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

Friedrichshafen FF 29
   Built in small quantity from November 1914, the FF 29 and FF 29a (powered with 120 h.p. Mercedes D II engine) were used for coastal patrol and sometimes carried a small bomb load. No other armament was carried. The FF 29a had modified tail surfaces and floats.

J.Herris Friedrichshafen Aircraft of WWI (A Centennial Perspective on Great War Airplanes 21)

Friedrichshafen FF29 & FF29A

   Friedrichshafen's first wartime design was the FF29, which was basically an enlarged FF19, the first Friedrichshafen aircraft that had been successful enough to be built in any quantity. The FF29 and FF29A were built as unarmed, two-seat reconnaissance floatplanes.
   Production orders for the 44 aircraft actually built are somewhat complex and are summarized in the adjacent table. The first batch of 20 FF29 aircraft were ordered at the start of the war in August 1914. All subsequent batches were ordered in November 1914 and the final aircraft from this orders was delivered in September 1915. One batch of FF29 aircraft, Marine Numbers 290-296, were ordered with the 120 hp Argus.
   The FF29A was the designation for aircraft built under license by the Kaiserliche Werft Wilhelmshaven. These were powered by the 100 hp Mercedes D.I and had slightly modified floats and tail.

Friedrichshafen FF29 Specifications
Engine: 120 hp Mercedes D.II
Wing: Span Upper 16.30 m
Area 57.5 m2
General: Length 10.40 m
Empty Weight 928 kg
Loaded Weight 1,400 kg

Friedrichshafen FF29 & FF29A Production
Type Marine Numbers Quantity Date Ordered Naval Class & Notes
FF29A 91-100 10 November 1914 B, 100 hp Mercedes D.I
FF29 201-220 20 August 1914 B, 120 hp Mercedes D.II
FF29 290-296 7 November 1914 B, 120 hp Argus
FF29 406-410 5 November 1914 B, 120 hp Mercedes D.II
FF29A 411-415 5 November 1914 B, 100 hp Mercedes, 3 aircraft not delivered

Журнал Flight

Flight, October 16, 1919.


SOME FRIEDRICHSHAFEN "MILESTONES"

   PROBABLY no other German aircraft firm can show such a series of seaplanes as that produced by the Friedrichshafen Aircraft Works (Flugzeugbau Friedrichshafen) during the War, and for this reason a brief reference to the various types, illustrated by photographs, may not be without interest to readers of FLIGHT. The illustrations have been published in Flugsport, and the following is a translation of the descriptive matter accompanying the photographs :-
   "The Friedrichshafen Aircraft Works is the oldest German firm which has devoted its energies almost exclusively to the production of seaplanes. The firm was founded in 1912 and has produced a great number of seaplane types, under the efficient leadership of its founder and managing director, Dipl. Ing. Theodor Kober, who has been ably supported by his associates, in close co-operation with the Naval authorities and with various scientific institutions. The main sphere of activity of the firm was the construction, testing, and quantity production of seaworthy single-engined seaplanes of the types used by the German Navy for reconnaissance flights over the North Sea and the Baltic. That the firm was successful in this is proved by the fact that they have been able to supply practically all the requirements of the German Navy, and that a number of other firms have built their machines under licence. Among these may be mentioned the Luftfahrzeug Gesellschaft, the Sablatnig Aircraft Works, the Gothaer Waggonfabrik and the Warnemunde Aircraft Works. As the seaworthiness of a machine depends not only on the right shape of float, but also upon the strength of the floats and undercarriage, on the correct amount of buoyancy and on controllability when alighting, it will be seen what an abundance of experience has to be collected in order to fulfil the specifications for a seaworthy seaplane. A large proportion of the experiments was formed by tests on floats, of which over 100 types were produced. The F.F. machines, which have been well proved during the War, are all of the twin-float type, although before the War single-float machines and flying boats were also tried.
   "One object of the experiments was, among other things, to determine the number and placing of steps which best suited the different types of machines for starting and landing, and what float shape gave the best results for taxying. At the same time the floats should combine small air resistance and great rigidity with small weight, while the most suitable, strongest, and lightest construction of float details also required much work and very many experiments. The following are the most important types of seaplanes produced by the Friedrichshafen Aircraft Works :-

"The F.F. 29
   is a bomber with a 120 h.p. Mercedes engine (Fig. 1). The main floats are comparatively short, and a tail float is therefore fitted under the stern of the fuselage. The radiator is placed above the engine, and the exhaust pipes are passed under the lower plane. The pilot occupies the rear seat, while the observer sits in front, where are also the bomb releases. The petrol gravity tank is hung on the cabane struts.
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