Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.IV

Luftschiffbau Zeppelin · Germany · first flew 1918 · bomber

The Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.IV was a large German four-engine flying boat of World War I, designed for long-range maritime patrol and bombing, developed under Claude Dornier's direction at the Zeppelin works at Lindau.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — WingsMid-mounted, straight
E — Engines4 × piston, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage22.7 m fuselage
T — TailConventional

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Spot it by:

A large biplane flying boat with four tractor engines mounted in the upper wing, a deep hull, and the general configuration that prefigures later Dornier flying boat designs.

Specifications

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

History

First flown in 1918 near the end of World War I, the Rs.IV was among the most advanced large flying boats of the conflict. It represented an important step in the development of large multi-engine flying boats that would influence subsequent Dornier designs.

Variants

The Rs series progressed through several prototypes (Rs.I through Rs.IV); each was essentially a separate developmental aircraft.

Where you'll see it

Did not see operational service before the Armistice; remained an experimental and developmental type.

Related aircraft

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