Gotha G.III

Gotha G.III
Role	Bomber
Manufacturer	Gothaer Waggonfabrik
Designer	Hans Burkhard
First flight	1916
Introduction	1916
Status	retired
Primary user	Luftstreitkräfte
Produced	1916
Number built	25

The Gotha G.III was a twin-engine biplane heavy bomber used by the Luftstreitkräfte (Imperial German Air Service) during World War I. It succeeded the G.II in production and differed primarily in powerplant and in armament details. The G.II's unreliable V-8 Mercedes D.IV was replaced by the new inline six-cylinder 190 kW (250 hp) Mercedes D.IVa engine. The G.III also had a strengthened fuselage with an extra 7.92 mm (0.312 in) machine gun firing through a ventral gun tunnel in the belly to protect the underside of the tail.

Operational history

Most of the 25 G.III aircraft produced were delivered to Kampfgeschwader der Obersten Heeresleitung (Kagohl) 1, operating in the Balkans out of Hudova which were under direct control of the Oberste Heeresleitung high command of the German Army. Combat service of the G.III was limited and its most notable accomplishment was in September 1916, when a formation of G.IIIs destroyed a railway bridge over the Danube River at Cernavodă, Romania. It also saw use by Kagohl 2 on the Western Front, operating from Freiburg. Following the delivery of the G.IIIs to this unit, its commander complained to Berlin about the performance of the aircraft because they were outrunning their escort fighters. In September 1917, surviving aircraft were relegated to training units.

Operators

German Empire

• Luftstreitkräfte

Specifications

General characteristics

• Crew: Three
• Length: 12.2 m (40 ft 0 in)
• Wingspan: 23.7 m (77 ft 9 in)
• Height: 3.9 m (12 ft 10 in)
• Wing area: 89.5 m² (963 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 2,383 kg (5,254 lb)
• Gross weight: 3,618 kg (7,976 lb)
• Powerplant: 2 × Mercedes D.IVa , 193 kW (260 hp) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 135 km/h (84 mph, 73 kn)
• Endurance: 3 hours 45 minutes

Armament

• 2 to 3 × 7.92 mm (0.312 in) Parabellum MG14 machine guns
• 500 kg (1,100 lb) of bombs

See also

• Gotha Raids

Related development

• Gotha G.II

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• AEG G.IV
• Friedrichshafen G.II
• Handley Page Type O
• Letord Let.5
• Sikorsky Ilya Muromets

Related lists

• List of military aircraft of Germany
• List of bomber aircraft

References

References

• Grosz, Peter M. (1966). The Gotha GI - GV. Leatherhead, Surrey: Profile Publications.
• Grosz, Peter M. (1994). Gotha!. Berkhamstead, Hertfordshire: Albatros Productions.
• Herris, Jack (2013). Gotha Aircraft of WWI: A Centennial Perspective on Great War Airplanes. Great War Aviation Centennial Series. Vol. 6. Charleston, South Carolina: Aeronaut Books. ISBN 978-1-935881-14-8.
• Klaauw, Bart van der (March–April 1999). "Unexpected Windfalls: Accidentally or Deliberately, More than 100 Aircraft 'arrived' in Dutch Territory During the Great War". Air Enthusiast (80): 54–59. ISSN 0143-5450.
• Murphy, Justin (2005). Military Aircraft, Origins to 1918: An Illustrated History of Their Impact. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 1851094881.