Rumpler G.I

G.I, G.II and G.III

Rumpler G.III
Role	Bomber aircraft
National origin	Germany
Manufacturer	Rumpler
First flight	1915
Primary user	Luftstreitkräfte
Number built	ca. 222

Rumpler G.I

The Rumpler G.I was a bomber aircraft produced in Germany during World War I, together with refined versions known as the G.II and G.III.^[1]

Design and development

Based on a prototype with the factory designation 4A15, the G.I and its successors were built to a conventional bomber design for their time, two-bay biplanes with unstaggered wings of unequal span.^[2] The pilot sat in an open cockpit just forward of the wings, and open positions were provided in the nose and amidships for a gunner and observer. The engines were mounted pusher-fashion in nacelles atop the lower wings and enclosed in streamlined cowlings.^[2] Fixed tricycle undercarriage was fitted, with dual wheels on each unit.^[2]

The G.II version was almost identical, but featured more powerful engines and carried a second 7.92 mm (.312 in) machine gun and increased bombload.^[2] The G.III was again similar, but had engine nacelles that were now mounted on short struts clear of the lower wing.^[2]

Variants

Rumpler G.II

4A15 - prototype with Benz Bz.III engines^[3]
5A15 - G.I production version with single machine gun and Benz Bz.III or Mercedes D.III engines^[4] (ca 60 built)^[2]
5A16 - G.II production version with Benz Bz.IV engines and two machine guns^[5] (ca. 72 built)^[6]
6G2 - G.III production version with Mercedes D.IV engines and two machine guns^[7] (ca. 90 built)^[6]

Specifications (G.III)

Rumpler G.III

Data from Kroschel & Stützer 1994, p.140

General characteristics

Crew: Three
Length: 12.00 m (39 ft 4 in)
Wingspan: 19.30 m (63 ft 4 in)
Height: 4.50 m (19 ft 2 in)
Wing area: 73.0 m² (785 ft²)
Empty weight: 2,365 kg (5,203 lb)
Gross weight: 3,620 kg (7,964 lb)
Powerplant: 2 × Mercedes D.IV, 190 kW (260 hp) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 165 km/h (103 mph)
Range: 700 km (440 miles)
Service ceiling: 5,000 m (16,000 ft)

Armament

1 × trainable 7.92 mm (.312 in) Parabellum MG14 machine gun in nose
1 × trainable 7.92 mm (.312 in) Parabellum MG14 machine gun in dorsal position
250 kg (550 lb) of bombs

Notes

↑ Taylor 1989, p.772
1 2 3 4 5 6 The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft, p.2834
↑ Gray & Thetford 1962, p.529
↑ Gray & Thetford 1962, p.530
↑ Gray & Thetford 1962, p.531
1 2 Kroschel & Stützer 1994, p.140
↑ Gray & Thetford 1962, p.532

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rumpler G.I, Rumpler G.II and Rumpler G.III.

Gray, Peter; Owen Thetford (1962). German Aircraft of the First World War. London: Putnam.
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft. London: Aerospace Publishing.
Kroschel, Günter; Helmut Stützer (1994). Die Deutschen Militärflugzeuge 1910–1918. Herford: Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn.
Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions.

Aircraft designed and built by Rumpler

Military designations

Unarmed two-seaters	B.I

Armed two-seaters	C.I C.II C.III C.IV C.V C.VI C.VII C.VIII C.IX C.X

Armed single-seaters	D.I

Large aircraft	G.I G.II G.III

Company designations

1914	4A 4A13 4A14 4A15 4B1 4B2 4B11 4B12 4C 4E

1915	5A2 5A3 5A4 5A15 5A16

1916	6A2 6A5 6A6 6A7 6B1 6B2 6G2

1917	7C1 7D1-7D8

1918	8C14 8D1

Idflieg G-class aircraft designations

AEG G.I G.II G.III G.IV G.V Albatros G.I G.II G.III G.IV Friedrichshafen G.I G.II G.III G.IV G.V Gotha G.I G.II G.III G.IV G.V G.VI G.VII G.VIII G.IX G.X Halberstadt G.I LFG G.I LVG G.I G.II G.III Rumpler G.I G.II G.III Schütte-Lanz G.I Siemens-Schuckert G.I G.II G.III

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