Albatros C.VII
Albatros Flugzeugwerke · Germany · first flew 1916 · reconnaissance aircraft
The Albatros C.VII was a German military reconnaissance biplane of the First World War. It was a revised and re-engined development of the Albatros C.V.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Radiators attached to the sides of the fuselage just forward of the lower wing leading edge |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Biplane two-seater with a Benz Bz.IV engine whose cylinder block protruded above the inspection panels
- Radiators attached to the sides of the fuselage just forward of the lower wing leading edge
- Forward-firing machine gun for the pilot and a flexible gun for the observer
The Benz cylinder block stands proud of the engine panels and the radiators sit on the fuselage sides ahead of the lower wing.
Specifications
- The Albatros C.VII has a length of 8.7 m (29 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 12.78 m (42 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 170 km/h (106 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was developed rapidly during 1916, replacing the unreliable Mercedes D.IV of the C.V with the Benz Bz.IV. It was considered a stop-gap design but had excellent handling qualities.
Variants
The C.VI was a related design that was not pursued for production. A night-bomber variant was designated N.I, and one C.VII was converted for civil use as the L 18.
Where you'll see it
It entered Luftstreitkraefte service in late 1916 and served on all fronts. About 350 were in service at the peak of operations, when it made up the bulk of German reconnaissance aircraft.
Related aircraft
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