Gotha G.III
Gotha · Germany · first flew 1916 · bomber
The Gotha G.III was a German World War I twin-engine heavy biplane bomber, one of the Gotha series that conducted the first strategic bombing raids on England.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Distinctive tunnel through fuselage for rear-firing gun |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- WWI German heavy biplane bomber with pusher engines
- Twin tail booms connecting wings to biplane tail
- Distinctive tunnel through fuselage for rear-firing gun
A large equal-span biplane with twin pusher engines mounted between the wings, a glazed nose gunner position, and the distinctive biplane tail carried on twin booms; the tunnel through the lower fuselage centre section for the ventral gun is an unusual feature.
Specifications
- The Gotha G.III has a length of 12.4 m (41 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 23.7 m (78 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 140 km/h (87 mph).
- Typical crew: 3.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The Gotha G series entered service in 1916–1917 and conducted bombing raids on London and south-east England that caused considerable civilian alarm and forced the reallocation of Allied fighter resources from the Western Front to home defence.
Variants
The G.III was followed by the G.IV and G.V which were the most-produced and most operationally significant; all shared the same basic twin-pusher-biplane layout.
Where you'll see it
Operated by the Imperial German Kampfgeschwader units; the Gotha raids on England in 1917 had a strategic impact disproportionate to the physical damage caused.
Related aircraft
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