LFG Roland D.II
{{Short description|1910s German fighter aircraft}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
|name = Roland D.II |logo = |image = Am Flugplatze (BildID 15531513).jpg |caption = }}{{Infobox aircraft type |type = Fighter |manufacturer = Luft-Fahrzeug-Gesellschaft, Pfalz |designer = |first flight = October 1916 |introduction = Early 1917 |retired = |status = |primary user = |more users = |produced = |number built = 300 |unit cost = |developed from = Roland D.I |variants with their own articles = }} |
The LFG Roland D.II was a German single-seat fighter of World War I. The type was manufactured by Luftfahrzeug Gesellschaft, and also by Pfalz Flugzeugwerke under license.
Design and development
The D.II used a plywood monocoque fuselage. Two layers of plywood strips were spirally wrapped in opposing directions over a mold to form one half of a fuselage shell. The fuselage halves were then glued together, covered with a layer of fabric, and doped. This design, which was known as the Wickelrumpf, allowed the creation of a smooth, strong and light structure. The upper wing was attached to the fuselage by means of a large central pylon, greatly impairing the pilot's forward vision. Armament consisted of twin "Spandau" LMG 08/15 machine guns buried in the fuselage decking.
The D.II was initially powered by a 160 hp Mercedes D.III engine, giving a top speed of 105 mph at sea level. Later aircraft, designated D.IIa, were powered by a 180 hp Argus As.III. The As.III offered poor performance above 3,000 m and the D.IIa was mostly relegated to operations on the Eastern Front.
Nicknamed Haifisch (shark) for its sleek appearance, the D.II and D.IIa proved generally unpopular in service due to poor fields of view and heavy controls. It was quite fast and strong, but had mediocre manoeuvrability and handling. However, it is also reported that the aircraft had particularly sensitive controls, particularly in the yawing plane.Cowin 2000, p. 49 The type is known to have been used by Jasta 25 at their Canatlarzi base in Macedonia in 1917.
Variants
- D.II: Single-seat fighter-scout biplane, powered by a 160 hp (119 kW) Mercedes D.III piston engine.
- D.IIa: Single-seat fighter-scout biplane, powered by a 180 hp (134 kW) Argus As.III piston engine.
- C.V: One-off two seat derivative with a 160 hp (119 kW) Mercedes D.III engine.
- Pfalz D.II/D.IIa: aircraft licence-built by Pfalz Flugzeugwerke, from February 1917 renamed Roland D.II/D.IIa (Pfal). There were built 100 D.II (s/n 2830-2929/16) and 100 D.IIa (s/n 300-399/17).Herris, Jack. Pfalz Aircraft of World War I. Great War Aircraft in Profile, Volume 4. 2001. {{ISBN|1891268155}}. P.27
Operators
;{{BUL}}
;{{flag|German Empire}}
Specifications (D.II)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=German Aircraft of the First World War Gray and Thetford 1962, pp. 164-165.
|prime units?=met
|crew=1
|length m=6.93
|length note=
|span m=8.94
|span note=
|height m=3.11
|height note=
|wing area sqm=22.8
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=715
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=954
|gross weight note=
|max takeoff weight kg=
|max takeoff weight note=
|fuel capacity=
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Mercedes D.III
|eng1 type=6-cylinder water-cooled in-line piston engine
|eng1 kw=119
|eng1 note=
|prop blade number=2
|prop name=fixed-pitch propeller
|prop dia m=
|prop dia note=
|max speed kmh=180
|max speed note=
|cruise speed kmh=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kmh=
|stall speed note=
|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed note=
|range km=
|range note=
|combat range km=
|combat range note=
|ferry range km=
|ferry range note=
|endurance=2 hoursDonald 1994, p. 554.
|ceiling m=5000
|ceiling note=Angelucci 1981, p. 50.
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude={{cvt|5000|m}} in 23 minutes
|wing loading kg/m2=
|wing loading note=
|fuel consumption kg/km=
|power/mass=
|more performance=
|guns=2 × 7.92 mm LMG08/15 machine guns
}}
See also
{{aircontent
|see also=
|related=*LFG Roland C.II
|similar aircraft=*Albatros D.II
|lists=*List of military aircraft of Germany
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
Bibliography
{{Commons category|LFG Roland D.II}}
- {{cite journal |last1=Abbott|first1=Dan S.|last2=Grosz|first2=Peter M.|name-list-style=amp |title=The Benighted Rolands|journal=Air Enthusiast |date=1977|issue=3 |pages=38–48 |issn=0143-5450}}
- {{cite journal |last1=Anderson|first1=Lennart|title=La renaissance de l'aviation militair bulgare dans les années vingt|journal=Avions |date=November–December 2019 |issue=232|pages=52–66 |trans-title=The Rebirth of Bulgarian Military Aviation in the Twenties|language=French |issn=1243-8650}}
- Angelucci, Enzo (editor). World Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft. London: Jane's, 1981. {{ISBN|0-7106-0148-4}}.
- Cowin, H. W. German and Austrian Aviation of World War I. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2000. {{ISBN|1-84176-069-2}}.
- Donald, David (editor). The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. London: Blitz, 1997. {{ISBN|1-85605-375-X}}.
- Gray, Peter and Thetford, Owen. German Aircraft of the First World War. London: Putnam, 1962.
- Green, William and Swanborough, Gordon. The Complete Book of Fighters. London: Salamander Books, 1994. {{ISBN|0-8317-3939-8}}.
- {{cite book |last1=Herris |first1=Jack |title=Pfalz Aircraft of WWI: A Centennial Perspective on Great War Airplanes |date=2012 |publisher=Aeronaut Books |location=Charleston, SC |isbn=978-1-935881-12-4|series=Great War Aviation Centennial Series|volume=5}}
{{LFG aircraft}}
{{Idflieg C-class designations}}
{{Idflieg D-class designations}}
{{World War I Aircraft of the Central Powers}}
{{Authority control}}