Fokker D.IV

The Fokker D.IV was a single‑seat German fighter built by the Dutch company Fokker in 1915. Designed by Reinhold Platz as an evolution of the earlier D.I series, the D.IV incorporated a more powerful 110 hp Oberursel U.I rotary engine and a strengthened fuselage to improve speed and climb performance. Its wings retained the characteristic slightly staggered, equal‑span configuration, covered in fabric over a wooden frame, while the tail featured a refined horizontal stabilizer that enhanced stability. First delivered to the German Imperial Army’s Fliegertruppen in early 1916, only a handful of D.IVs saw front‑line service, largely because the rapid development of newer fighters such as the Albatros D.II quickly eclipsed its capabilities. Nevertheless, the aircraft served as an important testbed for Fokker’s aerodynamic experiments, particularly the use of the “skewed” wing mounting that later influenced the celebrated D.VII. Though its combat record was limited, the D.IV demonstrated the effectiveness of rotary‑engine powerplants and contributed to the iterative design process that propelled German aerial superiority during World War I. A few examples survive in museums, allowing historians and enthusiasts to study early fighter construction techniques and appreciate Fokker’s role in shaping modern aeronautics.

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