The B.II, a two-seater reconnaissance plane, was the first airplane that established Albatros’ reputation, and was the forerunner of many successfaul craft from that manufacturer. Designed by Ernst Heinkel, it set an altitude record of 14,765 feet early in its career. It was produced in large numbers in the first half of the war. Continue reading
Known to Allied aviators as the German “Spad,” the Albatros D.I, Appearing in 1916, is a high-speed type of machine, technically termed a destroyer and armed with two machine guns. The one shown in Fig. 48 was shot down in the British lines. It is a conglomerate copy of the French Nieuport and MorÃ
The Halberstadt biplane, was used in large numbers by the Germans during 1916, but, as it was almost invariably downed by French and British flyers, it apparently has since been abandoned. A brief review of its salient points shows that it would tend to be unstable to a degree unknown in any of the existing French or British types, which may account for the frequent occasions on which it has been known to end the career of its pilot by a spiral dive. Continue reading
A characteristic feature of the German policy in aviation has been the adoption of a certain model of machine and its use in large numbers until such time us it is displaced by a later type. The Rumpler biplane, affords a typical instance of this. During the second year of the war it very largely employed, as is evidenced by the fact that the majority of the machines captured by the French during most of 1916 and the early part of 1917 were Rumplers. Its general characteristics Continue reading
During the first two years of the war, the Albatross biplane was one of the types used in the greatest numbers by the Germans. The machine shown is one of the later models captured and its design indicates a number of departures from those taken at an earlier date, the most noticeable of which are the arrangement of the planes and the use of a monocoque (circular, single-cell, or unit-hull, type) fuselage built up entirely of wood without any wire bracing. Continue reading
The Aviatik is one type of machine which has been used to a large extent by the Germans for their bombing raids. It is equipped with two bomb-launching tubes having a diameter of 8 1/2 inches and placed at either side of the body forward of the pilot’s seat. The bombs are released from these tubes by means of spring triggers operated by pulling a lanyard held by the observer. In addition to the bomb-dropping tubes, the machine is also equipped with two machine guns mounted on tubes which are brazed to the fuselage and which curve upward and outward from it so that the guns have an effective range of fire in practically every direction exclusive of the zone traversed by the propeller. Continue reading
With a few differences, such as the fact that the Gotha is a pusher type, whereas the A.E.G. twin-motored bombing plane is a tractor, the latter machine is designed along essentially the same lines as the Gotha, which has been developed by the Germans especially for bombing service. Doubtless, machines of both these types have been employed in air raids. The name “A.E.G.” is taken from the initials of the builders, the Allgemeine ElectrizitÃ
A German fighter of World War One.
The Pfalz D.III appeared in 1917. It was a biplane fighter, the design of which owed much to the L.F.G. Roland D.I and D.II. While not an outstanding fighter, the Pfalz D III handled well and its monococque fuselage was very sturdy. Between 600 and 1000 were built. Flown by Oswald Boelcke and Heinrich Gontermann. Continue reading