Albatros D.III: Johannisthal, OAW, and Oeffag variants

Description

In 1916 German aerial domination, once held sway by rotary-engined Fokker and Pfalz E-type wing-warping monoplanes, had been lost to the more nimble French Nieuports and British DH 2s which not only out-flew the German fighters but were present in greater numbers. Born-from-experience calls from German fighter pilots requested that, rather than compete with the maneuverability of these adversaries, new single-engine machines should be equipped with higher horsepower engines and armed with two rather than the then-standard single machine gun. The Robert Thelen-led Albatros design bureau set to work on what became the Albatros D.I and D.II and by April 1916, they had developed a sleek yet rugged machine that featured the usual Albatros semi-monocoque wooden construction and employed a 160hp Mercedes D.III engine with power enough to equip the aeroplane with two forward-firing machine guns. In all, 500 D.IIIs and 840 D.III(OAW)s were produced and saw heavy service throughout 1917.

James F. Miller is a married father of two who lives in Naples, Florida. A commercial pilot and lifelong student of all aspects of aviation, his current research focuses on the middle years of World War I. Adam Tooby is an internationally renowned digital aviation artist and illustrator. His work can be found in publications worldwide and as box art for model aircraft kits. He also runs a successful illustration studio and aviation prints business. To buy artwork, or contact the artist, visit either www.finesthourart.com or www.adamtoobystudio.co.uk Henry Morshead is a design consultant in the European automotive and aerospace sectors, with clients including Jaguar, Bentley, Citroen and Airbus. He is also a technical sponsor of the Bloodhound supersonic car, contributing digital surfacing and design services. A former officer in the Royal Engineers and illustrator for Jane's, he maintains a keen interest in the design and use of military land and air vehicles.

"This book by James Miller looks into the background and the development of the Albatros D.III as well as the aircraft that came before it and after it. It looks at the differences between the aircraft built by the various factories. This includes the camouflage schemes put on the planes and the factory painting that was done. There are a goodly number of combat reports as well as comparisons between the different aircraft, especially the different series produced by Oeffag, who continued to develop the type. Chock full of excellent period photos as well as full color art work and profiles, it is a superb book for any WWI fan or those who want to know more about this important German aircraft. A great read and highly recommended." --Scott Van Aken, www.modelingmadness.com