Albatros C.III

Albatros C.III

Role	General purpose
Manufacturer	Albatros Flugzeugwerke DAR
Introduction	1915
Primary users	Luftstreitkräfte Polish Air Force Finnish Air Force Bulgarian Air Force Lithuanian Air Force

The Albatros C.III was a German two-seat general-purpose biplane of World War I, built by Albatros Flugzeugwerke. The C.III was a refined version of the successful Albatros C.I and was eventually produced in greater numbers than any other C-type Albatros.

Use

The C.III was used in a wide variety of roles including observation, photo-reconnaissance, light bombing and bomber escort. First twelve aircraft went to the front in December 1915.^[1] The biggest number was available on the front in August 1916 – 354.^[2] They were mostly withdrawn from frontline service by mid-1917, although the production continued for training.^[1] Orders for 2271 aircraft in total are known.^[2]

Eighteen C.IIIs were delivered in August 1916 to Bulgaria. They were destroyed in 1920 in accordance with the Treaty of Neuilly-sur-Seine. According to other sources, 26 Albatros C.III were delivered to Bulgaria, including eight trainers.^[3]

Polish Air Force operated 15 Albatros C.III in 1918-1920 during Polish-Soviet War.^[4]

Construction

Like the Albatros C.I, the C.III was a popular aircraft with rugged construction and viceless handling. The most prominent difference between the two was the revised vertical stabilizer. The C.III had a lower, rounded tail compared to the large, triangular tail of the C.I, which, combined with smaller weight, gave the C.III greater agility. The power plant was either a 110 kW (150 hp) Benz Bz. III or a 120 kW (160 hp) Mercedes D.III inline engine and, like numerous other two-seaters used during the war (such as the British Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8) the cylinder head and exhaust manifold protruded above the front fuselage, limiting the pilot's forward visibility.

The observer, who occupied the rear cockpit, was armed with a single 7.92 mm (0.312 in) Parabellum MG14 machine gun. C.III aircraft were typically fitted with a gun synchronizer and a single forward-firing 7.92 mm (0.312 in) LMG 08/15 machine gun. The C.III could also carry a bomb load of up to 90 kg (200 lb)^[4] in four vertical tubes in the fuselage or external racks.^[5]

Between 1926 and 1927, two Mercedes D.III engined copies were built from saved parts and components of the destroyed aircraft by Bulgarian state aircraft workshops DAR as the DAR 2 for use as trainers.^[6]^[7] According to D. Nedialkov, twelve DAR-2 were built (at least nine are confirmed by a photograph).^[8]

Operators

A Turkish C.III

Bulgaria

Bulgarian Air Force (including DAR-2)

Finland

Finnish Air Force

German Empire

Latvia

Latvian Air Force^[10]

Lithuania

Lithuanian Air Force^[11]

Poland

Polish Air Force (15 used)^[4]

Turkey

Ottoman Air Force (nos AK 8 to AK 41)^[9]

Austria-Hungary

Austro-Hungarian Air Force

Variants

Data from^[12]

C.VI: about 300 mm (11.8 in) shorter and 20 kg (44 lb), with strengthened engine bearers to take a 180 hp (130 kW) Argus As III six-cylinder inline. Some 4% faster. Limited production.

the W.2 derived directly from the C.III

W.2: Seaplane variant with twin floats, modified Mercedes D.II istallation, revised cabane struttage and a much larger fin. Parabellum MG14 machine gun in observer's cockpit. One only, delivered June 1916.

Specifications (C.III)

Albatros C.III German World War 1 reconnaissance and training biplane drawing

Data from ^[13]

General characteristics

Crew: two
Length: 8.0 m (26 ft 3 in)
Wingspan: 11.69 m (38 ft 4 in)
Height: 3.10 m (10 ft 2 in)
Wing area: 36.91 m² (397 ft²)
Empty weight: 851 kg (1,876 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 1,353 kg (2,983 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Benz Bz.III, 112 kW (150 hp) or Mercedes D.III liquid-cooled inline engine, 120 kW (160 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 140 km/h (76 kn, 87 mph)
Service ceiling: 3,350 m (11,000 ft)
Endurance: 4 hours

Armament

Guns: 1 × 7.92 mm (.312 in) Parabellum MG14 machine gun in observer's cockpit and 1 × 7.92 mm LMG 08/15 in the nose
Bombs: up to 200 lbs of bombs

References

1 2 Grosz (1989), p.3
1 2 Grosz (1989), p.28
↑ Nedialkov, Dimitar. "Air Power of the Kingdom of Bulgaria. Part II", Fark OOD, Sofia, 2001. pp.22-23, 28-29. (bilingual: Bulgarian/English)
1 2 3 Morgała, Andrzej (1997). Samoloty wojskowe w Polsce 1918-1924 [Military aircraft in Poland 1918-1924] (in Polish). Warsaw: Lampart. pp. 18–20. ISBN 83-86776-34-X.
↑ Grosz (1989), p.11,13,18
↑ Bernád 2001, pp. 24–25.
↑ Y. Milanov: Aviation in Bulgaria in the Wars from 1912 to 1945, Vol.I. Sveti Gueorgui Pobedonosetz, Sofia, 1995 (in Bulgarian)
↑ Nedialkov, Dimitar. "Air Power of the Kingdom of Bulgaria. Part III", Fark OOD, Sofia, 2001. pp.4, 20-21, 59. (bilingual: Bulgarian/English)
1 2 Grosz (1989), p.29
↑ Grosz (1989), p.7
↑ Grosz (1989), p.12
↑ Gray, Peter; Thetford, Owen (1970). German Aircraft of the First World War. London: Putnam. p. 256. ISBN 0-85177-809-7.
↑ Sharpe, Michael. Biplanes, Triplanes, and Seaplanes, pg.28. London, England: Friedman/Fairfax Books , 2000. ISBN 1-58663-300-7.

Bernád, Dénes. "Balkan Birds: Thirty Five Years of Bulgarian Aircraft Production". Air Enthusiast. Stamford, Lincs, UK: Key Publishing (94, July/August 2001): 18–30. ISSN 0143-5450.
Grosz, Peter M. (1989). Albatros C.III. Windsock Datafile no.13. Berkhamsted: Albatros Productions,ISBN 0-948414-17-0.

External links

Media related to Albatros C.III at Wikimedia Commons

Aircraft designed and built by Albatros Flugzeugwerke

Early aircraft

Military
designations

Dr.I
Dr.II

J.I
J.II
J.III

Company
designations

Landflugzeug (Landplanes)	L.1 L.2 L.3 L.4 L.5 L.6 L.7 L.8 L.9 L.10 L.11 L.12 L.13 L.14 L.15 L.16 L.17 L.18 L.19 L.20 L.21 L.22 L.23 L.24 L.25 L.26 L.27 L.28 L.29 L.30 L.31 L.32 L.33 L.34 L.35 L.36 L.37 L.38 L.39 L.40 L.41 L.42 L.43 L.44 L.45 L.46 L.47 L.48 (project) L.49 L.50 (project) L.51 L.52 L.53 L.54 L.55 L.56 L.57 L.58 L.59 L.60 L.65 L.66 L.67 L.68 L.69 L.70 L.71 L.72 L.73 L.74 L.75 L.76 L.77 L.78 L.79 L.80 L.81 L.82 L.83 L.84 L.100 L.101 L.102 L.103
Wasserflugzeug (Waterplanes)	W.1 W.2 W.3 W.4 W.5 W.8
Höhenflugzeug (High Altitude)	H.1

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 Siemens-Schuckert L.I 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 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

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 Hannover C.I CL.II CL.III CL.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 main sequence above) Junkers CLS.I
CS-	Zeppelin-Lindau CS.I

DAR aircraft of Darzhavna Aeroplanna Rabotilnitsa, Darzhavna Samoletna Fabrika or Aeroplanes DAR
DAR 1 DAR 2 DAR 3 DAR 4 DAR 5 DAR 6 DAR 7 DAR 8 DAR 9 DAR 10 DAR 11 DAR Uzunov DAR Albatros DAR Chuchuliga DAR Rilski Orel DAR Zdravka Toprakchiev DAR Zdravka Vekilski DAR 21 Vector II DAR-23 DAR 25 Impuls DAR Speedster DAR Solo

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