Zeppelin-Staaken R.XV

Zeppelin-Werke Staaken · Germany · first flew 1918 · bomber

The Zeppelin-Staaken R.XV was among the last marks of the German WWI Riesenflugzeug programme, essentially equivalent to the R.XIV in dimensions but with potentially different engine specification or payload arrangements. It was completed in the final months of the First World War.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, straight
E — Engines	4 × piston, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	22.5 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Final-series Zeppelin-Staaken Riesenflugzeug with 42.2 m wingspan
Four-engine tractor-pusher biplane bomber from late WWI
Same external configuration as R.XIV but potentially with revised engine fit

Indistinguishable from the R.XIV without detailed inspection; both share the 22.5 m fuselage and 42.2 m wingspan — documentary evidence is required for sub-type identification.

Specifications

The Zeppelin-Staaken R.XV has a length of 22.5 m (74 ft).
It has a wingspan of 42.2 m (138 ft).
Typical crew: 7–9.

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

History

Like the R.XIV, the R.XV was completed in 1918 as the German strategic bombing programme sought to maintain momentum. The Armistice curtailed its operational use, and the handful of completed airframes were subsequently destroyed. The R.XV closes out the main Zeppelin-Staaken R-series.

Variants

The R.XV is considered a separate mark from the R.XIV; no distinct sub-variants were produced within the R.XV designation.

Where you'll see it

Operational use was minimal given the 1918 completion date and the November Armistice; the type is significant primarily as the final development of the Zeppelin-Staaken line.

Related aircraft

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