Fokker E.I

The Fokker Eindeckers were not famous for their flying qualities, they were made famous by the first synchronized gun deployed on a fighter and by the new combat tactics that innovation allowed. The E.III was by far the most numerous type, with 249 to 282 of them built and accepted of the 415 overall. Fokker E.I's first arrived at the front in July 1915 and were followed by E.IIs and E.III's in August. They had an immediate impact, both in valuable fighter training for many German pilots and on the enemy air corps, whose pilots complained they were "Fokker Fodder". By mid-1916 the Eindeckers had met their match in planes like the Nieuport 11, DH2, and FE2b, but fortunately for the German pilots there were intermediate replacements like the Halberstadts before the arrival of the game-changing Albatros D.I-D.III.

In comparison to the most common variety, the E.III, the E.I has a taller undercarriage and control pylons, an extended starboard cowl cheek for the cylindrical ammo canister, and it lacks the wing compass.

The earliest E.Is retained a second seat for an observer just behind the pilot and a door in the cockpit floor could be opened to provide a downward view for the pilot. In an attempt to make an "invisible" aeroplane, there was an experimental version of the E.I with the surfaces covered in transparent cellulose rather than fabric. The experiment cannot have been a success, though because the cellulose was soon replaced with normal fabric.

Miniatures and Models
A Fokker E.III makes a fine substitute.

1:144 Scale

 * Shapeways: Reduced Aircraft Factory

1:285/6mm/1:288 Scale

 * Shapeways: Reduced Aircraft Factory