AEG C.II
| Industry | Electrical equipment, aircraft manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Founded | April 1, 1883 in Berlin, Germany |
| Headquarters | Berlin , Germany |
The AEG C.II was a two-seat biplane designed for reconnaissance missions, developed by the Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft (AEG) during World War I to serve the Imperial German Army's (Deutsches Heer) air arm, the Luftstreitkräfte. Introduced in late 1915, it was intended as an improved model over the C.I, featuring a lighter and more compact airframe. However, the structural compromises made to reduce weight resulted in multiple failures during static load testing, which confined its use primarily to training and experimental roles.
Development
While the C.II featured a slightly reduced size compared to its predecessor, the C.I, it retained the same water-cooled 150-horsepower (110 kW) Benz Bz.III straight-six engine along with similar defensive weaponry. The wingspan was marginally shortened, but this was offset by an increase in wing chord and overall wing surface area. These modifications enhanced the aircraft's climb performance, cutting its ascent time to 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) from eleven minutes down to eight. Nevertheless, top speed saw only a modest gain of approximately 8 kilometres per hour (5.0 mph) over the C.I. A new capability for the C.II was its ability to carry four bombs weighing 10 kg (22 lb) each, enabling light attack missions absent in the earlier model.[1]
The mid-1915 order for a prototype came from the Inspectorate of Flying Troops (Inspektion der Fliegertruppen), followed by production requests totaling 36 units split between September and October. Due to recurring structural failures during load testing on the initial batch, rectifications delayed delivery until April 1916 for the first six aircraft. One of these was assigned briefly to an operational frontline squadron as recorded in an inventory report dated 30 April but was soon withdrawn and reassigned primarily for training purposes like most others of its type. AEG kept several examples for use as test platforms to assess aerodynamic modifications and radiator configurations.[2]
Operators
Specifications (AEG C.II)
References
Bibliography
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