Pfalz Flugzeug-Werke GmBH was established at
Speyer-am-Rhein in 1913 by the Everbusch brothers.
The company initially license built aircraft (such as the
Morane Saulnier Type H and Type L). During the early
part of World War One the company was involved in
manufacturing the Moranes (under the A.I and E.I
designations) and later L.F.G. Roland designs. In the
middle of 1917 the company produced a single seat
fighter of its own design, although the construction
methods reflected experience with building L.F.G.
Roland D.I and D.II fighters.
The Pfalz D.III was a single seat unequal span
biplane powered by a 160hp Mercedes D.III inline
engine. The new fighter entered service in September
1917 and has been described as under-rated given its
performance, good visibility and manouverability. It has
been suggested by some authors that it fell victim to the
propaganda of its competition at Fokker and Albatros. It
does appear to have had support however from pilots like
von Richthofen, and was used by several 'aces' including
Rudolph Berthold and Franz Freidrichs. In early 1918
the D.IIIa development introduced the 180hp Mercedes
D.IIIa engine. A further development mounting a third
reduced chord wing between the existing planes was not
proceeded with. Production is known to have exceeded
600 aircraft and an estimated 350 were still in service at
the armistice. A genuine example survives in the
Australian War memorial Museum.
New Zealand's link to the type begins with the WWI
pilots who served in France. New Zealand's top scoring
'Ace of WWI. Mjr Keith Caldwell accounted for five
Pfalzs between May and July 1918. Capt Herbert
Watson, who served with 4 Squadron Australian Flying
Corps flying Sopwith Camels, is recorded as also having
destroyed five of the type in the same period. Capt
Harold Beamish destroyed a Pfalz north of La Basee
while with 203 Sqn on May 16, 1918. Mjr (later Air
Chief Marshall Sir) Keith Park of 48 Sqn put one down
out of control near Bray two days later. SE5a pilot Capt
Malcolm 'Mac' McGregor of 85 Sqn recorded another
two downed out of control on June 1, 1918.
Today a new link in the form of a replica is resident at
Omaka near Blenheim. One of two produced for the
movie 'The Blue Max' in 1965, this example (c/n PT16 ex
EI-ARD, G-ATIJ, N905AC) was built by Viv Bellamy of
the Hampshire Aero Club in England from drawings by
Ray Hillborne. The aircraft was presented in a spurious
seven colour lozenge paint scheme for the filming. After
spending some time in Ireland, the aircraft was later sold
to Frank Ryder and operated from the a museum in
Alabama. In the mid-1980's many of the 'Blue Max'
aircraft were purchased by the 'Fighting Air Command'
and moved to Hartlee Field near Denton, Tx. At that time
the aircraft was was presented in a black fuselage and
purple wings and was no longer airworthy. The aircraft
was acquired by film director Peter Jackson and
imported into New Zealand in September 1999. The
aircraft has been undergoing restoration work by Stuart
Tantrum at Omaka. It was a static display at the Classic
Fighters Air Show during Easter 2001 (back in its movie
colours), and is expected to be returned to airworthiness
in the near future.
Country: Germany
Manufacturer: Pfalz Flugzeug-Werke GmbH
Type: Fighter
First Introduced: 1917
Number Built: More than 1,000
Engine(s): Mercedes D.III, 6 cylinder, liquid cooled
inline, 160 hp
Wing
Span: 30 ft 10 in [9.4 m]
Length: 22 ft 9¾ in [6.95 m]
Height: 8 ft 9 in [2.67 m]
Empty
Weight: Gross Weight: 2,056 lb [933 kg]
Max Speed: 102.5 mph [165 km/h]
Ceiling: 16,995 ft [5,180 m]
Endurance: 2½ hours
Crew: 1 Armament: 2 Spandau 7.92 mm machine guns
30
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PART 37
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CZÊŒCI Z DRUTU
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