The Pfalz D.VIII was a German World War I fighter aircraft.
== Development == The D.VIII was approved for production arising from German initiatives in 1918 to develop superior fighter aircraft. Its power unit, the Siemens-Halske Sh.III rotary enabled the type to achieve a top speed of 120 miles per hour (190 km/h) at sea level. Armament was twin 7.92mm Spandau machine guns.
== Production == Forty units were completed but as this was very near the end of the war, they were used mostly for evaluation purposes.
== Specifications (D.VIII - (Sh III engine)) == Data from German Aircraft of the First World WarGeneral characteristics Crew: 1 Length: 5.65 m (18 ft 6 in) Wingspan: 7.52 m (24 ft 8 in) Height: 2.75 m (9 ft 0 in) Wing area: 17.2 m2 (185 sq ft) Empty weight: 543 kg (1,197 lb) Gross weight: 738 kg (1,627 lb) Powerplant: 1 × Siemens-Halske Sh.III 11-cylinder air-cooled geared rotary engine, 119 kW (160 hp) Alternative engines (prototypes only): Oberursel U.III 119 kW (160 hp) Goebel Goe.III 104 kW (140 hp) Propellers: 4-bladed fixed-pitch propeller Performance
Maximum speed: 190 km/h (120 mph, 100 kn) Endurance: 1 hour 30 minutes Time to altitude: 6,000 m (20,000 ft) in 25 minutes Wing loading: 42.9 kg/m2 (8.8 lb/sq ft) Power/mass: 0.16 kW/kg (0.097 hp/lb) Armament
Guns: 2 × 7.92 mm (0.31 in) LMG 08/15 machine guns
See also
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Siemens-Schuckert D.IV
References
== Further reading == Cowin, H. W. (2000). German and Austrian aviation of World War I : a pictorial chronicle of the airmen and aircraft that forged German airpower. Osprey Pub. ISBN 1-84176-069-2. Herris, Jack (2012). Pfalz Aircraft of WWI: A Centennial Perspective on Great War Airplanes. Great War Aviation Centennial Series. Vol. 5. Charleston, SC: Aeronaut Books. ISBN 978-1-935881-12-4.
External links
YouTube May 2020 video of Mikael Carlson's authentic Pfalz D VIII biplane reproduction in ground-trials, with restored and operable Sh III engine Pfalz D.VIII