Fokker Dr.1 Triplane

Fokker DR.1 replica, in obligatory 'Red Baron' markings

Without doubt one of the most famous combat aircraft of WW1, this triplane especially gained fame thanks to 'Red Baron' Manfred von Richthofen. An excellent pilot, he earned 80 victories before being shot down himself.

The picture depicts a replica exhibited in a shopping mall in Orlando's Church Street Station area.

Technical data :

Engine : 110hp Oberursel rotary

Wing span : 7.19 m

Length : 5.77 m

Operating weight : 585 kg

Max.speed : 165 km/h at 4000 m

Ceiling : 6100 m

Endurance : 1.30 Hr.

Armament : 2 synchronized machineguns

A damaged Dr.1 is returned to its airfield. It may have landed deadstick outside the airfield boundary, where it was probably considered too dangerous to attempt a take off afterwards.

These black & white photographs are part of a series of glass negatives that were probably left behind by the retreating Germans or were taken more or less illegally by a Belgian photographer . The scanned pictures were kindly supplied by Mr. Dirk Lefebvre.

Somewhere on an airfield in Flanders or Northern France, pilots and mechanics pose for posterity.

Proudly pointing at the newly applied aircraft name ('Marie'), a German officer is probably telling the story of his local girlfriend to a colleague.

The end : a Dr.1 in a not so graceful attitude.

Aircraft nosing over upon landing were fairly common due to the nature of the (muddy) airfields, but judging from the damage to this aircraft this was a worse crash. It would seem that the aircraft has hit the ground at relatively high speed with the engine cut out (propeller damaged only on one blade), probably after the pilot had been hit by enemy bullets. Indeed, the next photograph in this series shows a funeral ceremony !

Dr.1 replica seen at Point Cook, Australia

As so many replicas, it wears the famous Red Baron colors. Manfred von Richthofen must have made a lasting impression !

(picture used by kind permission of Darryl Gibbs, CNAPG)

Dr.1 as flown by the German pilot Kempf.

Clearly visible in these pictures is the pilot's devise 'Kennscht mi noch ? ', a German dialect form of what loosely translates into 'Remember me ?'.

(pictures kindly supplied by Herman 'Aerohare' De Bondt)