Germany - 1917 - LVG C.V

All Work and No Play Makes Will...

Since I last posted things have been hectic. I just got completed a series of profiles for the book project I wrote about earlier and hope to be able to share them when the time is right. Site revisions and working up new profile masters and insignias, etc has been keeping me busy. I got sidetracked on a bit of engine building. Slowly I will have made a new set of detailed engines I can insert into the profile and dial in the size. It will help when doing types where only the engine is changed.

My latest profiles have been of LVG aircraft. I have saved posting the best types for last. In either numbers built, success, number of nations using them and length of service. The Late C class LVG aircraft were all these things.

Luftverkehrsgesellschaft m.b.H. (L.V.G. or LVG) was a German aircraft manufacturer based in Berlin-Johannisthal, which began constructing aircraft in 1912, building Farman-type aircraft. The company constructed many reconnaissance and light bomber biplanes during World War I.

The raid on London in 1916 was conducted by one LVG C.IV. It dropped its bombs near London Victoria station, but was shot down by French anti-aircraft gunners on its way home.

German Empire

LVG C.V s/n C.9730/17 - 1917

Besides the serial number little is known of this example. The colors are conjectural and based on a excellent profile done by Bob Pearson in 2000 for the L.V.G. C.V Datafile.

Polish Air Force

LVG C.V Poland 1920

I have no solid information on this planes assignments or history. The color scheme was often used on this aircraft type. I have not sen a top view and at the moment thinking the upper wings are dark green to match the varnished linen on the lower wings. I would also assume the simple unbordered red and white check insignia are prominent on the top upper wing surface.

LVG C.V s/n 9667/17 - 1917

The profile is based on this LVG C.V when it served in unknown German training unit in France during the Summer and Autumn of 1918. While assigned to the International Contact Regiment, RKKVF, it flew the first Soviet international flight during the period of April12th through the 15th in 1918.The Russian pilot Khodorovich flew from Vinnitsa to Budapest. It was a 1062 km flight lasting a total of 8 flying hours.

A Short Overview of the LVG C.V

From Wikipedia, LVG C.V, "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LVG_C.V"

The LVG C.V was a reconnaissance aircraft produced in large numbers in Germany during World War I. It was a conventional two-bay biplane design of its day, with unstaggered wings of equal span and tandem, open cockpits for the pilot and observer. The ailerons, fitted only to the upper wing, featured aerodynamic balances that extended past the wingtips. The fuselage was a semi-monocoque construction skinned in wood.

Following the war, some C.Vs were used as civil transports, while some 150 machines captured by Polish forces were put to use by the Polish army.] Other post-war users included Russia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia; together operating about 30 aircraft.

References

1. From Wikipedia, LVG C.V, "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LVG_C.V"
2. Grosz, Peter M. "LVG C.V. Windsock Datafile 71": Berkhampstead: Albatross Productions. (1998).
3. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft. London: Aerospace Publishing.
4. Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). "Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation". London: Studio Editions.
5. "World Aircraft Information Files". London: Bright Star Publishing.

Germany - 1916 AEG C.IV

Out With the Old, In With the New.

Part of my daily routine is looking over my profiles to see which ones annoy me enough to jump into action. Work I did years ago and had served well enough is no longer good enough. Sooner or later the axe will fall and the old is replaced with something less annoying for the moment.

The Stodgy but Dependable AEG C.IV

AEG C.IV s/n, C4762 - 1917

This example is sporting the mauve and green scheme with blue under surfaces. The crosses are bordered and the serial numbers are painted on the tail fin.

AEG C.IV s/n 2, C6674 - 1917

This is an example of the German brown and green scheme with blue under surfaces. The crosses are displayed on a white field as above the serial numbers are painted on the tail fin.

A Short History of the AEG C.IV

The AEG C.IV was a two-seat biplane reconnaissance aircraft produced by Allgemeine Elektrizitats-Gesellschaft (AG). The design was based on the C.II, but featured a larger wingspan and an additional forward-firing LMG 08/15 Spandau-type 0.312 in (7.92 mm) machine gun.

The C.IV was a conventional biplane. The wings featured and equal span upper and lower wing assembly with double bays and parallel struts. The forward portion of the fuselage was contoured , producing a n aerodynamic look while the rest of the body maintained a box-like appearance. Performance was good for the time with a top speed of 98 miles per hour with a service ceiling of 16,400 feet.

The aircraft entered active service during the spring of 1916. By June of 1917, no fewer than 150 examples were operating along the Western Front .

The AEG C.IV primarily served as reconnaissance aircraft from 1916 onwards though it also served as a bomber escort and saw service with the German air service until the end of the war. The design proved to be seriously under-powered for the bomber escort role. Nevertheless, the C.IV was easily the most successful of AEG's World War I B- and C-type reconnaissance aircraft, with some 400 being built and remaining in service right up to the end of the war.

A variant, the C.IV.N was designed specifically as a prototype night bomber in 1917, with the Benz Bz.III engine used in other C-types and a lengthened wingspan. Another variant, the C.IVa, was powered by a 180 hp (130 kW) Argus engine.

C.IV aircraft saw service with the Bulgarian Air Force and the Turkish Flying Corps.

References

1. From Wikipedia AEG C.IV, "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AEG_C.IV"
2. The Great War Flying Museum http://www.greatwarflyingmuseum.com/aircraft/germany/aeg_civ.html
3. Axelrod, Alan. "World War I". Indianapolis: Macmillan USA, Inc, 2000.
4. Sharpe, Michael (2000). "Biplanes, Triplanes, and Seaplanes". London: Friedman/Fairfax Books. p. 14.
5. Bullock, David L. Allenby's "War: The Palestine-Arabian Campaigns 1916-18". London: Blandford Press, 1988.
6. Cron, Hermann. "Imperial German Army 1914-18". Solihull, West Midlands, UK: Helion & Company, 2002.
7. Flanagan, Brian P.; Smith, Frank; and Raidor, Lonnie. "The Great War 1914-1918 - Chronology of Events of World War I: Cross and Cockade (US)", various volumes and issues covering the period 1916 to 1918. Cross and Cockade (US).
8. Franks, Norman; Frank Bailey, and Rick Duiven "Casualties of the German Air Service 1914-1920". London: Grub Street, 1999.
9. Franks, Norman; Frank Bailey, and Russell Guest. "Above the Lines". London: Grub Street, 1998.
10. Groschel, Dieter H. M, "Ein Verlust der bayerischen Flieger-Abteilung 304 an der Palästina-Front 1918", Das Propellerblatt Nummer 7, 2003.
11. Groschel, Dieter H. M. and Div Gavish. "Rudolf Holzhausen - Weltkriegsflieger, Dipolmat, und Historiker". Das Propellerblatt Nummer 9, 2004.
12. Grosz, Peter M. "Windsock Datafile 67 AEG C.IV". Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, UK: Albatros Publications, Ltd., 1998.
13. Imrie, Alex. "Pictorial History of the German Army Air Service 1914-1918". Chicago: Henry Regnery Company, 1973.
14. Hoeppner, Ernest, General von. "Germany's War in the Air". Nashville, TN: The Battery Press, 1994.
15. Nicolle, David. "The Ottoman Army 1914-18", Osprey Men-at-Arms Series No. 269. London, UK: Osprey Publications, Ltd 1994.
16. Nikolajsen, Ole. "Pilot Fazil Bey Turkish Aviation Hero, Over the Front Volume 22 No. 3". Journal of the League of World War I Aviation Historians, 2007.
17. Perrett, Bryan. "Megiddo 1918: The Last Great Cavalry Victory", Osprey Campaign Series No. 61. Botley, Oxford, UK: Osprey Publications, Ltd 1999.
18. Rottgardt, Dirk. "German Armies' Establishment 1914/18", Volume 4: German Forces in the Middle East. West Chester, Ohio: The Nafziger Collection, Inc., 2007.
19. Sanders, Liman, General von. "Five Years in Turkey". Nashville, TN: The Battery Press, 2000.
20. Shores, Christopher; Norman Franks, and Russell Guest. "Above the Trenches. A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Forces 1915-1920". London: Grub Street, 1990.
21. WWI Aero, volume 107 (for C Types), Dec 1985
22. Zankl, Reinhard. "Deutsche Flieger-Einheiten 1914-1918": Folge 3 - Flieger-Abteilungen. Das Propellerblatt Nummer 3, 2002.

I'd like to take time for a long overdue shout out to Patti Davidson-Peters, a new found friend and the webmaster at The excellent 93^rd Aero Squadron web site http://freepages.military.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~sunnyann/93aero/index.html. There is much hard to find information about the 93^rd Aero Squadron and is well worth a visit. Welcome aboard Patti!

Bloodied Red Star

Bloodied Red Star by Gary C. Warne

I have been working in secret on a project with a friend and fellow blogger, Gary C. Warne. He asked me to to produce a series of profiles for his new book, Bloodied Red Star. Today he made it public with his current blog post Bloodied Red Star - 1st installment - Sequel to The Kaiser's Yanks. Stop by his blog and you can read all about the latest news.

Polish Albatros D.III (Oefag) Ba-253.224 for Bloodied Red Star by Gary C. Warne

One of the great things about the visual backdrop of the post-WWI conflict in Eastern Europe is the bewildering amount of aircraft types used in service. It has been great fun working with Gary to bring this era to life.

France - 1915 Ponnier M.1

The Deservedly Unloved Ponnier M.1

First off I want to give special thanks for all the valuable input on the topic provided by several members at Friends of the League of WWI Aviation Historians on Facebook. Many thanks to Aaron Weaver for your help, and Gary Warne for the inspiration after beating me to the punch.

Sometimes designers create an aircraft which raises the bar for innovation. Many more times their hard work is in vain. There are designs so bad that redesigns just amount to putting lipstick on a pig. When the Russians accept the horrifyingly bad SPAD reject the offer of desperately needed aircraft, you know you have a turkey on your hands. This is the story of one of the most maligned airplanes which entered production.

French Ponnier M-1 (original configuration) -1915

This profile is of the original configuration which was flight-tested by a number of pilots, including Charles Nungesser and Jean Navarre. Notable is the small rudder similar in shape to early Nieuports. Also of interest is the mounting of the machine gun.

Belgian Ponnier M-1 Abel De Neef (Le Vampire) - 1915

The profile shows one of the variants of the redesigned Ponnier M-1 in Belgian service. Le Vampire is the personal marking of Abel De Neef. We see the addition of a fixed tail fin and a fuselage mounted non-synchronized machine gun which used deflector gear similar to that used on the Morane-Saulnier Type N.

Belgian Ponnier M-1 s/n PO 18 - 1915

This redesigned Belgian Ponnier M.1 has the more standard mounting for the machine gun. The pilot for this aircraft is unknown.

This small fighter was designed and built in France, where a few were used as trainers. Belgium ordered 30 for front line use, but its extremely poor control caused the order to be cut to 10, or perhaps as many as 18, and it is not thought that any were actually used operationally.

Apparently the prototype was flight-tested by a number of pilots, including Charles Nungesser, who flew the M.1 on 29 January 1916. During that flight the aircraft crashed and Nungesser broke both legs and his jaw. From what I read the Po.M.1 was not put into production for the French military, yet some M.1s were sent to the training schools. None however equipped operational units.

Thirty were ordered by Belgium because of their inability to receive enough Nieuports. Discovering what the French already knew, these aircraft were modified by having the cone de penetration deleted, the tailplane and elevators enlarged, and a fixed fin fitted. Willy Coppens noted that the M.1 remained unstable even after these alterations and consequently the initial order of 30 was reduced to (approx.) 10, of which only a few, were ever used operationally.

Having an urgent need for new fighter aircraft the Belgian authorities ordered thirty Ponnier M.1's, although this machine was rejected by the French Armee de l'Air for being too dangerous to fly. Most Belgian pilots also refused to fly the Ponnier (of which only ten were delivered) and it was quickly withdrawn from use.

The justly deserved reputation of the Ponnier M.I did one thing... Even the Russians refused the offer from the French.

References

1. Jim Davilla Rare Birds Ponnier M.1 Over the Front Volume 26, Number 1, Spring 2011, p. 76-86
2. Ponnier M.1 - Their Flying Machines http://www.flyingmachines.ru/Site2/Crafts/Craft29124.htm
3. Ponnier M.1 - Belgian Wings http://www.belgian-wings.be/.../Photos/.../Ponnier%20M1/ponnier_m1.htm
4. Ponnier M.1 - http://www.www.aviastar.org/air/france/ponnier_m-1.php
5. M.1 - 1915 http://www.airwar.ru/enc/fww1/ponnierm1.html
6. Wrong airplane, wrong time Warnepieces http://warnepieces.blogspot.com/2011/05/wrong-airplane-wrong-time.html

Germany -1915 - Siemens-Schuckert Steffen R.I

Germany's Split Tail Giant.

When looking at the R Type giants the idea of form follows function goes out the window. Today's Giant is definitely unusual. Although it is a double boom aircraft it is unique is the use of vertically stacked booms instead of the more orthodox lateral arrangement used on other aircraft.

Siemens-Schuckert Steffen R.I -1915

A Short History of the Siemens-Schuckert Steffen R.I

The Siemens-Schuckert Steffen R.I was a bomber aircraft designed and built in Germany from 1914.

December 1914 saw Siemens-Schuckert start the construction of a series of seven R aircraft, (Riesenflugzeug - giant aircraft) for the Imperial Military Aviation Service. These aircraft were essentially similar differing only in detail, engine installations and wing design. All of the seven Steffen designed aircraft were powered by three engines mounted in the forward compartment of the fuselage driving two tractor propellers mounted between the mainplanes via clutches, shafts and gearboxes.

The large forward compartment also housed the crew of between four and six in an enclosed cabin and open gun positions. Attached to the forward compartment were triangular section diverging booms, top and bottom, which supported the tail section, allowing the rear gunners, in positions between the boom attachments, a wide field of fire.

The R.I was used in non-operational roles at the eastern front and retained for training. R.II and R.III were used for training only, but R.IV, R.V, R.VI and R.VII were all used on operational missions by Rfa 501 (Riesenflugzeug abteilung) at Vilna on the eastern front.

References

1. From Wikipedia Siemens-Schuckert Steffen R.I, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siemens-Schuckert_Steffen_R.I
2. Haddow, G.W. & Grosz, Peter M. The German Giants, The Story of the R-planes 1914-1919 London. Putnam. 1963.
3. Gray, Peter & Thetford, Owen. German Aircraft of the First World War. London, Putnam. ISBN 0 370 00103 6