<p>Germany's most successful fighter of World War II, the D.VII was designed by Reinhold Platz to compete in a single-seat fighter competition. His Vll prototype drew heavily on the Fokker Dr.I, being of similar fuselage profile and construction. The undercarriage remained unchanged while the tail surfaces were tailored to the new design. Central to the design was the use of a more powerful, and consequently heavier, engine to provide a suitable increase in performance. Therefore the wings would have to be larger than the D.VI biplane it succeeded. Early aircraft were completed with the Mercedes D.III engine, although the more powerful BMW III was substituted.
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<p>Winning the fighter competition in January 1918, the D.VII was ordered into immediate production, and some 700 had been delivered by the Armistice on 11 November. In service it proved immensely popular and a high performer. On the Allied side only the Sopwith Snipe and SPAD XIII could get near it. During the signing of the Peace Treaty it was stipulated that all D.VIIs (and Zeppelins) must be surrendered to the Allies, such was the potential of the type. Despite this, Fokker managed to restart production in Holland, providing many postwar air forces with fighters.
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<p>Of those confiscated, 142 were shipped to the United States, where they were impressed into service as pursuit aircraft after evaluation. These helped provide a fighter force during the immediate postwar years when the air force was being rapidly run down. Several were re-engined with American powerplants, these including the Liberty 6, Packard 1A-1116 and Packard 1A-1237. One aircraft was a two-seater powered by a 290-hp (387-kW) Liberty 8. Six of the aircraft were transferred to the US Marine Corps for trials, and plans for a further six to the Navy were cancelled.
<item><hi format=bold>Powerplant:</hi> one 185-hp (138-kW) BMW III six-cylinder water-cooled inline piston engine
<item><hi format=bold>Performance:</hi> maximum speed 124 mph (200 km/h) at 3,280 ft (1,000 m); climb to 16,404 ft (5,000 m) in 16 minutes; service ceiling 22,966 ft (7,000 m); endurance 1 hour 30 minutes
<item><hi format=bold>Weights:</hi> empty 1,620 lb (735 kg); maximum take-off 1,940 lb (880 kg)
<item><hi format=bold>Dimensions:</hi> wing span 26 ft (8.12 m); height 9 ft (2.75 m); wing area 221 sq ft (20.50 m<su>2</su>)
