Pfalz-Flugzeugwerke
Pfalz E V
The Pfalz E V was a single‑seat, rotary‑engine fighter produced by the German firm Pfalz‑Flugzeugwerke towards the end of World War I. Designed in 1917 as the final development of the company’s early “E‑type” monoplanes, the aircraft incorporated a number of refinements intended to overcome the shortcomings of its predecessors, the E III and E IV. Powered by an 110 hp Oberursel UR II rotary engine, the E V achieved a top speed of roughly 170 km/h and a service ceiling near 5 500 m, respectable figures for a lightweight wooden airframe. Its streamlined fuselage and cantilever wing, equipped with balanced ailerons, gave it better maneuverability and reduced drag compared with the earlier, heavily braced designs. Armament consisted of a single synchronized 7.92 mm LMG 08/15 machine gun, the standard armament for German front‑line scouts.
Only a handful of prototypes were built before the collapse of the German war effort halted further production. Nonetheless, the Pfalz E V demonstrated the viability of a clean‑lined monoplane fighter layout and provided valuable aerodynamic data that influenced later Pfalz models such as the famed D III biplane. Its brief existence marks an important transitional step from early pusher‑type aircraft to the more modern, high‑performance fighters that would dominate the post‑war era.
Only a handful of prototypes were built before the collapse of the German war effort halted further production. Nonetheless, the Pfalz E V demonstrated the viability of a clean‑lined monoplane fighter layout and provided valuable aerodynamic data that influenced later Pfalz models such as the famed D III biplane. Its brief existence marks an important transitional step from early pusher‑type aircraft to the more modern, high‑performance fighters that would dominate the post‑war era.
Classification
Dimensions
- Wing Area
- 16 square metre
- Length
- 6.6 metre
- Height
- 2.6 metre
- Mass
- 670 kilogram
Performance
- Maximum Speed
- 180 kilometre per hour
- Range
- 180 kilometre
Production & History
- Units Produced
- 20
- First Flight
- 1916
Design & Classification
- Country of Origin
- Manufacturer
- Pfalz-Flugzeugwerke
- Wikidata ID
- Q125585812