L.F.G. Roland D.VIa

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L.F.G. Roland D.VIa
Role Fighter
Manufacturer L.F.G. Roland
Designer Reinhold Richter[1]
First flight Oct 1917[1]
Introduction May 1918[2]
Primary user Germany
Number built ≤150 [note 1]-152[4]
Variants L.F.G. Roland D.VIb
Wingspan 9.4 m (30 ft 10 in)[3]
Engine 160hp Mercedes D.III inline or
200hp Mercedes D.IIIaü inline [note 2]
Armament 2×sync. fixed LMG08/15
Crew 1
Max Speed 182 km/h (113 mph)[5]-190 km/h (118 mph)[3]
Climb 1,000 m (3,280 ft) in 2:30[5][3]
2,000 m (6,560 ft) in 6:00[3]
3,000 m (9,840 ft) in 9:00[5]-11:00[3]
4,000 m (13,100 ft) in 18:00[3]
Ceiling 5,800 m (19,000 ft)[4]
Endurance 2:00 [5]

As insurance against the Fokker D.VII having serious problems, an order for the LFG Roland D.VIa was placed after the 1918 fighter trials. The D.VI featured a distinctive "clinker-built" fuselage of long wooden strips and sharp lines. Its performance was good but the unusual fuselage construction limited production. Visibility and maneuverability were above average. It saw limited use at the front lines but it also saw some use with the German Navy.

While it was robust and had no major defects, it was not a big step up from the Albatros D.V and most pilots preferred the Fokker D.VII. The D.VIb was a small improvement with its high-compression engine. The D.VIa was used by Jastas 23b, 32b, 33, 35b, and perhaps 30 and 34b.[1]

For more information, see Wikipedia:LFG Roland D.VI.

Timeline [note 3]

Game Data

Wings of Glory

Unofficial Stats
Availability Maneuver Damage Dmg Points Max Alt. Climb
18Q2-18Q4 F A 16 12 2

Plane and Crew Cards

Card Links

Miniatures and Models

1:144 Scale

1:200 Scale

1:285/6mm/1:288 Scale

Resources

Orthographic Drawings

References

Notes
  1. 150 were ordered; it is not known if they were all built. It is not clear whether this number includes prototypes.[3]
  2. The D.VIa seems to have been designed around the 200hp engine, but shortages and delays in its production resulted in many -- if not most -- being delivered with the 160hp D.III.[4]
  3. German numbers are from bi-monthly Frontbestand records (Effective Frontline Strength).[6]
Citations
  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Grosz'93, p.2.
  2. Grosz'93, p.4.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Grosz'93, p.35.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Wingnut, p.1
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Gray, p.168.
  6. Grosz'85, p.60 and Grosz'86, p.66.
Bibliography
  • Peter Gray and Owen Thetford. German Aircraft of the First World War. Great Britain, Putnam, 1962, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-809-7.
  • Peter M. Grosz, "Archiv -- Frontbestand". WW1 Aero, № 107, Dec 1985 and № 108, Feb 1986. Poughkeepsie, NY: World War I Aeroplanes, Inc.
  • Peter M. Grosz, Windsock Datafile 37: Roland D.VI. Great Britain: Albatros Publications Ltd., 1993. ISBN 0-948414-46-4
  • Wingnut Wings, LFG Roland D.VIa. #32022