It was a single bay biplane with pairs of near-parallel interplane struts and blunt-tipped wings of almost constant chord, though less staggered than on the D.VI.

The vertical tail was rounded, with a deep, wide chord rudder that extended below the fuselage to meet a small ventral fin.

Both types had Klinkerrumpf, clinker built fuselages, monocoques constructed with thin overlapping spruce strips over a light wooden internal framework and oval in cross-section.

The D.VII's conventional undercarriage had mainwheels on a single axle, supported by long V-struts to the lower fuselage and a tail skid on the leading edge of the ventral fin.

Its report marked it unfit for series production; the reasons are not recorded, but it is known this geared engine, again in early development, suffered from severe vibration.