Rumpler C.I

C.I
Role Reconnaissance aircraft
Manufacturer Rumpler Flugzeugwerke
Introduction 1915
Primary users Luftstreitkräfte
Poland
Produced 1915 - 1917
Variants Rumpler 6B-1
C type crash in Belgium

Entering service in 1915, the Rumpler C.I, company designation 5A 2,[1] two-seater single-engine reconnaissance biplane, was one of the first German C-type aircraft, and also one of the longest serving in its class during World War I, being retired from the last front line units only in early 1918.

Design and development

The C.I was a successful design, and it was used on Western and Eastern Fronts, Macedonia, Salonika and Palestine. Early production examples were armed only with a single Parabellum machine gun on a Schneider ring mounting, but later aircraft had additionally a synchronised Spandau gun on the port side of fuselage. When used as a light bomber the C.I could also carry 100 kg of bombs.

In addition to the parent company, the Bayerische Rumpler-Werke, the Rumpler C.I was also produced by the Germania Flugzeug-Werke, the Märkische Flugzeug-Werke, the Hannoversche Waggonfabrik and the Albert Rinne Flugzeug-Werke. Variants included the C.Ia, which used a 180 hp Argus As.III engine instead of Mercedes D.III, the C.II, of which there's no evidence that any were actually built, 6B-1 single-seat floatplane fighter, and a Rumpler-built batch of C.Is intended for training which omitted the gun ring in the rear cockpit and was powered by a 150 hp Benz Bz.III.

It was this training role in which the C.I was latterly used, its friendly handling qualities making it suitable to be flown even by inexperienced pilots.

Operators

 German Empire
 Latvia
 Poland
 Turkey
 Kingdom of Yugoslavia

Specifications (C.I)

General characteristics

Performance

Armament

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rumpler aircraft.

Notes

  1. Gray, Peter & Thetford, Owen. German Aircraft of the First World War. London, Putnam. (2nd Ed.) 1970. ISBN 0-370-00103-6

Bibliography

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