Phönix Flugzeugwerke
A Viennese licence-builder that learned on German designs, turned them into some of Austria-Hungary’s best fighters, then saw its last prototype flown to Sweden by its own designer.
Phönix Flugzeugwerke: the company and the aircraft that made its name
Learning on licence
Phönix started as a copyist. Its Vienna works first built Albatros and Hansa-Brandenburg designs under licence for the Austro-Hungarian air service. Building other people’s aeroplanes was an apprenticeship, and the company soon began reworking them. Its first original design, the C.I two-seat reconnaissance biplane, was derived from the licence-built Brandenburg C.II, gave its gunner an excellent field of fire, and entered service in early 1918.
Fighters for the aces
The fighters made its name. The Phönix D.I, developed from the Hansa-Brandenburg D.I, first flew in 1917; it was fast but heavy on the controls, and urgent need put it into production anyway. Pilots used to two-seaters found it stable and robust, if almost too stable for quick combat manoeuvres. Austro-Hungarian aces including Godwin Brumowski, Frank Linke-Crawford and Benno Fiala von Fernbrugg flew it. The last of 158 D-series fighters was delivered on 4 November 1918, days before the armistice.
Flown to Sweden
Defeat ended the business, but not the designs. In 1919 the sole J.41 prototype and the D.III licence rights were sold to Sweden, and designer Edmund Sparmann personally flew the aircraft there, together with a C.I. Sweden built about 30 C.Is and kept D.IIIs, as the J.1, flying until 1927. One survives in the Swedish Air Force Museum.
Phönix Flugzeugwerke in numbers
The company
- In short
- Vienna, First World War
- Began with licence-built Albatros and Brandenburg designs
- Works at Wien-Stadlau, test flying at Aspern
Production
- Best known for
- Phönix D.I
- 158 D-series fighters
- 96–110 C.I reconnaissance biplanes
Today
- Now
- Defunct after 1918
- A Phönix D.III survives in the Swedish Air Force Museum
Sweden built and flew Phönix designs into the late 1920s.
The numbers
- D-series fighters built
- 1581917–1918
- C.I built
- 96 to 110 (sources differ)
Every notable Phönix Flugzeugwerke aircraft
| Aircraft | Role | First flight | Built | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phönix C.I | Reconnaissance biplane | 96-110 | Retired | Derived from the Brandenburg C.II; 30 more built in Sweden | |
| Phönix D.I | Fighter | 1917 | Retired | Based on the Hansa-Brandenburg D.I | |
| Phönix D.II / D.IIa | Fighter | Retired | Balanced controls; D.IIa with 230 hp Hiero, 48 built | ||
| Phönix D.III | Fighter | Retired | Ailerons on both wings; Swedish J.1 until 1927 |
Where Phönix Flugzeugwerke built, who led it, what it achieved
Factories
- Stadlau works · Wien-Stadlau, Vienna — Where the J.41 prototype sat at the armistice
People
- Edmund Sparmann · designer — Flew the J.41 to Sweden in 1919
- Godwin Brumowski · ace — Among the aces who flew the D.I
Phönix Flugzeugwerke, year by year
D.I prototype 20.15 flies
Army D.Is enter service
C.I enters service in spring
Last D-series fighter delivered
J.41 and D.III licence sold to Sweden; Sparmann flies it there
Last Swedish J.1 (D.III) retired
Before and after Phönix Flugzeugwerke
Everything people ask about Phönix Flugzeugwerke
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Around Phönix Flugzeugwerke
Every fact, checked
Verified 2026-10-03.