AEG G.IV

Infobox Aircraft
name=AEG G.IV
type=Bomber aircraft
manufacturer=Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft (A.E.G.)


caption=AEG G.IV (wartime photo)
designer=
first flight=1916
introduced=1916
retired=1918
status=
primary user=German Air Force
more users=
produced=
number built=320
unit cost=
developed from=AEG G.III
variants with their own articles=The AEG G.IV was a biplane bomber aircraft used in the World War I by Germany. It was developed from the AEG G.III, with refinements to power, bomb-load, and dimensions. Serving late in the war, the AEG G.IV managed to achieve some operational success in reconnaissance and combat roles. Coming into service in late 1916, it featured a bomb capacity twice as large as that of the AEG G.II, but was still considered inadequate in terms of offensive capacity and performance. Further improvements led to the development of the AEG G.V, but the Armistice came before the replacement could become operational.

Design and development

The Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft (A.E.G.) G.IV was derived fron the earlier AEG G.III. Designed as a tactical bomber, the relatively modern technology included onboard radios and electrically heated suits for the crew. The AEG G.IV also had a quality that endeared it to the men who flew it – it was an extremely rugged aircraft. Unlike the other German bombers such as the Gotha and the Friedrichshafen, the AEG featured an all metal, welded tube frame. Well equipped with armament, although the rear gunner’s cockpit was on the top of the fuselage, the position was equipped with a hinged window in the floor for viewing and fending off pursuing aircraft.

The AEG G.IV medium bomber was converted into an armored, antitank gunship, the G.IVk (Kanoe). It never saw service.

Operational history

The AEG G.IV bomber entered service with the German Air Force in late 1916.Sharpe, Michael. "Biplanes, Triplanes, an Seaplanes". London, England: Friedman/Fairfax Books , 2000. Page 15. ISBN 1-58663-300-7.] Because of its relatively short range, the G.IV served mainly as a tactical bomber, operating close to the front lines. The G.IV flew both day and night operations in France, Romania, Greece and Italy, but, as the war progressed, the AEG G.IV was restricted increasingly to night missions. Many night operations were considered nuisance raids with no specific targets, but with the intention of disrupting enemy activity at night and perhaps doing some collateral damage.

The AEG G.IV carried a warload of 400 kg (882 lb). While Gotha crews struggled to keep their heavy aircraft aloft, the AEG was renowned as an easy machine to fly. Some G.IV crews of Kampfgeschwader 4 are known to have flown up to seven combat missions a night on the Italian front. A notable mission involved Hauptmann Hermann Kohl attacking the railroad sheds in Padua, Italy in his AEG G.IV bomber.

A single example is preserved at the Canada Aviation Museum. This example is significant not only as the only one of its kind in existence, but as the only preserved German, twin-engined combat aircraft from World War I.

Variants

* AEG G.IV - tactical bomber
* AEG G.IVg - with an increased span three-bay wing.
* AEG G.IVk - ground-attack aircraft fitted with two 20 mm Becker cannons

Operators

*

pecifications (AEG G.IV)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
ref=German Aircraft of the First World WarGrey, Peter and Thetford, Owen. "German Aircraft of the First World War". London: Putnam, 1962. ISBN 0-370-00103-6.]
crew=Three
capacity=
length main= 9.70 m
length alt= 31 ft 10 in
span main= 18.40 m
span alt= 60 ft 4.25 in
height main= 3.90 m
height alt= 12 ft 9⅝ in
area main= 67 m²
area alt= 675ft²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 2,400 kg
empty weight alt= 5,280 lb
loaded weight main= 3,630 kg
loaded weight alt= 7,986 lb
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 3,628 kg
max takeoff weight alt= 8,000 lb
more general=
engine (prop)=Mercedes D.IVa
type of prop=6-cylinder water cooled inline engine
number of props=2
power main= 194 kW
power alt= 260 hp
power original=
max speed main= 166 km/h
max speed alt= 90 knots, 103 mph
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main= 750 km
range alt= 406 nm, 467mi
ceiling main= 4,500 m
ceiling alt= 14,760 ft
climb rate main= 3.30 m/s
climb rate alt= 649 ft/min
loading main= 54.2 kg/m²
loading alt= 11.8 lb/ft²
thrust/weight=
power/mass main= 98.6 W/kg
power/mass alt= 0.0601 hp/lb
more performance=
* Endurance: 4-5 hr cruise
* Climb to 1000 m (3,280 ft): 5 min
armament=
* 2 × 7.92 mm machine guns
* 350 kg (770 lb) of bombs

ee also

aircontent
related=
similar aircraft=
*Friedrichshafen G.I, G.II, G.III, G.IV,
*Gotha G.I, G.II, G.III, G.IV, G.V|
lists=
* List of military aircraft of Germany
* List of bomber aircraft
see also=

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Molson, Kenneth M. "Canada's National Aviation Museum: Its History and Collections". Ottawa, Canada: National Museum of Science and Technology , 1988. ISBN 0-17596-248-1.

External links

* [http://worldatwar.net/chandelle/v2/v2n1/1919.html Plan 1919]
* [http://www.aviation.technomuses.ca/collections/artifacts/aircraft/AEG.shtml A.E.G. G.IV]