LFG Roland C.II

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LFG Roland C.II
Type Reconnaissance Aircraft
Manufacturer Luft-Fahrzeug-Gesellschaft G.m.b.H.
Designed by Dipl. Ing. Tantzen
Maiden flight 1915
Introduced 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 manufactured by Luft-Fahrzeug-Gesellschaft G.m.b.H.

Contents

[edit] Operational history

It first saw service in Autumn 1915 and was a biplane with the upper wing fixed on top of the monocoque, whale-shaped fuselage, built with an outer skin of two layers of this plywood strips at an angle to each other (known as a Wickelrumpf, or "wrapped body" design), and a single outboard strut.

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. The C.II was powered by a single 160 hp (120kW) Mercedes D III, was capable of 165km/h and had a ceiling of 4000m with an endurance of four hours.

[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.

[edit] Operators

Flag of German Empire German Empire

[edit] Specifications (C.II)

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2, pilot and observer
  • Length: 7,52 m (ft in)
  • Wingspan: 10,33 m (ft in)
  • Height: m (ft in)
  • Wing area: 26,00 m² (ft)
  • Empty weight: kg (lb)
  • Loaded weight: 1309 kg (lb)
  • Useful load: kg (lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: kg (lb)
  • Powerplant: 1× Mercedes D.III water-cooled in-line, 160 hp (120 kw)

Performance


[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 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


v • d • e
Idflieg C-, CL-, CS-, and CLS-class aircraft designations
C- and CL-

AEG: C.I  • C.II  • C.III  • C.IV  • C.V  • C.VI  • C.VII  • C.VIII

AGO: C.I  • C.II  • C.III  • C.IV  • C.VII  • C.VII

Albatros: C.I  • C.II  • C.III  • C.IV  • C.V  • C.VI  • C.VII  • C.VIII  • C.IX  • C.X  • C.XI  • C.XII  • C.XIII  • C.XIV  • C.XV

Aviatik: C.I  • C.II  • C.III  • C.V  • C.VI  • C.VIII  • C.IX

BFW: CL.I  • CL.II  • CL.III  • CL.IV

DFW: C.I  • C.II  • C.III  • C.IV  • C.V  • C.VI

Fokker: C.I

Friedrichshafen: C.I

Germania: C.I  • C.II  • C.IV

Halberstadt: C.I  • CL.II  • C.III  • CL.IV  • C.V  • C.VII  • C.VIII  • C.IX  • CLS.X

Hanover: C.I  • CL.II  • CL.III  • C.IV  • CL.V

Junkers: CL.I

LFG/Roland: C.I  • C.II  • C.III  • C.V  • C.VIII

LVG: C.I  • C.II  • C.III  • C.IV  • C.V  • C.VI  • C.VIII

OAW: C.I  • C.II

Otto: C.I  • C.II

Pfalz: C.I

Rumpler: C.I  • C.III  • C.IV  • C.V  • C.VI  • C.VII  • C.VIII  • C.IX  • C.X

Sablatnig: C.I  • C.II  • C.III

Schütte-Lanz: C.I

Zeppelin-Friedrichshafen: C.I  • C.II

Zeppelin-Lindau: C.I  • C.II
CLS-

Albatros: CLS.I

Halberstadt: CLS.I  • CLS.II see also in main sequence above

Junkers: CLS.I
CS-

Zeppelin-Lindau: CS.I
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