I was wondering if anyone knew if the Fokker D7 would come with either the Mercedes DIII 160hp engine or the BMW 185 hp engine? Could they do both? I suppose the 160 hp was the more common variant if not the more desirable in real life.
-MJ

Good question MJ.

Just to add some spice ... did any Fokker D7 have an 160Hp Mercedes DIII engine? That wasn't even used in the Albatros DV/DVa's at that time. Maybe there was a shortage of engines initially?

But my understanding is that the earlier Fokker D7s had the 180hp Mercedes DIIIaü and later models the 200hp Mercedes DIIIaüv. The Fokker D7F had the 185Hp BMW engine.

The BMW was better as you say. Lighter, and the power ratings above were at 1400 RPM, but the BMW had considerably higher hp at higher RPMs.

Must say I learnt all this from another poster a while back at another site, and was surprised at the time... always had thought the 160Hp engine was standard.

Maybe we will get three or four eventually.

Daimler didn't denote a distinction between the 160hp and 180hp versions of its engines on the metal plate affixed to the outside of the motor's crankcase, as I understand it. This is why confusion arose over which Mercedes engine the Fokker D.VII was originally equipped with, and when captured examples were examined by the British and French, the "160hp" nomenclature was assumed, even though the base power rating was 180hp by the time the Fokker D.VII was put into production. Later production Fokker D.VIIs would mount the 'over-compressed' Mercedes D.IIIau or the BMW DIII engines.

Similar mistakes occur with specifications being listed for other German fighters too, like the Pflaz D.IIIa and the Pfalz D.XII (being quoted at times with 160hp engines, rather than the 180 hp versions). Additionally, when older Mercedes D.III engines were rebuilt during the war, they were upgraded with higher compressions piston sets, which increased their power equal to those of the new engines coming off the assembly lines. To further add to the confusion, older rebuilt engines were sometimes put into new fighter airframes just being built.

This is why some WWI sims and mods have short-changed the Pfalz D.IIIa or early Fokker D.VIIs for example, as they've been programmed with 160hp engines instead of the higher output version(s).

In all probability, there might not have been too many Albatros or Pfalz D-types still flying at the Front late in the war with 160hp engines either, as these aircraft would have mounted higher output engines as original equipment, or would have been retrofitted in the field with fresher rebuilds putting out 180hp.

BigBouncer and FlyRetired-
Great answers guys. I can see why it is so difficult to model the performance of the D7 variants in game. Someone on the Aerodrome was discussing the 200hp Mercedes DIIIaüv. I believe it was in reference to the D7 located at the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in New York. I never thought much about it cause I was under the impression that there was a 160hp engine and 185hp engine as standard. Bigbouncer just pulled a, "Luke I am your father," on me so now I have a little pet research project!
-MJ