Agile and heavily armed, the Albatros D.III looked similar to earlier models. Using V-struts, the size of the lower wing was reduced to improve downward visibility. But the struts allowed the wing to twist in flight. Manfred von Richthofen, one of the first pilots to receive the new plane, experienced this problem first hand when the lower wing of his D.III cracked in flight.

Country: Germany
Manufacturer: Albatros Werke GmbH
Type: Fighter
First Introduced: January 1917
Number Built: 1,350
Engine(s): Mercedes D.IIIa, liquid cooled, 6 cylinder inline, 175 hp
Wing Span: 29 ft 8¼ in [9.05 m]
Length: 24 ft ½ in [7.33 m]
Height: 9 ft 9 ¼ in [2.98 m]
Empty Weight:
Gross Weight: 1,949 lbs [886 kg]
Max Speed: 109 mph [175 km/h] at 3,281 ft [1,000 m]
Ceiling: 18,044 ft [5,500 m]
Endurance: 2 hours
Crew: 1
Armament: 2 Spandau light machine guns