Macchi L.1

Lohner L

Company type	Military aircraft
Industry	Aerospace
Founded	1915
Headquarters	Austro-Hungarian Empire
Products	Reconnaissance flying boats

The Lohner L was an Austro-Hungarian reconnaissance flying boat utilized during World War I. It featured a conventional two-bay biplane layout typical of flying boats of that era, with its engine arranged in a Pusher configuration mounted on struts situated between the upper and lower wings. The open cockpit accommodated both pilot and observer seated side by side, while both wing planes exhibited a noticeable sweepback.

Development

This aircraft was essentially an enhanced iteration of the earlier Lohner E, distinguished by increased power, and it significantly influenced subsequent designs. Besides being produced under license by UFAG, the L served as a foundational model for other prominent manufacturers. In Germany, Hansa-Brandenburg adapted it into their inaugural flying boat, the Brandenburg FB. Meanwhile, in Italy, a captured unit was utilized as a template by Macchi, who manufactured it under the designation L.1. This Italian variant subsequently became the basis for numerous Macchi developments in later years.

File:The civil government at Grado Redenta (1917) (14780330784) (cropped).jpg

KUK hydroplane aircraft salvaged at Grado, Italy.

The seized aircraft, bearing serial number L.40, was recovered intact near the naval air base at Porto Corsini. Macchi-Nieuport quickly replicated this flying boat, producing the L.1 within a month. These L.1 models were assigned to Italian maritime reconnaissance and bombing squadrons operating in the Adriatic theater. An upgraded version followed, known as the Macchi L.2.

An Austro-Hungarian Lohner L example (serial L.127) has been restored and is exhibited at the Italian Air Force Museum located in Vigna di Valle.

This particular model also appears in Studio Ghibli’s 1992 film Porco Rosso.

Operational history

Lohner seaplanes were widely deployed both prior to and throughout World War I, with those that remained operational continuing service for several years post-war. Noteworthy incidents include:

• Shortly after Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia and Montenegro, from 28 July to 2 August 1914, Lohner L seaplanes based at Kumbor conducted patrols and aerial photography of Montenegrin artillery positions, marking the inaugural use of aircraft in World War I.
• On 16 September 1915, during standard reconnaissance flights near Cattaro, Lohner L 132, flown by Lieutenant Commander Dimitrije Konjović, alongside Lohner L 135, piloted by Walter Železni, encountered the French Brumaire-class submarine Foucault. They executed a bombing attack that inflicted damage on the submarine, forcing its crew to abandon it. One of the Lohner flying boats landed on the water, captured two French officers, and transported them back to Kumbor, while the remaining crew members were rescued by an Austro-Hungarian torpedo boat. This event represents the first recorded aerial sinking of a submarine in aviation history.

Variants

• Lohner L
• Lohner R - Designed for photographic reconnaissance
• Lohner S - Trainer model
• Macchi L.1 - Equipped with a Fiat machine gun and powered by an Isotta-Fraschini V.4a engine (14 units produced)

Operators

Austria-Hungary

• Austro-Hungarian Navy

German Empire

• Kaiserliche Marine

Kingdom of Italy

• Regia Marina (operated Macchi L.1)

Kingdom of Yugoslavia

• Yugoslav Royal Navy - Operated 4 Lohner TL aircraft

Specifications (Lohner L)

File:Lohner L-1 L127 Mani (6405508905).jpg

Preserved restored Lohner L-1 exhibited at the Italian Air Force Museum.