Allied Aircraft Downer

Tiny, under-powered and badly constructed, yet for Germany the Fokker Dr. I Triplane was a wonder weapon. Even before he first flew the Dr. I, Baron Manfred von Richtofen, who is also known as The Red Baron, was bragging about the Dr I’s qualities .He wanted one though it would be his death. His first flight in the Dr.I on September 1, 1917 he scored his 60^th kill .All of his subsequent 20 victories up until his death were won in the triplane.

Fokker was happy to supply new machines but German industry couldn’t produce enough Dr.I engines. Rotaries were scavenged from downed allied aircraft. Furniture makers built the Dr. I’s wooden wings which, along with the body, occasionally broke up in combat. Despite these problems, the majority of German aces flying the triplane could down most allied aircraft.

Aaa Lightning!

The P38 Lightning was designed to be a long-range fighter. This plane was the 1^st fighter with turbochargers and a tricycle undercarriage. It was complex and expensive to produce.

The Lightning was first used in the Pacific theater. Its most famous action occurred there in 1943 when it courageously downed Admiral Yamamoto who was the Japanese commander in chief. In 1944 the P38 was introduced to Europe. There it was used by the tactical air forces for ground attack and photographic reconnaissance.