Phonix D. II by Special Hobby

1/72 scale
Kit No. 48036
Price: $32.00
Decals: Two versions
Comments: Choice of fuselages and vertical tails; photo-etch and resin details; film insert for instrument panel and clear film for windscreen

History

The Phonix series of scout fighters originated from a 1916 order by the Austro-Hungarian Empire for Phonix Flugzeugwerke A.G., the Austrian branch of the German Albatros company, to produce the Brandenburg KD. I, a single-seat fighter that would address the need for such aircraft on the Austro-Hungarian fronts. Phonix’s owner, Austro-Hungarian financier Camilio Castiglioni, also held a controlling interest in Brandenburgische Flugzeugwerek G.m.gb.H., whose chief designer, a then little-known Ernst Heinkel, would develop prototypes for manufacture by Castiglioni’s companies, including Phonix in Vienna. From its formation in June 1914 to the time the KD. I order was placed, Phonix had been busy building Albatros and Brandenburg two-seater general purpose aircraft, but the pressure of the air war had by 1916 dictated that the Empire begin to increase indigenous production of fighters.

Subsequent modifications to the Brandenburg KD, along with a request from Germany to develop a fighter that could match the performance of the French Neiuport, led to the Brandenburg L.14, an experimental design which was ultimately abandoned, but which led to the Phonix D series of fighters. The Phonix D. I featured a 200 hp Austro-Daimler engine, an improvement over the 185 hp version of the L.14, and a modified center-section strut arrangement, but was otherwise similar to its predecessor. In the Autumn of 1917, Phonix received an order for 150 D.I’s, all with 200 hp Hiero engines built under license by various manufacturers.

The fuselage was identical to that of the KD, built up of timber frames and longerons with plywood covering. Wood was also used for the simple two-spar wing structure, and was wire braced and fabric covered. The upper wing was of larger span and chord, built in three parts: a center-section, mounting on its leading edge the wide “Hifa” honeycomb radiator; and two outer wing panels on which ailerons were fitted. The wings were staggered and rigged with a slight dihedral, with a distinguishing feature that the interplane struts sloped inwards from the bottom plane.

Armament consisted of two Schwarzlose machine guns (also known as the Maschinengewehr M. 7), firing either 8x 50mmR Mannlicher 0r 7.92 x 50mm Mauser ammunition (both were used by Austria-Hungary during WWI), each with 300 rounds. These guns were mounted well forward, one on each side of the engine crankcase, with the one on the starboard side located on a slightly higher plane. Both guns were completely enclosed with apertures for their barrels in the cowling panels, and timed to fire through the propeller with a Zapanka synchronizing mechanism.

The first Phonix D.I’s reached the front during February-March 1918, and had an inauspicious debut marked by structural weakness leading to wing failures. Strengthened wings were hurriedly tried out on the prototype at the Phonix plant at Aspern and worked well; the fault disappeared once the modified wings were rushed to the front and retrofitted to operational aircraft. For the defense of the vital Austro-Hungarian ports of Pola and Trieste against increasing Allied air attacks, the Imperial Naval Air Service in the early summer took delivery of 40 D.I’s. These aircraft augmented the flying boat fighters on hand and remained in service until the end of the war, their main opponents being Allied flying boat fighters and Caproni bombers.

The performance of the D.I was superior to anything then in service with the Luftfahrtruppen. Allied pilots reported that the D.I was fast, and that it could outclimb the Sopwith Camel then equipping the British fighter squadrons. One criticism was that they were perhaps a little too stable, which may have been a reflection on its maneuverability. They were initially deployed to provide fighter escort and for fast intruder/reconnaissance duties. They performed well and were popular with Austro-Hungarian pilots, with many of the top fighter pilots converting to them. In May 1918 they began to appear in specialized fighter units, initially in ones and twos in formation with the Albatros D.III (Oef)’s and Berg Aviatik D.I’s, but as their number increased they began to equip entire squadrons (Jagdkompagnien).

Phonix D.II
Production was soon switched to the D.II, which retained the 200 hp Hiero engine, but had a slightly wider wing span due to an increase in the width of the center section, with the struts in that section splayed out to a larger degree. One result of this change was to bring the interplane struts into a more traditional vertical position. The D.II also featured a completely redesigned tailplane with balanced elevators. The pilot’s headrest was deleted and a fairing for the tail skid was added.

The D. II was slightly faster with a higher rate of climb than the D.I due to design changes, and began to reach front-line units in May 1918, just two months after the D.I. The D.I was too stable to be sufficiently maneuverable in a dogfight, facing a disadvantage when opposed by the Sopwith Camel or the French Hanriot. The D.II improved upon these shortcomings but still left something to be desired. A key design flaw was that the guns were so far forward that they were out of the pilot’s reach; in the event of a jam, the pilot could not get to them to clear it, and had no option but to abandon the fight and flee. By late summer, an entire squadron was equipped with the D.II. There was a further refinement of the design with the D.IIa, offering a 230 hp Hiero engine, and ailerons on all four wings. A single order for 50 machines was placed concurrently with the 150 for the D.II and the first of the D.IIa reached the front about the same time.

Little is known of the Phonix fighters’ performance other than what appears above due to poor recordkeeping, but due to its speed and ruggedness it is clear that it performed well in the fighter escort and reconnaissance roles, outperforming the Sopwith Camel in some respects. After the war it had a second career with the Swedish Air Force, despite the best efforts of the post-war Inter Allied Control Commission to conficate or destroy all Austro-Hungarian combat aircraft and engines. Seventeen D.III’s would be exported to Sweden in 1919 before Phonix filed for bankruptcy later that year. The decline in economic conditions in Europe after the war made the survival of many aircraft companies all but impossible.

The Kit

Special Hobby’s Phonix D.II is injection molded in grey and consists of 39 plastic parts and 18 resin parts, the latter for a series of engine exhaust valves and a rare addition, a flare pistol. There is also a small photo-etch fret for seat straps, a main instrument panel, gun sights, a mount atop the upper wing for the flare pistol, and other engine and fuselage details. The cockpit is fairly detailed with a seat and separate control yoke, rudder pedals, and an instrument panel with raised relief, photo etch panel face, and a film insert for the dials. The cockpit assembly is completed with a rear bulkhead.

The two-part six-cylinder engine features resin exhaust valves. The instruction sheet is straightforward and well-illustrated, but for some reason ignores the second fuselage included in the kit and attached to Sprue A. The second fuselage is nearly identical to the one acknowledged by the instructions, but is slightly longer by about a foot in 1/48 scale. It may be that the second fuselage represents that of the D.I, as the first version of this fighter has been described as rather stocky. In any event, it has its own vertical tail and may be substituted for the fuselage focused upon by the kit instructions.

Markings

Decals are provided for two versions. The first is a D.II machine of Flik. 55J based at Pergine airfield in June/July 1918 and piloted by Oberleutnant Eduard Ritter von Hebra. This aircraft has a paint scheme that has been referred to as “Scumble” camouflage, consisting of pale plywood (Humbrol Wood comes to mind) combined with stippled green spots, with plywood or linen under surfaces. It also carries the traditional Balkenkruez markings. Its decals include a three-pointed black and white star.

The second set of markings is for a D.IId machine of Flik 14J based at Feltre airfield, October/November 1918 and piloted by Feldwebel Karl Teichmann. This aircraft bears an identical camouflage scheme to that of von Hebra’s plane, and carries the German Cross instead of the traditional Balkenkruez markings. Its decals include a white “T” and a cream colored stripe (interrupted by a red tab) for the leading edge of the upper wing which curves around to the ailerons on the wing’s trailing edge.

Conclusion

This is a detailed late war fighter independently produced by Austria-Hungary, a welcome addition to WWI modeling in 1/48 scale.

Reference

Profile Publications Number 175; The Phonix Scouts, by George Haddow, Copyright 1967.