The Fokker Dr.I with its three wings is the most famous aeroplane from World War One. This is still true today in being recognized as the Red Baron's plane flown by Manfred Von Richthofen with 80 confirmed victories. The Fokker Dr.I was Germanys answer in replacing the troubled Albatross fighter. Fokker Flugzeugwerke had produced 320 Fokker Dr.I's in which there are no surviving aeroplanes in existence today. The military service of the Fokker Dr.I started off with structural defects which claimed the lives of Heinrich Gontermann (39) crashed on October, 30 1917 in Fok. Dr.I 115/17, Gunther Pastor (1) Crashed on October, 31 in Fok Dr.I 121/17. Then on October, 30 Manfred von Richthofen (80) was flying Fok. Dr.I 114/17 that had a thrown engine rod that caused him to crash and then Josef Lautensclager (1) on October, 29 1917 was flying Fok. Dr.I 113/17 when he was shot down by a German two seater thinking it was a British Sopwith Triplane. Added to this was the death of Kurt Wolff (33) in Fok. FI 102/17 on September 15, KIA and Werner Voss (48) in Fok. FI 103/17 on September 23. By the October 31 five aircrafts had been lost, a vary rough start for a aeroplane that was Germanys great hope in helping to win the war.

On October, 31 1917 the all the Fokker Dr.I's were grounded and the Kturz Kommission (crash commission) began on November, 2 1917. The findings were made on November, 4 1917 in which they concluded that the aerodynamics of the counterbalance ailerons were too big and poor workmanship led to the accidents. As a result a number of aeroplanes suggested by Richthofen due to their flight time had their fabric removed from the wings. Moisture damage was found, causing the glue to separate and or weaken its joints. Machine, Fok. Dr.I 141/17 was then subjected to new load testing on November, 5 1917. Then on November, 6 the Kturz Kommission stated in a memorandum had made 12 points of modifications needed before the existing machines could be cleared for combat operations. However Jasta 14 was the only group that continues to fly the Dr.I's. By November, 28 1917 the re-certification was given for all the existing machines.

On December, 12 and 13 delivery of newly modified Dr.I's where making their way to the front lines. The Dr.I's were started to be replaced by mid July 1918 with the new Fokker D.VII. In May of 1918 Jasta 4, 6 and 11 had completely refitted the Dr.I's with the D.VII. Their Dr.I's where moved to less important Fighter squadrons to serve out the rest of the war. 

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