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weight and performance calculations for the LFG Roland D.II

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LFG Roland D.II

role : fighter

importance : ***

first flight : operational : March 1917

country : Germany

design : Dipl.Ing.Tantzen

production : 300 aircraft, most built by Pfalz Flugzeugwerke

general information :

Overshadowed by the Albatros fighters but still a fine aircraft what was still in use in may 1918. It had a plywood monocoque fuselage, made from 1.5mm thick plywood strips spirally wrapped and was called Wickelrumpf. It was strong and light but not easy to produce.

It was nicknamed Haifisch. In operation it was not liked by its crews due to poor forward view and heavy controls. The D.IIa had a more powerful Argus As.III engine but this gave poor performance above 3000m. Most were used at the eastern front but also Jasta 27 commanded at the time by Hermann Goring used the D.II in France, and one was flown by Lt. Karl Riehm.

users : Germany, Bulgaria

crew : 1

armament : 2 synchronized 7.92 [mm] (0.312 in) Spandau LMG 08/15 machine-guns

engine : 1 Mercedes D.III liquid-cooled 6 -cylinder inline engine 163 [hp](121.5 KW)

dimensions :

wingspan : 8.94 [m], length : 6.93 [m], height : 3.11[m]

wing area : 22.8 [m^2]

weights :

max.take-off weight : 954 [kg]

empty weight operational : 715 [kg] bombload : 0 [kg]

performance :

maximum speed : 169 [km/hr] at sea-level

service ceiling : 4600 [m]

endurance : 2.0 [hours]

estimated action radius : 152 [km]

Image result for LFG Roland D.II

description :

1-bay biplane with fixed landing gear and tail strut

two spar upper and lower wing

engines, landing gear, fuel and bombs in or attached to the fuselage

airscrew :

fixed pitch 2 -bladed tractor airscrew with max. efficiency :0.64 [ ]

estimated diameter airscrew 2.84 [m]

angle of attack prop : 16.74 [ ]

reduction : 1.00 [ ]

airscrew revs : 1400 [r.p.m.]

pitch at Max speed 2.01 [m]

blade-tip speed at Vmax and max revs. : 213 [m/s]

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calculation : *1* (dimensions)

mean wing chord : 1.28 [m]

calculated wing chord (rounded tips): 1.44 [m]

wing aspect ratio : 7.01 []

gap : 1.34 [m]

gap/chord : 1.05 [ ]

seize (span*length*height) : 193 [m^3]

calculation : *2* (fuel consumption)

oil consumption : 2.6 [kg/hr]

fuel consumption(cruise speed) : 28.4 [kg/hr] (38.8 [litre/hr]) at 67 [%] power

distance flown for 1 kg fuel : 5.35 [km/kg]

estimated total fuel capacity : 88 [litre] (65 [kg])

calculation : *3* (weight)

weight engine(s) dry : 299.0 [kg] = 2.46 [kg/KW]

weight 10 litre oil tank : 1.2 [kg]

oil tank filled with 0.9 litre oil : 0.8 [kg]

oil in engine 7 litre oil : 6.1 [kg]

fuel in engine 1 litre fuel : 0.6 [kg]

weight 16 litre gravity patrol tank(s) : 1.6 [kg]

weight radiator : 17.4 [kg]

weight exhaust pipes & fuel lines 11.2 [kg]

weight cowling 4.9 [kg]

weight airscrew(s) (wood) incl. boss & bolts : 19.0 [kg]

total weight propulsion system : 361 [kg](37.8 [%])

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fuselage skeleton (wood gauge : 6.18 [cm]): 68 [kg]

bracing : 3.3 [kg]

fuselage covering ( 9.1 [m2] doped linen fabric) : 2.9 [kg]

Image result for LFG Roland D.II

weight controls + indicators: 5.6 [kg]

weight seats : 3.0 [kg]

weight other details, lighting set, etc. : 5.1 [kg]

weight 72 [litre] main fuel tank empty : 6.9 [kg]

weight engine mounts & firewalls : 6 [kg]

total weight fuselage : 101 [kg](10.5 [%])

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weight wing covering (doped linen fabric) : 15 [kg]

total weight ribs (61 ribs) : 57 [kg]

load on front upper spar (clmax) per running metre : 858.6 [N]

load on rear upper spar (vmax) per running metre : 312.7 [N]

total weight 8 spars : 39 [kg]

weight wings : 111 [kg]

weight wing/square meter : 4.85 [kg]

weight 4 interplane struts & cabane : 8.2 [kg]

weight cables (44 [m]) : 2.7 [kg] (= 62 [gram] per metre)

diameter cable : 3.2 [mm]

weight fin & rudder (0.9 [m2]) : 4.6 [kg]

weight stabilizer & elevator (2.6 [m2]): 12.6 [kg]

total weight wing surfaces & bracing : 139 [kg] (14.6 [%])

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weight machine-gun(s) : 34.0 [kg]

weight ammunition magazine(s) :3.5 [kg]

weight Fokker Stangensteuerung synchronization gear : 2.0 [kg]

weight armament : 40 [kg]

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wheel pressure : 477.0 [kg]

weight 2 wheels (690 [mm] by 83 [mm]) : 19.7 [kg]

weight tailskid : 2.3 [kg]

weight undercarriage with axle 22.1 [kg]

total weight landing gear : 44.1 [kg] (4.6 [%]

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calculated empty weight : 684 [kg](71.7 [%])

weight oil for 2.4 hours flying : 6.1 [kg]

weight cooling fluids : 25.0 [kg]

weight ammunition (1000 rounds) : 28.2 [kg]

weight signal pistol with cartridges : 3.6 [kg]

weight automatic pistol with spare magazines : 1.2 [kg]

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calculated operational weight empty : 748 [kg] (78.4 [%])

published operational weight empty : 715 [kg] (74.9 [%])

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weight crew : 81 [kg]

weight fuel for 1.5 hours flying : 43 [kg]

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operational weight : 872 [kg](91.4 [%])

estimated bomb load : 25 [kg]

operational weight bombing mission : 897 [kg]

fuel reserve : 22 [kg] enough for 0.77 [hours] flying

possible additional useful load : 36 [kg]

operational weight fully loaded : 954 [kg] with fuel tank filled for 100 [%]

published maximum take-off weight : 954 [kg] (100.0 [%])

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calculation : * 4 * (engine power)

power loading (operational without bombload) : 7.17 [kg/kW]

total power : 121.5 [kW] at 1400 [r.p.m]

calculation : *5* (loads)

manoeuvre load : 2.4 [g] at 1000 [m]

limit load : 4.5 [g] ultimate load : 6.8 [g] load factor : 2.1 [g]

design flight time : 1.60 [hours]

design cycles : 281 sorties, design hours : 450 [hours]

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D.IIa with 180 hp Argus As.III engine, the engine gave poor performance above 3000m and the D.IIa was mostly relegated to operations on the eastern front.

operational wing loading : 375 [N/m^2]

wing stress (3 g) during operation : 232 [N/kg] at 3g emergency manoeuvre

calculation : *6* (angles of attack)

angle of attack zero lift : -1.21 ["]

max. angle of attack (stalling angle) : 12.64 ["]

angle of attack at max. speed : 2.18 ["]

calculation : *7* (lift & drag ratios

lift coefficient at angle of attack 0° :0.10 [ ]

lift coefficient at max. angle of attack : 1.15 [ ]

lift coefficient at max. speed : 0.28 [ ]

induced drag coefficient at max. speed : 0.0063 [ ]

drag coefficient at max. speed : 0.0533 [ ]

drag coefficient (zero lift) : 0.0470 [ ]

calculation : *8* (speeds

stalling speed at sea-level (OW): 83 [km/u]

landing speed at sea-level (OW without bombload): 100 [km/hr]

min. drag speed (max endurance) : 114 [km/hr] at 2300 [m](power :48 [%])

min. power speed (max range) : 126 [km/hr] at 2300 [m] (power:51 [%])

max. rate of climb speed : 105.7 [km/hr] at sea-level

cruising speed : 152 [km/hr] op 2300 [m] (power:68 [%])

design speed prop : 164 [km/hr]

maximum speed : 169 [km/hr] op 100 [m] (power:99 [%])

climbing speed at sea-level (without bombload) : 257 [m/min]

calculation : *9* (regarding various performances)

**Vjet1 : 558 [m/s]

static TO thrust prop : 7524 [N]

static prop wash : 31 [m/s]

ta0 thrust prop : 3222 [N]

take-off distance at sea-level : 112 [m]

lift/drag ratio : 8.12 [ ]

max. practical ceiling : 4900 [m] with flying weight :810 [kg]

practical ceiling (operational weight) : 4400 [m] with flying weight :872 [kg] line 3385

practical ceiling fully loaded (mtow- 1 hour fuel) : 4000 [m] with flying weight :926 [kg]

published ceiling (4600 [m]

climb to 1500m (operational weight without bombload) : 6.61 [min]

climb to 3000m (operational weight without bombload) : 16.85 [min]

max. dive speed : 368.6 [km/hr] at 3000 [m] height

load factor at max. angle turn 1.82 ["g"]

turn radius at 500m: 68 [m]

time needed for 360* turn 13.5 [seconds] at 500m

calculation *10* (action radius & endurance)

operational endurance : 2.27 [hours] with 1 crew and 61 [kg] useful (bomb)load and 100.0 [%] fuel

published endurance : 2.00 [hours] with 1 crew and possible useful (bomb) load : 68 [kg] and 88.1 [%] fuel

action radius : 281 [km] with 1 crew and 20[kg] photo camera or bombload

max range theoretically with additional fuel tanks for total 216 [litre] fuel : 846 [km]

useful load with action-radius 250km : 65 [kg]

production : 9.84 [tonkm/hour]

oil and fuel consumption per tonkm : 3.15 [kg]

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Literature :

Jane’s fighting aircraft WWI page 169

Praktisch handbook vliegtuigen deel 1 page 294

Fighters 1914-19 page 36, 114

Wikipedia

German aircraft of the first world war page 163

DISCLAIMER Above calculations are based on published data, they must be

regarded as indication not as facts.

Calculated performance and weight may not correspond with actual weights

and performances and are assumptions for which no responsibility can be taken.

Calculations are as accurate as possible, they can be fine-tuned when more data

is available, you are welcome to give suggestions and additional information

so we can improve our program. For copyright on drawings/photographs/

content please mail to below mail address

(c) B van der Zalm 28 June 2020 contact : info.aircraftinvestigation@gmail.com python 3.7.4