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Old Man- Great data. Always thought of the FE-8 as complete toast against an Albatros or Halberstadt.
casitglione- There is a very well known description of two Jastaschule instructors having at each other in an early Albatros (German Spad) and a Halberstadt D.II and the Halberstadt easily outmaneuvering and pretend killing the Albatros. The Halberstadt D.II/III versions, however, were only powered by 120 hp engines, only had a single gun, and were produced in very small numbers. Still one of my favorites (can you tell?), they did not have anywhere near the impact of the heavier, faster, better armed, and far more numerous Albatros scouts. The Halberstadt D.I was only a prototype. The Halberstadt D.II was the first, in my opinion, modern WW-I biplane fighter with synchronized MG, followed only slightly later by the Spad S.VII and then by the Albatros D.I/II.
The later version Austrian Albatros D.III fighters with engines up to 225hp were more than a match for the Camel, Spad, Hanriot or anything else they fought. The Austro-Daimler engines did for their performance what the BMW did for the Fokker D.VII, take an excellent fighter and make it outstanding. They had some wing problems early on, but by the 253 series and the 225 hp engine, their D.III was a superb fighter even ordered by the Polish Air Force.
The Sopwith Dolphin had other advantages besides its 4 gun armament, it was as fast as any aircraft at the front, was maneuverable and tough, and could dive like no tomorrow. But for senior officer intransigence,the Dolphin should have replaced both the Camel and the SE-5a in early 1918 after having been successfully tested in spring, 1917. Its performance was superior to the Snipe, but its unconventionality worked against it.
Taz
Terry Phillips
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