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Albatros W.3/W.5

Страна: Германия

Год: 1916

Albatros - G.II/G.III - 1916 - Германия<– –>Albatros - W.4 - 1916 - Германия


O.Thetford, P.Gray German Aircraft of the First World War (Putnam)


Albatros W 3
   A single example of the W 3 was built (Marine No. 527) and supplied to the German Navy in July 1916. It was designed as a torpedo attack machine and developed into W 5. Engines, two 150 h.p. Benz III. Span, 22.7 m. (74 ft. 5 7/8 in.). Length, 13.1 m . (42 ft. 11 7/8 in.). Speed, 133 km.hr. (83.125 m.p.h.). Armament, torpedo and two manually operated machine-guns.


Albatros W 5
   Although a derivative of the W 3, this aircraft differed considerably in detail. Wings were swept and four ailerons fitted, and the vertical surfaces were of more triangular shape. Much larger floats were carried. The nose and tail of the torpedo, which was stowed well in the belly of the aircraft, may be seen in the photograph. Engine housing was modified to give improved cooling. Orthodox Albatros construction, featuring ply-covered fuselage, was used. Five machines were supplied to the Navy (Marine Nos. 845-849) between May 1917 and January 1918, by which time the ideas for use of torpedo aircraft had been abandoned. Engines, two 150 h.p. Benz. Span, 22.7 m. (74 ft. 5 7/8 in.). Length, 131 m. (42 ft. 11 7/8 in.). Height, 4.25 m. (13 ft. 11 3/8 in.). Area, 100 sq.m. (1,080 sq.ft.). Weights: Empty, 2,263 kg. (4,979 lb.). Loaded, 3,665 kg. (8,063 lb.). Speed, 133 km.hr. (83.125 m.p.h.). Climb, 1,000 m. (3,280 ft.) in 20 min. Duration, 4 hr. Armament, torpedo and two manually operated machineguns.


J.Herris Albatros Aircraft of WWI. Vol.3: Bombers, Seaplanes, J-types (A Centennial Perspective on Great War Airplanes 26)


Albatros W.3

   The Albatros W.3 was ordered in October 1915 and delivered in July 1916. It was the first torpedo bomber built by Albatros and only a single prototype, Marine Number 527, was built.
   The W.3 was a twin-engine floatplane with its two 150 hp Benz Bz.III engines mounted as pushers. To improve streamlining the pusher propellers had spinners. The large, boxy radiators were mounted at the top front of the nacelles. The wood structure was typical of Albatros practice of the time and the design had typical Albatros lines. The design provided for a torpedo carried under the fuselage and semi-recessed to reduce drag.
   Little is known about the W.3's handling qualities, but the overall design was worthy of development into the very similar Albatros W.5 that was essentially the production version of the W.3 prototype.


Albatros W.5
  
   A batch of five Albatros W.5 torpedo bombers, Marine Numbers 845-849, was ordered in July 1916, the same month the W.3 was delivered. Apparently the priority of the W.5 was fairly low as deliveries of the five aircraft were stretched out from May 1917 to January 1918.
   The W.5 was essential a refined derivative of the original W.3 and shared many similarities with the earlier design. Wing span and length of the W.3 and W.5 were the same and both types were powered by two 150 hp Benz Bz.III engines mounted as pushers. Like the W.3, the W.5 had propeller spinners and provision for a single torpedo mounted below the fuselage, although the torpedo recess under the fuselage was larger in the W.5. The radiators and engine nacelles of the W.5 were more refined for lower drag with better cooling. Photos of Marine Number 845 show ailerons on the upper wing only like the W.3, but apparently lateral control needed improvement because Marine Number 847 had ailerons on all four wings connected by an actuating strut. The SVK drawing of the W.5, which indicated it applied to all five Marine Numbers built, show ailerons on all four wings, so that was intended as the standard configuration. It is not known if MN 845 was later modified to have four ailerons or left in its original configuration. The floats of the W.5 were enlarged compared to the W.3.
   The small production order is an indication that the W.5's performance was below that of its Gotha and Brandenburg competitors, and the leisurely delivery schedule reflects the low priority given torpedo bombers after the Navy abandoned aerial torpedo attacks due to the vulnerability of the attacking aircraft.


Albatros Seaplane Specifications
Type W.1 W.2 W.3 W4 MN747 W4 (948-967) W.5 W.8
Engine 150 hp Benz Bz.III or 160 hp Mercedes D.III 150 hp Benz Bz.III 2x150 hp Benz Bz.III 160 hp Mercedes D.III 160 hp Mercedes D.III 2x150 hp Benz Bz.III 195 hp Benz Bz.IIIb
Span 14.3 m 10.0 m 22.7 m 9.50 m 9.50 m 22.7 m 11.46 m
Length 8.56 m 8.2 m 13.1 m 8.50 m 8.50 m 13.1 m 9.59 m
Wing Area 43.0 m2 31.4 m2 - 31.0 m2 - 100 m2 -
Empty Weight - 935 kg. - 709 kg 784 kg 2,263 kg -
Flying Weight - 1,215 kg - 989 kg 155 km/h 3,665 kg -
Maximum Speed - 176 km/h 133 km/h 155 km/h 160 km/h 133 km/h 150 km/h
Climb to 1,000m - - - - 5.5 min. 20.0 min. 6.5 min.
Climb to 2,000m - - - - 8.5 min. -
Climb to 3,000m - - - - 23 min. - 34 min.
Duration - - - - - 4 hours 3.5 hours
Guns None 1 gun 1 gun 1 gun 2 guns 1 gun 1-2 fixed guns + 1 flexible gun


Albatros W.1-W.8 Seaplane Production
Aircraft Number Built Marine Numbers
Albatros W.3 1 527
Albatros W.5 5 845-849

J.Herris - Albatros Aircraft of WWI. Volume 3: Bombers, Seaplanes, J-types /Centennial Perspective/ (26)
Albatros W.5 Torpedo bomber, Marine Nr. 845.
J.Herris - Albatros Aircraft of WWI. Volume 3: Bombers, Seaplanes, J-types /Centennial Perspective/ (26)
Albatros W.5 Marine #845 was the first W.5 built. It featured ailerons on the upper wings only and its rudder had a rounded trailing edge.
J.Herris - Albatros Aircraft of WWI. Volume 3: Bombers, Seaplanes, J-types /Centennial Perspective/ (26)
Albatros W.5 Marine #847 was the third W.5 built. It was to the production standard with ailerons on all wings connected by an actuating strut and its rudder had a straight trailing edge.
J.Herris - Albatros Aircraft of WWI. Volume 3: Bombers, Seaplanes, J-types /Centennial Perspective/ (26)
J.Herris - Albatros Aircraft of WWI. Volume 3: Bombers, Seaplanes, J-types /Centennial Perspective/ (26)
The sole Albatros W 3, serial 527, three seat torpedo bomber. Powered by two 160hp Mercedes D IIIs, the W 3 had a top level speed of 83mph at sea level. Delivered to the navy in July 1916, the W 3 led to the generally similar W 5 design, of which four were built and delivered between May 1917 and January 1918.
J.Herris - Albatros Aircraft of WWI. Volume 3: Bombers, Seaplanes, J-types /Centennial Perspective/ (26)
J.Herris - Albatros Aircraft of WWI. Volume 3: Bombers, Seaplanes, J-types /Centennial Perspective/ (26)
View of the Albatros W.3 under construction at the factory. The W.3 had ailerons on the upper wing only and used typical Albatros wood construction. (Peter M. Bowers Collection, Museum of Flight)
J.Herris - Albatros Aircraft of WWI. Volume 3: Bombers, Seaplanes, J-types /Centennial Perspective/ (26)
This view of the completed Albatros W.3 emphasize the attention paid to streamlining this large biplane floatplane. The pusher propellers featured spinners and the large block radiators were carefully streamlined into the engine nacelles. (Peter M. Bowers Collection, Museum of Flight)
J.Herris - Albatros Aircraft of WWI. Volume 3: Bombers, Seaplanes, J-types /Centennial Perspective/ (26)
Marine Number 527 was the only Albatros W.3 built. The W.3 was a class TMG, a torpedo bomber armed with two flexible machine guns.
J.Herris - Albatros Aircraft of WWI. Volume 3: Bombers, Seaplanes, J-types /Centennial Perspective/ (26)
The completed Albatros W.3 was a clean design with minimal frontal area for a fairly large, twin-engine biplane floatplane. Albatros had learned the importance of streamlining for performance and applied that lesson to the W.3. (Peter M. Grosz Collection, SDTB)
J.Herris - Albatros Aircraft of WWI. Volume 3: Bombers, Seaplanes, J-types /Centennial Perspective/ (26)
This view of Marine Number 845 also shows that ailerons were fitted to the upper wing only on this aircraft. It is not known if this aircraft was later upgraded to the standard four-aileron configuration shown in the SVK drawing.
J.Herris - Albatros Aircraft of WWI. Volume 3: Bombers, Seaplanes, J-types /Centennial Perspective/ (26)
Marine Number 845 was the first of five W.5 ordered. The photo shows that ailerons were fitted to the upper wing only, while the SVK drawing shows ailerons were to be fitted to all four wings. The rudder has a curved trailing edge; later aircraft and the SVK drawing feature a rudder with straight trailing edge.
J.Herris - Albatros Aircraft of WWI. Volume 3: Bombers, Seaplanes, J-types /Centennial Perspective/ (26)
Marine Number 847 was the third of five W.5 ordered. The photo shows that ailerons were fitted to all four wings, which is consistent with the type's SVK drawing. Four ailerons was intended as the standard configuration. A torpedo has been loaded and the torpedo's nose and fins are visible.
The twin 150hp Benz Bz III powered Albatros W 5 floatplane torpedo bomber came into naval service in May 1917 Capable of 83mph top level speed at sea level, four of these three man biplanes were built, serials 846 to 849, delivery ending in January 1918. The view of the second aircraft, 847, shows the machine's pusher engine configuration and the torpedo stowed, semi-recessed, within the aircraft's belly.
J.Herris - Albatros Aircraft of WWI. Volume 3: Bombers, Seaplanes, J-types /Centennial Perspective/ (26)
This view of W.5 Marine Number 847 was likely taken at the same time as the photos above because the torpedo fins are still visible below the fuselage. The rudder has a straight trailing edge. (Peter M. Bowers Collection/Museum of Flight)
J.Herris - Albatros Aircraft of WWI. Volume 3: Bombers, Seaplanes, J-types /Centennial Perspective/ (26)
Front view of a W.5 in the early configuration with ailerons on the upper wing only. No torpedo is being carried. (Peter M. Bowers Collection/Museum of Flight)
J.Herris - Albatros Aircraft of WWI. Volume 3: Bombers, Seaplanes, J-types /Centennial Perspective/ (26)
Front view of a W.5 in the final configuration with ailerons on all four wings connected by an actuating strut. In this view a torpedo is being carried. (Peter M. Bowers Collection/Museum of Flight)
J.Herris - Albatros Aircraft of WWI. Volume 3: Bombers, Seaplanes, J-types /Centennial Perspective/ (26)
Quarter view of a W.5 in the final configuration with ailerons on all four wings connected by an actuating strut. (Peter M. Bowers Collection/Museum of Flight)
A.Imrie - German Naval Air Service /Arms & Armour/
Albatros W5 845 dropping a practice torpedo. Three torpedo Staffeln worked up in a Sonderkommando (Special Command) at Flensburg from mid-1916, but their operational success on both East and West Fronts was not great due to the poor performance and seaworthiness of the underpowered twin-engined seaplanes used for this duty. Various manufacturers produced torpedo seaplanes, but all were of neccessity lightly built and were demanding to fly. Eventually this weapon was discarded and the aircraft were used for other work such as mine-laying or, when fitted with extra fuel tanks, for long-range oversea reconnaissance.
J.Herris - Albatros Aircraft of WWI. Volume 3: Bombers, Seaplanes, J-types /Centennial Perspective/ (26)
The single Albatros W.3 prototype was followed by a batch of five W.5 production aircraft. The W.5 was developed from the W.3 and like the W.3 was a class TMG, a torpedo bomber armed with two flexible machine guns. Here is Marine Number 845, the first aircraft of the batch, launches a torpedo.
J.Herris - Albatros Aircraft of WWI. Volume 3: Bombers, Seaplanes, J-types /Centennial Perspective/ (26)
Albatros W.3 SVK Drawing
J.Herris - Albatros Aircraft of WWI. Volume 3: Bombers, Seaplanes, J-types /Centennial Perspective/ (26)
Albatros W.5 SVK Drawing
J.Herris - Albatros Aircraft of WWI. Volume 3: Bombers, Seaplanes, J-types /Centennial Perspective/ (26)
Albatros W.5
J.Herris - Albatros Aircraft of WWI. Volume 3: Bombers, Seaplanes, J-types /Centennial Perspective/ (26)
Albatros W.5
J.Herris - Albatros Aircraft of WWI. Volume 3: Bombers, Seaplanes, J-types /Centennial Perspective/ (26)
Albatros W.5