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Developed as a replacement for the Hansa-Brandenburg D.I, the Aviatik D.I biplane was the first fighter built entirely in Austria. Designed by Julius von Berg, it was initially plagued by a number of serious problems. Though lightweight and highly maneuverable, the "Berg" had a nasty habit of shedding its wing fabric and the engine tended to overheat. Austro-Hungarian ace Julius Arigi reported that weak construction resulted in the aircraft losing parts of the tail and/or wings during violent maneuvers and relatively steep dives. After strengthening the aircraft, later models of the D.I provided satisfactory service. In 1918, production of the Aviatik D.II (Series 39) was underway but the war ended before it entered service.
 
Aviatik D.I Specifications
Country: Austro-Hungarian Empire
Manufacturer: Österreichische-Ungarische Flugzeugfabrik Aviatik
Type: Fighter
Entered Service: 1917
Number Built: 700
Engine(s): Austro-Daimler, liquid cooled 6 cylinder in-line, 200 hp
Wing Span: 26 ft 3 in (8 m)
Length: 22 ft 9½ in (9.65 m)
Height: 8 ft 2 in (2.48 m)
Empty Weight: 1,475 lb (669 kg)
Gross Weight: 1,878 lb (852 kg)
Max Speed: 115 mph (185 km/h)
Ceiling: 20,177 ft (6,150 m)
Endurance: 2 hours 30 minutes
Crew: 1
Armament: 2 Schwarzlose 8 mm machine guns
 
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