Pfalz D.XII

From Wings of Linen
Pfalz D.XII
Role Fighter
Manufacturer Pfalz
Designer Rudolph Geringer et al.[1]
First flight Feb/March 1918[2]
Introduction June 1918[3]
Primary user Germany
Number built 700[4] or 750-800[5][3]
Wingspan 9 m (29 ft 6 in)[6][7][8][9][4]
Engine 180hp Mercedes D.IIIa inline or
180hp Mercedes D.IIIaü or
195hp BMW.IIIa
Armament 2×sync. fixed LMG08/15
Ammo 2×400[10]-500[10][11] rounds
Crew 1
Max Speed see chart
Climb see chart
Ceiling 5,600 m (18,500 ft)[12][13][6][7][9]
Endurance 2:30 [12][13][7][9]

Orders for the Pfalz D.XII were placed in the summer of 1918 as insurance against shortages of the hugely-popular Fokker D.VII. When it first arrived at the front, pilots viewed it as inferior, but in combat it was the D.VII's equal and faster in a dive. With ground crews it was less popular since it was at two-bay conventionally-rigged aeroplane requiring more fine-tuning than a D.VII.

It was originally scheduled for arrival at the Front in April 1918, but cooling problems forced revisions to the radiator and it was not until the second half of June that deliveries commenced.[3]

Like the Pfalz D.III, the fuselage was formed of wrapped plywood, making it quite strong at the expense of extra weight. German tactics had been evolving into 1918, and flight speed and dive speed were given increasing attention, the latter at which the D.XII shined. In fact, in a dive the D.XII was one of the fastest planes for all combatants.[1]

Just as the Fokker D.VII was much improved with the BMW IIIa engine, the Pfalz D.XII also saw marked improvement. The D.VII had captured the lion's share of attention, though, and most BMWs went toward Fokker D.VII use.[5]

Pilots found the D.XII strong and just as fast as the Fokker D.VII (better in a dive), but "in turns and combat it could not compare with the Fokkers".[14]

For more information, see Wikipedia:Pfalz D.XII.


Pfalz D.XII Engines
EngineSpeedClimb
1,000 m (3,280 ft)2,000 m (6,560 ft)5,000 m (16,400 ft)
170-180hp Mercedes D.IIIa 170 km/h (106 mph)[12][13][15][7][8][9]-180 km/h (112 mph)[4] 3:24[12][15][9]-3:30[4] 7:48[15]-8:00[4] 29:54[12]-34:48[15]
180hp Mercedes D.IIIaü 180 km/h (112 mph)[15][8]-190 km/h (120 mph)[6] 2:30[15] 6:06[15]-7:42[6] 12:15[6]-30:42[15]
195hp BMW.IIIa 185 km/h (115 mph)[15][8] 2:06[15]-2:42[12] 5:24[15] 17:36[15]-21:00[12]

Timeline [note 1]

Game Data

Wings of Glory

Unofficial Stats
Availability Maneuver Damage Dmg Points Max Alt. Climb
18Q3-18Q4 Q A 17 12 3

Plane and Crew Cards

Card Links

Blue Max/Canvas Eagles

Aircraft Chart

Miniatures and Models

1:100 Scale

1:144 Scale

1:285/6mm/1:288 Scale

1:350 Scale

Resources

Orthographic Drawings

References

Notes
  1. ↑ German numbers are from bi-monthly Frontbestand records (Effective Frontline Strength).[16]
Citations
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Grosz'67, p.3.
  2. ↑ Grosz'93, p.2.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Grosz'67, p.8.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Herris'12, p.169.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Grosz'93, p.7.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Lamberton, pp.220-221.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Angelucci, p.50.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Grosz'67, p.12.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Argus Vol. 1, p.84.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Kelly, p.231.
  11. ↑ Grosz'67, p.7.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 Gray, p.194.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Munson, p.40.
  14. ↑ Grosz'67, p.9.
  15. ↑ 15.00 15.01 15.02 15.03 15.04 15.05 15.06 15.07 15.08 15.09 15.10 15.11 Grosz'93, p.37.
  16. ↑ Grosz'85, p.60 and Grosz'86, p.66.
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 M. Grosz, "Archiv -- Frontbestand". WW1 Aero, № 107, Dec 1985 and № 108, Feb 1986. Poughkeepsie, NY: World War I Aeroplanes, Inc.
  • Kevin Kelly, "Belts and Drums: A Survey of First World War Aircraft Ammunition Totals". Over the Front, Vol. 5, No. 3, Autumn 1990. Walsworth Publishing Co, Inc. and The League of World War I Aviation Historians.
  • 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
  • P.M. Grosz, Profile Publications 199: The Pfalz D XII. Great Britain: Profile Publications, Ltd., 1967.
  • P.M. Grosz, Windsock Datafile 41: Pfalz D.XII. Great Britain: Albatros Publications, Ltd., 1993. ISBN 0-948414-51-0
  • Jack Herris, Pfalz Aircraft of WWI. USA: Aeronaut Books, 2012. ISBN 978-1-935881-12-4
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