Aviatik C.III

The Aviatik C.III was an attempt to clean up the aerodynamic profile of the Aviatik C.I, but it retained the same engine. Aside from an increase in speed, it was little improved and it retained the same crippling design of stranding the observer/gunner under the front wing. (Although in later machines two Parabellums were carried, eliminating the need to move the gun from one rail to the other.) Twenty-four Aviatik C.Ia orders were converted to C.IIIs, followed by a order for twenty-five additional in July 1916. Later, in 1917, a further two hundred were built as trainers. They were used in small numbers at the front from mid 1916 until summer of 1917.