German Fighter Planes: Albatros D.III with Gotha G.V. 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 sesquiplane 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. The Gotha G.V was a heavy bomber designed for long-range service, the G V series was used principally as night bombers. Caption: "Albatros (D.V.D.4640/17) with Gotha (G.V) in background. Mariakerke, Belgium."