KONDOR

Formed by Josef Suvelack (killed in air combat 1917) at Rotthausen aerodrome, Gelsenkirchen. Built various military types under licence. On Suvelack’s death factory sold to city of Gelsenkirchen and Kondor Flugzeugwerke GmbH formed at Essen, importing designers Walter Rethel (later of Fokker, Arado and Messerschmitt) and Paul G. Ehrhardt from LVG. First Kondor aircraft was unsuccessful triplane fighter (October 1917). D.I fighter biplane again not impressive, redesigned by Rethel into D.II, flew well but too slow. D6 (D.VI) of 1918 had no upper centre section, again rejected. D7 was essentially a rebuild of the triplane, abandoned. Kondor E3, or D.I, was impressive cantilever parasol monoplane, widely regarded as best fighter of October 1918 competition. It was put into production and small numbers reached customers in Switzerland, Netherlands and other countries after Armistice.

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