Early War aircraft active dates

[WWIflyingace]

First Entry Bristol Scout:

Western Front - last victory September 1916
UK Home Guard - July 1917

[WWIflyingace]

Also please look in the files section for Early War Aces who scored victories in 1915; Belgian, British and German. Each file contains the pilot's name, aircraft flown, date of victory, location of victory and type of aircraft victory was scored against. A table in each file shows complete matrix of Early War victories by Month and Aircraft type.

[john snelling]

The Bristol was also used in Palestine the last known example was flown by the 5th wing 27 Oct 1917.
Another one flown by Lt Maguire shot down a Halberstadt near Instabulat on 22 Apr 1917.
The 63rd squadron had one until Nov 1917.

[WWIflyingace]

Here are some start dates:

June 1915
Bristol Scout
DFW C

July 1915
Vickers Gun Bus
Albatros C.I
Fokker Eindecker

August 1915
RAF BE2c
RAF FE2b
Aviatik C
LVG C

September 1915
Ago C – ADD TO IN SERVICE

December
Nieuport 10 – MOVE TO IN SERVICE FOR RNAS – flown by Flight Lt. Redford Henry Mulock (Canada) Number 1W Squadron


CONCLUSION(S):
In Service
ADD:
Nieuport 10 (RNAS)
Ago C.I


August 1916
ADD:
Albatros D.I

September 1916
DELETE:
Albatros D.I

[WWIflyingace]

JASTAS

In August 1916 the first Jastas were forming to consist of as many as 14 aircraft. The focus of attention was on the Somme front of mid-1916 against which the Allies had concentrated troops, artillery, and aircraft. The available fighters that could be distributed among the 20 Jastas along the front are shown below:

AIRCRAFT TYPE ----- AT THE FRONT
Albatros D.I ---------------1
Albatros D.II ---------------1
Halberstadt D Series--------25
Fokker D Series ------------35
Eindecker Series -----------124
TOTAL AT THE FRONT------186 Fighters

Also, according to what I have found the first Halberstadt D.III reached the front in February 1916, but there were only two in the inventory by June.

[Dom S]

Yes - the February 1916 one was a prototype, that doesn't seem to have arrived through regular procurement channels. Peter Grosz's excellent book on the Halberstadt suggests it may have been "donated" to one of the early aces by Halberstadt to get it noticed. Given that they got an order (albeit a small one) two weeks later, this seems plausible.... The first dozen production machines were ordered in March, and the first 8 of those delivered in June. Through 1916 it steadily became more common, with three Jastas (3, 4 and 5) getting it as their main aircraft, and several more having an odd few scattered amongst their Eindekkers and other, mainly Fokker, D types.

[Jager]

Got to love marketing.
BTW Chuck: was that Halberstadt in FEB-16 a D-I or D-III? The aircraft availability chart in "Hostile Aircraft" gives that as the start date for the D-I.
Karl

[Dom S]

Technically it was the D.III prototype - 120hp Argus engine. The D.I prototype had been knocking around for a few months, but doesn't seem to have been sent to the front. The D.I probably shouldn't have a start date at all - they only built two prototypes. Rather confusingly the Frontbestand figures show as many as 16 Halb D.I types on the strength at various dates, but this seems to have been some kind of designation mix-up. (The first order for them was off the back of the D.I prototype, and specified 12 D.I fighters "fitted with 120hp engines" - which made them D.IIs....) Barring that one prototype in February, there were no Halberstadt Ds at the front until June 1916, and they were D.II and D.III types.

[WWIflyingace]

Yes, The D.I seems to have been flying in late 1915. There were 8 Halberstadts on the front it appears (6 D.IIs and 2 D.IIIs) by June. It looks like the March order included aircraft already built...

[WWIflyingace]

Start Dates:
Nieuport 11 February 1916 RFC

End dates:
Albatros D.II April 1917
Albatros D.III September 1917 (18?)
Halberstadt D.II December 1916
Fokker E September 1916
Fokker D.II September 1916
Albatros D.I October 1916

[john snelling]

Chuck, I always have trouble with end dates for aircraft. Yes the older ones were used in less extensive areas or for training but they are still listed in inventory. I say if a guy wants to use a Halberstadt D.II in Feb 1918 that is on him.

Here is a list of inventory on 28 Feb 1918:
Alb D.Va 475
Alb D.III 357
Hann CL.II 295
Pflaz D.IIIa 261
Alb D.V 250
Halb CL.II 224
Pfalz D.III 182
Fokker Dr.I 143
Alb D.I 5
Alb D.II 2
Euler D.II 16
Fokker D.II 6
Fokker D.V 25
Halb D.II 1
Halb D.III 1
Halb D.V 2
Roland D.III 9
Total 2254

The Albatros D.III was used by the AH till the end of the war.

30 Jun 1917
Alb D.III 303
Alb D.V 216
Roland D.IIa 128
Alb D.II 72
Roland D.II 41
Fokker D.II 26
Alb D.I 17
Lvg D.I 18 Alb D.II
Fokker D.I 6
Fokker D.V 4
Halb D.I 14
Halb D.II 14
Halb D.III 8
Halb D.V 6
Roland D.I 1
Fokker E.III 1
Total 876

Still had 26 Fokker D.II in inventory.

I know this muddies up the water.

[WWIflyingace]

Cool! I was trying to stick with front line aircraft, but this is still great information!