FEATURES

• Pull-pull R/E/A using two servos, one does double duty pulling the ailerons and rudder
• Built in aileron/rudder coordination
• Differential pull-pull ailerons using the spring technique for elimination of one leg of the pull lines for the ailerons
• Dummy engine and machine gun included
• Materials for wheels included
• Laser cut strip wood, leading and trailing edge stock also included
• Fuselage sides are laser cut sheet balsa

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE

When introduced, the Albatros DI totally obsoleted all other fighters in the sky. While not as maneuverable as the Nieuport 11 or the DH2, it had twice the firepower and could out dive and fly faster. However, the DI had some shortcomings. The cabane struts were configured to meet at the center line above the fuselage. This restricted the pilots view. Further it featured fuselage mounted radiators which when punctured by a bullet would allow the coolant to drain out leading to engine seizure. In the DII, the cabane struts featured the more common splayed out scheme allowing for a wing mounted radiator. This wing mounting was to cause difficulties of their own. A bullet severing the radiator line would cause boiling hot radiator fluid to be blown into the face of the pilot. The DII could fly higher than the DI with similar speeds however, climb rate and combat endurance were better with the DI. The top wings were lowered 250 mm in the DII to improve upward visibility. The reign of the DI/DII would last from late fall of 1916 to the end of August in 1918 when only a handful were still in use at the front. In all 50 DI's and 275 DII's were manufactured. In comparison,the Halberstadt DII fighter with it's 120 hp in line engine, was much more maneuverable. The 160 Hp Mercedes engine with it's sand casted engine block and massive cooling requirements had it's downside. That downside was excessive weight. von Richtofen had a tremendous influence on German fighter design. von Richtofen complained about the poor downward visibility of the DII and this led to the development of the DIII.