В.Кондратьев Самолеты первой мировой войны

"ХАНЗА-БРАНДЕНБУРГ" D.I / HANSA-BRANDENBURG D.I

   Весной 1916 года главный конструктор немецкой фирмы "Ханза унд Бранденбургиш Флюгцойгверк АГ" Эрнст Хейнкель спроектировал свой первый истребитель с заводским обозначением "Ханза-Бранденбург" KD (KD - Kampf Doppeldecker - боевой биплан).
   Оригинальной особенностью машины являлись ее межкрыльевые стойки - довольно сложные звездообразные конструкции из скрещенных деревянных балок. Такая система обеспечивала высокую прочность и позволяла отказаться от расчалок, но зато она имела гораздо большую массу, чем обычные стойки.
   В остальном KD ничем не выделялся на фоне своих современников и представлял собой цельнодеревянный биплан с фанерной обшивкой фюзеляжа и обтянутыми полотном крыльями.
   Самолет не приняли на вооружение в Германии, однако им заинтересовалось австрийское авиационное командование. В австро-венгерских ВВС тогда еще не было истребителей, а потребность в них уже возникла. В мае 1916-го австрийцы заказали на фирме "Ханза-Бранденбург" постройку 20, а затем - еще 30 экземпляров KD с моторами "Австро-Даймлер" мощностью 160 л.с.
   В австрийских ВВС самолет получил обозначение "Ханза-Бранденбург" D.I. Он отличался от KD формой фюзеляжа с высоким закабинным гаргротом и наличием вооружения, состоящего из несинхронного курсового пулемета "Шварцлозе", установленного в обтекаемом деревянном футляре над верхним крылом (иногда пулемет ставили открыто, без обтекателя).
   Первые "ханза-бранденбурги" появились на итало-австрийском фронте в ноябре 1916 года. Самолет оценивался весьма неоднозначно. С одной стороны, он обладал хорошей скоростью, с другой - был неустойчив, довольно сложен в пилотировании и имел тенденцию к срыву в штопор. Но, ничего лучшего австрийцы тогда не имели, а потому им приходилось мириться с недостатками машины.
   Осенью 1916 г. в Австро-Венгрии решили организовать собственное производство истребителей Хейнкеля на заводе UFAG в Будапеште (филиал фирмы "Ханза-Бранденбург") и на венской авиафирме "Фёникс Флюгцойгверк". Выпуск истребителей в Будапеште так и не начался. Зато на "Фёниксе" удалось организовать производство и вскоре из цехов этого завода начали выходить "ханза-бранденбурги", оснащенные мощными 185-сильными двигателями. Помимо военного обозначения D.I, они имели заводской индекс "серия 28" или Ва.28. С целью повышения путевой устойчивости и управляемости для них разработали новое вертикальное оперение с килем и увеличенным рулем поворота.
   Самолеты "серии 28" начали поступать на итало-австрийский фронт в феврале 1917-го, а их серийный выпуск завершился в мае. Всего австрийцы построили 73 таких истребителя.
   "Ханза-бранденбурги" со 160-сильными моторами, сделанные в Германии, несли заводское обозначение "серия 65.5". Параллельно с ними по австрийскому заказу выпускалась "серия 65.7", с "австро-даймлерами" мощностью в 150 л .с. Внешне эти машины отличались лобовым водорадиатором "автомобильного типа", вместо радиатора, установленного в верхнем крыле.
   Общий итог серийного выпуска составил 123 экземпляра. Они применялись на фронтах Первой мировой войны до конца 1917 года, после чего были постепенно вытеснены более совершенными машинами.
  
  
МОДИФИКАЦИИ
  
   Серия 28; "Ганза Бранденбург" D-I завода Феникс; двигатель "Австро-Даймлер", 160 л.с. Радиатор на верхнем крыле.
  
   Серия 65; "Ганза Бранденбург" D-I завода Оэффаг; двигатель "Австро-Даймлер" или "Геро" с лобовым радиатором, 185 л.с.
  
  
ВООРУЖЕНИЕ: 1 несинхр. курсовой 8-мм пулемет "Шварцлозе" 07/12, в обтекателе над верхним крылом.
  
  
ЛЕТНО-ТЕХНИЧЕСКИЕ ХАРАКТЕРИСТИКИ
(Серия 28)
  
   Размах, м 8,50
   Длина, м 6,35
   Высота, м 2,80
   Площадь крыла, кв.м 23,95
   Сухой вес, кг 672
   Взлетный вес, кг 920
   Скорость максимальная, км/ч 187
   Время подъема на высоту
   1000 м, мин.сек 3,00
   Потолок, м 5000
   Экипаж, чел 1

W.Green, G.Swanborough The Complete Book of Fighters

BRANDENBURG KD (D I) Germany

   Designed by Ernst Heinkel specifically for the Austro-Hungarian K.u.k. Luftfahrttruppen in 1916, the KD (Kampf Doppeldecker) single-seat fighter featured a novel system of wing interplane bracing in the form of four Vee struts joined in the centre of the wing bay by their apices to result in a "star” arrangement, which led to the KD being dubbed a "star strutter”. Flown as a prototype with the 160 hp Mercedes D III six-cylinder water-cooled engine, the KD was manufactured in series as the D I with the 150 hp and 160 hp Austro-Daimler engines by the Hansa- und Brandenburgische Flugzeug-Werke, and with the 185 hp Austro-Daimler by the Phonix Flugzeugwerke of Vienna. Of wooden construction with fabric wing skinning, plywood fuselage skinning and having steel-tube interplane strutting, the D I was armed with a single unsynchronised 8-mm Schwarzlose machine gun which was enclosed by a fairing on top of the cabane and fired over the propeller. The D I was reputedly difficult to fly, suffered inadequate directional stability owing to the rudder being blanketed by the deep fuselage, and had poor spin recovery characteristics. A number of Phonix-built Brandenburg D Is survived World War I to serve briefly with the Deutschosterreichische Fliegertruppe.

Max speed, 116 mph (187 km/h) at sea level.
Time to 3,280 ft (1000 m), 3.0 min.
Empty weight, 1,481 lb (672 kg).
Loaded weight, 2,028 lb (920 kg).
Span, 27ft 10 2/3 in (8,50 m).
Length, 20 ft 10 in (6,35m).
Wing area, 257.80 sq ft (23,95 m2).

C.Owers Hansa-Brandenburg Aircraft of WWI Vol.1: Landplanes (A Centennial Perspective on Great War Airplanes 17)

Type KD (D.I)
  
   The KD (for Kampf Doppeldecker - Fighting Biplane) fighter was developed by Brandenburg in 1916, at a time when the Austro-Hungarian Luftfahrtruppe (LPT] could not obtain up-to-date fighter aircraft from Germany, and so placed an order for an improved prototype that would be ordered in quantity if it proved acceptable.
   The first KD was an ugly machine that possessed several unorthodox features, the most evident of which was the "star" system of bracing the wings. This comprised a system of four units of two struts for each wing panel. Proposed by Professor Knoller, this system was designed to improve strength and reduce drag. While the system did improve strength, the proliferation of struts would have created as much or more drag than the usual interplane struts and attendant bracing wires.
   The fuselage was built of wood with ply covering eliminating the need for internal wire bracing. A headrest appeared to have been added as an afterthought. A bulky metal cowl enclosed the 160-hp Mercedes engine. The radiator was mounted between the top of the engine cowling and the upper wing, eliminating the already poor view from the cockpit. A small fin with balanced rudder was attached to the conventional tail surfaces. The wings were of conventional construction with excessive washout for the ailerons that were only fitted to the top plane. No test report on this machine seems to have survived, but it must have showed promise as a second machine was ordered.
   This aircraft, given the serial 05.09, was a much neater machine than the first prototype. The fuselage was given a curved top decking that blended into the tail-post. The fin was dispensed with and a new comma shaped balanced rudder installed. The radiator was fitted into the wing. This was not an aerofoil section model but required fairings forward and rear to blend the flat shape into the wing. The engine was now a 160-hp Daimler. Given the new serial 60.55, this prototype was evaluated by Flik 26 in July and August and must have been satisfactory as an order for 50 was raised; 72 were ordered from Phonix, bringing the total to 122 aircraft.
   The KD became the military D.I and was manufactured by Phonix as the Series 28 and 28.5. Late Phonix built examples had a low aspect-ratio fin and rudder to improve lateral stability. Phonix were to develop the aircraft through a series of prototypes into the Phonix D.I to D.III series of fighters.
   The Brandenburg D.I was difficult to fly and difficult to land; accident photographs are common. According to the late P.M. Grosz, the type was known as 'the Killer' by the Austro-Hungarian airmen. More D.I fighters were lost due to accidents than were lost in combat. Flik 41J lost 11 of the fighters in July 1917 to accidents. Although not liked by its pilots, the D.I did achieve some success and was the standard Austro-Hungarian fighter from autumn 1916 until replaced by the Oeffag Albatros D.III around mid-1917. The Phonix Series 28 was the version that scored most D.I victories. All Brandenburg fighters were ordered removed from the Front on 27 January 1918.
   The fuselage of Brandenburg D.I 28.68 survives at the National Technical Museum, Prague.
   The experimental 20.16 modified from the D.I became the prototype for the successful Phonix D.I to D.III series.
   The Brandenburg Series 65 fuselage followed that of the prototype 60.55. The top fuselage shape of the Phonix Series 28 was distinctively different. Phonix redesigned the D.I for ease of construction as many of the brackets were over complicated to manufacture. It is most probable that Ing. Edmund Sparmann was responsible for the redesign. The Series 65.7 by Brandenburg with the 150-hp Daimler engine used the same fuselage as the Series 28 but with the cabane strut arrangement of the Series 65.
   The cabane strut arrangement was different between series. Series 65 machines had a diagonal strut between the front and rear cabane struts. The rear struts formed an A-frame that was anchored to the top longeron, on the series 28 the rear cabane struts are anchored halfway in from the longerons to the center of the fuselage. On Series 65.7 machines the right cabane strut was bent to allow for the engine. Close examination of the photographs will enable these features to be discerned.


Brandenburg-Built D.I Specifications
Source Typenschau Brandenburg 3-View Type KD PMG Series 65.5 PMG Series 65.7
Span, m 8.50/8.30 8.500/8.300 8.50/8.30 8.50/8.30
Length, m 6.35 6.350 6.63 6.63
Height, m 2.75 2.80
Wing Area, m2 23.95 m2 23.95 m2 24.0 m2 25.21 m2
Empty Wt., kg 672 672 745 672
Loaded Wt., kg 920 920 1,020 940
Speed, km/h 187 - 185 179
Time to 1000 m 3 min - 4 min 8 sec 3 min 30 sec
Motor 160-hp Austro-Daimler 160-hp Austro-Daimler 160-hp Austro-Daimler 150-hp Austro-Daimler

Brandenburg D.I Production
Manufacturer Series Engine Notes
Brandenburg 65.50 - 65.69 160-hp Austro-Daimler -
Brandenburg 65.70 - 65.99 150-hp Austro-Daimler Car-type radiator in nose.
Phonix 28.01 - 28.50 185-hp Austro-Daimler 28.48 was given a set of vee-strut sesquiplane wings. 28.50 flew with a new wing structure as 20.15.
Phonix 28.51 - 28.72 185-hp Austro-Daimler 28.73 was given a set of sesquiplane wings and redesignated 20.16.


Phonix-Built D.I Specifications (19)
Source PMG Series 28 PMG Series 28.5
Span, m 8.50/8.50 (20) 8.50/8.50
Length, m 6.30 6.30
Height, m 2.79 2.79
Wing Area 24.0 m2 25.5 m2
Empty Wt., kg 714 690
Loaded Wt., kg 1,047 958
Speed, km/h 185 177
Time to 1000 m 3 min 55 sec 4 min 30 sec
Motor - 150-hp Benz Bz.III
(19) In the Phonix section of the Typenschau the D.I is referred to as the Phonix D.I, but the specifications quoted are the same as those for the Brandenburg C.II that is referred to as the Phonix C.II.
(20) While the text gives 8.50 m for the lower wing span of the D.I(Ph) Series 28, G. Haddow's drawing shows the span as 8.30 m. It is considered that 8.30 m is the correct span for the Series 28.

E.Hauke, W.Schroeder, B.Totschinger Die Flugzeuge der k.u.k. Luftfahrtruppe und Seeflieger 1914-1918

01. — 010. Flugzeuge ausländischer Produktion (Самолеты иностранного производства)
05.09 Brandenburg Type KD (nach Umbau neue Bezeichnung 60.55) Dm 160
28.01 — 28.73 Brandenburg D.I (Ph) Type KD Dm 185

60. Flugzeuge der Ungarischen Flugzeugfabrik A.G. (Ufag) Budapest und Hansa Brandenburgische Flugzeugfabrik Brandenburg/Briest
60.55 Brandenburg DD Prototyp für KD (ex 05.09) Dm 160
65.50 — 65.69 Brandenburg D.I (Br) Type KD Dm 160
65.70 — 65.99 Brandenburg D.I (Br) Type KD Dm 150

Kampfflugboote
20.14 Phönix Prototyp (ex Type KD 28.48) Dm 185