В.Кондратьев Самолеты первой мировой войны

С IV являлся бомбардировщиком. Он отличался увеличенными размерами, крыльями с небольшой стреловидностью и двигателем Мерседес D.IV (220 л. с). Он мог брать до 70 кг авиабомб. Машины этого типа первыми совершили дневной бомбардировочный налет на Лондон. Было выпущено небольшое количество самолетов варианта СIV.
  
  
МОДИФИКАЦИИ
  
   C-IV - последняя серийная машина, разработанная Францем Шнейдером. Более крупный и энерговооруженный бомбардировочный аэроплан. Крылья с заметной стреловидностью по передней кромке. Двигатель "Мерседес", 220 л.с. C-IV "прославился" тем, что он совершил 28 ноября 1916 года первый дневной бомбовый рейд на Лондон.
  
  
ВООРУЖЕНИЕ
  
   1 турельный "Парабеллум" на всех С-модификациях, на C-IV - до 70 кг. бомб.

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

L.V.G. C IV
   This 1916 aircraft was a slightly enlarged edition of the C II designed round the straight-eight 220 h.p. Mercedes D IV engine. The reduction gearing enabled the engine to be almost completely buried, and a slow-revolving propeller of massive proportions was fitted. The introduction of a balanced rudder for the first time on an L.V.G. two-seater may be noted. An L.V.G. C IV made the first daylight aeroplane raid on London 28th November 1916. Engine, 220 h.p. Mercedes D IV. Span, 13.6 m. (44 ft. 7 1/2 in.). Length, 8.5 m. (27 ft. 10 3/4 in.). Height, 3.1 m. (10 ft. 2 1/8 in.). Area, 38.2 sq.m. (413 sq.ft.). Weights: Empty, 1,050 kg. (2,310 lb.). Loaded, 1,600 kg. (3,520 lb.). Armament, one Parabellum machine-gun.

J.Herris LVG Aircraft of WWI. Vol.1: B-Types & C.I (A Centennial Perspective on Great War Airplanes 34)

LVG C-Types
  
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  Powered by the rare Mercedes D.IV straight-eight engine, the LVG C.IV was designed for long-range reconnaissance where its high speed would enable it to avoid interception. It was moderately successful, being just slightly faster than the competing Albatros C.V powered by the same engine. The C.IV was the last Schneider design to be built; he left LVG on 30 June 1916 suffering from serious health problems.
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LVG C-Type Specifications
LVG C.I LVG C.II LVG C.III LVG C.IV
Engine 150 hp Benz Bz.III 150 hp Benz Bz.III 160 hp Mercedes D.III 160 hp Mercedes D.III 220 hp Mercedes D.IV
Span, Upper 14.5 m 12.68 m/12.85 m/&13.80 m (C.IIN) 12.7 m 13.6 m
Span, Lower - - - 10.9 m
Chord, Upper - - - 1.98-1.72 m
Chord, Lower - - - 1.77-1.58 m
Gap - - - 1.85 m
Wing Area 41.5 m2 37.6 m2 36 m2 38.2 m2
Length 8.61 m 8.1 m 8.0 m 8.51 m
Height 3.27 m 2.93 m 3.2 m -
Empty Weight 835 kg 845 kg 845 kg 1,050 kg
Loaded Weight 1,373 kg 1,405 kg 1,405 kg 1,600 kg
Maximum Speed 100 km/h 130 km/h - 172 km/h
Climb to 1,000 m - - - 6 minutes
Climb to 2,000 m - - - 13 minutes
Climb to 3,000 m - - - 24.5 minutes
Climb to 4,000 m - - - 43.5 minutes


Known LVG C-Type Production Orders
Type Date Qty Serials Notes
C.IV Dec. 1915 75 C.4339-4413/15
C.IV Feb. 1916 50 C.237-286/16

J.Herris LVG Aircraft of WWI. Vol.2: Types C.II - C.V (A Centennial Perspective on Great War Airplanes 35)

LVG C.IV

  The LVG C.IV was one of only three German reconnaissance airplanes to be powered by the 220 hp Mercedes D.IV straight-eight engine, the others being the Albatros C.V, which was also placed in production, and the Kondor C.II that remained a prototype. The success of the both the Albatros C.V and LVG C.IV was directly attributable to their powerful engine and efficient propeller.
The eight-cylinder D.IV engine was created by adding two cylinders to the reliable 160 hp Mercedes D.III six-cylinder engine. A stop-gap until the large, six-cylinder 260 hp Mercedes D.IVa could be developed and brought into production, the D.IV straight-eight easily passed its 60-hour duration test in October 1915 and was quickly put into production. The D.IV engine had a reduction gearbox that allowed a raised propeller, giving designers the option of completely enclosing the engine for improved streamlining. The engine developed its rated power at 1400 RPM, which was geared down to 910 propeller RPM. The low propeller RPM required a massive propeller and gave better propeller efficiency, which gave the aircraft better speed and climb than faster-turning propellers. On the other had, the length and weight of the engine meant a sizable airframe was required which limited maneuverability somewhat.
  The long D.IV straight-eight had a mixed reliability record. When installed in two-engine bombers, random crankshaft failures occurred. These are thought to have been caused by resonant vibrations created by the dynamic interaction of the two engines. However, when installed in single-engine types like the LVG C.IV, the D.IV engine demonstrated good reliability like the Mercedes D.III from which it was developed. Not only was it successful in single-engine aircraft, it gave the types using it excellent performance for the time.
  The LVG C.IV was the last design by the ailing Franz Schneider to be built and placed in operation. As such it resembled its predecessors and inherited their robust airframes and benign handling qualities. Those same design practices also made the airframe heavy for its size, and despite Schneider's previous experience a number of structural problems were found in the C.IV prototype that required fixes before the aircraft could be placed in production. This is likely the reason the C.IV, ordered in December 1915, was not officially tested until 28 April 1916. The rear spar of the aircraft tested, C.IV 4367/15 (work number 779), failed the test three times before passing on 13 May 1916. According to an Idflieg report, the C.IV had demonstrated wings that were too weak and the design was old-fashioned, although performance and flight qualities were good. The strong wing oscillations in flight were reduced to an acceptable level with 'appropriate measures' and the aircraft was recommended for production. Deliveries were in progress when the type-test was completed, so the delivered aircraft had to be modified to the standards of the airframe that passed the tests. As a result, from then on Idflieg refused to permit production of new types to begin until they passed the type-test requirements.
  As an aside, in 1915 when the C.IV was proposed, Idflieg was still uncertain of the preferred location of the observer; should he be placed in the front or rear cockpit? As a result, Idflieg ordered two C.IV airframes that were identical except for the observer's position. The aircraft with observer in back was designated the LVG C.IV (company designation D.XIv, the 'v' standing for 'vorn', meaning front). The other airframe with observer in front was the LVG C.V, internal company designation D.XI. The D.XI prototype may have been built but it did not go into production and the military designation "LVG C.V" was later assigned to the new type designed by Diplom-Ingenieur Wilhelm Sabersky-Mussigbrodt that bore the LVG company designation D.XV (see following entry).
  In contrast to the somewhat surprising structural problems experienced by the C.IV during development, it was well-streamlined. The radiator water was routed inside the center-section struts to eliminate external water pipes and the landing-gear springs were enclosed in streamlined fairings.
  The first C.IV to reach the front arrived in December 1915. Apparently the normal type-testing was waived to rush this aircraft to the front for evaluation. However, production C.IV aircraft did not start arriving at the front until August 1916, a significant delay due to the structural problems during development.
  When it reached the front, the big, boxy LVG C.IV proved to be just as fast as the smaller, highly streamlined Roland C.II and was more maneuverable and easier to land! The power of the straight-eight engine was the key to this impressive performance, which made the C.IV faster than Allied aircraft and gave it better climb. The speed of the C.IV enabled it to perform long-range reconnaissance missions without being intercepted. The C.IV was used solely on the Western Front as standard reconnaissance two-seaters performed well on the Russian Front where fighter opposition was much less intense.
  The LVG C.IV remained at the front for about a year. By mid-1917 normal service wear and tear reduced their performance, especially climb and ceiling; many C.IVs could only reach 3000 m and the best could reach only 4,500 m. Moreover, newer, faster Allied fighters were in combat. A few C.IV aircraft were used for training after withdrawal from the front and others were scrapped.

M.Dusing German Aviation Industry in WWI. Volume 1 (A Centennial Perspective on Great War Airplanes 84)

Luftverkehrsgesellschaft mbH, Berlin-Johannisthal, (LVG)

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  Further experiments in design and production led to the type Lvg C.IV (internally D XI), equipped with 220 hp 8-cylinder in-line engine Mercedes D.IV.
  This type, which after various modifications had become a success, was followed in mid-1916 by an order from the Army administration to build 125 aircraft, which were mass-produced.
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Журнал Flight

Flight, July 12, 1917.

SOME 1917 TYPE GERMAN AEROPLANES.

The L.V.G. (Type C. IV).

   Differs very little from the L.V.G.'s already dealt with in the columns of "FLIGHT." It is of slightly larger overall dimensions, and has an 8-cyl. vertical Mercedes engine. The armament consists of two machine guns mounted as usual and of four bombs.