В.Обухович, А.Никифоров Самолеты Первой Мировой войны

Морской бомбардировщик и торпедоносец W.D. 11 имел увеличенные размеры и оснащался более мощными двигателями Мерседес D.III с толкающими винтами. Несколько изменилась и форма фюзеляжа. Было изготовлено 12 машин этого варианта.

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

Gotha WD 11
   The WD 11 was the next development in the twin-engined torpedo aircraft series after the WD 7. It was a considerably bigger aeroplane, and its engines drove pusher airscrews. Some thirteen aircraft of this type were delivered between March and July 1917. Engines, two 160 h.p. Mercedes D III. Span, 22.51 m. (73 ft. 10 3/8 in.). Length, 13.43 m. (44 ft. 0 7/8 in.). Height, 4.75 m. (15 ft. 1 7/8 in.). Area, 103.4 sq.m. (1,117 sq.ft.). Weights: Empty, 2,437 kg. (5,361 lb.). Loaded, 3,583 kg. (7,883 lb.). Speed 120 km.hr. (75 m.p.h.). Climb, 1,000 m. (3,280 ft.) in 12 min. Armament, torpedo carried under fuselage; one Parabellum machine-gun in nose.

J.Herris Gotha Aircraft of WWI (A Centennial Perspective on Great War Airplanes 6)

Gotha WD11

   Ordered on 9 March 1916 and designed by Rosner as a torpedo bomber, the WD11 resembled the earlier WD7 but was a much larger aircraft. The WD11 was powered by two 160 hp Mercedes D.III engines and was equipped to carry one Whitehead G/125 torpedo under the fuselage. All WD11 torpedo bombers were flown by a two-man crew, and the observer in the front cockpit had a flexible Parabellum LMG 14 machine gun.
   After flight tests at the SVK, the prototype WD11, Marine Number 679, was used to train aircrews at the Sonderkommando Flensburg. Three more production batches followed the prototype; the first was a batch of five, Marine Numbers 991-995, followed by a batch of three, Marine Numbers 1211-1213, followed by a final batch of eight, Marine Numbers 1372-1379, for a total of 17 airplanes.
   WD11 torpedo bombers were operational in the Baltic and North Sea, but they were reported to be underpowered - the Gotha G-types of similar size and weight had 260 hp Mercedes D.IVa engines - and too lightly built for the severe demands put on them.
   Torpedo attacks proved very difficult and required ideal sea and weather conditions. A drag rod under the fuselage was lowered prior to the attack; it was a device to measure height over the water, and the pilot had to maintain an altitude of 5 meters for torpedo release. Optical height measuring devices were also tested. Because of the difficulty of torpedo attacks coupled with the vulnerability of the aircraft to ship-board anti-aircraft guns, torpedo attacks were soon abandoned and the WD11s were modified to carry ten 50-kg bombs or a single Teka anti-shipping mine.

Gotha WD11 Specifications
Engines: 2 x 160 hp Mercedes D.III
Wing: Span Upper 22.50 m
Span Lower 21.00 m
Area 104 m2
General: Length 13.45 m
Height 4.75 m
Empty Weight 2146 kg
Loaded Weight 3583 kg
Maximum Speed: 120 km/h
Climb: 1000m 12 min
1500m 20 min
Service Ceiling: 3200 m
Range: 500 km


Gotha Seaplane Production Summary
Type Ordered Marine Numbers Remarks
WD11 17 679, 991-995, 1211-1213, 1372-1379 Torpedo bomber, flew operational sorties