LFG Roland C.II

Infobox Aircraft
name = LFG Roland C.II
type = Reconnaissance Aircraft
manufacturer = Luft-Fahrzeug-Gesellschaft G.m.b.H.

---

caption =
designer = Dipl. Ing. Tantzen
first flight = 1915
introduced = 1916
retired =
status =
primary user = "Luftstreitkräfte"
more users =
produced =
number built =
unit cost =
variants with their own articles = The LFG Roland C.II, usually known as the "Walfisch" (Whale), was an advanced German reconnaissance aircraft of World War I manufactured by Luft-Fahrzeug-Gesellschaft G.m.b.H.

Operational history

It first saw service in Autumn 1915 and was a biplane with the upper wing fixed on top of the monocoque, whale-shaped fuselage, built with an outer skin of two layers of this plywood strips at an angle to each other (known as a "Wickelrumpf", or "wrapped body" design), and a single outboard strut.

Operationally, handling was reported as difficult but performance was relatively good. It was also used in a fighter escort role and had a crew of two, pilot and observer/gunner. The C.II was powered by a single 160 hp (120kW) Mercedes D III, was capable of 165km/h and had a ceiling of 4000m with an endurance of four hours.

Variant

* C.II : Two-seat reconnaissance, escort fighter biplane.
* C.IIa : Generally similar to the Roland C.II, but fitted with revised and reinforced wingtips.

Operators

;flag|German Empire
*"Luftstreitkräfte"

pecifications (C.II)

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop

capacity=
length main= 7,52 m
length alt= ft in
span main=10,33 m
span alt= ft in
height main= m
height alt= ft in
area main= 26,00 m²
area alt= ft
airfoil=
empty weight main= kg
empty weight alt= lb
loaded weight main= kg
loaded weight alt= lb
useful load main= kg
useful load alt= lb
max takeoff weight main= kg
max takeoff weight alt= lb

engine (jet)=
type of jet=
number of jets=
thrust main= lbf
thrust alt= kN
engine (prop)=
type of prop=
number of props=1
power main= hp
power alt= kW
max speed main= 165 km/h at sea level
max speed alt= mph at ft
cruise speed main= km/h
cruise speed alt= mph
never exceed speed main= km/h
never exceed speed alt= mph
stall speed main= km/h
stall speed alt= mph
range main= 4 hours
range alt= of flying time
ceiling main= 4000 m
ceiling alt= ft
climb rate main= 30 minutes to 3000 m
climb rate alt= minutes to ft
loading main= kg/m²
loading alt= lb/ft²
more performance=

crew=2, pilot and observer

loaded weight main= 1309 kg
engine (prop)= Mercedes D.III water-cooled in-line
type of prop=
power main=160 hp
power alt=120 kw

Armament

A centrally mounted synchronized Spandau 7.92mm gun was provided for the pilot on later models. The observer had a Parabellum gun on a ring mounting. A tubular half-hoop was fitted between the cockpits to prevent possible damage to the airscrew from depressing the gun too much when firing forward.

A load of four 12,5 kg bombs could also be carried under the fuselage.

References

* Munson, Kenneth - Bombers, Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft 1914 - 1919 ISBN 0 7537 0918 X