Pfalz D.XII

The Pfalz D.XII was a German single-seat fighter built by Pfalz Flugzeugwerke, designed by Rudolph Gehringer as a successor to the Pfalz D.III. After the Idflieg circulated a report on the wing structure of the SPAD S.VII in early 1918, Pfalz built several D.III derived prototypes with SPAD type wings, and these became the D.XII, with a two-bay wing cellule, a car-type radiator in front of the engine, and a 180 hp Mercedes D.IIIa engine in a plywood-skinned monocoque fuselage. The prototype first flew in March 1918 and the type passed its official test on 19 June 1918, after Ernst Udet backed it over the Fokker D.VII at the second fighter competition. Between 750 and 800 were completed by the Armistice, mostly reaching Bavarian units. Pilots disliked its heavy controls and difficult landings, though it dived well, and examples survive in Seattle, Washington, Paris and Canberra.