G.Haddow, P.Grosz The German Giants (Putnam)

Ago R-plane Project

   The "Rapport Technique", more commonly known as the "Inter-Allied Report", was the official publication of the Inter-Allied Aeronautical Control Commission, which was responsible for the control of aeronautical activities in Germany after the war. The "Inter-Allied Report" does contain numerous errors; yet surprisingly many of its "errors" have been proven correct by subsequent research into German wartime activities. The report does contain reference to an R-plane designed by Ago-Flugzeugwerke G.m.b.H. during the war.
   Ago was awarded a war patent (No. 310,096) on 30 September 1919 which describes an aircraft with three centrally mounted engines coupled to a common gear-box, which in turn drove four propellers spaced along the trailing edge of the wing. In April 1918, Ago ordered a test assembly from Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft comprising three 160 h.p. Mercedes D.IIIav engines and suitable clutches connected to a right angle gear-box having two propeller drive shafts. It was planned to bench test this arrangement prior to using larger 500 h.p. engines. From available records, it seems Ago was considering a 3000 h.p. R-plane driven by four propellers. This project was in the preliminary design stage when the war ended.