Lohner B.VII
| Industry | Aerospace, Military aviation |
|---|---|
| Founded | before World War I |
| Headquarters | Austria-Hungary |
| Products | Reconnaissance aircraft (B.VII, C.I) |
The Lohner B.VII and its armed variant, the C.I, were reconnaissance aircraft developed and manufactured in Austria-Hungary during World War I.[1] These models represented the final evolution of a series that began with the B.I before the war started, marking the first in this lineage to be deemed effective for front-line deployment throughout the conflict.[2] Both the B.VII and C.I retained the traditional biplane design featuring distinctive swept-back wings, consistent with their predecessors.
Operational history
Introduced in August 1915, the B.VII finally delivered a reliable aircraft fit for operational duties.[2] These planes were primarily tasked with extended reconnaissance flights over the Italian Front and occasionally participated in bombing operations, carrying an internal bomb load of 80 kg (180 lb). Many operational B.VIIs were outfitted with flexible machine gun mounts for observers,[2] which eventually led to the development of the armed C.I variant produced by both Lohner and Ufag factories. The C.I differed from the B-types by featuring a streamlined engine cowling instead of exposed cylinders. Among significant missions, these aircraft conducted a notable raid on Milan’s Porta Volta power station on 14 February 1916—a demanding 378 km (276 mi) round trip involving twelve B.VIIs.[3] Additionally, in 1916, Julius Arigi successfully sank an Italian steamer at Valona while piloting a B.VII.[4]
Production across all variants ended in 1917,[1][5] with withdrawal from active service following shortly thereafter.
Variants
- B.VII
- an unarmed model equipped with either a 110 kW (150 hp) or 120 kW (160 hp) Austro Daimler engine, with a total of 73 units produced
- B.VII(U)
- Series 17.5 manufactured by UFAG (Ungarische Flugzeugfabrik Abteil Gesellschaft / Ungarische Flugzeugwerke Aktien Gesellschaft), with 48 aircraft built
- C.I
- variant powered by a 120 kW (160 hp) Austro Daimler engine, featuring a single machine gun mounted on a movable mount for the observer; 40 units constructed
Specifications
Notes
References
- Chant, Christopher (2002). Austro-Hungarian Aces of World War 1. Oxford: Osprey.
- Grosz, Peter M. (2002). Austro-Hungarian Army Aircraft of World War One. Colorado: Flying Machine Press.
- Gunston, Bill (1993). World Encyclopedia of Aircraft Manufacturers. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press.
- Murphy, Justin D. (2005). Military Aircraft: Origins to 1918. Santa Barbara: ABC-Clio.
- Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions.
Further reading
- A period report on the raid conducted on 14 February 1916, originally published in Flight.
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