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The 'Albatros D.II' was a German fighter aircraft used during the First World War. After a successful combat career, it was succeeded by the Albatros D.III.

Contents

Design and development

Operational history

Operators

Specifications (D.II)

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Design and development

Albatros designers Thelen, Schubert and Gnädig produced the D.II in response to pilot complaints about poor upward vision in the Albatros D.I. The solution was to reposition the upper wing 14 inches closer to the fuselage and stagger it forward slightly. Rearrangement of the cabane struts also improved forward view. The D.II otherwise retained the same fuselage, engine installation, and armament as the D.I. Basic performance was unchanged. ''Idflieg'' ordered an initial batch of 100 D.II aircraft in August 1916.
In November 1916, ''Idflieg'' banned the use of Windhoff "ear" radiators in operational aircraft. Late production D.IIs therefore used a Teeves and Braun radiator in the center section of the upper wing.

Operational history

D.IIs formed part of the initial equipment of ''Jagdstaffel'' 2 (''Jasta'' 2), the first specialized fighter squadron in the German air service. Famous pilots included Oswald Boelcke and Manfred von Richthofen. With its high speed and heavy armament, the D.II won back air superiority from Allied fighter types such as the Airco DH.2 and Nieuport 11.
Albatros built 200 D.II aircraft. LVG (Luft-Verkehrs-Geselleschaft) produced another 75 under license. Service numbers peaked in January 1917, when 214 machines were in service. The D.II operated well into 1917. As of 30 June 1917, 72 aircraft were in the frontline inventory.
Oeffag (Oesterreichische Flugzeugfabrik AG) also built the D.II under license for the ''Luftfahrtruppen''. The Austrian machines used a 185 hp Austro-Daimler engine. Oeffag produced only 16 examples before production shifted to the Albatros D.III.

Operators

;Austria-Hungary

★ Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Aviation Troops
;German Empire

★ ''Luftstreitkräfte''
;

★ Polish Air Force operated this type postwar.

Specifications (D.II)

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