J.Herris - Albatros Aircraft of WWI. Volume 1: Early Two-Seaters /Centennial Perspective/ (24)

After it was accepted that the observer should be situated in the rear cockpit, the Albatros C.IV was relegated to second-line duties. Here C.IV C.850/15 has been converted to test the Albatros G.III wing cellule. Although the test cellule was smaller than the G.III, the thick airfoil and distinctive struts of the G.III are clearly seen; the rest of the C.IV was the same as the well-known C.III. However, the pilot's cockpit was in the rear and the observer's cockpit was in front - and interestingly enough, rails for mounting flexible machine guns are still mounted on each side of the observer's cockpit!

J.Herris - Albatros Aircraft of WWI. Volume 1: Early Two-Seaters /Centennial Perspective/ (24)

Alb C.IV (1915). (Thick airfoil testbed.)
Albatros C.IV C.850/15 at Johannisthal with gun mounting rails fitted around the sides of the forward observer's cockpit. The C.IV used the same airframe as the widely-produced C.III, but unlike the C.III, it retained the observer in the front cockpit. Rails alongside the observer's cockpit were intended to mount flexible machine guns. Only a dozen C.IV aircraft were produced because by the time the aircraft appeared, placing the observer with his flexible gun in the rear cockpit was realized to be far more effective in combat. (Peter M. Grosz Collection/SDTB)

J.Herris - Albatros Aircraft of WWI. Volume 1: Early Two-Seaters /Centennial Perspective/ (24)

Albatros CIV (L12) with Mercedes D.IIIa engine and Garuda propeller.
Image of Albatros C.IV C.850/15 in front of the Albatros factory at Johannisthal. No serial is visible and no gun mounting rails are fitted around the forward observer's cockpit, but an interesting fairing is seen below the observer's cockpit, perhaps for a camera? (Peter M. Bowers Collection/The Museum of Flight)

J.Herris - Albatros Aircraft of WWI. Volume 1: Early Two-Seaters /Centennial Perspective/ (24)

J.Herris - Pfalz Aircraft of WWI /Centennial Perspective/ (5)

Three rare aircraft are captured in this photo. A Pfalz E.VI in the foreground was hand painted with lozenge patterns to test a new camouflage system; it retains the national insignia on the elevators. The Pfalz E.V Typenprufung machine in the background dates this photo to July 1916. Directly behind the E.VI is Albatros C.IV C.850/16 as can be determined by its distinctive wing and interplane struts.

Другие самолёты на фотографии: Pfalz E.I/E.II/E.IV/E.VI - Германия - 1915Pfalz E.V - Германия - 1916

J.Herris - Albatros Aircraft of WWI. Volume 1: Early Two-Seaters /Centennial Perspective/ (24)

Unarmed Albatros C.IV C.853/15 in use as a mail plane in Mesopotamia with Turkish markings and normal C.III-type wings. Aircraft C.853-859/15 (except for C.857/15) were delivered to the Turkish flying corps. At least two aircraft, C.851/15 and C.860/15, were delivered to German flying schools for use as trainers.