Hansa und Brandenburgische Flugzeugwerke GmbH firmasında, 1916 senesinde Ernst Heinkel Avusturya Ordusu için tek kişilik avcı uçağı projelendirdi. Brandenburg KD olarak isimlendirilen bu uçak  Avusturya’daki Phonix ve Ufag firmaları tarafından lisans altında üretildi. Bu aralar denizde konuşlandırılmış av uçağı talebi gelince  aynı firma KD modelinin deniz tipi olan KDW modelini geliştirdi. Ancak bu uçak uçurulması son derece zor olan, düzeysel stabilitesi çok düşük bir uçaktı. Prototipe ve ilk üretim modellerine 150HP’lik Mercedes motor takıldı. Ancak sonraki modellerde 160 Hp gücündeki Maybach tercih edildi.

In 1916 Ernst Heinkel designed a single seated scout plane for the Austrian Army in Hansa und Brandenburgische Flugzeugwerke GmbH. The plane was call Brandenburg KD and it was under licence produced by the Austrian firms Phonix and Ufag. In the meantime a demand for a naval based scout plane came and the firm developed the new KDW model which was based on the former KD. But the outcome was a plane which was very difficult to fly having poor directional stabilies. The prototype and the early production examples were fitted with a 150HP Mercedes engine but the later models were fitted with a 160HP Maybach engine.

The early production models were equipped with a single Spandau MG whereas the the last 20 planes had two Spandau MGs. Only one KDW was deployed at the Ottoman Armed Forces and it was used as a maritime reconnaissance plane. The plane which joined the armed forces in 1918 had no fixed armament and it was equipped with a Mercedes engine.

Özellikleri/specifications

Mürettebat/crew: 1, motor/engine: 1 x mercedes Bz.III 6 silindir sıra motor/6 cylinder in-line engine, power/gücü: 150 HP, kanat açıklığı/wingspan: 9.25m, uzunluk/length:8.00m, yükseklik/height: 3.35m, boş ağırlık/empty weight:940 kg, azami kalkış ağırlığı/max to weight: 1210 kg, azami hızı/max speed: 170 km/h, havada kalış süresi/airborne duration: 2 172 hr. Silah donanımı/armament: 10 x 5kg bomba/bombs