Gotha G.III

__NOTOC__ infobox Aircraft
name = Gotha G.III
type = Bomber
manufacturer = Gothaer Waggonfabrik AG



caption =
designer = Hans Burkhard
first flight = 1916
introduced =
retired =
status =
primary user = "Luftstreitkräfte"
more users =
produced = 1916
number built = 25
unit cost =
variants with their own articles =

The Gotha G.III was a heavy bomber used by the "Luftstreitkräfte" (Imperial German Air Service) during the First World War. It succeeded the Gotha G.II in production and differed primarily in the choice of powerplant. The eight-cylinder Mercedes D.IV, which had proven highly susceptible to crankshaft failure, was replaced by the new six-cylinder 260 hp Mercedes D.IVa engine. The G.III also featured a reinforced fuselage with an extra machine gun firing through a ventral trapdoor.

Most of the 25 G.III aircraft produced were delivered to "Kagohl" 1, operating in the Balkans out of Hudova. Combat service of the G.III was limited but effective. Its most notable accomplishment came in September 1916, when a formation of G.III aircraft destroyed the railway bridge over the Danube River at Chernavoda, Romania. It also saw use by "Kagohl" 2 on the Western Front, operating from Freiburg. Following the delivery of the G.IIIs to this unit, its commander complained to Berlin about the performance of the aircraft, not because they were too slow, but because they was outrunning their escort fighters. In September 1917, all surviving aircraft were withdrawn from combat and relegated to training units.

Operators

;flag|German Empire
*"Luftstreitkräfte"

pecifications

aerospecs
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met or eng?= met

crew=Three
capacity=
length m=12.2
length ft=40
length in=0
span m=23.7
span ft=77
span in=9
swept m=
swept ft=
swept in=
rot number=
rot dia m=
rot dia ft=
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dia m=
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width m=
width ft=
width in=
height m=3.9
height ft=12
height in=10
wing area sqm=89.5
wing area sqft=563
swept area sqm=
swept area sqft=
rot area sqm=
rot area sqft=
volume m3=
volume ft3=
aspect ratio=
empty weight kg=2,383
empty weight lb=5,253
gross weight kg=3,618
gross weight lb=7,976
lift kg=
lift lb=

eng1 number=2
eng1 type=Mercedes D.IVa
eng1 kw= 193
eng1 hp= 260
eng1 kn=
eng1 lbf=
eng1 kn-ab=
eng1 lbf-ab=
eng2 number=
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max speed kmh=135
max speed mph=83
max speed mach=
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range km=
range miles=
endurance h= 3
endurance min= 45
ceiling m=
ceiling ft=
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armament1=2 to 3 × 7.92 mm Parabellum LMG 14 machine guns
armament2=500 kg (1,100 lb) of bombs
armament3=
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armament5=
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ee also

aircontent
sequence=

similar aircraft=
*AEG G.I, AEG G.II, AEG G.III, AEG G.IV, AEG G.V
*Friedrichshafen G.I, G.II, G.III, G.IV

lists=
* List of military aircraft of Germany
* List of bomber aircraft
see also=
Gotha Raids

References

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