View source for Albatros D.II

{{Short description|German fighter aircraft}}
{{Lead too short|date=February 2024}}
<!-- This article is a part of [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft]]. Please see [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft/page content]] for recommended layout. -->
{{Infobox aircraft
 |name=Albatros D.II
 |image= Albatros D.II.jpg
 |caption= <!--image caption; if it isn't descriptive it should be left blank-->
 |type=[[Fighter plane|Fighter]]
 |manufacturer=[[Albatros Flugzeugwerke]]
 |designer=Robert Thelen
 |first_flight=
 |introduction=1916
 |retired=
 |status=
 |primary_user = ''[[Luftstreitkräfte]]''
 |more_users = [[Austro-Hungarian Air Service|''Luftfahrtruppen'']]
 |produced=
 |number_built=291
 |developed_from=[[Albatros D.I]]
 |developed_into=[[Albatros D.III]]
}}

The '''Albatros D.II''' was a German [[fighter aircraft]] used during [[World War I]]. After a successful combat career in the early ''[[Jasta|Jagdstaffeln]]'', it was gradually superseded by the [[Albatros D.III]].

==Design and development==
Albatros designers Robert Thelen, Schubert and Gnädig produced the D.II in response to pilot complaints about poor upward vision in the [[Albatros D.I]]. The solution was to reposition the upper wing 36&nbsp;cm (14&nbsp;in) closer to the [[fuselage]] and stagger it forward slightly. Rearrangement of the cabane struts also improved forward view. The D.II otherwise retained the same fuselage, engine installation and armament as the D.I.<ref>Gray and Thetford, P.41</ref> Basic performance was unchanged. The ''[[Idflieg]]'' (''Inspektion der Fliegertruppen'' - Inspectorate of Flying Troops), ordered an initial batch of 100 D.II aircraft in August 1916.

In November 1916, ''Idflieg'' banned Windhoff "ear" [[radiator (engine cooling)|radiator]]s in operational aircraft because they were at a lower level than the crankcase of the engine they were cooling, and a shot into either radiator was likely to drain the cooling system. Late production D.IIs switched to using a [[Continental Automotive Systems|Teves]] und Braun "airfoil shape" radiator in the centre section of the upper wing. This also proved to be problematic as a leaking or battle damaged radiator could scald the pilot's face. On later Albatros fighters (late models of the [[Albatros D.III|D.III]], and the [[Albatros D.V|D.V]]) the radiator was moved to the right of the centre section to alleviate this problem.

''Oeffag'' (Oesterreichische Flugzeugfabrik AG) also built the D.II under license, as the '''Albatros D.II (Oef)''' / '''Oeffag Va.53''' / '''Oeffag series 53''', for the [[Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Aviation Troops|''Luftfahrtruppen'']]. The 16 Austro-Hungarian machines used a {{cvt|138|kW|hp|0}} Austro-Daimler engine, and were fitted with a Teves und Braun-style wing mounted radiator.

==Operational history==

D.IIs formed part of the early equipment of ''[[Jasta 2|Jagdstaffel (''Jasta)'' 2]]'', the first specialized fighter squadron in the German air service. Famous pilots included ''[[Hauptmann]]'' [[Oswald Boelcke]] (''Jasta 2'''s first commander) and [[Baron Manfred von Richthofen|Manfred von Richthofen]]. With its high speed and heavy armament, the D.II won back [[air superiority]] from Allied fighter types such as the [[Airco DH.2]] and [[Nieuport 17]].

Albatros built 200 D.II aircraft. LVG (Luft-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft) produced another 75 under license. Service numbers peaked in January 1917, when 214 machines were in service. The D.II operated well into 1917. As late as 30 June 1917, 72 aircraft were in the frontline inventory, and even in November 11 D.IIs and 9 D.Is were still in service, alongside the by now far more numerous D.IIIs and D.Vs.<ref>Gray and Thetford, P.43</ref>

Manfred von Richthofen was flying an Albatros D.II on 23 November 1916 when he was engaged in a prolonged dogfight with the RFC's [[Lanoe Hawker]], [[Victoria Cross|VC]]. Hawker's [[Airco DH.2|DH.2]] pusher engined fighter had a better turning circle but the Albatros D.II had twin guns, was faster, and could maintain height in a turn better. After firing some 900 rounds von Richthofen shot Hawker in the head and killed him for his 11th victory.<ref>Franks, Bailey & Guest, ''Above The Trenches'', Grub Street, (1993) pages 242–255</ref> Hawker's machine crashed and von Richthofen claimed Hawker's Lewis gun for his growing collection of trophies.

==Operators==
;{{flag|Austria-Hungary}}
*[[Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Aviation Troops]]
;{{flag|German Empire}}
*''[[Luftstreitkräfte]]''
;{{POL}}
*[[Polish Air Force]] operated this type postwar.
;{{TUR}}
*[[Ottoman Air Force]]

==Specifications (D.II (Oef) series 53)==
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Austro-Hungarian Army Aircraft of World War One<ref name=Grosz>{{cite book |last1=Grosz |first1=Peter M. |last2=Haddow |first2=George |last3=Scheiner |first3=Peter |title=Austro-Hungarian Army Aircraft of World War One |orig-year=1993 |year=2002 |publisher=Flying Machine Press |location=Boulder |isbn=1-891268-05-8 |pages=245–248}}</ref>
|prime units?=met
<!--
        General characteristics
-->
|crew=1
|length m=7.35
|length note=
|upper span m=8.5
|upper span note=
|lower span m=8
|lower span note=
|height m=2.71
|height note=
|wing area sqm=24
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=<!-- sailplanes -->
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=898
|gross weight note=
|max takeoff weight kg=
|max takeoff weight note=
|fuel capacity=
|more general=
<!--
        Powerplant
-->
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=[[Austro-Daimler 185hp]]
|eng1 type=6-cylinder water-cooled in-line piston engine
|eng1 hp=185
|eng1 note=

|prop blade number=2
|prop name=fixed-pitch wooden propeller
|prop dia m=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop dia note=
<!--
        Performance
-->
|max speed kmh=170
|max speed note=
|max speed mach=<!-- supersonic aircraft -->
|cruise speed kmh=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kmh=
|stall speed note=
|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed note=
|minimum control speed kmh=
|minimum control speed note=
|range km=
|range note=
|combat range km=
|combat range note=
|ferry range km=
|ferry range note=
|endurance=<!-- if range unknown -->
|ceiling m=
|ceiling note=
|g limits=<!-- aerobatic -->
|roll rate=<!-- aerobatic -->
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=<br/>
:*{{cvt|1000|m}} in 4 minutes 30 seconds
:*{{cvt|2000|m}} in 7 minutes
:*{{cvt|3000|m}} in 12 minutes 30 seconds
|wing loading kg/m2=37.5
|wing loading note=
|disk loading kg/m2=
|disk loading note=
|fuel consumption kg/km=
|power/mass=0.20 hp/kg
|thrust/weight=

|more performance=
<!--
        Armament
-->
|guns=  2 × {{cvt|8|mm|3}} [[Schwarzlose machine gun]]s
|avionics=
}}

==See also==
{{aircontent
<!-- include as many lines are appropriate. additional lines/entries with carriage return. -->
|related=<!-- related developments -->
* [[Albatros D.I]]
* [[Albatros D.III]]
* [[Albatros D.IV]] 
* [[Albatros D.V]]
|similar aircraft=<!-- similar or comparable aircraft -->
*[[Halberstadt D.II]]
*[[Nieuport 16]]
*[[Nieuport 17]]
|lists=<!-- related lists -->
* [[List of military aircraft of Germany]]
* [[List of fighter aircraft]]
|see also=<!-- other relevant information -->
}}

==References==
{{Commons category}}

===Notes===
{{Reflist}}

===Bibliography===
* {{cite book|last=Cheesman|first=E.F.|title=Fighter Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War|year=1960|publisher=Harleyford Publications}}
* {{cite book|last=Grey & Thetford|title=German Aircraft of the First World War (2nd ed.)|year=1962–70|publisher=Putnam & Company}}
* Grosz, Peter M. "The Agile & Aggressive Albatros". ''Air Enthusiast Quarterly'', No. 1, n.d., pp.&nbsp;36–51. {{ISSN|0143-5450}} 
* {{cite book|last=Hofling|first=Rudolf|title=Albatross D-II Germany's Legendary World War I Fighter |year=2002 |publisher=Schiffer Publications|location=Atglen, Pennsylvania}}

{{Albatros aircraft}}
{{World War I Aircraft of the Central Powers}}
{{Idflieg fighter designations}}
{{Authority control}}

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[[Category:Aircraft first flown in 1916]]