Most people would describe the Eindecker as the first purpose built fighter aircraft in the world and although it was by no means the perfect fighting machine, it was to have a huge impact on the air war over the Western Front.

The Fokker Eindecker has to be regarded as one of the most significant aircraft in the history of aerial warfare. It was the first purpose built German fighter aircraft and was unusual in being a monoplane design, at a time when most aircraft designs were of biplane configuration. It also possessed a huge technological innovation, which gave the aircraft a massive strategic advantage – it was the first aircraft to be fitted with gun synchronization gear. This significant development allowed the machine guns of the Eindecker to fire through the arc of the propeller, without the fear of hitting the blades themselves. Significantly, this allowed the machine guns to be installed in the eye-line of the pilot and made attacking another aircraft much easier, with a much higher possibility of a securing a victory.

This proved to be a huge advantage for Luftstreitfrafte pilots and led to a period of air superiority for the Germans, over the Western Front. In a period known as ‘The Fokker Scourge’, by Allied pilots, the Eindeckers enjoyed great success against their adversaries, who were so dismissive of the capabilities of their own aircraft, that they referred to them as nothing more than Fokker fodder!

Skill level: 2

Parts: 35

Ages 8+