Albatros D.Va

Fighter

Replica - Airworthy - On Display

Introduced in the later stages of the First World War, the Albatros D.Va is a German single seat fighter featuring a streamlined semi-monocoque wooden fuselage and fabric covered wings.  It was an attempt to improve on the earlier D.V which was found to have to structural failures.  When the D.Va was deployed to front line units it was already more-or-less obsolete having to operate with a restriction on its diving performance.  Despite this, the Albatros remained in front line use till the Armistice.

NZ Warbirds Albatros D.Va is a replica constructed by Fernand Saint-Andre of Quebec, Canada.  The aircraft took 5000-man hours to build over a 10-year period and has been faithfully constructed to the original plans obtained through the Smithsonian.  The aircraft is painted in the colours of a machine flown by Lt Hans Böhning of Jagdstaffel 36/76.  The white and blue checker pattern on the fuselage (known as Rauten camouflage) is the national symbol of Bavaria of which Böhning was native.

Country of Origin: German Empire
Engine: Fairchild Ranger 6-440-C, 200hp straight 6 piston engine
Original Engine: Mercedes D.IIIa, 170hp straight 6 piston engine
Length: 7.33m (9ft 1in)
Height: 2.85m (9ft 5in)
Wing Span: 9.05m (29ft 8in)
Maximum Speed: 116mph (186kmh or 100 knots)
Range: 2 hrs endurance
Service Ceiling: 20,505ft (6,250m)
Armament: 2 × 7.92 mm LMG 08/15 machine guns