Fokker DR.I  152/17  1/28

The Fokker Dr.I Dreidecker (triplane) was a World War I fighter aircraft built by Fokker. The design was by Reinhold Platz. The Dr.I is best known as the aircraft of the Red Baron, Manfred von Richthofen.

In April 1917, the RNAS put the Sopwith Triplane into service. This aircraft proved to be superior to the Albatros and Halberstadt fighter aircraft that were in service with the German air force at that time.

Fokker responded to the request with the V.3, which proved to be very heavy to control. After this, Fokker tried a modified design, the V.4. This aircraft proved to be very manoeuvrable and especially better than the proposed triplanes of the other manufacturers. The ailerons proved to be light to operate, but were not very effective. The rudder and elevator were light to operate and proved to function well. The aircraft ultimately proved to be able to turn very sharply (especially to the right due to the gyroscopic effect) and to climb quickly. The disadvantage was that dives were slow and the gliding properties were also moderate. After testing, production was started immediately and the first aircraft were delivered in October 1917 as Dr.I.

Richthofen flew the Triplane for the remainder of the war, flying several different Triplanes in varying colors, beginning with 102/17 which was finished in greenish brown streaking applied over a light blue surface. Other Triplanes flown by him included numbers 122/17, 127/17, 152/17, 154/17, 477/17, all painted in varying amounts of red, and finally 425/17, the all-red Triplane in which Richthofen was killed on April 21, 1918, after achieving 80 victories.