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The Albatros C.XV was the last in the series of Albatros two-seat scouts, but although it entered production it arrived too late to see active service.
The C.XV was developed from the C.XIV, which was a significantly lighter and smaller aircraft than the previous C.X and C.XII. It used the standard Albatros construction method - the fuselage had a wooden frame covered with plywood and the wings used wooden spars and ribs and were fabric covered. The C.XIV was the first of the Albatros two-seat scouts to have staggered wings. It had a less powerful engine than the C.XII, but its performance didn’t suffer.
A single C.XIV was constructed and work then moved onto the C.XV. This was slightly lighter than the X.CIV, although had a longer wing span. It also had an angular cut-out in the centre section of the upper wing and overhung balanced ailerons. The C.XV had 40hp less than the C.XII, but its top speed only dropped from 109mph to 103mph and its climb rate actually increased by a significant amount - the time to 3,280ft came down from 5 minutes to 3.4 minutes.
Production of the C.XV got underway late in 1918 but the armistice arrived before many were built, and it may not have entered combat.
Engine: Benz Bz.IVa inline piston engine
Power: 220hp
Span: 38ft 8.5in
Length: 24ft 6in
Height: 10ft 11in
Empty weight: 1,894lb
Maximum take-off weight: 2,910lb
Max speed: 103.4mph
Climb Rate: 3min 25sec to 3,280ft
Service ceiling: 19,685ft
Endurance: 3 hours
Armament: One flexibly mounted 7.92mm Parabellum machine gun, one fixed forward mounted 7.92mm LMG 08/15