"Open fire only at close range, and then only when the opponent is squarely in your sights."
- Dicta Boelcke

The Fokker D.VII was a German World War I fighter aircraft designed by Reinhold Platz of the Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. Germany produced around 1,700 D.VII aircraft in the summer and autumn of 1918. In service, the D.VII quickly proved itself superior to existing Allied fighters, leading to a second "Fokker Scourge." The Armistice ending the war specifically required Germany to surrender all D.VIIs to the Allies at the conclusion of hostilities; nevertheless, the aircraft saw continued widespread service with many other countries in the years after World War I.

Fokker's chief designer, Reinhold Platz, had been working on a series of experimental planes, the V-series, since 1916. These planes were characterized by the use of cantilever wings, first developed during Fokker's government-mandated collaboration with Hugo Junkers. Junkers had originated the idea in 1915 with the first all-metal aircraft, the Junkers J 1, nicknamed Blechesel ("Sheet Metal Donkey" or "Tin Donkey"). The resulting thick-sectioned cantilever wing gave greater lift and more docile stalling behavior than conventional thin wings.

Late in 1917, Fokker built the experimental V.11 biplane, fitted with the standard Mercedes D.IIIa engine. In January 1918, Idflieg held a fighter competition at Adlershof. For the first time, frontline pilots would directly participate in the evaluation and selection of new fighters. Fokker submitted the V.11 along with several other prototypes. Manfred von Richthofen flew the V.11 and found it tricky, unpleasant, and directionally unstable in a dive. In response to these complaints, Fokker's chief designer and engineer, Reinhold Platz, lengthened the rear fuselage by one structural bay, and added a triangular fixed vertical fin in front of the rudder. Upon flying the modified V.11, Richthofen praised it as the best aircraft of the competition. It offered excellent performance from the outdated Mercedes engine, yet it was safe and easy to fly. Richthofen's recommendation virtually decided the competition, but he was not alone in recommending it. Fokker immediately received a provisional order for 400 production aircraft, which were designated D.VII by Idflieg.

Fokker's factory was not up to the task of supplying the entire air force, so their rivals at Albatros and AEG were directed to build the D.VII under license, though AEG did not ultimately produce any aircraft. Because Fokker did not use production plans for their designs, they simply sent a completed D.VII airframe for Albatros to copy. Albatros paid Fokker a five percent royalty for every D.VII built under license. Albatros Flugzeugwerke and its subsidiary, Ostdeutsche Albatros Werke (OAW), built the D.VII at factories in Johannisthal (designated Fokker D.VII (Alb)) and Schneidemohl (Fokker D.VII (OAW)), respectively. Some parts were not interchangeable between aircraft produced at different factories, even between Albatros and OAW.

Albatros soon surpassed Fokker in the quantity and quality of aircraft produced. Despite the massive production program, under 2,000 D.VII aircraft were delivered from all three plants, with the most commonly quoted figure being 1,700.

The Austro-Hungarian company MAG (Ungarische Allgemeine Maschinenfabrik AG - Hungarian General Machine Company) commenced license production of the D.VII powered by Austro-Daimler engines late in 1918, production continuing after the end of the war, with as many as 50 aircraft completed.

Pictured here is a 1:72 scale replica of a German Fokker D.VII fighter that was piloted by Franz Buchner, who was attached to Jagdstaffel 13, Jagdgruppe von Braun, during 1917. Now in stock!

Dimensions:
Length: 4-inches
Wingspan: 5-inches

Release Date: October 2024

With the introduction of the Fokker D.VII in 1918, Buchner came into his own; he flew at least three different machines during his career, scoring three victories in June and becoming Commanding Officer of the squadron on June 15th. It was after his fifth victory that he landed and announced to his colleagues that he had now learned how to win in aerial combat. It was a prescient statement.

On July 2nd, he shot down and killed "The Mad Major", Irish ace Major Joseph Callaghan, Commander of No.87 Squadron RAF, who was flying a Sopwith Dolphin in a solo attack on Jagdstaffel 13. Five days later, he followed up with Canadian ace Lieutenant Merrill Taylor killed in a Sopwith Camel of No.209 Squadron RAF.

On July 29th, 1918, Buchner shot down an American Sopwith Camel with just 14 rounds. His wingman, Leutnant Werner Niethammer, cited this combat as an illustration of Buchner's skill as a marksman; according to Niethammer's account, Buchner had no sooner spotted the American than he had set the enemy aircraft on fire. This would be the last of his seven victories in July. It was at this juncture that Buchner's brother Felix joined Jagdstaffel 13.

On August 10th, Buchner's career nearly ended. While attacking and shooting down a two-seater in bad flying weather, his plane's fuel tank was hit. Drenched in gasoline, he landed in no man's land and tagged along with two retreating German machine gunners The incident does not seem to have slowed him down. It was the second of his eight victories in August.

In September, Buchner scored 17 victories. On October 10th, Buchner survived a mid-air collision with a squadron mate; both of them parachuted to safety. He brought his tally to 40 victories by October 22nd, 1918. Three days later, he was belatedly awarded the Pour le Merite on October 25th, 1918, one of the last awards before the Kaiser's abdication. However, by that date, Buchner was in Berlin for trials of new fighter aircraft.