Gotha WD.2
Gotha · Germany · first flew 1914 · reconnaissance aircraft
The Gotha WD.2 was the lead type of a family of reconnaissance seaplanes produced in Germany around the start of the First World War.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 10.5 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Conventional three-bay biplane with tandem open cockpits
- Twin pontoons as landing gear
- Developed from the Avro 503
It is a three-bay floatplane biplane with an open observer's seat directly under the upper wing.
Specifications
- The Gotha WD.2 has a length of 10.5 m (34 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 15.6 m (51 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 112 km/h (70 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was a development of the Avro 503, which Gotha had built under licence as the WD.1. It first flew in April 1914. The WD.2 used a 150 hp Benz Bz.III.
Variants
The family included the WD.5, WD.9, WD.12, WD.13 and WD.15. The WD.12 had a close-fitting engine cowl and spinner, and the WD.15 had a plywood-covered fuselage.
Where you'll see it
It served with the Imperial German Navy and with Ottoman aviation squadrons, whose aircraft carried a machine gun on the upper wing.
Related aircraft
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