L 84

The Albatros L 84 was a low‑wing, single‑engine fighter‑reconnaissance aircraft built by the German company Albatros Flugzeugwerke during the final years of World War I. Designed in early 1918 as a successor to the earlier L 68 series, the L 84 incorporated a more powerful 200 hp Mercedes D.IVa inline engine, a streamlined aluminum‑skinned fuselage and wing‑root radiators that reduced drag. Its wooden wings, covered in doped fabric, featured a folded‑edge aileron system that gave the pilot excellent roll response at high speeds. First flown in September 1918, the prototype demonstrated a top speed of 210 km/h (130 mph) and a service ceiling of 7,500 m, outperforming most contemporary Allied scouts. Although the armistice halted mass production, the L 84’s innovative aerodynamic refinements influenced post‑war German designs, particularly the later Fokker D VII, which borrowed its wing taper and radiator placement. Aviation historians regard the L 84 as a transitional model that bridged early biplane concepts and the more aerodynamically efficient monoplane fighters of the 1920s, marking a significant step in the evolution of high‑performance military aircraft. The single example preserved at the Deutsches Museum in Munich continues to attract researchers, while replicas have flown in several vintage airshows, demonstrating the L 84’s lasting appeal to enthusiasts of early aviation engineering.