В.Кондратьев Самолеты первой мировой войны

"АЛЬБАТРОС" D.V/D.Va / ALBATROS D.V/D.Va

  Очередная версия истребителя "Альбатрос", разработанная Робертом Теленом в апреле 1917 года. Поскольку немецкие двигателисты не успели создать для нее более мощный мотор, конструктору для повышения летных данных пришлось пойти по пути облагораживания аэродинамики и снижения массы конструкции планера. Фюзеляж самолета приобрел овальное сечение, напоминающее вытянутую каплю, более округлой стала форма руля поворота. Однако к заметным улучшениям это не привело.
  Серийное производство D.V развернуто в мае 1917-го, а в июне самолет начал поступать в войска. Первый опыт боевого применения показал, что прочность бипланной коробки машины недостаточна. Отмечались случаи "выворачивания" и разрушения нижнего крыла при пикировании, вызвавшие ряд катастроф.
  В ответ на это в августе появилась субмодификация D.Va с усиленным каркасом несущих поверхностей и дополнительными раскосами, соединяющими межкрыльевые стойки с передней кромкой. Другим внешним отличием большинства D.Va был небольшой обтекатель-заголовник за кабиной пилота.
  Взлетная масса D.Va оказалась даже выше, чем у D.III. Тем не менее, самолет сменил D.V на сборочных линиях заводов "Альбатрос" в Иоханнештале и Шнейдемюле. Серийный выпуск продолжался до весны 1918 года. Всего построено около 900 D.V и 1662 D.Va.
  На фоне новых истребителей стран Антанты D.Va выглядел не столь выигрышно, как его предшественники год назад. Летные данные машины фактически остались на уровне D.III и во многом уступали характеристикам "спадов" и SE.5.
  Тем не менее, осень 1917 года являлась пиком боевого применения "альбатросов". К началу ноября в составе немецких фронтовых эскадр насчитывалось 1540 D.V и D.Va. Отсутствие полноценной замены вынуждало немцев воевать на этих морально устаревших истребителях вплоть до тех пор, когда на фронт стали поступать в больших количествах гораздо более совершенные "фоккеры" D.VII.
  Помимо западноевропейских фронтов, "альбатросы" D.V и D.Va, как и предыдущие модификации, применялись в Македонии и Палестине.
  Многие "пятерки" пережили войну, в 1919 году сменив обозначение на L.24.
  
  
ЛЕТНО-ТЕХНИЧЕСКИЕ ХАРАКТЕРИСТИКИ
  
   D.V D.Va
  Размах, м 9,05 9,05
  Длина, м 7,33 7,33
  Площадь крыла, кв.м 20,86 20,86
  Сухой вес, кг 650 673
  Взлетный вес, кг 908 937
  Скорость максимальная, км/ч 180 175
  Время подъема на высоту
   2000 м, мин.сек 6,0 6,2
  Потолок, м 6200 6250

O.Thetford, P.Gray German Aircraft of the First World War (Putnam)

Albatros D V and Va

  In answer to the ascendancy which the S.E. 5s and Spads of the Allies were gaining over the Albatros D IIIs, the mid-summer of 1917 saw the introduction of the D V from the Albatros stable. In the event, the D V did not prove to have sufficient increase in performance to restore the balance of power in favour of the German Air Corps. Nevertheless, orders were put in hand for vast quantities, presumably on the theory that sufficient numbers would overwhelm any opposition, even if of superior calibre. In the autumn of 1917 the supply of D Vs was supplemented, and eventually replaced, by the D Va, which (as will be explained) differed very little from its predecessor.
  In an endeavour to obtain an increased performance from a more-or-less standardised airframe,a major re-design of the fuselage was undertaken. This dispensed with the flat sides of the D I/D III series and introduced a more truly elliptical section, endowing the fuselage with a more refined and pleasing appearance. An additional longeron was necessary along the centre-line on each side of the fuselage, which was wider than on the D III. A spinner of increased diameter was also fitted. A headrest was incorporated in the design of the new fuselage, but as it tended to restrict rearward vision, it was often removed on active service. The prototype D V had a D III type rudder, but thereafter the more familiar rounded rudder was fitted. The tailplane and elevator were interchangeable with those of the D III, but the under-fin was modified, its trailing edge being raked back at some 45° instead of vertical as before.
  The ailerons of the D V also departed from previous practice. The cables now ran through the top wing (and not the bottom as before), where they angled back through 90° and were locked on to pulleys to the aileron leading edge. Small shrouds covered the cables where they emerged through the wing surface. The wing itself was otherwise identical in shape, dimensions and construction with that of the D III, retaining the Teeves and Braun radiator in the starboard side of the centre-section.
  The D Va revived the D III type aileron modus operandi, with the cables running through the lower wing, the only difference being a slightly shortened operating crank. The wings were, in fact, interchangeable with those of the D III. As in the D V, D Vas were seen both with and without headrests, and the only certain means of distinguishing one from the other was by the location of the aileron control wires.
  As compared with the D III type, the gap of the D V and Va types was reduced by some 4 in.; the wing structures were otherwise the same except in the aileron operation. The unfortunate tendency to break up in a prolonged dive remained, and at the time the reason for this was not fully understood. Although static load tests confirmed that the structural strength of the lower wings was more than sufficient, it was found at a later date that the single spar was positioned too far aft. This caused vibrations which, in a long dive, increased proportionately, eventually resulting in wing failure. A partial cure, or at least an increased safety margin, was achieved by lifting a short auxiliary strut from the leading edge to the vee interplane strut. Even then, pilots were advised not to over-dive their Albatroses. The effect upon morale of such a restriction on a vital combat manoeuvre may well be imagined.
  The Albatros D V first entered service in May 1917, and from the middle of 1917, as the number of Jagdstaffeln increased, so they were equipped with Albatros types except for the units that also had Pfalz D III and Fokker Dr Is on their strength. Of all the Jastas that were eventually raised in readiness for the March 1918 offensive, it may be safely said that all, at one time or another, flew either Albatros D III, D V or D Va, some having a "mixed bag" of all types. Vast numbers were operated and, as if to counteract their structural shortcomings, many were adorned with bizarre insignia and garish colour schemes to bolster their pilot's morale. Lt. von Hippel of Jasta 5, who once miraculously crash-landed his D Va safely after the lower wing came away at 16,000 ft., had a fire-breathing black dragon emblazoned along the fuselage. Lt. Hermann Goring (later to become the infamous head of Hitler's Luftwaffe) led his Jasta 27 in a black fuselaged D V with nose and tail portions painted white.
  Richthofen was shot down in the D V 1177/17 on 6th July 1917 and later flew another, 4693/17, during the Battle of Cambrai. The leader of Jasta 21, von Schleich, was known as the "Black Knight" because of his all-black Albatros D V, which he flew on the French Front. The Albatroses of Jasta 21 shot down forty-one French aircraft during September 1917.
  And so the ubiquitous Albatros lighters continued to fly on all Fronts. Manufacture was finally discontinued in 1918 in favour of the Fokker D VII, but they remained in action in considerable numbers right up to the end of hostilities. In September 1918 some 327 D V and D Vas were in front-line service - the peak figure was in May 1918, when 131 D Vs and 928 D Vas were with the various Jastas in all theatres of operations.

TECHNICAL DATA
  Purpose: Single seat fighting scout.
  Manufacturers:
   Albatros Werke G.m.b.H. (Alb.).
   Ostdeutsche Albatros Werke, Schneidemuhl (O.A.W.).
  Power Plant: 180 and 200 h.p. Mercedes D IIIa 6-cylinder in-line water-cooled. (Basically 160 h.p. Mercedes with high compression and oversize cylinders fitted.)
  Dimensions: Span, 9.05 m. (29 ft. 8 1/4 in.). Length, 7.33 m. (24 ft. 0 5/8 in.). Height, 2.7 m. (8 ft. 10 1/4 in.). Wing area, 212 sq.m. (229 sq.ft.).
  Weights: Empty, 687 kg. (1,511 lb.) includes 30 kg. (66 lb.) cooling water. Loaded, 937 kg. (2,061 lb.)
  Performance: Maximum speed, 186 km.hr. (116 m.p.h.) Initial climb, 1,000 m. (3,280 ft.) in 4 min. Ceiling, 5,700 m. (20,000 ft.). Duration, 2 hr.
  Armament: Two fixed Spandau machine-guns synchronised to fire through airscrew.

  N.B. One Albatros D Va serial 7117; 17 experimentally fitted with a 185 h.p. B.M.W. IIIa achieved a ceiling of 10,500 m. on 6th February 1918, although this was with an uncorrected barograph.

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

ALBATROS D V Germany
  
  At the same time as the OAW received its first contract for the D III in April 1917, Albatros received an order from Idflieg for 200 DVs, referred to as "lightened D IIIs". The DV retained the wings of the DIII (although the aileron cables were led through the upper wing), was powered by the high-compression Mercedes D IIIa with oversize cylinders and offering 180 hp, and mounted twin 7,92-mm synchronised LMG 08/15 machine guns. The D V experienced a recurrence of the wing failures (previously suffered by the D III) as early as May 1917. Four hundred more D Vs were ordered, nevertheless, in May 1917 and 300 in July, after which the Idflieg terminated production in favour of the D Va which reverted to the D III-type aileron control cable arrangement and was reinforced throughout. The last Albatros fighter to see operational use in World War I, the D Va arrived at the Front in October 1917, by which time 1,612 fighters of this version had been ordered. Service of the D Va peaked in May 1918 when there were 928 (plus 131 D Vs) in operational use.

Max speed, 115 mph (185 km/h).
Time to 3,280 ft (1000 m), 4.35 min.
Endurance, 2.0 hrs.
Empty weight, 1,515 lb (687 kg).
Loaded weight, 2,066 lb (937 kg).
Span, 29 ft 8 in (9,04 m).
Length, 24 ft 0 5/8 in (7,33m).
Height, 8ft 10 1/4 in (2,70m).
Wing area, 228.19 sq ft (21,20 m2).