Dr.I
Role	Triplane fighter aircraft Type of aircraft
National origin	Germany
Manufacturer	Siemens-Schuckert
First flight	July 1917
Number built	1

The Siemens-Schuckert Dr.I was a German single seat triplane fighter aircraft first flown in 1917. Its development and that of a more powerful, uncompleted variant, was abandoned after a flight test programme.

Design and development

The Dr.I was a single seat triplane developed at the same time as the Siemens-Schuckert D.II. It used the flat sided fuselage of the earlier Siemens-Schuckert D.I biplane rather than that of the rounded D.II. Like the D.I the Dr.III was powered by a 110 hp (82 kW) Siemens-Halske Sh.I nine cylinder rotary engine.^[1]

The fighter was first flown in July 1917. Later in its development programme the Dr.I crashed and was seriously damaged. Siemens-Schuckert rebuilt it, though adding 2.90 m² (31.2 sq ft) to the wing area.^[1]

Construction of a version powered by a more powerful 110 hp (82 kW) Siemens-Halske Sh.III eleven cylinder rotary engine, the Dr.II, was well advanced when it was abandoned.^[1]

Specifications (before reconstruction)

Data from The Complete Book of Fighters p.529^[1]

General characteristics

• Crew: One
• Length: 5.30 m (17 ft 5 in)
• Wingspan: 8.60 m (28 ft 3 in)
• Wing area: 18.10 m² (194.8 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 510 kg (1,124 lb)
• Gross weight: 695 kg (1,532 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Siemens-Halske Sh.I 9-cylinder rotary, 82 kW (110 hp)

Performance

• Time to altitude: 20.6 min to 4,700 m (15,420 ft) post-rebuild

References