LFG Roland C.II
| LFG Roland C.II | |
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| Role | Reconnaissance Aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Luft-Fahrzeug-Gesellschaft G.m.b.H. |
| Designer | Dipl. Ing. Tantzen |
| First flight | 1915 |
| Introduction | 1916 |
| Primary user | Luftstreitkräfte |
The LFG Roland C.II, usually known as the Walfisch (Whale), was an advanced German reconnaissance aircraft of World War I. It was manufactured by Luft-Fahrzeug-Gesellschaft G.m.b.H.
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[edit] Operational history
The C.II featured a monocoque fuselage built with an outer skin of two layers of thin plywood strips at an angle to each other (known as a Wickelrumpf, or "wrapped body" design). The deep fuselage completely filled the gap between the mainplanes and gave the aircraft its nickname.
The C.II was powered by a single 160 hp (120 kW) Mercedes D III, providing a top speed of 165 km/h, a ceiling of 4000m, and an endurance of four hours. The thin wings gave a mediocre rate of climb.
The C.II entered service in the spring of 1916. Operationally, handling was reported as difficult but performance was relatively good. It was also used in a fighter escort role and had a crew of two, pilot and observer/gunner.
[edit] Variant
- C.II : Two-seat reconnaissance, escort fighter biplane.
- C.IIa : Generally similar to the Roland C.II, but fitted with revised and reinforced wingtips and larger vertical stabilizer.
[edit] Operators
[edit] Specifications (C.II)
General characteristics
- Crew: 2, pilot and observer
- Length: 7,52 m (24 ft 8 in)
- Wingspan: 10,33 m (33 ft 10.5 in)
- Height: 2,89 m (9 ft 6 in)
- Wing area: 26,00 m² (300.85 ft2)
- Empty weight: 789 kg (1,736 lb)
- Loaded weight: 1309 kg (2,880 lb)
- Useful load: kg (lb)
- Max. takeoff weight: kg (lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Mercedes D.III water-cooled in-line, 160 hp (120 kw)
Performance
- Never exceed speed: km/h (mph)
- Maximum speed: 165 km/h at sea level (102 mph)
- Cruise speed: km/h (mph)
- Stall speed: km/h (mph)
- Range: 825 km (511 miles)
- Service ceiling: 4000 m (ft)
- Rate of climb: 7 minutes to 1 000 m (7 minutes to 3,280 ft)
- Wing loading: kg/m² (lb/ft²)
[edit] Armament
A centrally mounted synchronized Spandau 7.92mm gun was provided for the pilot on later models. The observer had a Parabellum gun on a ring mounting. A tubular half-hoop "roll bar" was fitted between the cockpits to prevent possible damage to the airscrew from depressing the gun too much when firing forward.
A load of four 12.5 kg bombs could also be carried under the fuselage.
[edit] References
- Munson, Kenneth - Bombers, Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft 1914 - 1919 ISBN 0 7537 0918 X
[edit] Comparable aircraft
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