Albatros L 76 Aeolus

Albatros · Germany · first flew 1927 · reconnaissance aircraft

The Albatros L 76 Aeolus was a German two-seat military reconnaissance aircraft built by Albatros in 1927. Only six were built, and it was used for testing and for training Soviet Air Force crews.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — WingsHigh-mounted, straight
E — Engines1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — FuselageFabric-covered welded steel-tube fuselage
T — TailConventional

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A two-seat reconnaissance type with strut-braced wooden wings, a fabric-covered fuselage and a single 600 hp BMW VI inline engine in the nose.

Specifications

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Built in the late 1920s, the L 76 had dual-spar wooden wings with plywood skins and a fabric-covered welded steel-tube fuselage. It proved difficult to fly and killed several pilots, which led to the improved Albatros L 77v designed by Ernst Heinkel Flugzeugwerke.

Variants

The L 77v, designed by Ernst Heinkel Flugzeugwerke, was the improved development; six L 76 were built.

Where you'll see it

Two aircraft went to the Soviet Union for tests and trials and for training Soviet Air Force crews. Fatal accidents included Paul Jeschonnek near Berlin in 1929 and Emil Thuy near Smolensk in 1930.

Related aircraft

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