Albatros W.4
{{short description|1916 fighter floatplane by Albatros}}
{{Use shortened footnotes|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox aircraft
| name = W.4
| image = Albatros W.IV No747 01.jpg
| caption = First prototype of Albatros W.IV, No.747
| type = Fighter
| manufacturer = Albatros Flugzeugwerke
| designer =
| first_flight = 1916
| introduction =
| retired = 1918
| status =
| primary_user = Luftstreitkräfte
| more_users =
| produced = 1916–1917
| number_built = 118
| variants =
|developed_from = Albatros D.I
}}
The Albatros W.4 was a military floatplane designed and produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Albatros Flugzeugwerke.
The W.4 was a derivative of the Albatros D.I land-based fighter aircraft, furnished with a new wing and tail section of greater span than the D.I. It was powered by the same 120 kW (160 hp) Mercedes D.III engine as fitted to the D.I while its fuselage was also based upon its predecessor. The first production series W.4s were armed with one lMG08 7.92 mm (.312 in) machine gun, while later built aircraft carried two guns. While early production aircraft were equipped with ailerons only on the upper wings, those built later on had ailerons on all four wings instead.
Performing its maiden flight during 1916, a total of three prototypes were produced. The W.4 was first used in combat in September 1916; it would be operated in both the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. The final aircraft was delivered in December 1917. It was displaced from frontline duties by newer twin-seat floatplanes.
Development
File:Albatros W.IV No1486 01.jpg
The origins of the Albatros W.4 can be traced to the Imperial German Navy who, in 1916, sought a new single-seat floatplane with which to counter the growing use of both flying boats and floatplanes by the Allies powers, particularly Britain. The adaption of land-based aircraft to fulfil this requirement was encouraged in order to expedite its arrival. Multiple companies opted to respond to this need, including the Hansa-Brandenburg KDW, Rumpler 6B, and the Albatros W.4.Grey and Thetford 1962, p. 56.
Albatros developed the W.4 as a derivative from their existing land-based fighter aircraft, the Albatros D.I. It was considerably larger than its land-based predecessor, the design having been reworked substantially in some areas, such as the tail section, which was enlarged considerably and lacked an under-fin. The fuselage of the D.I was used as a basis and the two aircraft shared the same basic structural elements of longerons and formers covered by plywood.Grey and Thetford 1962, pp. 56–57. Steel was used extensively in the structure of the tail unit, such as bracing struts and the framework of both the elevator and rudder. The wing structure was considerably different from that of the D.I, using elongated and strengthened centre-section steel struts to accommodate the greater span of the wing.Grey and Thetford 1962, p. 57.
Early aircraft were equipped with inversely tapered ailerons on the upper wings only, but this configuration gave the W.4 relatively slow lateral control, thus a revised arrangement using ailerons on all four wings, interlinked using a steel strut, was promptly implemented to improve this performance. While investigating the aircraft's optimum takeoff performance, the W.4 was outfitted with a variety of different floats, which included single-step, double-step, flat top, and curved top designs. Regardless of the design of the floats used, a steel chassis was used to support the floats along with wire bracing. Two separate fuel tanks, holding 73 litres each, gave the W.4 considerable endurance for its size.Grey and Thetford 1962, p. 58.
Operational history
File:Albatros W.IV No747 02.jpg
During September 1916, the W.4 commenced combat operations. A total of 118 aircraft, including three prototypes, were built between June 1916 and December 1917.Grosz 1995, {{page needed|date=February 2024}}
It was operated both in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea; it proved to be both relatively fast and agile for a floatplane. The W.4 typically had the upper hand over most enemy seaplanes encountered, particularly in terms of armament, unless the aircraft came up against the heavier flying boats operated by the Royal Navy. It was ultimately eclipsed by the arrival of faster twin-seat floatplanes produced by rival German aircraft manufacturer Hansa-Brandenburg. The final use of the W.4 was in the trainer role.
Operators
- {{flag|German Empire}}
- Luftstreitkräfte – 118 aircraft
- {{flag|Austria-Hungary}}
- KuKLFT – 8 aircraft delivered in July 1918
Specifications (W.4)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref= German Aircraft of the First World WarGrey and Thetford 1962, pp. 57–58.
|prime units?= met
|crew= 1
|length m= 8.5
|length note=
|span m= 9.5
|span note=
|height m= 3.65
|height note=
|wing area sqm= 31.6
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg= 790
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight note= 1,070
|max takeoff weight kg=
|max takeoff weight note=
|fuel capacity=
|more general=
|eng1 number= 1
|eng1 name= Mercedes D.III
|eng1 type= six-cylinder water-cooled in-line piston engine
|eng1 hp= 160
|eng1 note=
|prop blade number= 2
|prop name= fixed-pitch wooden propeller
|prop dia m=
|prop dia note=
|max speed kmh= 158–160
|max speed note=
|cruise speed kmh=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kmh=
|stall speed note=
|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed note=
|range km=
|range note=
|combat range km=
|combat range note=
|ferry range km=
|ferry range note=
|endurance=3 hours
|ceiling ft=9480
|ceiling note=
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude= {{cvt|1000|m}} in five minutes
|wing loading kg/m2=
|wing loading note=
|fuel consumption kg/km=
|power/mass=
|more performance=
|guns= 1 or 2 × forward-firing 7.92 mm (.312 in) lMG 08 machine guns
|bombs=
}}
References
=Citations=
=Bibliography=
- {{cite book |last1 = Grey |first1 = Peter |first2 = Owen |last2 = Thetford |title = German Aircraft of the First World War |publisher = Putnam |location = London, UK |year = 1970 |edition = Second |isbn = 0-370-00103-6}}
- {{cite book |last = Grosz |first = Peter M. |year = 1995 |title = Albatros W4: Windsock Mini Datafile No. 1. |location = Berkhamsted, Germany |publisher = Albatros Productions |ISBN = 0-948414-64-2}}
Further reading
- {{cite book |last1 = Green |first1 = W. |last2 = Swanborough |first2 = G. |year = 1994 |title = The Complete Book of Fighters |location = London, UK |publisher = Salamander Books |ISBN = 1-85833-777-1}}
- {{cite book |last1=Herris |first1=Jack |title=Albatros Aircraft of WWI: A Centennial Perspective on Great War Airplanes: Volume 3: Bombers, Seaplanes, J-Types |date=2017 |publisher=Aeronaut Books |location=Charleston, South Carolina |isbn=978-1-935881-49-0|series=Great War Aviation Centennial Series |volume=26}}
- {{cite book |last1 = Herris |first1 = Jack |title = German Seaplane Fighters of WWI: A Centennial Perspective on Great War Seaplanes |date = 2012 |publisher = Aeronaut Books |location=Charleston, South Carolina, US |isbn = 978-1-935881-09-4 |series = Great War Aviation Centennial Series |volume = 2}}
- {{cite book |last = Taylor |first = Michael J. H. |title = Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation |year = 1989 |publisher = Studio Editions |location = London, UK |page = 56 }}
External links
{{commons category|Albatros W.4}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927203828/http://www.luftfahrt-archiv.de/Flugzeugtypen.asp?Type=Link&ID=T172&Name=W_4&SID=810721180 luftfahrt-archiv.de]
{{Albatros aircraft}}
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