Wreckage of a German Albatross D. III fighter biplane. On rudder of plane: "O.A.W. D.3" for the manufacturer Ostdeutsche Albatros-Werke, airplane class D.3." Undated photograph circa 1917/18. The Albatros D.III was a biplane fighter aircraft used by the Imperial German Army Air Service (Luftstreitkrafte) and the Austro-Hungarian Air Service (Luftfahrtruppen) during WWI. The D.III was flown by many top German aces, including Manfred von Richthofen, Ernst Udet, Erich L?wenhardt, Kurt Wolff, and Karl Emil Schafer. The D.III was considered pleasant and easy to fly, if somewhat heavy on the controls. The sesqui-plane arrangement offered improved climb, maneuverability, and downward visibility compared to the preceding D.II. Like most contemporary aircraft, the D.III was prone to spinning, but recovery was straightforward. Peak service was in November 1917, with 446 aircraft on the Western Front.