Albatros Flugzeugwerke
| Industry | Aircraft manufacture |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1909 |
| Defunct | 1931 |
| Fate | Merged |
| Successor | Focke-Wulf |
| Headquarters | , Germany |
Key people | Enno Walther Huth |
Albatros-Flugzeugwerke GmbH was a German aircraft manufacturer best known for supplying the German airforces during World War I.
The company was based in Johannisthal, Berlin, where it was founded by Walter Huth and Otto Wiener on December 20, 1909.[1] The company (and its subsidiary, Ostdeutsche Albatros Werke (OAW)) produced some of the most capable fighter aircraft of World War I, notably the Albatros D.III and Albatros D.V, both designed by Robert Thelen for the firm. The works continued to operate until 1931, when it was merged into Focke-Wulf.
History
The company was founded in Berlin-Johannisthal the end of 1909 by Enno Walther Huth as Albatros Werke AG. The first aircraft the company produced was a French Antoinette monoplane, which they built under licence.
They then produced several versions of the Etrich Taube monoplane, as well the Doppeltaube biplane which used the same basic planform. A variety of other biplanes, with more conventional wing planforms were also built and flown.
In 1912 five Albatros F-2 were built. This was a development of the French Farman III biplane (hence the letter F) with a gondola for the crew and an Argus in-line engine instead of the original Gnome rotary engine. Four were sold to Bulgaria and they took an active part in the 1912-1913 Balkan wars.
On October 16, 1912 one of these carried out the first combat mission over Europe.[2]
During World War I Albatros Flugzeugwerke produced about 10,300 aircraft.
Aircraft
| Model name | First flight | Number built | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albatros Al 101 | 1930 | 71 | Trainer |
| Albatros Al 102 | |||
| Albatros Al 103 | |||
| Albatros B.I | 1913 | Military reconnaissance | |
| Albatros B.II | 1914 | Military reconnaissance | |
| Albatros B.III | 1917 | Military reconnaissance | |
| Albatros C.I | 1915 | Military reconnaissance | |
| Albatros C.II | Military reconnaissance | ||
| Albatros C.III | Military reconnaissance | ||
| Albatros C.IV | Military reconnaissance | ||
| Albatros C.V | 1916 | Approx. 400 | Military reconnaissance |
| Albatros C.VII | More than 600 | Military reconnaissance | |
| Albatros C.VIII | |||
| Albatros C.IX | |||
| Albatros C.X | 1917 | More than 300 | Military reconnaissance |
| Albatros C.XII | Military reconnaissance | ||
| Albatros C.XIV | Military reconnaissance | ||
| Albatros C.XV | 1918 | Military reconnaissance | |
| Albatros D.I | 1916 | 50 | Fighter |
| Albatros D.II | 1916 | 291 | Fighter |
| Albatros D.III | August 1916 | 1,866 | Fighter |
| Albatros D.IV | 1917 | 3 | Fighter |
| Albatros D.V | May 1917 | Approx. 2,500 | Fighter |
| Albatros D.VI | 1917 | 1 | Fighter |
| Albatros D.VII | August 1917 | 1 | Fighter |
| Albatros D.VIII | |||
| Albatros D.IX | 1917 | 1 | Fighter |
| Albatros D.X | 1918 | 1 | Fighter |
| Albatros D.XI | February 1918 | 2 | Fighter |
| Albatros D.XII | March 1918 | 2 | Fighter |
| Albatros Dr.I | 1917 | 1 | Triplane fighter |
| Albatros Dr.II | 1918 | 1 | Triplane fighter |
| Albatros G.I | |||
| Albatros G.II | 1916 | 1 | Bomber |
| Albatros G.III | 1916 | Bomber | |
| Albatros H 1 | |||
| Albatros J.I | Approx. 240 | Ground attack | |
| Albatros J.II | Ground attack | ||
| Albatros L 30 | |||
| Albatros L 56 | |||
| Albatros L 57 | Airliner | ||
| Albatros L 58 | 1923 | 7 | Airliner |
| Albatros L 59 | 1923 | Utility | |
| Albatros L 60 | 1923 | Utility | |
| Albatros L 65 | 1925 | 2 | Military reconnaissance |
| Albatros L 66 | |||
| Albatros L 67 | |||
| Albatros L 68 | 1920s | Trainer | |
| Albatros L 69 | 1925 | 4 | Trainer |
| Albatros L 70 | |||
| Albatros L 71 | |||
| Albatros L 72 | 1925? | pusher biplane[3] designed for a light aircraft competition | |
| Albatros L 72A | 1926 | 4 | biplane cargo aircraft for newspaper distribution |
| Albatros L 73 | 1926 | 4 | Airliner |
| Albatros L 74 | |||
| Albatros L 75 Ass | 1928 | 43 | Trainer |
| Albatros L 76 | |||
| Albatros L 77 | 1928 | 4 | Fighter / reconnaissance |
| Albatros L 78 | |||
| Albatros L 79 | 1929 | 2 | Aerobatic display |
| Albatros L 81 | |||
| Albatros L 82 | 1929 | 72 | Trainer |
| Albatros L 83 | |||
| Albatros L 84 | 1935 | 5 | Fighter |
| Albatros L 100 | 1930 | 1 | Racing |
| Albatros L 102 | 1932 | 10 | Trainer |
| Albatros L 103 | 1933 | 1 | Experimental aircraft |
| Albatros Doppeltaube | 1910 | General purpose military aircraft | |
| Albatros Taube | General purpose military aircraft | ||
| Albatros W.4 | 1916 | 128 | Floatplane fighter |
| Albatros W.5 | 5 | Floatplane torpedo bomber | |
| Albatros W.8 | 1918 | Floatplane fighter |
References
- ^ "Nazi Disc". greyfalcon.us. Archived from the original on 2010-12-17. Retrieved 2011-01-31.
- ^ I.Borislavov, R.Kirilov: The Bulgarian Aircraft, Vol.I: From Bleriot to Messerschmitt. Litera Prima, Sofia, 1996 (in Bulgarian)
- ^ "A Flying Boat on Wheels" Flight 1926
External links
