment of the Pfalz D-III series, the Bavarian firm had little success with later designs, even though a handful of their triplane design went to the Western Front. In the Spring of 1918 the firm began development of the Pfalz D-XII. While influenced in outward appearance by the Fokker D-VII, its design and construction was radically different. The fuselage was a semi-monocoque design, with spruce longerons and plywood formers. Like the D-III, the fuselage was wrapped in a tight spiral with plywood, but unlike the D-III, one layer was wrapped over in the opposite direction. It was then covered with fabric and dope. Hence, this design gave the fuselage excellent strength.

The wings were of equal chord, and braced with a double-bay layout. They received additional bracing with an extra spar to which the ailerons were hinged. By providing the ailerons with a high aspect ratio and proper balance, the design team gave the Pfalz D-XII an excellent rate of roll. The tail surfaces were very unique, with the elevators horn-balanced on a large tail plane. Furthermore, they were supported by solid spars that went right through the back of the fuselage, and thus the tailplane could not even be removed for transport.

Despite all these efforts to build a strong and robust machine, the loaded weight of the Pfalz D-XII was only about 100 pounds over the Fokker D-VII.

During the fighter competition of June, 1918, several models were tested with both the 160/180 hp Mercedes D-IIIa and the 185 hp BMW III engines. Two well-known aces, one of them Ernst Udet, expressed their preference of the Pfalz machine over its Fokker counterpart, while the other pilots considered the two to be equal. The Pfalz D-XII, with the Mercedes engine, had a slightly better snap turn, but was deficient in the steady turn. However, with the BMW engine, the Pfalz's steady turn became comparable, although the climb rate still lagged by a few minutes. One advantage the Pfalz had over other machines was its endurance, able to loiter on patrol almost an hour longer than the Fokker. While an excellent machine, the Pfalz D-XII's main enemy was the propaganda issued forth from the Air Ministry that the Fokker D-VII was the epitome of combat aircraft, and thus pilots all craved to receive it. In fact, this effort at propaganda was so intense that it may have even compelled the German command to cover up the Fokker's first engagement in early May when two Bristol fighters bagged at least four, and possibly eight, of them.

Since Fokker and allied firms could not produce enough D-VIIs, the Pfalz works received an order for the D-XII, and they began to arrive at the front in August of 1918. At first poorly received by pilots longing for the Fokker machine, and disliked by ground crews due to the extra work necessary to maintain the two-bay layout, the Pfalz D-XII soon proved itself a capable machine in combat. While slower than the Fokker machine, it could maneuver well and take considerable punishment. It was supplied to Jastas 17,23, 32, 34, 35, 43, 49, 64, 65, 66, 77, 78 and 81, and to some home-defense units (the Kests), and some pilots had considerable success flying them. By October 1918 180 Pfalz D-XIIs were in service in the west.

Basic performance statistics: Pfalz D-XII

Engine: 160/180 hp Mercedes D-IIIa 6 cylinder in-line water cooled

Weight: empty 1571, lbs; loaded: up to 1,973

Maximum speed: 106 mph

Climb rate: to 16,400 ft (5,000m) 29 min. 54 seconds.

Service ceiling: 18,540 feet (one source says 21,100 feet)

Fuel capacity: 18.75 gallons

Flight endurance: 2.5 hours

Basic Specifications:

Manufacturer: Pfalz Flugzeug-Werke GmbH Speyer am Rhein.

Dimensions: Span 29ft, 6.4in; Length 20ft, 10in; Height: 8ft, 10.25in; Dihedral: 1.5 deg.

Areas: Wings 236.3 sq ft

Armament: twin Maxim machineguns synchronized to fire through the airscrew

Typical ammo load: 500 rounds per gun typical; some down to 800 total rounds

Primary sources: "Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War I, 1919 (1990 reprint); "German Aircraft of the First World War," Gray and Thetford; "Fighter Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War," Lamberton, et. al.; "German Air Power in World War I," Morrow; "Aircraft Camouflage and Markings 1907-1954," Robertson et al; "Military Small Arms of the 20th Century," Hogg and Weeks; "World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines," Bill Gunston.

Fighting and winning in the Pfalz D-XII:

Let nobody kid you- the Pfalz D-XII is a good aircraft. Its principle advantages are structural strength, and then handy maneuverability, especially the roll rate. This allows the Pfalz machine to fight head to head with planes like the Sopwith Dolphin and RAF SE5a. Naturally, against more nimble opponents it cannot hold its own. However, the ability of the Pfalz D-XII to take punishment and keep maneuvering, makes it an excellent addition to team engagements. The Fokker, though a better climber, cannot take the punishment like the Pfalz. In team engagements, you can use the Pfalz D-XII to fly lower, and thus serve as bait, while the Fokker D-VIIs fly top cover. But don't let that discourage you! Once the initial Allied attack has passed, and the Fokkers dive down to engage, your enemy will take his attention off of you. Most likely, the Pfalz will still retain its excellent roll and turn, and you can re-enter the fight and give it back worse than you got it.

Concerning handling, the Pfalz D-XII is easily controllable, and makes an excellent plane for a novice to fly. Its spin characteristics are minimal. In fact, it is difficult to make it spin. Stalling is not a problem, and control comes back quickly. However, the steady turn is mediocre, and you must be careful when you use it, since speed drops significantly and makes you an easy target if the enemy is close by. Also, if the Pfalz stalls, you have to virtually release the stick in order to regain full control. Another disadvantage for the Pfalz D-XII was its slow speed. With a maximum near ground level of only 106 mph, it is hard to compete with machines flying 125 to 135 mph.

Had not the Fokker D-VII eclipsed this machine, the Pfalz D-XII would have gone down in history as one of the excellent planes of the war.



	Pfalz D.XII

		Developed as a competitor to the Fokker D-VII, the Pfalz D-XII had a slightly better snap turn, not to mention longer flight endurance and more rugged construction. Artwork by Bob Pearson.


Historical Notes: Often not understood about the German aircraft industry of WW I was its lack of centralized continuity. This served to both cripple German aviation efforts, but also served to provide a measure of competition, thereby actually giving the impetus for the development of quality machines. This level of competition was temporarily stifled with the dominance of the Albatros machines, but finally broken in late 1917 when the German Air Service was facing the extreme circumstances of total war. Out of this environment was born the Pfalz D-XII. The Pfalz firm, based in the quasi- independent state of Bavaria, attempted to compete with firms like the Albatros and Fokker concerns who enjoyed special access to the Prussian-dominated imperial government in Berlin. After the deployment of the Pfalz D-III series, the Bavarian firm had little success with later designs, even though a handful of their triplane design went to the Western Front. In the Spring of 1918 the firm began development of the Pfalz D-XII. While influenced in outward appearance by the Fokker D-VII, its design and construction was radically different. The fuselage was a semi-monocoque design, with spruce longerons and plywood formers. Like the D-III, the fuselage was wrapped in a tight spiral with plywood, but unlike the D-III, one layer was wrapped over in the opposite direction. It was then covered with fabric and dope. Hence, this design gave the fuselage excellent strength. The wings were of equal chord, and braced with a double-bay layout. They received additional bracing with an extra spar to which the ailerons were hinged. By providing the ailerons with a high aspect ratio and proper balance, the design team gave the Pfalz D-XII an excellent rate of roll. The tail surfaces were very unique, with the elevators horn-balanced on a large tail plane. Furthermore, they were supported by solid spars that went right through the back of the fuselage, and thus the tailplane could not even be removed for transport. Despite all these efforts to build a strong and robust machine, the loaded weight of the Pfalz D-XII was only about 100 pounds over the Fokker D-VII. During the fighter competition of June, 1918, several models were tested with both the 160/180 hp Mercedes D-IIIa and the 185 hp BMW III engines. Two well-known aces, one of them Ernst Udet, expressed their preference of the Pfalz machine over its Fokker counterpart, while the other pilots considered the two to be equal. The Pfalz D-XII, with the Mercedes engine, had a slightly better snap turn, but was deficient in the steady turn. However, with the BMW engine, the Pfalz's steady turn became comparable, although the climb rate still lagged by a few minutes. One advantage the Pfalz had over other machines was its endurance, able to loiter on patrol almost an hour longer than the Fokker. While an excellent machine, the Pfalz D-XII's main enemy was the propaganda issued forth from the Air Ministry that the Fokker D-VII was the epitome of combat aircraft, and thus pilots all craved to receive it. In fact, this effort at propaganda was so intense that it may have even compelled the German command to cover up the Fokker's first engagement in early May when two Bristol fighters bagged at least four, and possibly eight, of them. Since Fokker and allied firms could not produce enough D-VIIs, the Pfalz works received an order for the D-XII, and they began to arrive at the front in August of 1918. At first poorly received by pilots longing for the Fokker machine, and disliked by ground crews due to the extra work necessary to maintain the two-bay layout, the Pfalz D-XII soon proved itself a capable machine in combat. While slower than the Fokker machine, it could maneuver well and take considerable punishment. It was supplied to Jastas 17,23, 32, 34, 35, 43, 49, 64, 65, 66, 77, 78 and 81, and to some home-defense units (the Kests), and some pilots had considerable success flying them. By October 1918 180 Pfalz D-XIIs were in service in the west. Basic performance statistics: Pfalz D-XII Engine: 160/180 hp Mercedes D-IIIa 6 cylinder in-line water cooled Weight: empty 1571, lbs; loaded: up to 1,973 Maximum speed: 106 mph Climb rate: to 16,400 ft (5,000m) 29 min. 54 seconds. Service ceiling: 18,540 feet (one source says 21,100 feet) Fuel capacity: 18.75 gallons Flight endurance: 2.5 hours Basic Specifications: Manufacturer: Pfalz Flugzeug-Werke GmbH Speyer am Rhein. Dimensions: Span 29ft, 6.4in; Length 20ft, 10in; Height: 8ft, 10.25in; Dihedral: 1.5 deg. Areas: Wings 236.3 sq ft Armament: twin Maxim machineguns synchronized to fire through the airscrew Typical ammo load: 500 rounds per gun typical; some down to 800 total rounds Primary sources: "Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War I, 1919 (1990 reprint); "German Aircraft of the First World War," Gray and Thetford; "Fighter Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War," Lamberton, et. al.; "German Air Power in World War I," Morrow; "Aircraft Camouflage and Markings 1907-1954," Robertson et al; "Military Small Arms of the 20th Century," Hogg and Weeks; "World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines," Bill Gunston. Fighting and winning in the Pfalz D-XII: Let nobody kid you- the Pfalz D-XII is a good aircraft. Its principle advantages are structural strength, and then handy maneuverability, especially the roll rate. This allows the Pfalz machine to fight head to head with planes like the Sopwith Dolphin and RAF SE5a. Naturally, against more nimble opponents it cannot hold its own. However, the ability of the Pfalz D-XII to take punishment and keep maneuvering, makes it an excellent addition to team engagements. The Fokker, though a better climber, cannot take the punishment like the Pfalz. In team engagements, you can use the Pfalz D-XII to fly lower, and thus serve as bait, while the Fokker D-VIIs fly top cover. But don't let that discourage you! Once the initial Allied attack has passed, and the Fokkers dive down to engage, your enemy will take his attention off of you. Most likely, the Pfalz will still retain its excellent roll and turn, and you can re-enter the fight and give it back worse than you got it. Concerning handling, the Pfalz D-XII is easily controllable, and makes an excellent plane for a novice to fly. Its spin characteristics are minimal. In fact, it is difficult to make it spin. Stalling is not a problem, and control comes back quickly. However, the steady turn is mediocre, and you must be careful when you use it, since speed drops significantly and makes you an easy target if the enemy is close by. Also, if the Pfalz stalls, you have to virtually release the stick in order to regain full control. Another disadvantage for the Pfalz D-XII was its slow speed. With a maximum near ground level of only 106 mph, it is hard to compete with machines flying 125 to 135 mph. Had not the Fokker D-VII eclipsed this machine, the Pfalz D-XII would have gone down in history as one of the excellent planes of the war.