The Fokker D.VIII
The D.VIIIs, designed by Reinhold Platz, is the last type of the Fokker series used by the German army for air combat in World War I.
It was a light parasol-covered aircraft developed from no fewer than seven prototypes from the V.26, V.28 series.
Since the aircraft was equipped with one wing, the Germans also gave this type the confusing designation EV, for Eindecker, the “D” designation for “fighter aircraft” was subsequently used most often.
After a successful fighter aircraft competition in January 1918, another one was entered by Idflieg in April 1918.
In the first competition all participants were required to use the 160 hp Mercedes engine.
In the second competition the choice of engines was free. The D.VIII was equipped with the standard 110 hp Oberursel Ur. II, later Goebel and Siemens-Halske engines were also used.
The D.VIII emerged as the winner of the competition and was immediately put into production as the Fokker EV
In August 1918 the first aircraft arrived at the front, again there were quality problems with the production of a Fokker aircraft.
Fokker had the D.VIII grand pianos built at the Perzina piano factory, where quality control was lacking.
The German authorities had ordered Fokker to fit a trailing spar to the wing.
After three accidents, caused by broken wings, the wing construction at Fokker was changed by, among other things, removing the rear spar again. The problem was solved.
The armament consisted of two 7.92 mm LMG 08/15 Spandau machine guns.
In the autumn of 1918 the aircraft returned to service, but this was too late to have any influence on the air battle, as the war was almost over.
Of the 380 units built, only 85 took part in combat operations at the front.
After the armistice, most D.VIIIs were scrapped, with a number ending up in Italy, the USA, Poland, England, Belgium and Japan after the end of the First World War.
One D.VIII that came with the “Smuggling Train” from Germany was in service with the LVA in 1919, but was never used operationally.
Click on the photo to enlarge the photo
Germany
Nederland / LVA
Poland
United States
Fokker had also brought eight D.VIIIs with the transports from Germany.
He managed to sell two of them to the Army Air Service via the American Legation in The Hague on September 30, 1920.
They were shipped in December 1920. On arrival they were given the registrations AS 64345 (with McCook Field number P165) and AS 94112 (number P169.) They were mainly used for trials.
In November 1921 Fokker also offered the remaining five D.VIIIs for sale, but the AAS was no longer interested in them.
When comparative tests were carried out between the D.VIII and the newly delivered V.40/F.VI in early 1922, the latter proved to be by far the best.
Despite noted wingtip vibration problems (flutter!), the last D.VIII remained in use for air show demonstrations until mid-1927.
