The Siemens-Schuckert D.I was a single-seat fighter built by Siemens-Schuckert Werke in 1916. It was a German copy of the French Nieuport 17 that was obsolete by the time it was available in numbers, so that it served mainly as an advanced trainer.
The French Nieuport 17 fighter, which reached the front in March 1916, established such ascendency over existing German fighters that captured examples were supplied to several German aircraft manufacturers with a request to "study" the type.[1] The Siemens-Schuckert Werke produced the D.I, based very closely on the Nieuport. The most important difference from the Nieuport 17 was the powerplant - instead of the Le Rhone 9J of the Nieuport (licensed, as with the Oberursel Ur.II; and un-licensed versions of which were actually available in Germany at the time), Siemens-Schukert chose to use their own 110 hp (82 kW) Siemens-Halske Sh.I rotary engine - in which the cylinders, still attached to the propeller, rotated at 900 rpm in one direction, with the crankshaft and internals rotating in the opposite direction at the same rate: producing an effective 1800 rpm. Visually, the effect of this was that in place of the Nieuport 17's circular, fully "closed" cowling the D.I had a small, close-fitting, semicircular cowling with an open bottom, to allow adequate cooling for the slow revving Siemens-Halske. This gives some photographs of the type the appearance of the earlier Nieuport 11.
The wing area (14.4 m²) was a little less than the famous 15 m² of the Nieuport - the gap between the wings was reduced slightly, and the interplane struts were of steel tube, with broad wooden fairings, in place of the tape wrapped wooden struts of the original.
Production history
An order for 150 aircraft for the Luftstreitkräfte was placed on 25 November 1916,[1] but initial deliveries were slow, due to production difficulties with the complicated geared engines,[2] so that the type was not available for service until well into 1917, by which time many Jagdstaffeln were already equipped with the very much superior Albatros D.III. A backup order for a further 100 machines, placed on 21 March 1917, was cancelled, and only 95 were produced in total.[1]
Late production models were fitted with modified tailskids, and had large pointed spinners on their propellers.
Operational history
The S.S.W. D.I was obsolete before it was available in numbers, so that most of the examples produced were sent to the fighter training schools, although a few Jastas received one or two examples during 1917.[1]
The type is poorly documented - in particular no reliable details are available for its performance: the published figures are essentially those of the Nieuport 11, whereas such a close copy of the 17, with a powerplant of similar output, might have been expected to have a performance roughly equivalent to that of the original from which it was derived.
Variants
A single D.Ia was produced with a greater wing area - two examples of the D.Ib had a higher compression version of the Siemens-Halske Sh.I. Neither was ordered into production. Development continued through a series of D.II prototypes to the Siemens-Schuckert D.III.
Data from German Aircraft of the First World War,[1] The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985),[3] The Complete Book of Fighters[2]
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^ abcdeGrey, Peter; Thetford, Owen (1970). German Aircraft of the First World War (2nd revised ed.). London: Putnam. pp. 209-212. ISBN9780370001036.
^ abGreen, W; Swanborough, G (1994). The Complete Book of Fighters. Smithmark. p. 529. ISBN0-8317-3939-8.
^The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.
March 08, 2023
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The Siemens Schuckert D I was a single seat fighter built by Siemens Schuckert Werke in 1916 It was a German copy of the French Nieuport 17 that was obsolete by the time it was available in numbers so that it served mainly as an advanced trainer D IRole Single seat biplane fighterManufacturer Siemens Schuckert WerkeFirst flight 1916Introduction 1917Primary user LuftstreitkrafteNumber built 95Developed from Nieuport 17 Contents 1 Design and development 2 Production history 3 Operational history 4 Variants 5 Operators 6 Specifications D I 7 See also 8 ReferencesDesign and development EditThe French Nieuport 17 fighter which reached the front in March 1916 established such ascendency over existing German fighters that captured examples were supplied to several German aircraft manufacturers with a request to study the type 1 The Siemens Schuckert Werke produced the D I based very closely on the Nieuport The most important difference from the Nieuport 17 was the powerplant instead of the Le Rhone 9J of the Nieuport licensed as with the Oberursel Ur II and un licensed versions of which were actually available in Germany at the time Siemens Schukert chose to use their own 110 hp 82 kW Siemens Halske Sh I rotary engine in which the cylinders still attached to the propeller rotated at 900 rpm in one direction with the crankshaft and internals rotating in the opposite direction at the same rate producing an effective 1800 rpm Visually the effect of this was that in place of the Nieuport 17 s circular fully closed cowling the D I had a small close fitting semicircular cowling with an open bottom to allow adequate cooling for the slow revving Siemens Halske This gives some photographs of the type the appearance of the earlier Nieuport 11 The wing area 14 4 m was a little less than the famous 15 m of the Nieuport the gap between the wings was reduced slightly and the interplane struts were of steel tube with broad wooden fairings in place of the tape wrapped wooden struts of the original Production history EditAn order for 150 aircraft for the Luftstreitkrafte was placed on 25 November 1916 1 but initial deliveries were slow due to production difficulties with the complicated geared engines 2 so that the type was not available for service until well into 1917 by which time many Jagdstaffeln were already equipped with the very much superior Albatros D III A backup order for a further 100 machines placed on 21 March 1917 was cancelled and only 95 were produced in total 1 Late production models were fitted with modified tailskids and had large pointed spinners on their propellers Operational history EditThe S S W D I was obsolete before it was available in numbers so that most of the examples produced were sent to the fighter training schools although a few Jastas received one or two examples during 1917 1 The type is poorly documented in particular no reliable details are available for its performance the published figures are essentially those of the Nieuport 11 whereas such a close copy of the 17 with a powerplant of similar output might have been expected to have a performance roughly equivalent to that of the original from which it was derived Variants EditA single D Ia was produced with a greater wing area two examples of the D Ib had a higher compression version of the Siemens Halske Sh I Neither was ordered into production Development continued through a series of D II prototypes to the Siemens Schuckert D III Operators Edit German EmpireLuftstreitkrafteSpecifications D I EditData from German Aircraft of the First World War 1 The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft Part Work 1982 1985 3 The Complete Book of Fighters 2 General characteristicsCrew 1 Length 6 m 19 ft 8 in Wingspan 7 5 m 24 ft 7 in Height 2 59 m 8 ft 6 in Wing area 14 4 m2 155 sq ft Empty weight 430 kg 948 lb Gross weight 675 kg 1 488 lb Powerplant 1 Siemens Halske Sh I 9 cylinder contra rotating air cooled rotary piston engine 82 kW 110 hp Propellers 2 bladed fixed pitch propellerPerformance Maximum speed 155 km h 96 mph 84 kn Endurance 2 hours 20 minutes Time to altitude 4 000 m 13 000 ft 24 minutes 18 secondsArmament Guns One or two 7 92 mm 0 312 in LMG 08 15 machine gunsSee also EditEuler D IReferences Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Siemens Schuckert D I a b c d e Grey Peter Thetford Owen 1970 German Aircraft of the First World War 2nd revised ed London Putnam pp 209 212 ISBN 9780370001036 a b Green W Swanborough G 1994 The Complete Book of Fighters Smithmark p 529 ISBN 0 8317 3939 8 The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft Part Work 1982 1985 Orbis Publishing Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Siemens Schuckert D I amp oldid 1142657824, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
