Osprey Aircraft of the Aces 40 : Fokker Dr I Aces of World War I

Undoubtedly the fighter type to see most service on either side during World War 1, the Fokker Dr I was inspired by Sopwith's Triplane of 1916-17. Boasting three superimposed wings, the British scout enjoyed much better manoeuvrability than any other fighter then in service over the front, and the small number flown by the Royal Naval Air Service scored many kills over its German Albatros and Fokker rivals. In response, the Fokker Flugzeugwerke devised the Dreidecker (hence 'Dr'), which completed its first flight in June 1917 and entered service two months later. Manfred von Richthofen's JG 1 'circus' was the first Jasta to completely re-equip with the new fighter, and in the skilled hands of its numerous aces, the Dr I proved a formidable opponent. Wing failures plagued the revolutionary fighter throughout its brief career in the frontline, and it was temporarily removed from service in November 1917. However, repairs to the faulty wing workmanship were quickly effected, and the Dr I remained in service on the Western Front until replaced by the superior Fokker D VII in May 1918. Just weeks prior to that, however, Germany's leading ace, the great 'Red Baron', had been killed at the controls of a Dr I. Text by Norman Franks with illustrations by Harry Dempsey.