In the Spring Air Offensive of 1918 the Germans had to rely on 55% of frontline combat fighters as Albatros D.V or D.Va with the other 45% a mixed bag of models with some Fokker D.VIIs (considered the best overall fighter of WW1). Although the Fokker D.VII was awesome, the Germans had far better fighters and a strike aircraft ready. The Fokker D.VIII "Flying Razor" was superior to the D.VII but unavailable in large numbers. The SSW D.IV was even more superior but only 55 reached the front and only a small number went on patrols (Udet had one). Pfalz, meanwhile, introduced the D.XII which was not a vast improvement but DID mount experimental Motorgewehr weapons that shot 1400 rpm, the guns driven by the motor!!! The next model the little-known D.XV was far better but remained obscure, having never fought- was captured. Junkers made the first true strike aircraft of all-metal construction and a monowing CL.I meant to attack Allied trenches while German Stormtroopers raided with MP-18s, body armor, camouflage, explosives, and obstacle-defeating tools. The Allies, aware of the German developments, tried to get their own new aircraft into the air with the Snipe, Dolphin I &II, Martinsyde Buzzard, Bristol Bulldog, and of course the improving Spads and Nieuports that US flyers flew b/c there was no US fighter in WW1 (the Packard-Lusac 11 a dog). The Germans could not decide which new fighter to choose overall. Fokker was busy packing up his aircraft by train for the trip back to the Netherlands and the others could not produce their fighters fast enough. With combined Fokker D.VII, D.VIII, SSW D.IV, Pfalz D.XIIs and D.XVs... and strike fighters Junkers CL.I there was a good chance to turn back the air war. German giant bomber production continued with the Zeppelin-Staakens, Gothas, and AEGs. Aircraft armament for fighters were typically latter MG-08/15s and some Motorgewehr guns. Bombers would have 20mm Becker cannons for defense and some aircraft were to be fitted with the Gast gun that fired 1600 rpm with interlocking mechanisms and twin-drummed. But time ran out and the Armistice forced production to halt for fighters. The Germans tried to continue with bombers posing as civilian airliner proposals but the pressurized and turbocharged Zeppelin-Staaken E.4/20 was not allowed by the ACC which went with a lighter and small Junkers design.

Note: the US Kettering Bug (actually June Bug) was NOT the first UCAV as the Germans had tested the SSW Gleitertorpedo and Gleiterbombe since 1915 with Zeppelins and several Fokkers were tested unmanned. The giant Zeppelin-Staakens were to carry the wire-guided SSW versions by early 1919. In 1939, the Germans started with unmanned recon RPVs with the As-292 (never intercepted) which was produced in the 100s for tactical recon. the Brits had the Miles Hoopla that was a piece of junk and never launched against German targets in France. It was the German "Foo Fighters" that went into action from Nov '44- April '45 against the 415th NFS in France and were later U-boat transferred to Japan ; hence, the sightings by BGs. Those were unmanned and had electrostatic weapons to jam radar and cut the ignition systems of bombers. The USAAF hid them in Intel files under PHOO BOMBS- until the 2000s unable to verify as German weapons. So much for the UFO conspiracy freaks and Christian angel & demon theory lovers!!!