| R.V | |
|---|---|
| Role | Bomber |
| National origin | Germany |
| Manufacturer | Siemens-Schuckert |
| Designer | Bruno and Franz Steffen[1] |
| First flight | c. June 1916[2] |
| Number built | 1[3] |
| Developed from | Siemens-Schuckert R.I |
The Siemens-Schuckert R.V was a bomber aircraft built in Germany during World War I.[4][5] It was one of six aircraft based on the Siemens-Schuckert R.I that were originally intended to be identical, but which each developed in a different direction and were designated as different aircraft types by the German Inspectorate of Flying Troops (the Idflieg).[6] Development of the R.V benefited from the experience that Siemens-Schuckert and the Idflieg had gained with the R.II, R.III, and R.IV, particularly in its choice of powerplants, where the R.V was spared from the troublesome Maybach HS engine.[7] Between September 1916 and February 1917, the aircraft saw service on the Eastern Front before it was damaged in an accident and dismantled for spare parts.[3]
Design and development
As designed, the R.V was a large three-bay biplane with unstaggered wings of unequal span and a fully enclosed cabin.[7] Three 180-kW (240-hp) Maybach HS engines were mounted internally in the fuselage, and transmitted their power via driveshafts to two propellers mounted tractor-fashion on the interplane struts nearest the fuselage.[8] The main undercarriage consisted of divided units, each of which carried dual wheels, and the tail was supported by a pair of tailwheels.[7] The fuselage was forked into an upper and lower section, which allowed a clear field of fire to the rear of the aircraft.[1] The Maybach engines had been a never-ending source of trouble on the R.II, R.III, and R.IV, and by June 1916, Siemens-Schuckert had obtained permission from the Idflieg to substitute Benz Bz.IV engines on the R.III[9] The firm made the same change on the R.V, which was almost complete by then.[3] The substitution required an almost complete rebuild of the aircraft, and included adding an extra bay to the wings, increasing their span.[2] The Idflieg accepted the R.V in this form, after agreeing to a reduction in the aircraft's original specifications.[2]
The Siemens-Schuckert R.II to R.VII were ordered in the G (Grossflugzeug - large aircraft) series and given serial numbers G.32/15 to G.37/15 respectively. These serials were changed on 13 July 1915 to G.33/15 - G.38/15, for unknown reasons and again on 6 November 1915 to R.2/15 - R.7/15 in the R (Riesenflugzeug - giant aircraft) series, adopting the R.II to R.VII designations.[6]
Operational history
Siemens-Schuckert delivered the R.V to the Riesenflugzeugersatzabteilung (Rea — "giant aircraft support unit") at Döberitz on 13 August 1916.[2] From there, it was assigned to Riesenflugzeugabteilung 501 (Rfa 501), and joined the squadron at Vilna on 3 September.[2] It was used operationally until the week of 14 February 1917, when the aircraft was severely damaged during a hard landing at night that fractured its fuselage.[2] The R.V was then dismantled and sent back to Döberitz where it could be used for spare parts for other Siemens-Schuckert bombers.[2]
Specific details of several operational missions while with Rfa 501 have survived:[10]
- 14–15 October 1916 — railway station at Wileyka
- 26 November 1916 — troop camp at Iza
- 7 January 1917 — railway station at Poloczany
Additionally, the R.V carried out the following raids together with the R.VI:[10]
- 19 January 1917 — troop camp at Iza
- 30 January 1917 — railway station at Wileyka
- 8 February 1917 — railway station at Molodeczne
- 12 February 1917 — railway station at Zalesie
Specifications
Data from Kroschel & Stützer 1994, p.141
General characteristics
- Crew: 4
- Length: 17.7 m (58 ft 1 in)
- Wingspan: 34.33 m (112 ft 8 in)
- Height: 4.6 m (15 ft 8 in)
- Wing area: 177 m2 (1,910 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 5,300 kg (11,600 lb)
- Gross weight: 6,766 kg (14,885 lb)
- Powerplant: 3 × Benz Bz.IV , 150 kW (200 hp) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 132 km/h (83 mph, 72 kn)
- Range: 480 km (300 mi, 260 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 3,000 m (9,800 ft)
Armament
- 3 × 7.9-mm machine guns
- 500 kg of bombs
Notes
- ^ a b Grey & Thetford 1962, p.572
- ^ a b c d e f g Haddow & Grosz 1963, p.189
- ^ a b c Haddow & Grosz 1963, p.188–89
- ^ Taylor 1989, p.808
- ^ The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft, p.2920
- ^ a b Haddow & Grosz 1963, p.184
- ^ a b c Haddow & Grosz 1963, p.188
- ^ Haddow & Grosz 1963, p.174
- ^ Haddow & Grosz 1963, p.186–87
- ^ a b Haddow & Grosz 1963, p.56
References
- Gray, Peter; Owen Thetford (1962). German Aircraft of the First World War. London: Putnam.
- Haddow, G.W.; Peter M. Grosz (1962). The German Giants: The Story of the R-planes 1914–1919. London: Putnam.
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft. London: Aerospace Publishing.
- Kroschel, Günter; Helmut Stützer (1994). Die Deutschen Militärflugzeuge 1910–1918. Herford: Mittler.
- Taylor, Michael J.H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions.
This page was last edited on 1 January 2024, at 10:40