Gotha WD.14

{{Infobox Aircraft Begin

|name=WD.14, WD.20, and WD.22

|image=Gotha WD.14.jpg

|caption=

}}{{Infobox Aircraft Type

|type=Torpedo bomber

|national origin=Germany

|manufacturer=Gotha

|designer=

|first flight=1916

|introduced=

|retired=

|status=

|primary user=Imperial German Navy

|more users=

|produced=

|number built=69 x WD.14; 3 x WD.20; 2 x WD.22

|variants with their own articles=

}}

File:Gotha WD.20.jpg

File:Gotha WD.22.jpg

The Gotha WD.14, WD.20, and WD.22 (Wasser Doppeldecker - "Water Biplane") were a family of biplane torpedo bomber floatplanes developed in Germany during World War I.

Development

They were conventional biplanes, essentially enlarged versions of the WD.11 and like it they had twin engines mounted tractor-fashion on the lower wing. The wider fuselage of these aircraft allowed the pilot and observer to sit side-by-side in the open cockpit, and a second 7.92 mm (.312 in) machine gun was added in an open dorsal position. Hinges were added to the wings, allowing them to be folded for storage.

69 WD.14s were built, but were found to be ineffective in their intended role of torpedo bomber, since their low speed made them extremely vulnerable to defensive fire. Many were subsequently converted into mine layers, and some were even used as transports, landing machine gun detachments during Operation Albion in October 1917. The WD.20 differed from the WD.14 only in having large auxiliary fuel tanks for long-range reconnaissance and having no torpedo- or mine-carrying capability.

A small number of generally similar WD.22 prototypes were built, these differing from the WD.20 in having two extra engines added, creating two tractor-pusher pairs, one on each wing.

Variants

;WD.14: Twin-engined torpedo bomber

;WD.20: Twin-engined long-range reconnaissance aircraft; three built.

;WD.22: Four-engined long-range reconnaissance aircraft, powered by 2 x {{cvt|160|hp}} Mercedes D.III tractor engines and 2 x {{cvt|100|hp}} Mercedes D.I pusher engines in tandem nacelles; two built.

Specifications (WD.14)

{{Aircraft specs

|ref=German Aircraft of the First World WarGray & Thetford, pp. 407–408

|prime units?=met

|genhide=

|crew=3

|capacity=

|length m=14.45

|length ft=

|length in=

|length note=

|span m=25.5

|span ft=

|span in=

|span note=

:::::WD.22: {{cvt|26|m}}

|upper span m=

|upper span ft=

|upper span in=

|upper span note=

|mid span m=

|mid span ft=

|mid span in=

|mid span note=

|lower span m=

|lower span ft=

|lower span in=

|lower span note=

|swept m=

|swept ft=

|swept in=

|swept note=

|dia m=

|dia ft=

|dia in=

|dia note=

|width m=

|width ft=

|width in=

|width note=

|height m=5

|height ft=

|height in=

|height note=

|wing area sqm=131.7

|wing area sqft=

|wing area note=

:::::WD.22: {{cvt|147|m2}}

|swept area sqm=

|swept area sqft=

|swept area note=

|volume m3=

|volume ft3=

|volume note=

|aspect ratio=

|airfoil=

|empty weight kg=3150

|empty weight lb=

|empty weight note=

:::::WD.20: {{cvt|3030|kg}}

:::::WD.22: {{cvt|3800|kg}}

|gross weight kg=4642

|gross weight lb=

|gross weight note=

:::::WD.20: {{cvt|4540|kg}}

:::::WD.22: {{cvt|5170|kg}}

|max takeoff weight kg=

|max takeoff weight lb=

|max takeoff weight note=

|fuel capacity=

|lift kg=

|lift lb=

|lift note=

|more general=

|eng1 number=2

|eng1 name=Benz Bz.IV

|eng1 type=6-cylinder water-cooled in-line piston engine

|eng1 kw=

|eng1 hp=200

|eng1 shp=

|eng1 kn=

|eng1 lbf=

|eng1 note=

|power original=

|thrust original=

|eng1 kn-ab=

|eng1 lbf-ab=

|eng2 number=2

|eng2 name= Mercedes D.III

|eng2 type=6-cylinder water-cooled in-line piston engines

|eng2 kw=

|eng2 hp=160

|eng2 shp=

|eng2 kn=

|eng2 lbf=

|eng2 note=WD.22

|eng2 kn-ab=

|eng2 lbf-ab=

|eng3 number=2

|eng3 name=Mercedes D.I

|eng3 type=6-cylinder water-cooled in-line piston engines

|eng3 kw=

|eng3 hp=100

|eng3 shp=

|eng3 kn=

|eng3 lbf=

|eng3 note= WD.22

|eng3 kn-ab=

|eng3 lbf-ab=

|more power=

|prop blade number=2

|prop name=wooden fixed-pitch propellers

|prop dia m=

|prop dia ft=

|prop dia in=

|prop dia note=

|rot number=

|rot dia m=

|rot dia ft=

|rot dia in=

|rot area sqm=

|rot area sqft=

|rot area note=

|perfhide=

|max speed kmh=130

|max speed mph=

|max speed kts=

|max speed note=

:::::WD.20: {{cvt|126|km/h|mph kn}}

:::::WD.22: {{cvt|131|km/h|mph kn}}

|max speed mach=

|cruise speed kmh=

|cruise speed mph=

|cruise speed kts=

|cruise speed note=

|stall speed kmh=

|stall speed mph=

|stall speed kts=

|stall speed note=

|never exceed speed kmh=

|never exceed speed mph=

|never exceed speed kts=

|never exceed speed note=

|minimum control speed kmh=

|minimum control speed mph=

|minimum control speed kts=

|minimum control speed note=

|range km=

|range miles=

|range nmi=

|range note=

|combat range km=

|combat range miles=

|combat range nmi=

|combat range note=

|ferry range km=

|ferry range miles=

|ferry range nmi=

|ferry range note=

|endurance=8 hours

:::::WD.20: 10 hours

|ceiling m=

|ceiling ft=

|ceiling note=

|g limits=

|roll rate=

|glide ratio=

|climb rate ms=1.3

|climb rate ftmin=

|climb rate note=

|time to altitude=WD.20: {{cvt|1000|m}} in 15 minutes

|sink rate ms=

|sink rate ftmin=

|sink rate note=

|lift to drag=

|wing loading kg/m2=

|wing loading lb/sqft=

|wing loading note=

|disk loading kg/m2=

|disk loading lb/sqft=

|disk loading note=

|fuel consumption kg/km=

|fuel consumption lb/mi=

|power/mass=

|thrust/weight=

|more performance=

|guns=

1 × trainable, forward-firing {{cvt|7.92|mm|3}} Parabellum MG 14 machine gun in nose for observer
1 × trainable, rearward-firing {{cvt|7.92|mm|3}} Parabellum MG 14 machine gun in dorsal position

|bombs= 1 × {{cvt|725|kg}} torpedo (WD.20 and WD.22 no torpedo)

}}

Gotha WD.14

Development

Variants

Specifications (WD.14)

References

Further reading