Austria - 1917 Hansa-Brandenburg G.1

The Hansa-Brandenburg G.1 Bomber

Austria depended on German for many of their designs. That does not mean many attempts were not made to produce their own designs.Unfortunately most of their efforts did not pan out. The Hansa-Brandenburg G.1 Bomber is one of those attempts which did not exceed the performance of their German counterparts.

Hansa-Brandenburg G.1 s/n 62.01 - 1918

As with most of the examples of this type I have seen, the fuselage is varnished wood. The wings, tail plane and rudders are all varnished fabric. The aircraft is depicted as it was in early 1918, before the switch to the Baltic cross.

A Short History of the Hansa-Brandenburg G.1 Bomber

The Hansa-Brandenburg G.I was a bomber aircraft used to equip the Austro-Hungarian aviation corps in World War I. It was a mostly conventional large, three-bay biplane with staggered wings of slightly unequal span. The pilot and bombardier sat in a large open cockpit at the nose of the aircraft, with a second open cockpit for a gunner in a dorsal position behind the wings. An unusual feature was the placement of the twin tractor engines. While the normal practice of the day was to mount these to the wings, either directly or on struts, the G.I had the engines mounted to the sides of the fuselage on lattices of steel struts. This arrangement added considerable weight to the aircraft and transmitted a lot of vibration to the airframe.

A small initial production batch of six aircraft was delivered by March 1917, but were all grounded soon thereafter and put into storage due to a contractual dispute between the manufacturer and Flars (the Imperial and Royal Aviation Arsenal). When this was resolved, deliveries recommenced, although the size of the order was reduced, and the bombers were modified by Flars before being sent to the Divacca, on the Italian Front. Twelve aircraft were built by UFAG and differed slightly from the German-built machines.

The G.I eventually equipped three squadrons plus a replacement unit, but reports from pilots were unfavorable, especially in comparison to the Gotha G.IV that was becoming available. The Hansa-Brandenburg machine was therefore quickly relegated to training duties. In the three months that these aircraft had been at the front, they had only carried out a single successful sortie. As a footnote to the G.I's military service, the type also served as a test bed in experiments in mounting large-caliber cannon on aircraft; flying with nose-mounted 2 in (50 mm) and (separately) 2.75 in (70 mm) Skoda weapons, and a 1.46 in (37 mm) Skoda cannon mounted in the dorsal gunner's position.

References

1. Hansa-Brandenburg G.I. (2010, December 19). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 06:03, March 12, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hansa-Brandenburg_G.I&oldid=403231491
2. Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. pp. 472.
3. Hansa-Brandenburg Aircraft, 2010 Books LLC ISBN: 1155357191 ISBN-13: 9781155357195

Austria - 1917 Lohner D.I 10.20 series 111

Some Times Life Just Gets Strange

Things have been hectic around the studio. I am supposedly officially retired and getting on with the work I choose. Unfortunately others I know seem to think since I am retired I have empty hours that I should fill with projects they want me to do for them. Add a internet connection issue and I have not had much chance to post or read the blogs of my friends. Hopefully things will settle down and I can get back to a normal (as normal as it gets in this madhouse) routine.

The Ill Fated Lohner D.I 10.20

I have previously posted one of the earlier prototypes of this type. I finally finished up the profile of the last incarnation of this design. Austria seemed to have a difficult time creating original designs which could compete with the aircraft of their enemies. They invested so much time and resources into inferior designs.

Lohner DI - 10.20 Type AA sn. 111.01

Lohner DI - 10.20 Type AA sn. 111.01 - 1917

This is the original prototype, known as the type AA. Despite its sleek lines The performance left much to be desired. It was rebuilt with conventional wing struts and wires. This did yield any real advantage.

Lohner DI 10.20B sn. 111.02 - 1917

Lohner DI 10.20B sn. 111.02 - 1917

I had originally posted this profile a while ago. I include it here to show the evolution of the design. This nw build was the second attempt to solve the problems with the design. Once again the "I" struts have returned and the lines are still rather sleek. Unfortunately there was not much improvement in performance. As with the Type AA, the type B was retired.

Lohner DI 10.20 sn.111.03 - 1917

Lohner DI 10.20 sn.111.03 - 1917

This is the final version of the Lohner D.I. Gone were the "I" struts and the fuselage was simplified. The rudder was smaller that the previous prototypes.

The Lohner Series 111 aircraft company was an Austria-Hungarian prototype single seat biplane built in 1917 by Lohnerwerke GmbH. The fuselage was a laminated wood construction. The wing struts were an "I" requiring no wires tor structural stability. Power was provided by an Austro-Daimler engine generating 185 hp (138 kW) The design went through several changes during the development process. Three prototypes were built. The performance of the aircraft was not an improvement on existing models already in production. Lackluster flight results led to Flars not approving the D.I for production.

References

1. Grosz, Peter, the Austro-Hungarian Army Aircraft of World War One, Flying Machines Press, 2002, ISBN 1-891268-05-8

Poland - 1919 Oeffag D-III BA.253

Project Poland: Take Two

It has been a hectic week in the studio. I have been refining my file name schema, switching from shorter names to more descriptive ones including as much vital information as I can in the name to aid in archiving and web searches. It would drive me crazy when a profile for one aircraft type would be mislabeled by a search engine when pulling results. So far the new method seems to work fairly well. It means larger web documents, but improves search accuracy. (Which is always a good thing.)

I have been busy collecting research material and working up quite a few Polish aircraft profiles recently. The new work includes: Albatros C-class two seat types, Halberstadt CL.IIs, Hannover CL.IIIs, SPAD S.7s, AIRCO DH-9s and a large number of Oeffag D-III Series 253s. Since I have completed enough of them it seemed to be a good opportunity to post part 2 of the series on Polish aviation.

The Kościuszko Squadron

Poland's most famous aviation unit was the Kościuszko Squadron, named for the national hero Tadeusz Kościuszko. The pilots were mainly American ex-service pilots. Some were mercenaries, others volunteered. The Americans were joined by several regular French units. These contained (or were alleged to contain) substantial contingents of Polish personnel.

Tadeusz Kościuszko

Andrzej Tadeusz Bonawentura Kościuszko (born: February 12, 1746, died: October 15, 1817) was a Polish–Lithuanian and American general and military leader during the Kościuszko Uprising. He is a national hero of Poland, Lithuania, the United States and Belarus. Tadeusz Kościuszko fought in the American Revolutionary War as a colonel in the Continental Army. In 1783, in recognition of his dedicated service, he was brevetted by the Continental Congress to the rank of brigadier general in a mass promotion given to all officers who had served during the war. He lreturned to Poland and ed the 1794 Kościuszko Uprising against Imperial Russia and the Kingdom of Prussia as Supreme Commander of the Polish National Armed Force (Najwyźszy Naczelnik Siły Zbrojnej Narodowej).

The squadron usd a wide range of aircraft built by both sides of World War One. However the Kościuszko Squadron fielded a large percentage of Austro-Hungarian Oeffag D-III Series 253 with great effect.

Oeffag D-III of the Kościuszko Squadron

Oeffag D-III BA.253 Kościuszko Squadron, Maj. Cedric E. Fauntleroy, Lwów, Dec. 1919

This was the personal aircraft of the commander of the Kościuszko Squadron, Maj. Cedric E. Fauntleroy. The upper wing and tail plane surfaces are painted dark green as is the fuselage. The lower wings and tail plane are finished in yellow varnish. The forward section of the cowling and engine cover was painted red.

Oeffag D-III BA.253 Kościuszko Squadron, s/n.253218, Kpt. Merian Cooper, Kiev, May 1920

This is the personal plane of Kpt. Merian Cooper while in Kiev, May 1920. The upper wing and tailplane surfaces and the rudder are covered in "sworl" fabric. The red forward section is shown in some sources bearing a white border. As with many polish aircraft the wheels did not have a cover.

Oeffag D-III BA.253 Kościuszko Squadron, s/n 8, Pilot Unknown, Lwów, February, 1920

This example shares many of the elements of the previous profile. Once again we see the "sworl" camouflage being used. This example has covers on the wheels and the engine cover has been removed.

Oeffag D-III BA.253 Kościuszko Squadron, s/n 10, Pilot Unknown, Lwów, Dec. 1919

This is fairly typical paint scheme. The Polish insignia is the more complex version, and the rudder is yellow varnished, which was a fairly common practice. Once again there is no wheel covers.

History of the Kościuszko Squadron

Excerpt From Wikipedia Polish 7th Air Escadrille

The Polish 7. Eskadra Lotnicza (7^th Air Escadrille), better known as the Kościuszko Squadron, was one of the units of the Polish Air Force during the Polish-Soviet War of 1919-1921. Formed in late 1918, it was re-formed in late 1919 from US volunteers. It was one of most active Polish squadrons in the war.

The unit was formed when Poland regained independence, on 7 November 1918 in Kraków, as the 3^rd Air Escadrille, utilizing mostly bomber and reconnaissance aircraft left by Austro-Hungarian forces. On 25 November 1918 it was moved to Lwów (current Lviv), where it took active part in fighting of the Polish-Ukrainian War until June 1919. On 21 December 1918, after unification of Polish air units' names, its name was changed to the 7^th Air Escadrille. It was commanded by Jerzy Boreysza, from April 1919 by Stefan Stec. Among pilots was World War I Ace Mieczysław Garsztka. Number of aircraft was variable, in May 1919 it possessed 3 fighters Fokker D.VIII (E.V), 3 reconnaissance Hansa-Brandenburg C.I and 1 LVG C.V. In June 1919 the escadrille was converted into fighter unit, then in September it was withdrawn into reserve. In October 1919 the commander became Ludomił Rayski.

In late 1919 eight American volunteers, including Major Cedric Fauntleroy and Captain Merian C. Cooper, arrived in Poland from France where in September 1919 they had been officially named the Kościuszko Squadron (after the Polish American hero Tadeusz Kościuszko) with Major Fauntleroy as its commander. After reaching Poland the men from Kościuszko Squadron joined the 7th Squadron. More pilots arrived during the following weeks - in all, there served 21 American pilots, along with several Polish pilots, including Ludwik Idzikowski, the ground crew was all Polish. In November 1919 Major Fauntleroy took the command and on 31 December 1919 the escadrille took the name Kościuszko Squadron. Meanwhile the Polish Air Force underwent reorganization. Even though most volunteers asked to be sent to the frontlines as soon as possible, the Polish high command delayed their deployment in view of the coming Polish offensive.

The Kościuszko Squadron was the first air squadron to use a railway train as a mobile flying base with specially designed railroad cars that could transport their aircraft as the front moved and developed. The train also included the squadron's operational headquarters, aircraft spares and repair workshops and living quarters.

The Kościuszko Squadron was first used in the Kiev Offensive in April 1920, rebasing from Lwów to Połonne. Its aircraft were Albatros D.III (Oef) fighters, supplemented by Ansaldo A.1 Balilla. Since there were no air encounters, primary missions became reconnaissance and ground attack. Most of the Squadron's flights were directed against Semyon Budionny's First Cavalry Army. The Squadron developed a tactic of low-altitude machine-gun strafing runs. Polish land commanders highly valued the contribution of the Kościuszko Squadron. General Puchucki of the 13^th Infantry Division wrote in a report: “The American pilots, though exhausted, fight tenaciously. During the last offensive, their commander attacked enemy formations from the rear, raining machine-gun bullets down on their heads. Without the American pilots' help, we would long ago have been done for.”

Merian Cooper was shot down but survived. Budionny had put half a million rubles on Captain Cooper's head, but when he was caught by the Cossacks he managed to convince them that he was a corporal. A few months later he escaped from a POW camp near Moscow to Latvia.

In August 1920 the Kościuszko Squadron took part in the defense of Lwów, and after the Battle of Warsaw it participated in the Battle of Komarów which crippled Budionny's cavalry. Most active days were August 16 and 17, when Escadrille, reduced to 5 uninjured pilots, fulfilled 18 ground attack missions each day.

In 1920 the Kościuszko Squadron made over 400 combat flights.

References

1. Polish 7th Air Escadrille. (2011, November 19). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 20:00, January 20, 2012, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Polish_7th_Air_Escadrille&oldid=461440694
2. Wings Palette World War I/Fighters/Oeffag D.III/Ba.153/Ba.253/Poland http://wp.scn.ru/en/ww1/f/175/29/0
3. Polish Albatros D.III Kościuszko Squadron scheme http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/camouflage-markings/53442-polish-albatros-d-iii-kozusko-squadron-scheme.html
4. Tadeusz Kościuszko. (2012, January 16). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 09:21, January 21, 2012, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tadeusz_Ko%C5%9Bciuszko&oldid=471731506
5. Merian C. Cooper, Faunt-le-Roy i jego eskadra w Polsce : dzieje Eskadry Kos'ciuszki, Wydawnictwa Pism Związkowych, Chicago, 1922.
6. Kenneth Malcolm Murray, Wings Over Poland: The Story of the 7th (Kosciuszko) Squadron of the Polish Air Service, 1919, 1920, 1921, D. Appleton and Co.,1932.
7. Janusz Cisek, Kosciuszko, We Are Here: American Pilots of the Kościuszko Squadron in Defense of Poland, 1919-1921, McFarland & Company, 2002, ISBN 0-7864-1240-2, Google Print

Austria - 1917 New Profiles

Recent Profile Update

I have been concentrating on Austria at the moment. Here are just a few of the current crop of profiles. I hope you enjoy them.

Albatros D-III (Oeffag) Series 153 Flik 2-D sn 153.95 - 1917

This Oeffag D.III has the propeller spinner removed and no engine cover. The natural wood finish covers most of the fuselage. The turtle-deck and rudder and tail plane upper surfaces is a brown mottled scheme. The black and white stripes with angular points on the top edge makes for a memorable appearance.

Aviatik-Berg (Aviatik) D-I Ba 138 Adolf Vizinge Flik 74-J - 1918

This is another example of the Austrian hexagonal camouflage pattern. The engine compartment is bare metal. The white stripe on the fuselage with black stars is a nice touch. The lower wings are varnished cloth.

Phönix D-I Feldwebel Malz Flik 14-J sn-328.26I - 1917

This example of a Phönix D-I sports a bright mottled paint scheme and distinctive skull and cross bone insignia. The iron cross wheel covers add visual interest. Note the head rest on this version.

Austria - 1918 Phönix C.I

The Mystery of the Elusive C.I

As I have said Austrian aviation during the Great War can be filled with twists and turns. It has driven many to despair trying to establish what company made which plane. Slowly but semi-surely I have tried to make sense of a bewildering amount of contradictory and down-right erroneous information.

Phönix C.I series 121

Phönix C-1 sn 121.72 - 1918

This example is painted in a two color scheme with rounded edges between colors. The tail plane is red with a white stripe. The aircraft shows both an Iron and a Maltese cross.

Phönix C-1 sn 121.17 - 1918

This example is painted in a speckled multiple color scheme The lower wing and tailplane surfaces are doped cloth. The distinctive scalloped rudder still has the old style Iron cross.

UFAG C.I series 161

UFAG C-1 sn 161.67 - 1918

The two color scheme employs the later Austrian two color saw-tooth edged camouflage. The differences between the UFAG and Phönix designs are very easy to see.

UFAG C-1 Flik 66 K sn 161.92 - 1918

This is another flavor of the later Austrian two color saw-tooth edged camouflage. The differences the rudder construction between these UFAG examples might make you think they had different manufacturers. When in doubt look for the serial number.

The Phönix C.I was an Austro-Hungarian First World War reconnaissance and general-purpose Biplane built by the Phönix Flugzeug-Werke.

There is much confusion surrounding Austrian aircraft identification. Part of the problem stems from the fact Camillo Castiglione owned Phönix, Hansa-Brandenburg, and UFAG as part of a monopoly. Each of these three companies built versions ot the Hansa-Brandenburg C.I. There was a certain amount of sharing of design directions. Design features used in one company's aircraft would be incorporated into the other companie's designs.

To identify the company who actually produced a particular version of the C.I you need to examin the serial number. The first part of the number is the code for the manufacturer.

• (UFAG) Ungarische Flugzeugfabrik A.G. / Budapest: Series 161
• (Phönix) Phönix – Flugzeugwerke Wien-Stadlau: Series 123
• (Lloyd) Ungarische Lloyd- Flugzeugfabrik – Budapest: Series 49

The Phönix C.I was the first original design developed by the Phönix Flugzeug-Werke It was based on the Hansa-Brandenburg C.II that Phönix were building under license. A conventional biplane with a rear fuselage/tailplane similar to aircraft designed by Ernst Heinkel. The C.I had a fixed trail skid landing gear and was powered by a Hiero 6-cylinder inline piston engine, it had two tandem open cockpits for the pilot and observer/gunner. The company built 110 C.Is and then entered service with the KuKLFT in early 1918.

After the First World War 30 aircraft were built by the Swedish Army engineering department but they were fitted with a 220 hp (164 kW) Benz inline engine.

References

1. Phönix C.I. (2010, September 19). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 13:40, March 25, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ph%C3%B6nix_C.I&oldid=385776342
2. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.
3. Grosz, Peter M., George Haddow and Peter Schiemer. "Austro-Hungarian Army Aircraft of World War I". Boulder, CO: Flying Machines Press, 2002. ISBN 1-89126-805-8.

Austria - 1916 Hansa-Brandenburg D.I

Another Grand Obsession

I am still picking up the pieces after an accident smashed a flash drive with all my master files and archives. While working on fleshing out the section on my main site dealing with Austrian aviation development and the Eastern Front and I discovered that I needed a new master for the Hansa-Brandenburg D.I (Type KD). My old profiles were showing their age and yesterday was the day to tackle the project. I managed to finish three masters for the major types of the aircraft and churned out ten new profiles which I like better than the old drawings I had done. I concentrated on the large tailed version today. The two other variants will have to wait till tomorrow. I am still puzzling out what the number scheme. Like all things Austrian it is seldom straight forward or simple. One battle at a time I am content with today'ss results. The sun is rising, and it is almost time for some well earned rest.

Hansa-Brandenburg D.I Flick 12 Frank Linke-Crawford SN 28.02 - 1916

The example above is an aircraft flown by Frank Linke-Crawford when he served in Flik 12 during 1916. The red nose is a distinctive feature. The Iron Cross on the fuselage is not typical for Austrian aircraft, however it is not rare.

Hansa-Brandenburg D.I Flick 41J FP. Oblt Frank Linke-Crawford SN 28.40 - 1917

After a promotion Frank Linke-Crawford was transferred to Flik 41J. The pennant insignia on the fuselage is bearing the Austrian colors of red and white. Unlike many Austrian aircraft there are no serial numbers displayed records show it as being number 28.40.

Hansa-Brandenburg D.I (Flick 41J FP. Oblt Frank Linke-Crawford SN Unknown - 1917

This is another Hansa Brandenburg D-I flown by Frank Linke-Crawford while serving with Flik 41J. The Black and White double sun insignia is representative of the markings used on many of the aircraft serving in Flik 41J.

The Hansa Brandenburg D-I was a German fighter aircraft of World War I. It was built for Austria-Hungary, some aircraft serving to the end of the war. The D-I was a single seat, single engined biplane, of wooden construction, with plywood fuselage skinning and fabric wing skins. The wings featured an unusual “Star-Strutter” arrangement of interplane struts, where four Vee struts joined in the center of the wing bay to result in a complicated "star" arrangement. The interplane struts themselves were fabricated from steel tubes.

The Hansa Brandenburg D-I was a very unusual looking aircraft, it had a deep fuselage, which combined with the wing configuration and large engine compartment gave a poor forward view for the pilot and tended to blanket the undersized rudder, giving poor lateral stability and making recovery from spins extremely difficult.

References

1. Hansa-Brandenburg D.I. (2009, December 19). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 03:06, July 2, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hansa-Brandenburg_D.I&oldid=332619883
2. Angelucci, Enzo (ed.). "World Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft. London: Jane's, 1981, p. 43, p.54. ISBN 0 7106 0148 4.
3. Gray, Peter and Thetford, Owen. "German Aircraft of the First World War". London: Putnam, 1962, p.64.
4. Green, William and Swanborough, Gordon. The Complete Book of Fighters". New York: Smithmark, 1994, p.83. ISBN 0-8317-3939-8.
5. Hooton, E.R. Phoenix Triumphant: "The Rise and Rise of the Luftwaffe". London: Arms & Armour Press, 1994, p.25-26. ISBN 1 85409 181 6.
6. Williams, Anthony G. and Gustin, Emmanuel. "Flying Guns World War I". Ramsbury, Wiltshire: Airlife, 2003, p.62. ISBN 1 84037 396 2.

Austria - 1917 Aviatik-Berg C.I

Several times I have fallen for a case of mistaken identity. Both Germany and Austria have completely different companies named Hansa-Brandenberg and Aviatik. During one of those two day site reconstruction binge I made a mistake. Luckily I have now fixed a long overdue and overlooked problem. Finding the correct information was work, but now all is well and I can move on. Now I just need to finish up more profiles of this bird.

Fragile but Nimble

Aviatik-Berg (Lohner) C.I - 1917

In early 1917 the chief designer of this company, Julius von Berg designed the original multi-purpose airplane Aviatik-Berg CI. The C.I or "double Berg" was based on the D.I fighter. It used the same wings with a thin flexible profile, which varied depending on the speed of flight. Power was provided by either a 185 hp (138 kW) or 200 hp (149 kW) Austro-Daimler 6-cylinder water cooled in-line engine.

The test flights were generally successful. The top-notch pilots appreciated the speed and maneuverability of these machines. However, less skilled pilots preferred the more manageable, but less nimble, Hansa-Brandenburg C.I. One issue was the large wing loads putting stress on the aircraft and the C.I had a relatively high landing speed making landing on the short front-line runways difficult.

The C.I had a very reasonable performance and was built in considerable numbers by five several factories: Aviatik (Series 37 and 137), Lloyd (Series 47), Lohner (Series 114 and 214), WKF (Series 83 and 183) and MAG (Series 91) . In total more than 500 copies of the machine were built. Only its inherent structural weakness prevented it from receiving the acclamation that might otherwise have come its way. Nevertheless, it remained operational until the end of the war on the Italian-Austrian front.

Several schemes were used for armament on the C.I. Due to the urgent need for aircraft the first series were armed with one 0.315 in (8 mm) Schwarzlose machine gun fired by the pilot attached to a pivoting mount, fastened to the fuselage which allowed firing over the wing. There were versions which used a wing mounted "baby coffin" style gun pod. Some had a synchronized forward gun mounted in the fuselage, close to the engine. The observer fired into the rear arc with a ring mounted 0.315 in (8 mm) Schwarzlose machine gun.

The serial number scheme for Austro-Hungarian aircraft follows a format where the first numbers indicates the manufacturing company and production batch, while the numbers after the decimal point refers to the individual aircraft's place within the batch. Unlike the German system, there is no indication of the year in which construction took place

1. Aviatik (Berg) C.I 1917 The Virtual Aircraft Museum http://www.aviastar.org/air/austria/aviatik_c-1.php
2. Aviatik (Berg) C I Their Flying Machines http://flyingmachines.ru/Site2/Crafts/Craft25598.htm
3. Green, William. Great Book of Fighters: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Every Fighter Aircraft Built and Flown Zenith Press (November 14, 2001) ISBN-10: 0760311943, ISBN-13: 978-0760311943
4. Cowin, Hugh. German and Austrian Aviation of World War I: A Pictorial Chronicle of the Airmen and Aircraft that Forged German Airpower (Osprey Aviation Pioneers 3). Osprey 2000 ISBN 10: 1841760692 / 1-84176-069-2 ISBN 13: 9781841760698

Austria - 1918 Aviatik-Berg 30.40

A Late War Austrian Monoplane

It is always good when you learn something new. The one thing I love about the history of Austrian aviation is finding rare aircraft which are not well known or documented. Sometimes things appear deceptively simple on the surface but as you dig deeper you find a complicated story of variations of a basic type which were built by other companies who were licensed to manufacture them. Each company left their own mark on the design. There are times when a single aircraft is produced which you only know the serial number and not the story to be told.

Today I am writing about an example of one of a kind designs. Julius von Berg shifted away fom the heavier in line engine powered designs and began experimenting on more compact light weight aircraft powered with rotary engines to reduce the overall weight. After a failed attempt at creating light weight biplane fighters von Berg took elements from the 30.27 and 30.29 and built a modrn looking parasol type monoplane. It arrived too late in the war to be more than a footnote.

Aviatik-Berg 30.40- 1918

The paint scheme was basically monochrome. The sharp edged sawtooth camouflage pattern was used in several late war Austrian designs. The metal forward section sports circular tooling marks over the whole surface. Even though the design was late war it carried the Iron Cross on the wings and rudder.

A parasol monoplane derivative of the Aviatik 30.27, the Aviatik 30.40 was powered by a similar 160hp Steyr Le Rhone 11-cylinder rotary engine, and only one prototype was built and flown during the summer of 1918. The Aviatik 30.40 was of wooden construction. The forward fuselage was covered by light metal panels and the remainder of the fuselage was ply covered. The wing had fabric skinning, and steel-tube bracing struts were employed

.

References

1. Aviatik (Berg) 30.40 1918 Retreived Sept 3. 08:45 from http://flyingmachines.ru/Site2/Crafts/Craft25508.htm
2. Aviatik (Berg) 30.40 1918 Virtual Aircraft Museum Retreived Sept 3. 09:05 from http://www.aviastar.org/air/austria/aviatik_30-40.php
3. Aviatik Berg Scout The Aerodrome Forum Retreived Sept 3. 09:15 from http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/aircraft/1997-aviatik-berg-scout.html
4. Grosz,Peter M. Haddow, George. Schiemer, Peter. Austro-Hungarian Army Aircraft of World War One p.156-157. Flying Machines Press, 1993. ISBN 0963711008,

Austria - 1917 Aviatik-Berg D-I part 2

More Aviatik D-I Scouts

Once again I am back to my obsessive self. the Albatros Project is on hold while I work on several different types of Aviatik aircraft and camouflage sheets for the camouflage corner page. These are the latest profiles in the series. I am still working on a new master file for the Aviatik C-I. I have started work on profiles for the Aviatik 30.24 triplane and the Aviatik 30.40 monoplane. Today's selection has an Aviatik built series 138 and two Lohner built series 115 aircraft.

Aviatik-Berg (Aviatik) D-I Ba 138 - 1918

This example has louvers along the engine compartment and a modified cockpit combing. The unpainted forward section is longer, extending close to the midpoint of the cockpit.The rudder has a mix of stripes and hexagonal camouflage.

Aviatik-Berg (Lohner) D-I Ba 115 Ltn. Otto Stelli Flik 60J sn. 115.38 - 1917

Aviatik aircraft produced by Lohner left the factory with a distinctive camouflage scheme. The black stripe on the fuselage was a common element on aircraft serving in Flik 60J. The stylized S is the personal marking of Lt. Otto Stelli. One notable feature is the lack of wheel covers.

Aviatik-Berg (Lohner) D-I Ba 115 Flik 60J sn. 115.20- 1917

This is another example of a Lohner built D-I serving in Flik 60J. Basically the paint scheme is very similar to the previous example. The pilot for this plane is unknown.

Austria - 1917 Aviatik (Berg) D-I

The First Totally Austrian Fighter

My schedule has recently been thrown out of kilter. One reason is I have been busy researching Austrian aircraft. There are lots of different variants of their aircraft types, it comes down to knowing what the serial number indicates. Once I had that sorted out I could begin putting together my master aircraft files.

One thing which makes the process more time consuming is the hexagonal scheme used varies in color for each aircraft. It makes the process slower and more labor intensive than other aircraft types. The good thing is once I see the results it is very satisfying.

Aviatik (Berg) D-I Ba 38 Flik 63J sn. 38.37 - 1917

This is an Aviatik series 38 fighter which served in Flik 63J. The paint scheme is a streaked pattern which covered the fuselage, tail plane, part of he rudder and upper wing surfaces. The striped forward rudder adds a nice contrast to the finish.

Aviatik (Berg) D-I Ba 138 Korporal Josef Kunze Flik 74J sn. 138.55 - 1918

This is an Aviatik series 138 from Flik 74J. The camouflage is the a hexagonal pattern which changes color in bands. The white section of the fuselage is marked with the name Mizzi, This was the personal marking for Korporal Josef Kunze. This example was from early 1918 before the change to the Maltese Cross.

Aviatik (Berg) D-I Ba. 338 Oblt. Bela Macourek Flik 1 sn. 338.02 - 1918

The Aviatik series 338 served in Flik 1J and was flown by Oblt. Bela Macourek. The fuselage is the later model which has a more streamlined nose section. The power plant was more powerful than hose used in the earlier series. Once again the camouflage is a hexagonal pattern however the colors are different. The Maltese cross marks it as a late war aircraft i use after the spring of 1918. The side flash was a diagonal red, white and green stripe.

The Aviatik D.I, was a single-engine, single-seater fighter biplane. The Aviatik D.I represented the first wholly Austro-Hungarian designed fighter in the Austro-Hungarian Air Service (Luftfahrtruppen). It was also known as the Berg D.I or the Berg Fighter after its designer, Julius von Berg.

The D.I was a good combat aircraft. It was reasonably fast, had excellent flying characteristics and maneuverability, and could reach higher altitudes than most of its adversaries. In addition, it was provided with a roomy and comfortable cockpit which gave a good field of view.

Despite those desirable features, the new Aviatik fighter wasn't greeted with enthusiasm when it entered service in autumn 1917, as the type also had some serious defects which didn't endear it to its pilots. The early aircraft had structural deficiencies and their machine guns were installed beyond the reach of the pilot; if the gun(s) jammed, there was nothing he could do about it. These problems were later rectified with the strengthening of the airframe and the repositioning of the guns, but the main cause of complaints was the engine's tendency to overheat far too easily. To alleviate the cooling problems, operational units tended to fly their aircraft without the engine's top panels and sometimes also the side panels were left off.

The Aviatik D.I was manufactured under license by a numbers of subcontractors.

• Austrian Aviatik built the 38, 138, 238 and 338 Series
• Lohner built the 115 and 315 Series
• Lloyd manufactured the 48, 248 and 348 Series.
• MAG (Magyar Általános Gépgyár - General Hungarian Machine Works) built the 84 and 92 Series
• Thöne und Fiala manufactured the 101 Series
• WKF (Wiener Karosserie Fabrik - Vienna (Car)Body Factory built the 184, 284 and 384 Series.

Ordered but not build were the 215 and 201 Series from Lohner and ThÖne und Fiala respectively.

Work on the prototype began in August 1916, the first flight of the Aviatik D.I prototype, 30.14, took place on October 16, 1916 at Aspern, killing the test pilot.

Further modifications were made, and three more prototypes of the Aviatik D.I were manufactured, labeled 30.19 (for tests on the ground), 30.20 (for tests in flight) and 30.21 (as a reserve airframe). These prototypes differed from the production aircraft in having a single unsynchronized Schwarzlose machine gun above the top wing, firing over the propeller.

Tests of the modified aircraft were positive and the first unit to receive the first serial batch (with two synchronized Schwarzloses, one on each side of the cylinder block) of the Aviatik D.I was Fluggeschwader I (FLG I, later to be renamed to Flik 101G) on the Divac(a airfield in Slovenia.

The Austro-Hungarian aviation units used the D.I widely until the end of World War I on Eastern, Italian and Balkan fronts, mainly as an escort fighter for the 2-seater reconnaissance aircraft, as the most fighter units preferred the Albatros D.III in air superiority role.

The D.II was a version of the D.I with a cantilever lower wing. The model went into production in late 1918 in two Series (39 and 339), but the production aircraft were too late for operational service. The D.III high-altitude version with a 230 hp Hiero engine and the Dr.I triplane development remained as prototypes only.

The main differences between the Series were in the power of Austro-Daimler engines used (185 hp in the early production aircraft, 200 or 210 hp in the mid-production, and 225 hp in the last ones), in exact positioning of the machine guns, and in structural and radiator modifications.

Until the 31st October 1918 a number of 677 Aviatik D.I airframes of all batches were handed over to the Austro-Hungarian Air Force.

References

1. Aviatik D.I. (2011, April 26). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 07:37, September 3, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aviatik_D.I&oldid=425950351
2. Aviatik Berg D.I photos from the Vienna technical Museum http://www.idflieg.com/aviatik-berg-di.htm</li>
3. The Aerodrome page regarding the Aviatik D.I http://www.theaerodrome.com/aircraft/austrhun/aviatik_di.html
4. Holmes, Tony (2005). Jane's Vintage Aircraft Recognition Guide. London: Harper Collins. ISBN 0 0071 9292 4.
5. Munson, Kenneth - Fighters, Attack and Training Aircraft 1914-19 ISBN 0-7537-0916-3

Albatros D.III Oeffag Part 3

More Colorful Albatros Oeffag Profiles

Once again my obsessive nature is showing. I promise to post some other aircraft types on the next go around. I have started preparations for several new Austrian aircraft types. I hope to have some masters finished this week and get stuck in doing lots of hexagonal paint schemes soon.

Albatros D-III Oeffag Series 153 Flik 41J Hpt. Godwin Brumowki sn153.10 - 1917

The dark wood finish and green camouflage of this series 153 sets off the large pilot insignia which painted over the serial number. The small printed under the Oeffag logo is Alb.III-Oeffag-153 bd the serial number is duplicated below the aircraft type. In this case it reads 153.10. The upper wing surfaces are done in the same green camouflage pattern.

Albatros D-III (Oeffag) Series 153 Feldwebel Eugen Boentsch sn-153.40 - 1917

The paint scheme on this series 153 is very distinctive. The streaked finish and the wishbone arrow flash was fun to do. The engine cover gives the aircraft a pleasing streamlined appearance.

Albatros D-III Oeffag Series 253 Zgsf. Rudolf Nemetz Flik 63J sn-253.32 - 1918

This colorful example of a late war series 253 from Flik 63J served in 1918. The placement of the Maltese cross on the rudder was very unusual. The wheel cover scheme was used on several aircraft.

Albatros Oeffag D.III part 2

Oeffag D.III Gallery 2

Today I am back with more examples of the Albatros Oeffag D.III. My examples yesterday dealt with only one configuration of this excellent fighter. I wanted to give you a sample of the three main types which were produced between 1917 and 1918. As time allows I will be giving you a peak at the collection I am building. I have enough reference material for for perhaps 50 profiles. Between my other Albatros and Pfalz types I can see me hitting the 1000 profile mark before Halloween.

Oeffag D.III Series 53 Pilot and Unit Unknown serial number 53.27 - 1917

This is an Oeffag D.III Series 53 powered by an Austro-Daimler, 185 hp (138 kW) 6 cylinder liquid cooled inline engine. The upper wing surfaces are covered in the same camouflage as on the upper fuselage and tail section. The lower wing is varnished cloth. Superficially it is very similar to early series 153, the main difference is in the power plants.

Oeffag D.III Series 153 Flik 41J Stfw Kaszala and Hauptman Brumowski serial number 153.12 - 1917

This is an Oeffag D.III Series 153 powered by an Austro-Daimler, 200 hp (149 kW) 6 cylinder liquid cooled inline engine. The aircraft served in Flik 41J and was flown by Stfw Kaszala and Hauptman Brumowski. The paint scheme is very similar to the previous example except for the color and the nose section is a solid color. Note there is no engine cover being used at that time.

Oeffag D.III Series 253 Pilot and Unit Unknown serial number 253.64 - 1917

This is an Oeffag D.III Series 253 powered by an Austro-Daimler, 225 hp (168 kW) 6 cylinder liquid cooled inline engine. The rounded nose section is bare metal and the top surfaces tailplane and rudder are covered in a camouflage pattern only seen in Austrian and Polish aircraft. It consisted in two different spiral elements. Common opinion is that the pattern was printed on fabric since painting such an elaborate scheme would be so labor intensive and time consuming that if hand painted it would be impractical. The Maltese Cross would place it after May of 1918. The two tone wheel cover adds some flash to the scheme. Also of note is the large number instead of a pilot identification design. Once again this aircraft is in shown in its warm weather configuration as there is no engine cover present.

Austria - 1917 Albatros D-III Oeffag

Unforeseen Complications

Due to a series of events I have not posted or followed my blog list for a few days. Between some medical issues and new lines of research I have not been able to participate in the daily routine.

One of the new lines I have been researching is a deeper look at Austrian aircraft, and Oeffag's version of the Albatros D.III in particular. It has turned into an embarrassment of wealth on the subject. I have been setting up a series of master drawings, but there are a lot of major variations to nail down. Eventually I will have things running smoothly again. My post today is a taste of things to come.

A Taste of the Other Flavor of Albatros Goodness

The Austro-Hungarian version of the Albatros D-III was produced under license by the firm Oeffag. It had several minor external differences identifying it from the German made fighters. In the autumn of 1916, Oesterreichische Flugzeugfabrik AG (Oeffag) obtained a license to build the D.III at Wiener-Neustadt. Deliveries commenced in May 1917.

The Oeffag aircraft were built in three main versions (series 53, 153, 253) using the 185, 200, or 225 hp (138, 149, or 168 kW) Austro-Daimler engines respectively. The Austro-Daimlers provided improved performance over the Mercedes D.IIIa engine. For cold weather operations, Oeffag aircraft featured a winter cowling which fully enclosed the cylinder heads.

Austrian pilots often removed the propeller spinner from early production aircraft, since it was prone to falling off in flight. Beginning with aircraft 112 of the series 153 production run, Oeffag introduced a new rounded nose that eliminated the spinner. Remarkably, German wind-tunnel tests showed that the simple rounded nose improved propeller efficiency and raised the top speed by 14 km/h (9 mph).

All Oeffag variants were armed with two .315 in (8 mm) Schwarzlose machine guns. In most aircraft, the guns were buried in the fuselage, where they were inaccessible to the pilot. In service, the Schwarzlose proved to be somewhat less reliable than the 0.312 in (7.92 mm) LMG 08/15, mainly due to problems with the synchronization gear. The Schwarzlose also had a poor rate of fire. At the request of pilots, the guns were relocated to the upper fuselage decking late in the series 253 production run.

Oeffag engineers noted the wing failures of the D.III and modified the lower wing to use thicker ribs and spar flanges. These changes, as well as other detail improvements, largely resolved the structural problems that had plagued German versions of the D.III. In service, the Oeffag aircraft proved to be popular, robust, and effective. Oeffag built approximately 526 D.III aircraft between May 1917 and the Armistice

Albatros D-III Oeffag Ba. 153 Flik 55J Oblt. Georg Kenzian serial number153.27 - 1917

The type 153 from Flik 55 was flown by Oblt. Georg Kenzian and several other pilots. The plane feartures the winter engine cover and lack of a propeller spinner. The color scheme has been in dispute, several other drawings show a red and white pennant design.Consensus now favors the blue design as in this drawing.

Albatros D-III Oeffag Ba. 153 Flik 55J Lt. Jozsef Kiss serial number 153.47 - 1917

This is another type 153 from Flik 55J The pilot was the Austrian ace Lt. Jozsef Kiss. As with the previous example it is in winter gear. The small black and white triangle near the nose is the logo for Oeffag.

References

1. From Wikipedia Albatros D.III, "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albatros_D.III"
2. Grosz, Peter M., George Haddow and Peter Schiemer. "Austro-Hungarian Army Aircraft of World War I". Boulder, CO: Flying Machines Press, 2002. ISBN 1-89126-805-8.

Germany-Austria 1916 Hansa-Brandenburg KDW

A Central Powers Float Plane

I seem to have put the cart before the horse. I should have posted this article first. As I stated in the previous article Hansa-Brandenburg produced a line of excellent float planes. The first of the line designed by Ernst Heinkel was the Hansa-Brandenburg KDW. The aircraft had clean lines. The notable feature is the gun pod mounted on the upper wing. It is an Austrian invention containing one or two Schwarzlose MG M.07/12 machine guns and the ammunition.

Hansa-Brandenburg KDW - 1916

The Hansa-Brandenburg KDW was a German single seat fighter floatplane of World War I. The KDW - Kampf Doppeldecker, Wasser ("Fighter Biplane, Water") - was an adaptation of the Hansa-Brandenburg D.I landplane and was designed to provide coastal defense over the North Sea and Adriatic.

The Hansa-Brandenburg KDW was manufactured by Hansa und Brandenburgische Flugzeug-Werke, from a designed Ernst Heinkel. The KDW was introduced in 1916 and approximately 60 were built.

The wingspan was 30 ft 4 in (9.25 m). The length was 26 ft 3 in (8 m) with a height of 11 ft 0 in (3.35 m). The KDW's loaded weight was 2,293 lb (1,040 kg). The armament for the KDW was 1 or 2 Schwarzlose MG M.07/12 fixed forward-firing 0.312 in (7.92 mm) machine guns

Powered by a single Benz Bz.III water-cooled inline engine, producing 150 hp (112 kW), with a maximum speed was 93 kn, 107 mph (172 km/h) at sea level. It had a service ceiling of 13,123 ft (4,000 m) and an endurance of 2 hrs 30 mins

It was produced under license by the Austrian manufacturer Phönix from 1916 in five batches, each with different engines, around 60 aircraft in total being produced.

References

1. Hansa-Brandenburg KDW. (2009, November 8). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 14:39, August 22, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hansa-Brandenburg_KDW&oldid=324698708
2. Jackson, Robert, "The Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft", Parragon, 2002. ISBN 0-75258-130-9

Austria - 1917 Lloyd C.V

I have been busy working on drawing up a few American Expeditionary Force aero squadron insignias and some Austrian profiles this weekend. Slowly but surely I am filling the gaps in my profile library.

A Rooster Tail Two Seat Reconnaissance Aircraft

Lloyd C.V serial number 46.21 - 1917

The Lloyd C.V was a reconnaissance aircraft produced in Austria-Hungary during the First World War. It was a departure from Lloyd's previous reconnaissance types, which had all been based on a pre-war design. The C.V was a more compact and streamlined aircraft with an unusual wing structure.

The design was fairly conventional, except for the interplane struts. These were arranged in two sets, front and rear, with the rear sets consisting of two struts per wing, and the forward sets of only one strut per wing. When viewed from the front of the aircraft, the rear struts formed a V-shape, converging to the point where they met the lower wings. From bottom wing to top, the single forward struts sloped inwards towards the center line, matching the angle of the inboard rear struts. The fin was triangular and similar to the unit on earlier Lloyd designs, but featured an extension at the top of the rudder that reached over the top of the fixed part of the fin. With its curved leading edge and scalloped trailing edge, this rudder resembled the tail of a rooster.

The wings departed from the conventional structure of one or more spars surrounded by airfoil-shaped ribs and were built instead from ribs surrounded by longerons that stretched span-wise along the wings. This was all then covered in plywood sheeting. While this made for a strong, light structure, it also meant that repairs to damaged wings were difficult, and proved impossible to carry out in the field. Damaged aircraft were sent to depots for exchange. Another problem was that moisture trapped inside the wings had no way to escape quickly. This could cause the plywood skin to buckle or delaminate.

Lloyd built 96 C.Vs in 1917, powered by Austro-Daimler engines, while WKF built another 48 with Benz engines. The type saw only brief front-line service before being relegated to secondary duties. A number of continued in service after the war with the military forces of Poland, Hungary, and the Ukraine. In Poland, six; aircraft were operated until 1924

References

1. Lloyd C.V. (2009, December 29). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 03:38, July 2, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lloyd_C.V&oldid=334771034
2. Grosz, Peter M. (2002). "Austro-Hungarian Army Aircraft of World War One". Colorado: Flying Machine Press.
3. Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). "Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation". London: Studio Editions.

Austria - 1918 Phönix C-1

It seem that I have been unduly unkind to Austrian aviation development. There were many successful designs which served them well in the air war against the Italians on the Eastern Front. Even though it entered production the Phönix C-1 served in several nation's air force. When the war ended it was built by the Swedish Army Engineer Department.

An Austrian Success Story

Phönix C-1 Serial Number 121.72 - 1918

The Phönix C.I was an Austro-Hungarian First World War reconnaissance and general-purpose Biplane built by the Phönix Flugzeug-Werke.

The Phönix C.I was the first original design developed by the Phönix Flugzeug-Werke It was based on the Hansa-Brandenburg C.II that Phönix was building under licence. A conventional biplane with a rear fuselage/tailplane similar to aircraft designed by Ernst Heinkel. The C.I had a fixed trailskid landing gear and was powered by a Hiero 6-cylinder inline piston engine, it had two tandem open cockpits for the pilot and observer/gunner. The company built 110 C.Is and then entered service with the KuKLFT in early 1918. After the First World War 30 aircraft were built by the Swedish Army engineering department but they were fitted with a 220 hp (164 kW) Benz inline engine.

References

1. Phönix C.I. (2010, September 19). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 13:40, March 25, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ph%C3%B6nix_C.I&oldid=385776342
2. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.

Austria - 1917 Lloyd 40.08 Luftkreuzer

Those Crazy Austrian Odd Birds and Why We Love Them

Sometimes you see something which tickles your humor gland. For me it usually is one of the bizarre designs by an Austrian madcap designer.

It makes me think of a bad joke. "An Austrian aircraft designer walks into the Luftfahrtruppen office with a brick which has 8 wings pasted on it. The clerk asks 'What it is?'; The designer says 'It is a revolutionary new fighter aircraft design.' The clerk looks at it again and says 'Wunderbar! We need 200 of them! How quickly can you get it into production'?"

Forget about functionality, forget about aerodynamics and some cases forget about it actually flying at all. These planes are more sculpture than aircraft. Rube Goldberg must be smiling somewhere.

I had been hunting down information on this bird and luck was with me. I want to thank Lord K. from Dieselpunk for the missing pieces to the puzzle. I was able to find a rough line drawing photos, and a dodgy color drawing to guide me in making this profile.

Lloyd 40.08 Luftkreuzer - 1917

The Lloyd Luftkreuzer was a very bizzare and unsuccessful triplane bomber which was first proposed in 1916. It was plagued with design flaws which were never solved to the degree that never let it leave the ground. It never made it past the prototype stage of development.

The prototype Lloyd Luftkreuzer was based on the requirement of LFT (Luftfahrtruppen) to develop a modern and powerful bomber powered by three engines. In August of 1915 LFT approached two companies, Lloyd and Oeffag Phönix who were awarded funding to construct two prototype triplane heavy bombers. The machine should be driven by one powerful engine in the main hull and two engines in smaller side mounted boom style fuselage. The next requirement was the ability to carry a 200 kg bomb load and endurance of at least 6 hours. Defensive armament would provided by four machine guns, two of the guns should be mounted on the main fuselage and the other two guns would be mounted in the side hulls.

In January of 1916, Ungarische Lloyd Flugzeug und Motorenfabrik AG was supplied with the first drawings and specifications for two triplane bombers called Luftkreuzer I (type I, LK), designation was changed to the Lloyd 40.08 and the Luftkreuzer II (type II, LV) was renamed the 40.10 Lloyd. The name "Luftkreuzer" means Sky Cruiser.

Lloyd 40.08 Luftkreuzer

The aircraft was a triplane with unequal span wings. The upper wing had a span of 23.26 meters and a width of 2.40 m. The middle wing was 22.38 m long and 2.20 meters wide. The lower wing span was 16.84 meters and 2.00 meters wide. The middle wing was mounted to the bottom of the booms and center fuselage. The upper and lower wings were connected by struts and bracing. The gap between the two upper wings was 2.10 meters and the two bottom gap was 1.75 meters. The total wing area was 110 square meters. Below the main body between the upper and lower wings was an enclosed gondola, apparently the bombardier rode in this position

The forward section of the central fuselage had a large enclosed cabin for two gunners. The design provided an excellent field of vision in all directions. In the rear section of the main hull there was a engine compartment for the 12 cylinder 300 hp Daimler water cooled engine, driving a wooden two-blade pusher propeller.

The gun stations were also equipped with a spotlight. The side hulls were built from modified Lloyd C. II fuselage. Both were fitted with a six-cylinder water cooled inline Daimler engine producing160 hp each. Both ot the two blade wooden propellers revolved in the same direction.

The machine was completed on June 8, 1916 and was ready for engine testing at the airport in Aszód. The aircraft was found to be very nose-heavy and the center of gravity was too high. During ground tests prototype suffered some minor damage when it nosed over and flipped. This prompted a redesign of the chassis and the addition of a third wheel under the nose to keep it from toppling nose first into the ground. After the redesign the prototype was ready for its test flight in October of 1916,. Oberleutnant Antal Lany-Lanczendorfer was the test pilot for the flight. The flight seems to be unsuccessful because there is no evidence that the aircraft actually got airborne. In early November Flars (Fliegerarsenal) considered reducing the bomb load in order to reduce the total take-off weight. Development continued at a snail''s pace. In December Flars recommended the installation of additional chassis rails. These were added to the main undercarriage.

In March 1917 Lloyd applied for a revision of the airplane, but the application was rejected and the work came to a halt. The Lloyd 40.08 airframe placed in storage until January of 1918 when it was ordered to be transported to aircraft cemetery in Cheb.

References

1. Knights of the Air Made in Hungary http://www.dieselpunks.org/profiles/blogs/knights-of-the-air-made-in
2. Lloyd 40.08 Valka Cz http://en.valka.cz/viewtopic.php/t/66002
3. Grosz, Peter, The Austro-Hungarian Army Aircraft of World War One. Flying Machines Press, 2002, ISBN 1-891268-05-8

Austria - 1915 Lohner B.VII

The Battle for the Site From Hell

I got sidetracked away from the Albatros project and started work on some Austria-Hungarian profiles. I have needed to get some original content finished as I slowly replace the last of the material I have not drawn. I am down to less than a dozen aircraft to complete and it will be 100% original profile art. After that I can start adding more articles on rare birds which I have previously roughed out and laid out the profiles.

For approximately 16 months I have been working on a serious remodeling of what I call the site from hell. The project is an over 1000 page monster I had started it in 1999. The site was definitely showing its age. The best way to handle it was complete demolition and start from the ground up using standard friendly code. Hopefully I can soon push ahead on some of the sections that need fleshed out for so long. I am not sure it will ever be complete, but it won't be from lack of trying.

Austria-Hungarian Reconnaissance Aircraft on the Italian Front

Lohner B.VII - 1915

The unarmed Lohner B.VII and its armed derivative the C.I were military reconnaissance aircraft produced in Austria-Hungary during World War I. They were the ultimate developments in a family of aircraft that had begun with the B.I prior to the outbreak of war, and were the first members of that family that proved suitable for front-line service during the conflict. Like their predecessors, the B.VII and C.I were conventional biplanes with characteristic swept-back wings.

The B.VII appeared in August 1915 and finally provided a machine suitable for service use. These were used to conduct long-range reconnaissance missions over the Italian Front, as well as occasional bombing raids, carrying 180 lb (80 kg) of bombs internally. Many B.VIIs in operational service were equipped with machine guns on flexible mounts for the observer, and this led to the armed C.I version being produced at both the Lohner and Ufag factories.

Lohner B.VII - 1915

Aside from its factory-installed armament, the C.I also sported a streamlined cowling around the engine, whereas the B-types had their cylinders exposed to the airstream. Notable missions carried out by these aircraft included the raid on the Porta Volta power station in Milan on 14 February 1916 (a 378 km/276 mi round trip for 12 B.VIIs) and Julius Arigi sinking an Italian steamer at Valona in a B.VII in 1916.

Production of all versions ceased in 1917, and all were withdrawn from service soon afterwards.

Thanks to EastwoodDC at Giant Battling Robots for the shout out.

References

1. Lohner B.VII. (2009, August 26). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 03:29, July 2, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lohner_B.VII&oldid=310220492
2. Chant, Christopher (2002). "Austro-Hungarian Aces of World War 1". Oxford: Osprey.
3. Grosz, Peter M. (2002). "Austro-Hungarian Army Aircraft of World War One". Colorado: Flying Machine Press.
4. Gunston, Bill (1993). "World Encyclopedia of Aircraft Manufacturers". Annapolis: Naval Institute Press.
5. Murphy, Justin D. (2005). "Military Aircraft: Origins to 1918". Santa Barbara: ABC-Clio.
6. Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). "Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation". London: Studio Editions.