The Fokker E.III was the main variant of the German Fokker Eindecker fighter aircraft of the First World War. It was the first type to arrive in sufficient numbers to form specialist fighter units, Kampfeinsitzer Kommandos (KEK) in early 1916 — previously Eindeckers were allocated singly to the front-line Feldflieger Abteilungen that carried out reconnaissance duties. On 10 August, 1916, the first German Jagdstaffeln (single-seat fighter squadrons) were formed, equipped with the E.III.

The E.III was basicly an E.II fitted with larger, newly designed wings and it was a far greater success then the E.II. It retained the same 100 hp Oberursel U.I engine but had a larger 21.5 gal main fuel tank which increased the Eindecker's endurance to about 2½ hours; an hour more than the E.II. Most E.IIIs were armed with a single Spandau lMG 08 machine gun with 500 rounds of ammunition however after the failure of the twin-gun Fokker E.IV as a viable successor, some E.IIIs were fitted with twin guns.

Fokker production figures state that 249 E.IIIs were manufactured however a number of the 49 E.IIs were upgraded to E.III standard when they were returned to Fokker's Schwerin factory for repairs.

The E.III entered service on the Western Front in December 1915 and was also supplied to the Kaiserliche Marine and to Austria-Hungary for service with the army and navy. Turkey was supplied with 22 E.IIIs, some of which were based at Beersheba in Palestine while others operated in Mesopotamia during the Siege of Kut-al-Amara.

Specifications

General Characteristics

• Crew: one, pilot
• Length: 7.30 m (23 ft 11 in)
• Wingspan: 9.52 m (31 ft 3 in)
• Height: 2.89 m (9 ft 6 in)
• Wing area: m² ( ft²)
• Empty: 500 kg (1,100 lb)
• Loaded: 635 kg (1,400 lb)
• Maximum takeoff: kg ( lb)
• Powerplant: 1x Oberursel U.I 9-cylinder air-cooled rotary engine, 100-hp (75 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 134 km/h (83 mph)
• Range: endurance of 2 hr 45 min
• Service ceiling: 3,500 m (11,500 ft)
• Rate of climb: m/min ( ft/min)
• Wing loading: lb/ft² ( kg/m²)
• Power/Mass: kW/kg ( hp/lb)

Armament

• 1 or 2x 7.92 mm (0.31 in) Spandau lMG 08 machine guns

Related content

Related development: Fokker E.II - Fokker E.IV

Comparable aircraft: Morane-Saulnier Type N

Designation sequence: E.I - E.II - E.III - E.IV - E.V