Reposted from Delphi Flight Sim Forum courtesy of Tucker Hatfield from Dynamix.
(Taken from the Dynamix Flight Model guidelines as reported by Tucker Hatfield from Dynamix.)
German planes
1. The Fokker EIII monoplane was characterized by very low performance. The wing warping system of control allowed only a very slow roll rate, and the limited angle of attack produced by the very thin, moderately cambered wing limited turn, climb, and dive performance. The airfoil used would stall at any negative angle of attack, and would also stall if the angle of attack exceeded 10 degrees. The 80 HP Oberusel rotary engine did not produce sufficient power to make its acceleration anything more than dismal, being barely adequate even for its light weight. As it was a very early plane, the forest of bracing wires made for very high drag. It is notable only for being the first plane fitted with an interrupter gear system allowing direct forward firing of its machine gun. . It also possessed abysmal stall characteristics. Contemporary tests made by the British comparing it to the Morane Bullet found it to be slower, with poorer climb and turn characteristics. Its top speed was only 88 mph.
2. The Fokker Dr. I was extremely maneuverable, and with its huge wing area provided by the three wings had a very high climb rate. It was under powered, however, and the drag produced in combination with its small engine limited it to 103 Mph in level flight. Its dive characteristics were poor, and while very capable in a fur ball, it was at a distinct disadvantage against most allied planes in a one-on-one fight. The outstanding skill of the German pilots gave the plane a reputation better than its flying characteristics would indicate. While it is closely linked to the Red Baron himself, Richtofen in fact scored most of his kills in Albatross'.
3. The Fokker D VII was a quite good plane, though most notable for its balance between attributes rather than for any one flight characteristic. With the 160 HP engine it could reach 116 mph, while with the 180 HP engine it could achieve 119 mph. It was quite maneuverable, though not as nimble as many planes, but its most remarkable characteristics were its excellent low-speed and high altitude handling. It possessed very good stall characteristics and was difficult to spin. Because of its good low speed handling, it could accomplish relatively steep attitude maneuvers without stalling into a spin, thus being able to "hang on its prop." Its easy to fly nature made for a formidable opponent, as pilots could be less cautious than their opponents without fearing their own plane would kill them.
4. The Halberstadt DII was a very poor plane. The engine did not develop sufficient power for its weight. The airfoil had poor AOA characteristics, and the undersized vertical stabilizer provided inadequate lateral stability. The center of lift was close to the center of gravity, and that gave the plane poor roll stability. There is an anecdotal report of Manfred Von Richtofen being saved by his seat belt while ferrying a DII when the plane suddenly rolled inverted unexpectedly from level flight. Only two Jasta's were equipped with the Halberstadt DII, and those planes were soon withdrawn from service.
5. The Albatross DII was a capable plane, and though not as maneuverable as many of the planes that opposed it, with a top speed of 109 MPH it was faster. Its primary opponents were the DH2 and the Nieuport 17 when it was introduced, and it was capable of besting them both.
6. The Albatross DIII was a significant improvement on the DII, being a sesquiplane with the characteristic narrow lower wing. It enjoyed good maneuverability and speed, with very good dive capabilities. However, the single spar of the narrow lower wing allowed the wing to twist to such an extent that it would fail in prolonged dives. Its top speed was significantly faster than the DII, reaching 115 MPH.
7. The Albatross DV was a disappointment as it was only a modest improvement (?) over the DIII. While its top speed increased from 115 to 118 MPH, the increased weight of the plane seriously reduced its maneuverability. At the time of its introduction it was already outclassed by the allied aircraft of the day.
8. The Pfalz DIII was a good plane, favored by its pilots. While slower than the Albatross series, its wing placement allowed better forward visibility, and its wing (a direct copy of the Nieuport wing) gave it outstanding maneuverability, and if had been introduced a year earlier would probably have been one of the most notable planes of the war. As it was late in coming, its opposition seriously outclassed it.
9. The Pfalz DXII was a copy of the SPAD, being produced to fill a request for planes that had excellent dive characteristics. It was fast and could dive like a brick, but was not very maneuverable. In 1918 when it was introduced the preferred tactic for the Jasta's was to fly at high altitude over the German side of the front, then dive through formations of allied planes, speeding away before effective response was possible. This plane proved superb at just that.