HISTORICAL
SIGNIFICANCE
While
the Albatros DIII, DV, DVa were popular fighters, they had a severe problem with
lower wing failure. This was primarily due to the single attachment of the IP
strut on the bottom wing. The design allowed the lower wing to twist and fail
in flight. The Pfalz DIII was the Pfalz's answer to the wing failure and it brought
Pfalz into the limelight of German leading fighter manufacturers. The Pfalz had
a double point attachment on the lower wing and it was still a sesquiplane design.
It did not suffer wing failure. The DIIIa introduced a larger tail and moved the
position of the machine guns so that they could be serviced in flight. The most
distinctive feature of the aircraft was the fuselage. Produced using the "
Wickelrumpf " technique, the fuselage was made by wrapping and gluing thin
layers of plywood around a mold. This led to a strong smooth and light monocoque
structure which was then covered in fabric. From April 1917 to February 1918 a
total of 1010 DIII and DIIIa variants were ordered. 750 Pfalz DIIIa were delivered.