AEG C.IV

AEG C.IV
Role	Reconnaissance aircraft
Manufacturer	Allgemeine Elektrizitäts-Gesellschaft
Introduction	1916
Primary user	Luftstreitkräfte
Number built	687 (Leon)

The AEG C.IV was a German two-seat biplane reconnaissance aircraft that entered service in 1916.

Design and development

The C.IV was based on the AEG C.II, but featured a larger wingspan and an additional forward-firing Spandau-type 7.92 mm (.312 in) machine gun. In addition to reconnaissance duties, the C.IV was used as a bomber escort, despite proving itself inadequately powered for the role. Nevertheless, the C.IV was easily the most successful of AEG's World War I B- and C-type reconnaissance aircraft, with some 687 being built and the model remained in service right up to the end of the war.

A variant, the C.IV.N was designed specifically as a prototype night bomber in 1917, with the Benz Bz.III engine used in other C-types and a lengthened wingspan. Another variant, the C.IVa, was powered by a 130 kW (180 hp) Argus As III engine.^[1]

C.IV aircraft saw service with the Bulgarian Air Force (1 machine) and the Turkish Flying Corps (46 machines).

A big number of 91 C.IVs were captured by the Polish in 1919, most in Poznań during Greater Poland Uprising.^[2] Most of them were next assembled and entered service. It became one of basic aircraft of the Polish Air Force, used for reconnaissance, bombing and strafing during Polish-Soviet War in 1919-1920. Most were withdrawn in 1921.^[2]

Operators

Bulgaria: Bulgarian Air Force
German Empire: Luftstreitkrafte
Poland: Polish Air Force - up to 91 aircraft, used postwar^[2]
Turkey: Ottoman Air Force

Specifications (AEG C.IV)

Data from German Aircraft of the First World War.^[1]

General characteristics

Crew: 2
Length: 7.15 m (23 ft 5 in)
Wingspan: 13.46 m (44 ft 2 in)
Height: 3.35 m (11 ft 0 in)
Wing area: 39 m² (420 sq ft)
Empty weight: 800 kg (1,764 lb)
Gross weight: 1,120 kg (2,469 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Mercedes D.III 6-cylinder, water-cooled, inline piston engine, 120 kW (160 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 158 km/h (98 mph, 85 kn)
Range: 450 km (280 mi, 240 nmi)
Endurance: 4hr
Service ceiling: 5,000 m (16,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 2.78 m/s (547 ft/min)
Time to altitude: 1,000m in 6min

Armament

Guns: * 1 × forward-firing 7.92 mm (.312 in) LMG 08/15 "Spandau" machine gun
1 × 7.92 mm (.312 in) Parabellum MG14 machine gun in ring mount for observer
Bombs: * Bomb load up to 100 kg (220 lb)

References

^ ^a ^b Gray, Peter; Owen Thetford (1970). German Aircraft of the First World War (2nd ed.). London: Putnam. ISBN 0-370-00103-6.
^ ^a ^b ^c Morgała, Andrzej (1997). Samoloty wojskowe w Polsce 1918-1924. Warsaw: Lampart. ISBN 83-86776-34-X, p.12 Template:Pl icon

v t e Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft (AEG) aircraft
Company designations:	Z.1 Z.2 Z.3 Z.6 Z.9
Idflieg designations:	B.I B.II B.III C.I C.II C.III C.IV C.V C.VI C.VII C.VIII D.I D.II D.III DJ.I Dr.I/F.1 G.I G.II G.III G.IV G.V J.I J.II N.I R.I
Other:	AEG helicopter PE Wagner Eule

v t e World War I aircraft of the Central Powers
Fighters	AEG D.I AEG Dr.I Albatros D.I Albatros D.II Albatros D.III Albatros D.V Aviatik D.I Aviatik C.VI Daimler L.6 Euler D.I Euler D.II Fokker D.I Fokker D.II Fokker D.III Fokker D.IV Fokker D.V Fokker D.VI Fokker D.VII Fokker D.VIII Fokker Dr.I Fokker E.I Fokker E.II Fokker E.III Fokker E.IV Fokker E.V Halberstadt D.II Hannover CL.II Hannover CL.III Hannover CL.IV Hannover CL.V Hansa-Brandenburg W.12 Hansa-Brandenburg W.29 Junkers D.I Kondor D.6 Kondor E.III Naglo D.II Pfalz D.III Pfalz D.XII Pfalz Dr.I Pfalz E.I Pfalz E.II Phönix D.I LFG Roland D.II LFG Roland D.VI Siemens-Schuckert D.I Siemens-Schuckert D.II Siemens-Schuckert D.III Siemens-Schuckert D.IV Zeppelin-Lindau D.I
Bombers and ground attack	AEG DJ.I AEG G.I AEG G.II AEG G.III AEG G.IV AEG G.V AEG J.I AEG J.II AEG R.I Friedrichshafen G.II Friedrichshafen G.III Gotha G.I Gotha G.II Gotha G.III Gotha G.IV Gotha G.V Gotha GL.VII Gotha G.IX Hannover CL.II Junkers CL.I Junkers J.I Rumpler G.I Rumpler G.II Rumpler G.III Siemens-Schuckert L.I Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.II Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.III Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.IV Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI
Reconnaissance	AEG B.I AEG B.II AEG B.III AEG C.I AEG C.II AEG C.III AEG C.IV AEG C.V AEG C.VI AEG C.VII AEG C.VIII AGO C.I AGO C.II AGO C.III AGO C.IV AGO C.VII AGO C.VIII Albatros B.I Albatros B.II Albatros C.I Albatros C.III Albatros C.V Albatros C.VII Albatros C.IX Albatros C.X Albatros C.XII Aviatik B.I Aviatik B.II Aviatik C.I Aviatik C.VI DFW C.V LFG Roland C.II LVG B.I LVG C.II Rumpler C.I Rumpler C.IV Rumpler Taube
Trainers	Euler D.I
Prototypes	Albatros C.II Fokker V.1 Fokker V.2 Junkers J 1 Junkers J 2 Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.I

AEG C.IV

Design and development

Operators

Specifications (AEG C.IV)

See also

References

Further reading