Fokker D.IV (English)

D.IV

The Fokker D.IV

The D.IV was equipped with the powerful 160 hp 6-cylinder Mercedes D III inline engine and achieved a top speed of 160 km/h.
The D.IV was designed by Martin Kreutzer. The aircraft was equipped with ailerons in the wing as standard. The front of the fuselage was more streamlined than its predecessors, this was possible due to the shape of the relatively narrow inline engine.
One aircraft even had a streamlined spinner around the propeller hub that followed the contour of the fuselage.
The position of the exhaust was also changed on this device.
The armament consisted of two 7.92 mm LMG/815 machine guns.

The D.IV was not a great success. During testing of the aircraft, manufacturing and design errors were found, including in the welded joints of the frame.

Errors and reduced quality were again the result of unskilled personnel in the Fokker factory.
The aircraft was never approved for frontline operations by the German army but was mainly used for training and defence inland, far from the front.

The German army had forty D.IVs in service, Sweden ordered four.
On January 24, 1917, the Swedish Army concluded an agreement with Fokker for the delivery of 4 D.IVs.
Only three D.IVs were built for Sweden, but these were never used but stored in a hangar in Stockholm.

They didn't even carry Swedish registrations.

Click on the photo to enlarge the photo

01

The unarmed D.IV 1651/16 with a dorsal fin in front of the rudder. With the exception of the prototype and wn's 987 and 1089 all D.IV's were equipped with a dorsal fin.
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02

The unarmed 1653/16.
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03

The K on the fuselage of this D.IV indicates that it was the personal box of Lieutenant Hans von Keudel (5 April 1892 – 15 February 1917), an 'ace' with twelve aerial victories.
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04

A D.IV delivered to Sweden, in complete German paint scheme and equipped with 150 hp Argus As.III engines.
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05

D.IV hull with experimental hull armament.
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06

Prototype of the D.IV with wn 782.
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07

Production prototype of the D.IV with wn 927.
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08

Prototype of the D.IV with wn 782.
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09

Prototype of the D.IV with wn 782, without dorsal fin, with ailerons in the wing.
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10

Prototype of the D.IV with wn 782 in August 1916.
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11

The 1600/16 with wn 987.
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12

Close-up of the 1600/16 with wn 987.
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13

The 1640/16 with wn 1089 was used to test a number of things, including the aerodynamic spinner on the propeller hub. Also the exhaust was mounted upwards instead of along the engine.
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14

Rear view of the 1640/16 with wn 1089.
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15

Close-up of the streamlined nose of the 1640/16 with wn 1089.
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16

Close-up with upward mounted exhaust of the 1640/16 with wn 1089.
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17

The 1640/16 with wn 1089.
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18

The 1640/16 with wn 1089.
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19

Hull of the 1663/16 with wn 1112, on which a static test was carried out.
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20

The 5851/16 with wn 1663 for Sweden with a 150 hp Argus As.III engine.
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