Designed by Alfred Gassner, who was the director of the Wiener Karosserie und Flugzeugfabrik (Vienn Chassis and Aviation factory), WKF. It was a single-bay staggered biplane inspired heavily on the Albatross D.III, inspiration which also served for the triplane version of this airplane, the WKF Dr.I.
It shared many common featured with that WKF Dr.I, such like the characteristical Fischrumpf, the fish-shaped fuselage. The first prototype, labelled 80.06 was powered by a 200hp Austro-Daimler engine and was also made out of wood and featured also plywood skinning.
The prototype first flew in early 1918 and was armed with a twin synchronised Schwarzlose machine-gun and it manage to achieve the 5000m high in 22 minutes matching that the same climbing speed as the Oeffag built Albatros D.III and the Phönix D.II. It was re-engined with an 230hp Hiero engine and was tested again on April 30th in Aspern, but it was written-off as a result of a crash.
A second prototype labelled 80.06B arrived at Aspern to be tested and proved to be lighter because the plywood skinning of the wings were replaced with fabric. It was tested in July 1918 alongside with other two identical prototypes, the 80.10 and 80.12 which were powered by the 230hp Hiero engine. As a result of the good performance, the production contract was given to WKF but, given the extended trials during August 1918 and the armistice, the project was terminated.
According to some sources, in February 1919 a pair of D.Is flew from Vienn to Poland in order to offer a production contract to Poland. Contract that was signed by the Polish government, which ordered 20 airplanes, but, during the return trip both airplanes crashed forcing the Poles to call-off the contract.
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