В.Обухович, А.Никифоров Самолеты Первой Мировой войны

Компания "Готаэр" по заданию флота сконструировала ряд двухмоторных гидросамолетов. При этом был использован опыт создания бомбардировщиков класса "G", хотя внешне гидросамолеты и значительно отличались от сухопутных машин. Двухмоторный поплавковый биплан W.D. 7 разрабатывался как разведчик и патрульный самолет. Оснащался двигателями Мерседес D.II с тянущими винтами. Отличительной чертой машины было довольно редкое, на то время, разнесенное по концам стабилизатора вертикальное оперение. Стрелок размещался в передней кабине, оснащенной подвижным пулеметом. Всего было произведено 8 самолетов W.D. 7.
   Из-за низких летных характеристик они в основном применялись в учебных отрядах. Известен случай, когда один из гидросамолетов, выполняя патрульный полет, совершил вынужденную посадку на воду вблизи французских кораблей. Экипаж попытался сжечь машину, но не успел.
  

Технические данные Гота W.D. 7
  
Двигатель 2 х Мерседес D.II (120 л. С.)
Размеры:
   размах х длина 16,8 х 11,3 м
Площадь крыльев 55,5 м2
Вес:
   пустого 1275 кг
   взлетный 1785 кг
Максимальная скорость 128 км/ч
Потолок 3500 м
Дальность полета 475 км
Вооружение:
   стрелковое 1 подвижный пулемет
Экипаж 2 чел.

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

Gotha WD 7
   During 1916, eight twin-engined WD 7s were built and used as school machines on which crews practised torpedo-dropping tactics prior to going on to the larger operational aircraft. Engines, two 120 h.p. Mercedes D II. Span, 160 m. (52 ft. 6 in.). Length, 11.3 m. (37 ft. 1 in.). Height, 3.585 m. (11 ft. 9 1/8 in.). Area, 55.5 sq.m. (599 sq.ft.). Weights: Empty, 1,440 kg. (3,168 lb.). Loaded, 1,970 kg. (4,334 lb.). Speed, 136 km.hr. (85 m.p.h.) Ceiling, 4,000 m. (13,120 ft.).

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

Gotha WD7

   The Gotha WD7, Marine Number 119, was ordered on 10 May 1915. Designed by Karl Rosner and A. Klaube and originally intended as a three-seat Kampfflugzeug to attack enemy aircraft, it was powered by two 120 hp Mercedes D.II engines. Assigned to Flandern I at Zeebrugge, the WD7 prototype caught fire in flight on its first combat mission on 5 April 1916 and was forced to ditch. The crew and partly-burned airframe were captured by the French.
   Seven additional WD7 floatplanes were ordered on 24 February 1916. Six, Marine Numbers 670-675, were powered by two 100 hp Mercedes D.I engines and one, Marine Number 676, was powered by two 120 hp Argus As.II engines. Armament was a single Parabellum LMG 14 machine gun in the front turret. These provided training at Apenrade for twin-engine torpedo airplanes. WD7 #671 was at Warnemunde, then went to Flensburg. WD7 #674 eventually was at Norderney, where among its pilots was Flgobmt. Hubrich, a future ace. Two WD7 seaplanes, #675 and #676, were used in weapons trials with 37mm DWN and 20mm Becker aircraft cannons mounted in a modified nose turret.

Gotha WD7 Specifications
Engines: 2 x 120 hp Mercedes D.II (119) 2 x 100 hp Mercedes D.I (670-675) 2 x 120 hp Argus As.II (676)
Wing: Span Upper 16.80 m
Span Lower 14.80 m
Area 55.5 m2
General: Length 11.30 m
Height 3.90 m
Empty Weight 1275 kg
Loaded Weight 1785 kg
Maximum Speed: 128 km/h
Climb: 1000m 9.5 min
2000m 40 min
Service Ceiling: 3500 m
Range: 475 km
Note: Performance specs for #119


Gotha Seaplane Production Summary
Type Ordered Marine Numbers Remarks
WD7 8 119, 670-676 Torpedo trainers

M.Schmeelke "Torpedo Los!" (Aeronaut)

German Torpedo Aircraft

Gothaer Waggonfabrik AG, Gotha

  With the Gotha company already having gained experience in designing twin-engine bombers, the RMA subsequently ordered the company to build a T-aircraft in February 1915. Dipl.-Ing. Karl Rosner, the chief designer of Abteilung II at Gotha, delivered the type WD7 (Marine No. 119) to the SVK in January 1916. Although the 119 was not yet a torpedo aircraft, it is considered to be the forerunner of the later Gotha torpedo aircraft. Tests of the 119 at Warnemunde were successful and the RMA ordered a series of other torpedo training aircraft, the Gotha WD7 (No. 670 - 676). They, too, were unable to drop torpedoes, as they were equipped with bracing struts between the floats. By August 1916, all seven Gotha WD7s had been delivered to the SVK and were later used as training aircraft at both Kiel-Holtenau and Flensburg. With the Gotha WD7 (670) practical innovations were made again and again by the SVK. At Warnemunde, various engine installations were also tried, with 130 hp Hiero engines from Austria-Hungary being temporarily installed. In February 1916, the RMA placed a further order with the Gothaer Waggonfabrik, for the type WD11. The WD11 (Marine No. 679) had for the first time a recess for the torpedo, the so-called torpedo trough, on the underside of the fuselage. In this trough-like recess, the torpedo was coupled into the holding device at a 50 degree angle. An advantage of the WD11 was the seating position of the torpedo layer in the fuselage bow, with the pilot sitting directly behind him, shifted to the right. This made it possible to communicate easily. WD11 No.679 was followed by further orders for Gotha WD11 aircraft with Navy Nos. 991-995, 1211-1213, and 1372-1379. But before the torpedo aircraft could be considered "front-ready", i.e., suitable for frontline use, there was still a long way to go. In the documents of the Seaplane Test Command (SVK) and the Torpedo Test Command (TVK) there are many reports regarding these details. Items involved were not only the basic construction, but particularly the struts from the fuselage to the floats, the torpedo and mine mount on the fuselage, as well as the armament. The engines were also replaced more frequently; the Gotha WD7 (675 and 676) received more powerful 120 hp Argus engines instead of the 100 hp Daimler. The WD7 (676) was still at Warnemunde in June 1917 and was used to test a movable 2 cm Becker cannon mounted in the bow position of the aircraft. On the WD11 (679) tail-heaviness had to be addressed and the motors received new acetylene starters. On 17 October aircraft No. 679 was accepted by the Maritime Aircraft Acceptance Commission (SAK) and handed over to the Special Command Edler in Flensburg. However, it was damaged there on October 31, 1916 and had to be returned to Warnemunde for repair. It was not until 5 December 1916 that the Gotha WD7 (679) arrived again at the SoKo in Flensburg.
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Gotha WD7 Specifications
Engines: 2 x 120 hp Mercedes D.II (119)
2 x 100 hp Mercedes D.I (670-675)
2 x 120 hp Argus As.II (676)
Wing: Span Upper 16.80 m
Span Lower 14.80 m
Area 55.5 m2
General: Length 11.30 m
Height 3.90 m
Empty Weight 1275 kg
Loaded Weight 1785 kg
Maximum Speed: 128 km/h
Climb: 1000m 9.5 min
2000m 40 min
Service Ceiling: 3500 m
Range: 475 km
Note: Performance specs for #119


Gotha Torpedo Bomber Production
Type Qty Marine Numbers Notes
WD7 1 119 Prototype. Assigned to Zeebrugge, lost on first combat sortie.
   7 670-676 Used to train torpedo crews. 676 had 120 hp Argus As.II engines.

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

Gothaer Waggonfabrik A.-G., Gotha (Go)

Aircraft Development:

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  WD7 and UWD represented the first large aircraft ordered by the Navy. Type WD7 was a biplane with two 120 hp Daimler engines (thrust propeller arrangement) mounted on lower wings; armed with 1 MG.
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