Fokker E.II

The Fokker E.II was a single‑seat, monoplane fighter built by the Dutch company Fokker for the German Imperial Army Air Service during the First World War. First delivered in early 1915, it was an evolutionary step from the earlier E.I, retaining the characteristic “blended‑wing” layout and the innovative synchronization gear that allowed a forward‑firing machine gun to fire through the propeller arc. Powered by a 100‑hp Oberursel U.0 rotary engine, the E.II could reach 140 km/h (87 mph) and carried one or, in later field modifications, two 7.92 mm Spandau LMG 08/15 guns. The aircraft’s wing‑warping system provided lateral control, while its thin, wooden airfoil gave a clean aerodynamic profile for its time. Although only a few hundred were built before being eclipsed by the more powerful E.III, the E.II proved decisive during the “Fokker Scourge” of 1915, giving German pilots air superiority over the Western Front. Its operational record demonstrated the tactical value of a dedicated fighter, influencing subsequent designs and establishing the monoplane fighter concept that would dominate later aviation history. The E.II also served as a training platform for many ace pilots, cementing its legacy in early air combat doctrine.