Aviatik D.III

what is it?

The Aviatik D.III was an experimental single-seater fighter plane built by Automobil und Aviatik AG for the Imperial German Army's (Deutsches Heer) Imperial German Air Service (Luftstreitkräfte) during the First World War. Two aircraft were delivered in 1917, but they may have been primarily intended as engine testbeds. Low-rate production continued after the end of the war in November 1918 for service with the postwar Air Force (Inspektion der Fliegertruppen) and Air Police (Polizei-Fliegertruppe).

🔎How to recognise it: 1 piston engine with propeller · 9 m wingspan

base stats

• range 720 kmwithout refuelling
• size 864 kgmax take-off weight
• built 21made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

• 🎂First flew 108 years ago, in 1918.
• 🚗Wingspan of 9 m: about 2 cars parked nose to tail.

piston: A car-like piston engine turning a propeller: simple and cheap, the classic small plane.

spec sheet

first flight

1918

number built

21

role

experimental fighter

origin

German Empire

makers

Aviatik

engines

1× Benz Bz IIIbo / Bz.IIIb

crew

1

length

8.5 m

wingspan

9 m

height

3.1 m

max take-off weight

864 kg

top speed

—

range

720 km

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.