Pfalz D.III
Pfalz D.III | |
---|---|
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Role | Fighter |
Manufacturer | Pfalz |
Designer | Rudolf Gehringer [1][2] |
First flight | late spring 1917 [3] |
Introduction | Aug 1917 [3][2][note 1] |
Primary users | |
Number built | 260 [5] |
Variants | Pfalz D.IIIa |
Wingspan | 9.4 m (30 ft 10 in) [6][7][8][9][10] |
Engine | 160hp Mercedes D.III inline |
Armament | 2×sync. fixed LMG08/15 [note 2] |
Ammo | 1000 rounds[8] |
Crew | 1 |
Max Speed | 165 km/h (103 mph)[11][12][7][8][9][note 3] to 169 km/h (105 mph)[6] to 180 km/h (112 mph)[10] |
Climb | 1,000 m (3,280 ft) in 2:48[10]-3:15[11][8][9] 2,000 m (6,560 ft) in 7:00[10]-7:15[11][8] 3,000 m (9,840 ft) in 11:45[11][8]-11:48[10]-17:00[6] 4,000 m (13,100 ft) in 18:00[10] 5,000 m (16,400 ft) in 28:00[10] |
Ceiling | 5,200 m (17,000 ft)[11][12][7][9] |
Endurance | 2:00[8]-2:30[11][8][12][7][9] |
Pfalz had gained enough experience building the L.F.G. Roland D.II to put together a fighter design of their own, and the result was the well-streamlined Pfalz D.III. The ply-wrapped oval fuselage was very strong. While the lower wing was smaller in chord than the upper, its twin spars kept it from suffering the twisting problems of the Nieuport and Albatros sesquiplane designs, and the Pfalz had a reputation of being stable and strong in a fast dive.[13]
Early D.IIIs had the machine guns buried in the fuselage, but later ones, in the form of the Pfalz D.IIIa, moved them to the upper decking where they could be serviced in case of a jam.[14] By early 1918, with the D.IIIa coming into full play, the D.III had started to be moved into more of a training role or supplied to ally Turkey.[3]
The D.III was a good aeroplane, but it was overshadowed by the Albatros D.Va and Fokker D.VII[2], and prejudice against Bavarian Pfalz decreased its stature with front-line pilots. It was used with success by pilots such as Werner Voss (before switching to the Fokker Dr.I) and Paul Baümer.[15]
For more information, see Wikipedia:Pfalz D.III.
Timeline [note 4]

Game Data
Wings of Glory
Availability | Maneuver | Damage | Dmg Points | Max Alt. | Climb | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jun/Jul17-Jul18 | J | A | 16 | 12 [17] | 4 [note 5] | 83 |
Plane and Crew Cards
-
Jasta 4
RAF -
Jasta 16b
RAF -
Jasta 10
Hecht
RAF -
Jasta 10
Heldmann
RAF -
Jasta 21
Höhn
RAF -
Jasta 10
Rüdenberg
RAF -
Jasta 10
Hecht
Guntruck -
Jasta 10
Heldmann
Guntruck -
Jasta 10
Klein
Guntruck -
Jasta 10
Voss
Guntruck -
Jasta 15
Arntzen
Guntruck -
Jasta 21
Höhn
Guntruck -
Jasta 22
Lenz
Guntruck -
Jasta 30
Buddecke
Guntruck -
Jasta 34B
Stark
Guntruck
Card Links
Blue Max/Canvas Eagles
Miniatures and Models
1:144 Scale
- Full-color miniatures:
- Ares Wings of Glory: WGF123C Voss
- Shapeways Full Color: Reduced Aircraft Factory: 1397/17 (red dotted tail), 4056/17 (pierced heart), Hecht (1370/17), Heldmann (1395/17), Höhn (4011/17), Rüdenberg
- Wings of War: WW23D Höhn; WW23E Klein
- Shapeways: Columbia Aerodrome, Decapod, Reduced Aircraft Factory
- Metal kit: Red Eagle, Reviresco
1:200 Scale
- Shapeways: Reduced Aircraft Factory
1:285/6mm/1:288 Scale
- Shapeways: Reduced Aircraft Factory
- Metal Cast: Goblintooth/H.A./MSD GEG-08
1:300 Scale
- Metal kit: Heroics & Ros GWA308
Resources
Orthographic Drawings
References
- Notes
- ↑ It was first accepted into service in June 1917.[4]
- ↑ Guns are inaccessible in flight.
- ↑ 165 km/h (103 mph) at 3,000 m (10,000 ft), likely faster at ground level.[8]
- ↑ German numbers are from bi-monthly Frontbestand records (Effective Frontline Strength).[16]
- ↑ Previously 3, but de-rated to 4 in version 1.2. [17]
- Citations
- ↑ Grosz'90, p.2.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Angelucci, p.59.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Rimell, p.1.
- ↑ Gray'65, p.7.
- ↑ Grosz'90, p.33.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Lamberton, pp.220-221.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Angelucci, p.48.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 8.8 Gray'65, p.12.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Argus Vol. 1, p.82.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 Herris'12, p.68.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 Gray'87, p.190.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Munson, p.35.
- ↑ Gray'65, p.8.
- ↑ Gray'87, p.187.
- ↑ Gray'65, p.10.
- ↑ Grosz'85, p.60 and Grosz'86, p.66.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Ares Climb Rates and Maximum Altitude Table, version 1.2, Oct 2021
- Bibliography
- Enzo Angelucci, ed. The Rand McNally Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft, 1914-1980. New York: The Military Press, 1983 edition. ISBN 0-517-41021-4.
- Argus Books, Airplane Archive: Aircraft of World War One, Volume 1. Great Britain: Argus Books, 1989. ISBN 0-85242-983-5
- Peter Gray and Owen Thetford. German Aircraft of the First World War. Great Britain, Putnam, 1962, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-809-7.
- Peter L. Gray, Profile Publications 43: The Pfalz D.III. Great Britain: Profile Publications Ltd, 1965.
- Peter M. Grosz, "Archiv -- Frontbestand". WW1 Aero, № 107, Dec 1985 and № 108, Feb 1986. Poughkeepsie, NY: World War I Aeroplanes, Inc.
- P.M. Grosz and R.L. Rimmel, ed., Windsock Datafile 21: Pfalz D.IIIa. Great Britain: Albatros Productions, Ltd, 1990. ISBN 0-948414-25-1
- Jack Herris, Pfalz Aircraft of WWI. USA: Aeronaut Books, 2012. ISBN 978-1-935881-12-4
- W.M. Lamberton and E.F. Cheesman, Fighter Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War. Great Britain: Harleyford Publications Limited, 1960.
- Kenneth Munson, Fighters 1914-19, Attack and Training Aircraft. New York: MacMillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1976. ISBN 0713707607
- R.L. Rimell and P.M. Grosz, Windsock Datafile 7: Pfalz D.III. Great Britain: Albatros Publications, Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-948414-11-1