|
|
The A.E.G. C.I was the first in a series of armed reconnaissance aircraft, and was based on the unarmed A.E.G. B.II.
The B.II was a two-bay biplane, with a welded steel tube fuselage, wooden wing ribs and a fabric cover. It was introduced in 1915, by which time observation aircraft were increasingly coming to be armed.
A.E.G. responded to the requirement for an armed reconnaissance aircraft with the C.I, designed by Ingenieur George König. This used most of the structure of the B.II, but with a more powerful 150hp Benz Bz.III inline engine. As on the B.II the engine mounting was rather ugly, with most of the engine exposed above the fuselage. The C.I was armed with a single machine gun on a flexible mount in the rear observer's cockpit. The C.I was designed to be a stable reconnaissance aircraft.
The C.I appeared in March 1915
The C.I was followed in October 1915 by the C.II, which was designed to be more manoeuvrable than the C.I.
Engine: Benz Bz.III inline engine
Power: 150hp
Crew: 2
Span: 42ft 10 1/2in
Length: 26ft 0 7/8in
Empty weight: 1,562lb
Loaded weight: 2,475lb
Max speed: 81.25mph
Climb Rate: 4.5min to 3,280ft
Armament: One flexibly mounted machine gun