The D.III entered squadron service in December 1916, and was immediately acclaimed by German pilots for its maneuverability and rate of climb. rescinding the order on 19 February after Albatros introduced a reinforced lower wing. New production D.IIIs were completed with the strengthened wing, and existing D.IIIs were withdrawn to
Armee-Flugparks for modifications, forcing
Jastas to use the Albatros D.II and
Halberstadt D.II during the interim. At the time, the continued wing failures were attributed to poor workmanship and materials at the Johannisthal factory. In fact, the real cause lay in the sesquiplane arrangement taken from the Nieuport: while the lower wing had sufficient strength in static tests, it was subsequently found that the main spar was located too far aft, causing the wing to twist under aerodynamic loads. Pilots were therefore advised not to perform steep or prolonged dives in the D.III. This design flaw persisted despite attempts to rectify the problem in the D.III and succeeding Albatros D.V. Apart from its structural deficiencies, the D.III was considered pleasant and easy to fly, if somewhat heavy on the controls. The sesquiplane arrangement offered better climb, maneuverability, and downward visibility than the preceding D.II. Like most contemporary aircraft, the D.III was prone to spinning, but recovery was straightforward. Albatros built approximately 500 D.III aircraft at its
Johannisthal factory. In the spring of 1917, D.III production shifted to Albatros' subsidiary, Ostdeutsche Albatros Werke (OAW), to permit Albatros to concentrate on development and production of the
D.V. Between April and August 1917,
Idflieg issued five orders for a total of 840 D.IIIs. The OAW variant underwent its
Typenprüfung in June 1917. Production commenced at the
Schneidemühl factory in June and continued through December 1917. OAW aircraft were distinguishable by their larger, rounded rudders. Peak service was in November 1917, with 446 aircraft on the Western Front. The D.III remained in frontline service after production ended; as of 31 August 1918, 54 D.III aircraft remained on the Western Front. ==Austro-Hungarian variants==