Albatros W.4

W.4
First prototype of Albatros W.IV, No.747
Role	Fighter
Manufacturer	Albatros Flugzeugwerke
First flight	1916
Retired	1918
Primary user	Luftstreitkräfte
Produced	1916-1917
Number built	118

The Albatros W.4 was a German floatplane derivative of the Albatros D.I fighter with new wing and tail surfaces of greater span than the D.I. One hundred eighteen examples (including three prototypes) were built between June 1916 and December 1917.^[1] The aircraft operated in the North Sea and Baltic theatres and later served as training aircraft.

The W.4 was powered by the same 120 kW (160 hp) Mercedes D.III engine fitted to the D.I and based on the same fuselage. The first production series W.4s were armed with one lMG08 7.92 mm (.312 in) machine gun. Later aircraft carried two guns.

Operators

• German Empire
  • Luftstreitkräfte - 118 aircraft
• Austria-Hungary
  • KuKLFT - 8 aircraft delivered in July 1918^[1]

Specifications (W.4)

Albatros W.4 drawing

Data from German Aircraft of the First World War^[2]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 8.5 m (27 ft 11 in)
• Wingspan: 9.5 m (31 ft 2 in)
• Height: 3.65 m (12 ft 0 in)
• Wing area: 31.6 m² (340 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 790 kg (1,742 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Mercedes D.III 6-cylinder water-cooled in-line piston engine, 120 kW (160 hp)
• Propellers: 2-bladed fixed-pitch wooden propeller

Performance

• Maximum speed: 158–160 km/h (98–99 mph, 85–86 kn)
• Endurance: 3 hours
• Service ceiling: 2,890 m (9,480 ft)
• Time to altitude: 1,000 m (3,281 ft) in 5 minutes

Armament

• Guns: 1 or 2 × forward-firing 7.92 mm (.312 in) lMG 08 machine guns

References

• Green, W. & Swanborough, G. (1994). The Complete Book of Fighters. London: Salamander Books. ISBN 1-85833-777-1
• Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 56.
• luftfahrt-archiv.de
• Grosz, Peter M. (1995). Albatros W4. Windsock Mini Datafile No. 1. Berkhamsted: Albatros Productions. ISBN 0-948414-64-2.