Fokker E.I

Max Immelmann scored his first victory flying the "Eindecker." Scourge of the air during the winter of 1915, the Fokker E.I was the first aircraft armed with a synchronized, forward firing machine gun. German pilots were ordered not to fly it across enemy lines for fear the Allies would capture the secrets of the synchronizing gear. Followed by the E.II, E.III and E.IV, the Eindecker was underpowered and slow but could out turn most of its opponents. Allied aviators who faced it called themselves "Fokker Fodder". The Eindecker ruled the skies until the Nieuports and SPADs were developed.

Specifications

Country:	Germany
Manufacturer:	Fokker Flugzeug-Werke GmbH
Type:	Fighter
First Introduced:	1915
Number Built:	54 (E.I) 59 (E.II) 260 (E.III) 49 (E.IV)
Engine:	Oberursel U.0, rotary, 80 hp (E.I) Oberursel U.I, 9 cylinder, rotary, 100 hp [75 kW] (E.II and E.III) Oberursel, rotary, 160 hp (E.IV)
Wing Span:	[8.95 m] (E.I and E.II) 31 ft 2? in [9.5 m] (E.III) [10 m] (E.IV)
Length:	[6.75 m] (E.I and E.II) 23 ft 7? in [7.2 m] (E.III) [7.5 m] (E.IV)
Height:	9 ft 1? in [2.4 m] (E.I, E.II and E.III) [2.7 m] (E.IV)
Empty Weight:	[358 kg] (E.I) [399 kg] (E.III) [460 kg] (E.IV)
Gross Weight:	[563 kg] (E.I) 1342 lb [610 kg] (E.III) [724 kg] (E.IV)
Max Speed:	[130 km/h] (E.I and E.II) 88 mph [140 km/h] (E.III) [166 km/h] (E.IV)
Ceiling:	[3,000 m] (E.I and E.II) 11,500 ft [4100 m] (E.III) [4,500 m] (E.IV)
Endurance:	1? hours
Crew:	1
Armament:	1 Spandau machine gun, 7.92 mm (E.I and E.II) 1 or 2 Spandau machine gun, 7.92 mm (E.III) 2 Spandau machine guns, 7.92 mm (E.IV)

Fokker Eindecker in Action (Aircraft, No 158): D. Edgar Brannon, et al / Paperback / Squadron/Signal 1996