Albatros C.I

Infobox Aircraft
name=Albatros C.I


caption=
type= Reconnaissance aircraft
manufacturer=Albatros Flugzeugwerke
designer=
first flight=
introduced= 1915
retired= 1917 [Cowin, H.W. "German and Austrian Aviation of World War I". Osprey Publishing Ltd, 2000 ISBN 1-841-76069-2]
status=
primary user= "Luftstreitkräfte"
more users= Polish Air Force Lithuanian Air Force
produced=
number built=
developed from = Albatros B.II
variants with their own articles= Albatros C.III

The Albatros C.I was the first of the successful C-series of two-seat general-purpose biplanes built by Albatros Flugzeugwerke during the First World War. Based on the unarmed Albatros B.II, the C.I reversed the pilot and observer seating so that the observer occupied the rear cockpit which was fitted with a ring-mounted 7,92 mm Parabellum machine gun.

Design and development

When the C.I first appeared in early 1915, its good handling and powerful 150-hp Benz Bz.III engine gave it an edge over most Allied aircraft. During development of the type, successively more powerful engines were fitted, culminating in the 180hp Argus As III which allowed the final version of the C.Ia to achieve 87mph at sea level with an operational ceiling of 9840 feet. [Cowin, H.W. "German and Austrian Aviation of World War I". Osprey Publishing Ltd, 2000 ISBN 1-841-76069-2] A dual-control variant, designated the C.Ib, was built as a trainer aircraft by Mercur Flugzeugbau. Improvements to the C.I resulted in the Albatros C.III which became the most prolific of the Albatros C-types.

Operational history

While the C.I was operated mainly in a reconnaissance and observation role, it also had some success as an early fighter aircraft - Oswald Boelcke claimed his first victory while flying a C.I with Lt. von Wühlisch as the gunner. Germany's most famous First World War aviator, Manfred von Richthofen, also began his career as an observer in the C.I on the Eastern Front.

Variants

;C.I:Two-seat reconnaissance aircraft. First production version.;C.Ia:Improved version powered by more powerful Argus As III engine.;C.Ib:Dual-control training version built by Mercur Flugzeugbau.;C.I-V:Experimenal aircraft. One built.

Operators

;flag|German Empire
*"Luftstreitkräfte";flag|Lithuania|1918
*Lithuanian Air Force operated this type postwar.;POL
*Polish Air Force operated 49 aircraft postwar.

pecifications (C.I)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?= plane
jet or prop?= prop
ref=
crew= two, pilot and observer
capacity=
length main= 7.85 m
length alt= 25 ft 9 in
span main= 12.9 m
span alt= 42 ft 4 in
height main= 3.14 m
height alt= 10 ft 4 in
area main=
area alt=
airfoil=
empty weight main=
empty weight alt=
loaded weight main= 1,190 kg
loaded weight alt= 2,620 lb
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=
engine (prop)= Benz Bz.III
type of prop= liquid-cooled inline engine
number of props=1
power main= 112 kW
power alt= 150 hp
power original=
max speed main= 140 km/h
max speed alt= 76 knots, 87 mph
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main=
range alt=
ceiling main= 3,000 m
ceiling alt= 9,840 ft
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
* Endurance: 2½ hrs
armament=
* 1 × 7.92 mm Parabellum MG14 machine gun in observer's cockpit
avionics=

References

External links

* [http://www.muzeumlotnictwa.pl/gfx/albatros_c_i_197_15_f16.jpgProfile of the plane on page of the Polish Aviation Museum]

ee also

aircontent
related=
Albatros B.II -
Albatros C.III

similar aircraft=
Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 - Rumpler C.I

lists=
* List of military aircraft of Germany

see also=