Halberstadt D.I

The Halberstadt D.I was a German single‑seat fighter introduced in early 1916, marking the first true combat aircraft produced by the Halberstädter Flugzeugwerke. Developed from the company’s earlier two‑seat reconnaissance types, the D.I featured a conventional biplane layout with twin wooden spars, fabric‑covered wings and a streamlined plywood fuselage. Powered by an Oberursel UR.II 110 hp rotary engine, it attained a top speed of roughly 150 km/h (93 mph) and a service ceiling of 5,500 m, respectable figures for its era. Armament consisted of a single synchronized LMG 08/15 Spandau machine gun mounted over the fuselage, allowing pilots to fire through the propeller arc without damaging the blades.

Although only a few dozen D.I aircraft reached front‑line units, they equipped early Jagdstaffeln such as Jasta 10 and provided valuable combat experience to novice pilots transitioning from reconnaissance to fighter roles. The type’s solid handling characteristics and straightforward construction influenced subsequent Halberstadt designs, most notably the more successful D.II and D.VII models. While the D.I’s operational impact was modest, it represented a pivotal step in Germany’s shift toward purpose‑built fighter aircraft and helped lay the groundwork for the rapid technological advances that defined aerial warfare in World War I.