WOW295 Fokker Dr.I ‘Werner Steinhauser’

Description

The Fokker Dr.1 was built by Fokker- Flugzeuwerke and entered service in the spring of 1918. It was inspired by Anthony Fokker viewing a captured Sopwith Triplane in April 1917. Upon his return to the Schwerin factory Fokker instructed Reinhold Platz to design a German version of the Triplane. Platz responded with an initial design called the V.4 which was deemed initially unsuitable but from this design the V.5 was developed. The first 2 of 3 initial prototypes were sent to Belgium to be combat evaluated, with Richoften scoring 2 victories in one of these before Kurt Wolff took over the evaluation process. Wolff was killed whilst flying his on 15th September with Werner Voss also killed a few days later flying his Triplane prototype. However Richoften declared the Fokker Triplane superior to the British variant and it was put into immediate production. The Dr.1 was popular with its pilots but it was prone to tipping over whilst landing, had a cramped cockpit and was slower than some Allied aircraft. The top wing also had a tendency to shed itself at high speeds, this was later found out to be due to poor materials and workmanship, it was also found that the upper wing carried a higher lift coefficient than the lower wing, at high speeds, this could be as much as 2.5 times the lower wing. Because of these failures only 320 Triplane were built before being replaced by the Fokker D. V11, arguably one of the best fighters of WW1.

Compared with the Albatros and Pfalz fighters, the Dr.I offered exceptional maneuverability. Though the ailerons were not very effective, the rudder and elevator controls were light and powerful. Rapid turns, especially to the right, were facilitated by the triplane’s marked directional instability. Vizefeldwebel Franz Hemer of Jasta 6 said, “The triplane was my favorite fighting machine because it had such wonderful flying qualities. I could let myself stunt – looping and rolling – and could avoid an enemy by diving with perfect safety.

Our warbird is flown by German ace Werner Steinhauser who was born in Konigsburg 20th June 1893. After downing a balloon with FA(A) 261, Steinhäuser joined Jasta 11 at the end of 1917. He was wounded in action and forced to land on 17 March 1918, just five days after scoring a victory over a Bristol F.2b. Having scored ten victories, he was killed in action when his Fokker DR.I was shot down over Neuilly, 26th June 1918.

This hand carved Mahogany warbird is 1/30 scale. A replica of Steinhauser’s Triplane has been constructed and fly’s regularly at air displays today. This comes with a free CLUB041 Figure whilst stocks last with a limited number of seven models available worldwide.