The story
Anthony Fokker saw a captured Sopwith Triplane in April 1917 and had Reinhold Platz build a triplane of his own: three short, thick cantilever wings on a steel-tube fuselage, pulled by a 110 hp Oberursel rotary. Its initial climb was excellent and it was far more manoeuvrable than the Albatros and Pfalz fighters it joined, but it was considerably slower than Allied fighters, and wing failures grounded it for most of November 1917. Only 320 were built. Manfred von Richthofen, the Red Baron, was killed flying red Dr.I 425/17 on 21 April 1918. No complete original survives. Every Dr.I flying today is a reproduction, many homebuilt, most on Warner Scarab or Continental radials.
The Dr.I's thick cantilever wings did not structurally need the interplane struts. Fokker added them anyway to stop the wings flexing.
Quick answers
How do you identify a Dr.I Triplane?
Three short, thick wings stacked one above the other, a strut tying them together on each side, a short fuselage and a round cowling. Often painted all red as Richthofen's 425/17, with black crosses on white.
What does a Dr.I Triplane sound like?
Most reproductions run a small Warner or Continental radial, a steady drone; the few with a Le Rhône or Oberursel rotary have the busier, uneven buzz of the original.
How fast is the Dr.I Triplane?
Top speed is 97 kts.
How many people does the Dr.I Triplane carry?
Typical configuration: Single pilot.
How far can the Dr.I Triplane fly?
Range is about 160 nmi.
How big is the Dr.I Triplane?
It is 18 ft 11 in long and 23 ft 7 in across the wings.
When did the Dr.I Triplane first fly?
Its first flight was in 1917.
How many Dr.I Triplanes have been built?
320 built.
How rare is a Dr.I Triplane in Bogey?
RARE. A good day. Most spotters go weeks between sightings of something this rare. Your first Dr.I Triplane catch is worth 250 points.
