Albatros C.I

Albatros C.I

Role	Reconnaissance aircraft
Manufacturer	Albatros Flugzeugwerke
Introduction	1915
Retired	1917^[1]
Primary users	Luftstreitkräfte Polish Air Force Lithuanian Air Force
Developed from	Albatros B.II
Variants	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 World War I. 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 (0.312 in) Parabellum MG14 machine gun.

Design and development

When the C.I first appeared in early 1915, its good handling and powerful 110 kW (150 hp) Benz Bz.III engine gave it an edge over most Allied aircraft.^[2] During development of the type, successively more powerful engines were fitted, culminating in the 130 kW (180 hp) Argus As III which allowed the final version of the C.Ia to achieve 140 km/h (87 mph) at sea level with an operational ceiling of 3,000 m (9,840 ft).^[1] 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 World War I 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, built by BFW and by LFG
C.Ib: Dual-control training version built by Mercur Flugzeugbau.
C.If
C.Ifd
C.I-V: Experimental aircraft. One built.

Operators

Bulgaria

Bulgarian Air Force

German Empire

Luftstreitkräfte

Lithuania

Lithuanian Air Force operated this type postwar.

Poland

Polish Air Force operated 49 aircraft postwar.

Sweden

Swedish Air Force (Postwar)

Turkey

Ottoman Air Force

Specifications (C.I)

Data from German aircraft of the First World War^[3]

General characteristics

Crew: 2
Length: 7.85 m (25 ft 9 in)
Wingspan: 12.9 m (42 ft 4 in)
Height: 3.14 m (10 ft 3⅝ in)
Wing area: 40.4 m² (437 ft²)
Empty weight: 875 kg (1,925 lb)
Gross weight: 1,190 kg (2,618 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Mercedes D.III, 119 kW (160 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 132 km/h (82.5 mph)
Endurance: 2½ hours
Service ceiling: 3,000 m (9,840 ft)
Rate of climb: 1.7 m/s (336.5 ft/min)

Armament

1 × 7.92 mm (0.312 in) Parabellum MG14 machine gun in observer's cockpit

References

Notes

1 2 Cowin 2000
↑ van Wyngarden 2006
↑ Gray and Thetford 1970, pp.22-3

Bibliography

Angelucci, Enzo. The Rand McNally Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft, 1914-1980. San Diego, California: The Military Press, 1983. ISBN 0-517-41021-4.
Cowin, H.W. German and Austrian Aviation of World War I. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing Ltd, 2000. ISBN 1-84176-069-2.
Gray, Peter and Owen Thetford. German aircraft of the First World War. London: Putnam, 1970, 2nd edition. ISBN 0-370-00103-6.
van Wyngarden, G. Early German Aces of World War I. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing Ltd, 2006. ISBN 1-84176-997-5

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Albatros C.I.

Aircraft designed and built by Albatros Flugzeugwerke

Early aircraft

Military
designations

Dr.I
Dr.II

J.I
J.II

Company
designations

Landflugzeug (Landplanes)	L 1 L 2 L 3 L 4 L 5 L 6 L 7 L 8 L 9 L 10 L 11 L 12 L 13 L 14 L 15 L 16 L 17 L 18 L 19 L 20 L 21 L 22 L 23 L 24 L 25 L 26 L 27 L 28 L 29 L 30 L 31 L 32 L 33 L 34 L 35 L 36 L 37 L 38 L 39 L 40 L 41 L 42 L 43 L 44 L 45 L 46 L 47 L 48 (project) L.49 L 50 (project) L 52 L 54 L 55 L 56 L 57 L 58 L 59 L 60 L 65 L 66 L 67 L 68 L 69 L 70 L 71 L 72 L 73 L 74 L 75 L 76 L 77 L 78 L 79 L 81 L 82 L 83 L 84 L 100 L 101 L 102 L 103

Wasserflugzeug (Waterplanes)	W.1 W.2 W.3 W.4 W.5 W.8

Höhenflugzeug (High Altitude)	H.1

World War I aircraft of the Central Powers

Fighters	AEG D.I AEG Dr.I Albatros D.I Albatros D.II Albatros D.III Albatros D.V Aviatik D.I Aviatik C.VI Daimler L.6 Euler D.I Euler D.II Fokker D.I Fokker D.II Fokker D.III Fokker D.IV Fokker D.V Fokker D.VI Fokker D.VII Fokker D.VIII Fokker Dr.I Fokker E.I Fokker E.II Fokker E.III Fokker E.IV Fokker E.V Halberstadt D.II Hannover CL.II Hannover CL.III Hannover CL.IV Hannover CL.V Hansa-Brandenburg W.12 Hansa-Brandenburg W.29 Junkers D.I Kondor D.6 Kondor E.III Naglo D.II Pfalz D.III Pfalz D.XII Pfalz Dr.I Pfalz E.I Pfalz E.II Phönix D.I LFG Roland D.II LFG Roland D.VI Siemens-Schuckert D.I Siemens-Schuckert D.II Siemens-Schuckert D.III Siemens-Schuckert D.IV Siemens-Schuckert L.I Zeppelin-Lindau D.I

Bombers and ground attack	AEG DJ.I AEG G.I AEG G.II AEG G.III AEG G.IV AEG G.V AEG J.I AEG J.II AEG R.I Friedrichshafen G.II Friedrichshafen G.III Gotha G.I Gotha G.II Gotha G.III Gotha G.IV Gotha G.V Gotha GL.VII Gotha G.IX Hannover CL.II Junkers CL.I Junkers J.I Rumpler G.I Rumpler G.II Rumpler G.III Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.II Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.III Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.IV Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI

Reconnaissance	AEG B.I AEG B.II AEG B.III AEG C.I AEG C.II AEG C.III AEG C.IV AEG C.V AEG C.VI AEG C.VII AEG C.VIII AGO C.I AGO C.II AGO C.III AGO C.IV AGO C.VII AGO C.VIII Albatros B.I Albatros B.II Albatros C.I Albatros C.III Albatros C.V Albatros C.VII Albatros C.IX Albatros C.X Albatros C.XII Aviatik B.I Aviatik B.II Aviatik C.I Aviatik C.VI DFW C.V LFG Roland C.II LVG B.I LVG C.II Rumpler C.I Rumpler C.IV Rumpler Taube

Trainers	Euler D.I

Prototypes	Albatros C.II Fokker V.1 Fokker V.2 Junkers J 1 Junkers J 2 Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.I

Aviation in World War I

People and aircraft	Commanders Aces Aircraft of the Entente Powers Aircraft of the Central Powers Zeppelins

Campaigns and battles	Strategic bombing German Cuxhaven Bombing of cities Aerial reconnaissance Fokker Scourge Flight over Vienna Bloody April Battles

Entente Powers air services	British air services Royal Flying Corps Royal Naval Air Service Royal Air Force Australian Flying Corps Canadian Air Force (1918–20) French Air Service Imperial Russian Air Service Royal Italian Air Corps United States Army Air Service Greek air services Army Air Service Naval Air Service

Central Powers air services	Imperial German Air Service Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Aviation Troops Ottoman Aviation Squadrons Bulgarian Army Aeroplane Section

Idflieg C-, CL-, CS-, and CLS-class aircraft designations

C- and CL-	AEG C.I C.II C.III C.IV C.V C.VI C.VII C.VIII AGO C.I C.II C.III C.IV C.VII C.VII Albatros C.I C.II C.III C.IV C.V C.VI C.VII C.VIII C.IX C.X C.XI C.XII C.XIII C.XIV C.XV Aviatik C.I C.II C.III C.V C.VI C.VIII C.IX BFW CL.I CL.II CL.III CL.IV DFW C.I C.II C.III C.IV C.V C.VI Fokker C.I Friedrichshafen C.I Germania C.I C.II C.IV Halberstadt C.I CL.II C.III CL.IV C.V C.VII C.VIII C.IX CLS.X Hannover C.I CL.II CL.III CL.IV CL.V Junkers CL.I LFG/Roland C.I C.II C.III C.V C.VIII LVG C.I C.II C.III C.IV C.V C.VI C.VIII OAW C.I C.II Otto C.I C.II Pfalz C.I Rumpler C.I C.III C.IV C.V C.VI C.VII C.VIII C.IX C.X Sablatnig C.I C.II C.III Schütte-Lanz C.I Zeppelin-Friedrichshafen C.I C.II Zeppelin-Lindau C.I C.II

CLS-	Albatros CLS.I Halberstadt CLS.I CLS.II (see also main sequence above) Junkers CLS.I

CS-	Zeppelin-Lindau CS.I

Flygvapnet advanced trainer designations pre-1940

Ö 1 Ö 2 Ö 3 Ö 4 Ö 5 Ö 6 Ö 7 Ö 8 Ö 9 Ö 10

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