Zeppelin-Staaken V.G.O. I

The Zeppelin-Staaken V.G.O. I was the first of the Riesenflugzeug (giant airplanes) from the firm. Before moving to Staaken in 1916, the design was carried out at Versuchsbau Gotha-Ost (East Gotha Experimental Works), from which the V.G.O. name derives. After testing, the first V.G.O. was re-designated the R.M.L.I and it was used by the German Navy on the Eastern Front. But while on testing with the new engines it crashed on 15 Dec 1915. By late 1916 the plane and the Zeppelin-Staaken V.G.O. II were assigned to Riesenflugzeugabteilung 500.

After the crash it was rebuilt, but the unreliable Maybach HS engines were retained because nothing better was available at the time. The rebuilt plane was accepted by the navy and rebranded the R.M.L.1 (Reichs Marine Landflugzeug 1). It was flown to Aul-Auz (now in Latvia) in June 1916 despite engine and landing-gear troubles.

Before then it at cooperated with the V.G.O.II on a raid on the rail junction at Schlok (now in Estonia) on 13 Aug 1916, but had to turn back before reaching the target because the nose engine had cracked a cylinder. Turnaround was quick and it carried out its first raid on 15 Aug 1916.

Always under-powered (especially with frequent engine overheating), it was rebuilt in spring 1917 with five new Maybach Mb.IVa engines, flying with the new engines for the first time on 10 March 1917. But an engine and rudder failure caused the plane to spiral downward and crash into the airship shed, ending its career.