DFW R types
The DFW RI-III were extremely heavy long-range bombers of the German air force in the First World War .
development
The Deutsche Flugzeug-Werke (DFW) tried to manufacture long-range bombers with their giant aircraft , which were suitable for strategic bombing with a long range and heavy bomb load . Since the German airship attacks were reduced and finally stopped due to heavy losses , giant aircraft on an even larger scale than before were to be used.
Similar to the Siemens-Schuckert R-types , the motors were housed inside the fuselage so that maintenance and repair work could be carried out during the flight. Two pairs of propellers - a push and a pull propeller - attached between the double-decker wings were driven by a shaft.
The RI was presented to Idflieg for approval on October 19, 1916, after which it was subjected to further modifications and finally adopted. One problem was caused by the considerable vibration that emanated from the shaft between the motors and propellers and that was contained by fixing it with steel struts. In 1917 new attempts were made after the renovation; then the aircraft was flown over Königsberg to the eastern front and handed over to the troops there. In addition, DFW received the order to build another aircraft.
As a result, the R.II was created in mid-1917 ; it first flew on September 17, 1917. Six of them were commissioned, but only two or three were built. A modified version was flown for the first time on July 22, 1918.
Towards the end of the war, the further development of the R.II to the R.III was planned, which, equipped with eight engines, should carry 2.5 t bombs. After the military defeat it was initially intended to redesign this bomber as a commercial aircraft for 24 passengers; however, these plans were abandoned due to the terms of the peace treaty .
commitment
The RI was stationed in Alt-Auz in Courland near Mitau and carried out two operational flights from there. During the second mission, the aircraft had to make an emergency landing due to failure of two engines and was destroyed.
The R.II stayed in Cologne for training because they did not meet the requirements of the front.
Technical specifications
| Parameter | DFW RI (T26, 1st form) | DFW RI (T26, after modification) | DFW R.II |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction year | 1916 | 1917 | 1918 |
| Intended use | bomber | ||
| crew | 5-6 | 6th | |
| length | 17.60 m | 20.93 m | |
| span | 29.50 m | 30.50 m | 35.06 m |
| height | 6.00 m | 6.40 m | |
| Wing area | 182.0 m² | 186.0 m² | 266.0 m² |
| Empty mass | 5,652 kg | 6,800 kg | 8,635 kg (9,032 kg) |
| Takeoff mass | 8,380 kg | 9,400 kg | 11,693 kg (12,460 kg) |
| Engines | four water-cooled eight-cylinder in- line engines Mercedes D IV; 220 PS (162 kW) each |
four water-cooled six-cylinder in-line engines Mercedes D IVa; 260 PS (191 kW) each |
|
| Top speed | 130 km / h | 120 km / h | 135 km / h |
| Climbing time to 1000 m | 10 min | ||
| Climbing time to 2000 m | 58 min | ||
| Ascent time to 3000 m | 53 min | ||
| Service ceiling | 3,300 m | ||
| Range | 720 km | 800 km (920 km) | |
| Flight duration | 6 h | ||
| Armament | 3 MG | 4 MG, 2,000 kg bombs | |
See also
literature
- George W. Haddow, Peter M. Grosz: The German Giants. The Story of the R-planes, 1914-1919. Putnam & Company Limited, London 1962.
- The German DFW Four-Engined Commercial Biplane. In: Flight September 25, 1919, pp. 1274-1278.
- Karlheinz Kens, Hanns Müller: The aircraft of the First World War 1914–1918. Heyne, Munich 1973, ISBN 3-453-00404-3 .
- Günter Kroschel, Helmut Stützer: The German military aircraft 1910–1918. Lohse-Eissing, Wilhelmshaven 1977, ISBN 3-920602-18-8 .
- Heinz Nowarra: The Development of Airplanes 1914–1918. Lehmanns, Munich 1959.
- Michael John Haddrick Taylor et al. (Ed.): Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. Studio Editions, London 1989, ISBN 1-85170-324-1 , p. 325.
Web links
- Description and detail photos (English)
Individual references / comments
- ^ Inspection of the aviators