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LFG Roland D.VI

1918 WORLD WAR 1

History

The LFG Roland D. VI was adopted by the Luftwaffe during the First World War (1914-1918) as the successor to the discontinued Albatros D. Va and Pfalz D. IIIa series biplanes. It initially failed to beat the rival Fokker D.VII in the flying competition, but was still ordered to mass production pending the results of the D.VII's development and production phases.

The D. VI existed in a total of 350 aircraft and was introduced in the last year of the war.

When completed, the D.VI became an entirely new attempt at a fighter biplane, breaking the accepted norm observed in previous Roland aircraft tests. Using the "clinker brick" or "lapstrake" construction method, thin overlapping wooden strips are used on the wooden substructure to create a "plank" effect - similar to the effect used on boats. This method was first used by the former and was eventually abandoned, Dr. LFG Roland.

The IV triplane fighter prototype was observed and the new D. VI approach is now continued.

As the war progressed, the D. VI entered flight testing in November 1917. This form factor was equipped with a 160-horsepower Mercedes D.III production engine, culminating in the completion of three prototypes for the D.VI test program.

Due to limited availability of the D.III engine, the 150 hp Mercedes-Benz Bz IIIa was also tested, a phase that lasted until January 1918.

In the same month, the D.VI fell into the hands of the Fokker D.VII during a test flight, but as a fail-safe device designed by Fokker, it was ordered to mass production. In February, LFG Roland placed an order for 50 aircraft, including the Mercedes engine version of the "D. VIa" and the Mercedes engine version of the "D. VIb".

Delivered from May to June, it reached 70 before the final months of the war - 58 were D.VIa and 12 D.VIb.

In practice, the new biplane worked admirably as a fighter. Equipped with 2 x 7.92mm LMG 08/15 machine guns that fire synchronously through rotating propeller blades, it has good straight-line performance and agility is a distinguishing feature.

The aircraft lacked an improved rate of climb compared to its successors, and the end of the war limited its range in terms of operational and production numbers - the previous total of 150 D.VIa and 200 D.VIb aircraft ended.

Performance specs include a top speed of 125 mph, a service ceiling of 19,000 ft and a rate of climb of nearly 865 ft/min. The aircraft found different strengths in the inventories of the Luftwaffe and the German Navy.