Dutch Modelling and Aviation

In Memoriam

Klaas Willem Jonker
(Wilko)
† April 30, 2018

On Monday, April 30, 2018, Wilko Jonker passed away after a long illness at the age of 58. He leaves behind a wife and two children. The Dutch military aviation and plastic model building were his hobby and on this website he has shared all the knowledge he has gathered about it over the many years. His hobby was able to distract him from the raging disease in his body until the last week of his life. The contacts with other hobbyists were a major support for him.

Pfalz D.IIIa

Details
Hits: 9812

Article Index

History

Pfalz Flugzeugwerke had only experience in license building of e.g. 20 Roland D.I and 200 Roland D.II fighters, when it started to develop the Pfalz D.III

November 1916 Rudolph Gehringer a designer of Flugzeugbau Friedrichshafen GmbH was hired. He designed Pfalz D.III, which was released in April 1917. The aircraft had a plywood monocoque fuselage, expensive and labour intensive to produce, but a smooth and strong construction.

IDFLieg ordered to end the production of the Roland D.II and to built the rest of the order of 70 aircraft as Pfalz D.III. After extensive tests several modifications were added, such as enlarged rudder and balanced ailerons.

A second order for 300 aircraft was received in June 1917.

The aircraft proofed to be better than the Roland D.III, but less than the Albatros D.III and D.V. Complaints were the weak engine, heavy controls, low speed and low rate of climb.  Further the armament was covered in the fuselage, so the pilot was hardly able to fix problems with the guns. Advantage was the strength of the aircraft.

The Pfalz D.IIIa introduced some improvements. The armament was placed more upwards, the horizontal stabilizer was enlarged, the wings of the lower wing were clipped and it was equipped with a more powerful Mercedes D.III. Pfalz built 260 examples of the D.III and 750 examples of the Pfalz D.IIIa.

 

Technical information
Dimensions:
Length: 7,1 m Wingspan: 9,4 m
Height: 2,67 m Wing area: 22,17 m2
Weights:
Empty weight: 725 kg Max. start weight: 905 kg
Performances:
Max. speed: 185 km/hr Climbing speed: 3,25 min to 1000 m
Cruising speed: - km/hr    
Range: 2,5 hour Service ceiling: 5180 m
Miscellaneous:
Engine type: One Mercedes D-IIIa rated 180 hp
Crew: One aviator
Armament: Two fixed, forward firing 7,9 mm Spandau LMG 08/15 machine guns

 


 

An example of this type serialled 1306/18, airman Gefr. Heinz Kleineberg. landed on June 12, 1918 near Schoondijke. It was interned as PF225.

Pfalz D.IIIa met reg. 1306/18 landde op 12 juni 1918 bij Schoondijke. Vlieger Gefr. Heinz Kleineberg. Ned. registratie PF225. Met toeschouwers en bewaking.
Pfalz D.IIIa with serial 1306/18
[Enclosed photo from BeeldBank NIMH. Click on photo for ordering information]
Pfalz D.IIIa met reg. PF225, ex 1306/18, op Soesterberg.
Pfalz D.IIIa with Dutch serial PF225, ex 1306/18, at Soesterberg.
[Enclosed photo from BeeldBank NIMH. Click on photo for ordering information]
Pfalz D.IIIa met reg. PF225, ex 1306/18, op Soesterberg.
Pfalz D.IIIa serial PF225, ex 1306/18, at Soesterberg.
[Enclosed photo from BeeldBank NIMH. Click on photo for ordering information]
Pfalz D.IIIa met reg. PF225, ex 1306/18, op Soesterberg.
Pfalz D.IIIa PF225.
[Enclosed photo from BeeldBank NIMH. Click on photo for ordering information]

 


Serial Werknr. Bestellnr. Date in service Date out of service Notes
PF225   1306/18 12-06-1918    

 


1/72nd Scale

Kits

  • Encore
    • Kit 72001: Re-release of the Roden Pfalz DIIIa with different decals.
    • Kit 72004: Blue max, Re-release of the Roden Pfalz DIIIa with different decals
  • MAC Automodelle
    • Kit 72032: Pfalz DIIIa
  • Roden
    • Kit 015: Pfalz DIIIa

Modelling add-on

  • Eduard
    • Set E48-324: Detailset Pfalz DIIIa (Eduard)
  • Part Etchings
    • Set S72-156: Pfalz DIIIa

Decals

  • --
    • Set -: --

1/48th Scale

Kits

  • Eduard
    • Kit 4816: Pfalz D.IIIa

Modelling add-on

  • Eduard
    • Set E48-324: Detailset Pfalz DIIIa (Eduard)
  • Part Etchings
    • Set S72-156: Pfalz DIIIa
  • Master, reality in Miniature
    • Set AM-48-036: German WW I machine gun Parabellum LGM14 (1x)
    • Set AM-48-035: German WW I machine gun Spandau LMG 08/15 (2pcs)
  • LF Models
    • Set FP4801: Hand made wooden prop Axial
    • Set P4803: Hand made wooden prop Wien Jaray
    • Set P4802: Hand made wooden prop Wotan
  • Vector resin
    • Set 48018: Mercedes Benz DIII/DIIIa

Decals

  • --
    • Kit --: ---.

 


At Forum World War I (Dutch) it is said this Pfalz was overall brown with a white rudder.
At Beeldbank NIMH an rear view can be found of this aircraft. The wings don't seem to have lozenge pattern applied, though some pattern is is visible on the wings.

Scheme Colour name FS-number BS-number Humbrol XtraColor Vallejo Model Color Vallejo Model Air
Standard #1 Wings Lozenge?            
Upper surfaces Bronwn?     160 X619 70.984  
Undersides Light grey            

Check www.paint4models.com for an extensive conversion table with lots of colour and paint systems.

Pfalz DIIIa 1 SMALL
Pfalz D.IIIa: brown fuselage; lozenge on top of the wings.

 


Literature.

Nederlandse Militaire Luchtvaart in Beeld. deel 1. Hugo Hooftman Pag. 22 1977 Uitgever: Europese Bibliotheek, Zaltbommel
KLu Vliegtuigen: De vliegtuigen van de Koninklijke Luchtmacht vanaf 1913 Wim Schoenmaker & Thijs Postma Pag. 17 1987 Uitgeverij De Alk, Alkmaar
Van Luchtvaartafdeling tot Koninklijke Luchtmacht 75 jaar Militaire Luchtvaart in Nederland Koos van de Berg Pag. 10 1987 Uitgever: Rebo Produkties, Sassenheim
Aircraft Archive Aircraft of World War One; Volume 1.   Pag. 82 - 83 1989 Uitgever: Argus Books, Hempsted
Camouflage en Kentekens J.Greuter e.a.   1997 Bonneville – Bergen (NH)
Air Enthusiast no.80 The Historical Aviation Journal: Unexpected Windfalls Bart van der Klaauw Pag. 54 - 59 1999 Uitgever: Key Publishing, Stamford

 

Websites.

--

 

Language Switcher

Most Read