Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI
Zeppelin-Staaken · German Empire · first flew 1916 · bomber
The Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI was the most-produced of the German Riesenflugzeug (Giant Aircraft) heavy bombers of World War I, capable of reaching England from Belgian bases and delivering a bomb load that no single-engine aircraft of the era could approach. Its four engines were arranged in push-pull tandem pairs in nacelles between the biplane wings.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Triplane undercarriage with multiple main wheels under the fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Enormous WWI biplane with four engines mounted in push-pull nacelles between the wings
- Triplane undercarriage with multiple main wheels under the fuselage
- One of the largest aircraft of WWI — over 42 m wingspan
The sheer scale — over 42 m wingspan — and the push-pull engine nacelles mounted between substantial equal-span biplane wings immediately identify the R.VI; it dwarfs all single-engine contemporaries.
Specifications
- The Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI has a length of 22.1 m (73 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 42.2 m (138 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 135 km/h (84 mph).
- Typical crew: 7.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The R.VI entered service in 1917 and conducted strategic bombing raids against London and south-east England alongside Gotha bombers. Eighteen examples were built and they proved extremely difficult to intercept due to their high operational altitude for the period. Several raids caused significant casualties and material damage in England.
Variants
The R.VI was the standard production variant of the broader R-plane programme; earlier marks such as the R.IV and R.V were experimental, and the later R.XIV featured further engine upgrades.
Where you'll see it
Operated exclusively by the Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte on the Western Front, conducting night bombing raids against Britain and behind Allied lines until the Armistice in November 1918.
Related aircraft
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