Question: Where was the Aviatik D.I used, and what planes did it face in combat?

[Wolfbiter]

Hello folks,

Exactly what it says on the tin...I have an unused Aviatik D.I and was curious to learn a bit more about it:

1. Where was it used-Western Front, Italian Front, or both?

2. Was it exclusively used by Austria-Hungary, or were any used by German squadrons? Were there any "exchanges" of volunteer pilots serving between these two nations, similar to the Americans in the Lafayette Escadrille flying for France?

3. Does anyone know what enemy aircraft it most commonly faced off against?

Many thanks in advance to anyone who can help answer these questions.

[RJG173]

From what I read in Windsock Datafile 45, Aviatik D.I by P M Grosz, this airplane only flew for the Dual Monarchy. It did fly on the Italian front, but I cannot tell if it flew against the Russians. I would say it did not fly on the Western Front against the French, British and Americans.

It was in use from August 1917 until the end of the war.

[monse]

2. Godwin Brumowski, the famed Austro-Hungarian ace, was assigned on the Western front to Jasta 24 to learn German organization and tactics in early 1917.
Several German squadrons were sent in Italy to fight.

3. According to The Aerodrome records, Arigi and Linke Crawford flying the Aviatik DI had victories against Italian (seaplanes -> Macchi by example) and English planes, as 3 RFC squadrons were sent on the Italian front : Camel, DH4, Bristol F2b.
http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/aus...e-crawford.php
http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/austrhun/arigi.php

Aviatik pilots fought against Italian planes, as Linke Crawford who may have been shot down by an Italian Hanriot HD1.
Sabeditsch scored the first victory flying an Aviatik DI, downing a Caproni bomber.
http://www.aresgames.eu/9484

(More information on Italian front)
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/sho...-Theaters-2014

[Carl_Brisgamer]

Hello folks,

Exactly what it says on the tin...I have an unused Aviatik D.I and was curious to learn a bit more about it:

1. Where was it used-Western Front, Italian Front, or both?

2. Was it exclusively used by Austria-Hungary, or were any used by German squadrons? Were there any "exchanges" of volunteer pilots serving between these two nations, similar to the Americans in the Lafayette Escadrille flying for France?

3. Does anyone know what enemy aircraft it most commonly faced off against?

Many thanks in advance to anyone who can help answer these questions.

Hi Dave,

Just so happens I have been researching the Italian front and am producing historical scenarios specifically to get official WGF aircraft like the Aviatik D.I onto the table! I can say that it appears this aircraft (also known as the 'Berg D.I') was used predominantly on the Italian and Macedonian fronts. I can post some Flik (Fliegerkompanie - A-H squadrons) orbats if you like.

Two scenarios so far using the Aviatiks:

The first re-fights A-H ace Frank Linke-Crawford's last battle against two Hanriot HD.1s - http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/sho...for-3-players)

This one pits two Aviatiks piloted by A-H ace Julius Arigi and his Flik1J CO Bela Marcourek against an RAF DH.4 - http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/sho...-or-3-players)

I have three others posted in the WGF Mission Discussions section already and expect more each week - http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/for...on-Discussions

[LOOP]

This was an interesting thread
I like the Aviatik DI but use it very little.
I mostly do western front scenarios.
I will have a look at your work Carl. It sounds like I need more italians

[Carl_Brisgamer]

This was an interesting thread
I like the Aviatik DI but use it very little.
I mostly do western front scenarios.
I will have a look at your work Carl. It sounds like I need more italians

After I started researching the campaign I was amazed at how little I knew about the air war over Italy. I will get another scenario up tonight.

[Marechallannes]

...

I have three others posted in the WGF Mission Discussions section already and expect more each week - http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/for...on-Discussions

Excellent stuff, Carl.

I printed all missions for a test fligth.



I'm curious for the next mission.

[Carl_Brisgamer]

Excellent stuff, Carl.

I printed all missions for a test fligth.



I'm curious for the next mission.

You will have to wait for the Series 9 release to play some of these. I will try and get a couple more posted tonight.

[LOOP]

So did I
Thanks

[Carl_Brisgamer]

Just uploaded an Italian balloon busting solo mission - http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/sho...for-solo-play)

[LOOP]

Seen it, copied it and will soon enjoy it

[WarBoar]

The Aviatik D.I is a very underused plane, one of my favourite Central powers planes to use! its great fun but still limiting enough to present a challenge to the pilot! also cant wait for the Phonix!

[Zoe Brain]

By the time the Aviatik Berg D.I reached frontline squadrons, Russia had been knocked out of the war. As far as I can tell, none were used in the aftermath in the Ukraine. So it's Italy and Macedonia only. However, that gives plenty of scope for French (in Macedonia mainly), RFC/RAF as well as Italian opponents.

D.I last served in the Red Air Corps of the Hungarian Communist Party in 1919, during the riots that followed the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

http://www.airwar.ru/enc/fww1/aviatd1.html

[Naharaht]

According to Aircraft of World War 1 1914-1918 by Jack Herris and BobPearson, in addition to the Italian planes, on the Italian front there were French Caudron G.4's; Nieuport 10's, 17's and 27's; Hanriot HD.1's and SPAD VII's and XIII's; and from Britain 3 squadrons of Sopwith Camels, 1 squadron of Bristol F2B fighters and 1 reconnaissance squadron of R.E.8's.

[Wolfbiter]

According to Aircraft of World War 1 1914-1918 by Jack Herris and BobPearson, in addition to the Italian planes, on the Italian front there were French Caudron G.4's; Nieuport 10's, 17's and 27's; Hanriot HD.1's and SPAD VII's and XIII's; and from Britain 3 squadrons of Sopwith Camels, 1 squadron of Bristol F2B fighters and 1 reconnaissance squadron of R.E.8's.

Thanks! I have a Camel and RE8, so that means if I want to throw a quick Italian Front matchup together, I can do so.

Carl, I like your historical scenarios, thanks for sharing those!

[john snelling]

How important was the Aviatik D.I? Here is the front line numbers of 1 Aug 1918:
fighters
426 Aviatik D.1
82 Phonix D.I
113 Albatros D.III (253)
34 Phonix D.IIa
10 Aviatik D.II
recon/bombers
156 HB C.I
48 Phonix C.I
126 UFAG C.I

[john snelling]

From my notes:

The Aviatik D.I, was a single-engine, single-seater fighter biplane. It was also known as Berg D.I or the Berg Fighter because it was designed by Dipl. Ing. Julius von Berg. The D.I was the first indigenously designed fighter aircraft of the Austro-Hungarian Air Service (Luftfahrtruppen).
Construction of the Aviatik D.I prototype began in August 1916, and the type was ready for production in April 1917. The Aviatik remained in production until the war’s end, and was also license built by several other manufacturers in the Dual Monarchy. The type began reaching front-line units by August 1917 on the Italian Front. The type possessed very good flying characteristics, including superb rate of climb, short take off field length, good maneuverability and speed; it could more than hold its own with the Italian Nieuports and SPAD’s, as well as the British Camels: This was surprisingly negated, however, by the lack of a suitable gun synchronizing mechanism (even this late in the war). Attempts to mount machine-gun weapons on top of the wing to fire at an angle over the propeller disc were a dismal failure. It was not until June-July of 1918 that Aviatik D.I’s with cowl mounted, synchronized machine guns began to appear at the Front in significant numbers.
Despite desirable features, the new Aviatik fighter wasn't greeted with enthusiasm when it entered service in autumn 1917, as the type also had some serious defects which didn't endear it to its pilots. The early aircraft had structural deficiencies and their machine guns were installed beyond the reach of the pilot; if the gun(s) jammed, there was nothing he could do about it. These problems were later rectified with the strengthening of the airframe and the repositioning of the guns, but the main cause of complaints was the engine's tendency to overheat far too easily. To alleviate the cooling problems, operational units tended to fly their aircraft without the engine's top panels and sometimes also the side panels were left off.
The Austro-Hungarian aviation units used the D.I widely until the end of World War I on Eastern, Italian and Balkan fronts, mainly as an escort fighter for the 2-seater reconnaissance aircraft, as the most fighter units preferred the Albatros D.III in air superiority role.
Until the 31st October 1918 a number of 677 Aviatik D.I airframes of all batches were handed over to the Austro-Hungarian Air Force.

[csadn]

Aviatik was a German company; but they did have an Austro-Hungarian branch (Österreichisch-Ungarische Flugzeugfabrik Aviatik), and were located about as far south in Germany as one could get without being in A-H. So it comes as no shock to me their units cropped up extensively on the southern fronts.

[john snelling]

Italian Nieuport Fighters, DH-4s, Camels, Hanriots, Caproni bombers and Spad VIIs and 13s were all victims or possible victims of the Berg.

[john snelling]

Aviatik was a German company; but they did have an Austro-Hungarian branch (Österreichisch-Ungarische Flugzeugfabrik Aviatik), and were located about as far south in Germany as one could get without being in A-H. So it comes as no shock to me their units cropped up extensively on the southern fronts.

Aviatik D.I was built by different manufacturers:
Aviatik: 38, 138, 238 and 338 series
Lohner: 115(.01-.89) and 315(.01-.67) series
Lloyd: 48 185hp, 248 160hp and 348 225hp Series
MAG (Magyar Általános Gépgyár - General Hungarian Machine Works) built the 92(.01-.172) Series.
Thöne und Fiala manufactured the 101 Series
WKF (Wiener Karosserie Fabrik - Vienna (Car) Body Factory built the 84(.01-.10), 184(.01-.24), 284(.01-.40) and 384 Series.

[Carl_Brisgamer]

Czech ace Julius Arigi was interviewed in 1977 (4 years before his death at age 85) and gave his impressions of the Aviatik-Berg in comparison with the other two predominant LFT fighters: