Avro 504

The Avro 504 developed directly from the E500 machine. It moved rapidly into production, first flying 18 September 1913. The Avro 504, two-seater biplane, it’s equal-span wings balanced the fuselage, whose box-girder body blended into to the circular housing for the 80 HP Gnome rotary engine.

The 504K version had adapters, which allowed the installation of several different types of rotary engines. This aircraft had an undistinguished combat career, but it proved to be an excellent trainer. 

The AVRO 504 had the distinction of being the first Allied aircraft shot down in battle, and it made the first bombing run over Germany. As early as November 1914, three 504s carried out a ‘mass’ bombing raid on German airship construction sheds at Friedrichshafen. In 1915 the Avro was adapted for training duties and remained in this role until the late 1920’s.

Production totalled 8,970 and continued for almost twenty years.

Dassault Dornier Alpha Jet

The Dassault Dornier Alpha Jet is a French / German jet trainer and strike aircraft. The French version is a trainer, and the German version primarily a strike aircraft. The Alpha Jet is a twin engine aircraft with a high-site, moderately wing. 

German Alpha Jets were flown almost exclusively as single-seat close support weapons trainer, or battlefield reconnaissance aircraft. Weapons load and avionics do not match those of more advanced jets, but the Alpha Jet is maneuverable, easy to fly and simple to maintain. It’s equipment allows it to obtain great efficiency when planning and executing missions. 

The Head Up Display (HUD) saves the pilot from looking down in the cockpit to read the instruments, by superimposing data on a clear plate mounted at the pilot’s eye level.

The naviagtion and fire control computers are rather precise and permit a great flexibility on attack missions, the use of AFA computer makes it simpler, quicker and more efficient to plan a mission. There is also other equipment that allows the crew members to have a good combat survivability.

NB. The Alpha Jet A has a ’sharper nose’ then the Alpha Jet E 

Developing Nation:	France and Germany
Task:	Trainer / strike and close support
First Flight:	- Alpha Jet A: January 9th 1974 (D-9594)- Alpha Jet E: October 26th 1973 (F-WZRO)
Prototypes:	- Alpha Jet A:02/D-9594 (ff: January 9th 1974)04/D-9595 (ff: October 11th 1974 crashed 23 January 1976)- Alpha Jet E: F-WZRO (ff: October 26th 1973) F-WZRV (ff: May 6th 1974 )
First Delivery:	- French Air Force: May 4th 1979- Luftwaffe: March 20th 1980
Crew:	2
Ejection seat:
Wing Span:	9,11 m
Length:	- Alpha Jet A: 13,23 m- Alpha Jet E: 12,29 m
Height:
Engine (s):	- Alpha Jet A: GRTS (SNECMA Turbomeca) Lazarc 04-C20 (2x)- Alpha Jet E: GRTS (SNECMA Turbomeca) Lazarc 04-C6 (2x)
Weight:	3515 kg
Max.Take off weight:	6100 kg
Max. Speed:	917 km/h
Max. Range:	- Just on internal fuel: 2780 km (1900 liters)- With extra external fuel: 4000 km (extra 600 liters)
Operation altitude:	14630 m
Weapons:	- Mauser BK.27 cannon or DEFA 553 gun-pod- AIM-9 Sidewinder- R.550 Magic II- AGM-65 Maverick - GP Bombs - Hunting BL755 cluster bombs -Matra RL F4 - Rockets & Bomb rack SUU 20A - BLG-66 Belouga - Bombs MK82 ‘Snake Eye’ - Exercise bombs MK106 - Bombs BLU-1CB
Extra:

Countries who use(d) the Alpha Jet: 

Belgium	33 Alpha Jet E
Cameroon	7 Alpha Jet MS2
Egypt	30 Alpha Jet MS1 & 15 MS2
France	175 Alpha Jet E
Germany	175 Alpha Jet A
Ivory coast	12 Alpha Jet E
Maroc	24 Alpha Jet E
Nigeria	24 Alpha Jet E
Portugal	50 Alpha Jet A **
Qatar	6 Alpha Jet E
Thailand	20 Alpha Jet A **
Togo	5 Alpha Jet E
United Kingdom	12 Alpha Jet A **

** Ex German Air Force

 

 

 

 

Fokker Dr1

The Fokker Dr1 is one of the most legendary fighter aircraft in the world, Dutch aircraft builder Anthony Fokker emigrated to Germany before the first world war to try his luck in the aviation industry.

When the war broke out he started to build fighters for the German luftwaffe, one of them was the famouse ‘tri-decker’ Dr1. Famous because  the worlds first ‘ace’ Baron Manfred von Richthoven flew it.

Developing Nation:	Germany
Manufacturer/Designer:	Fokker (Anthony Fokker born Dutch)
Task:	Fighter
First Flight:	May 1917 as Fokker V4
First Delivery:	August 1917
First Operational:	October 1917
Crew:	1
Wing Span:	7,19 m
Wing Area:	18,66 m²
Length:	5,77 m
Height:	2,95 m
Engine (s):	Oberursel UR II rotary engine (110 hp), it was a copy of the French LeRhône type. (von Richthofen)
Weight:	406 kg
Max. Take off weight:	586 kg
Max. Speed:	- 185 km/h at sea level - 165 km/h at 4000 m
Max. Range:	300 km
Weapons:	2x  7,92 mm LMG 08/15 machine guns

 

Operators of the (Fokker Dr1)

Germany Fliegertruppen (320)

Austria-Hungary (2 V7’s)

Austro-Hungarian MAG concern (1)