Siemens-Schuckert R.IV

The Siemens-Schuckert R.IV was a one-off Riesenflugzeug (Giant Aeroplane) with serial number R.4/15. It was accepted in August 1916 and it served with Rfa 501 at Vilna on the Russian Front. After its service lifetime, the R.IV became a Riesenflugzeug trainer.

Though it used the troublesome Maybach HS engine, special care was taken to provide adequate cooling. It was delivered 29 Jan 1916, but after six months of struggling with the engines it wasn't until Benz Bz.IV engines were used that a fully acceptable flight was taken on 14 March 1917. In the following month it transfered to the Eastern Front and flew several missions, but when Rfa 501 moved west in mid 1917, it was left behind as a trainer in Vilna. By Feb 1918 it was moved back to Berlin and was used for various training and testing flights.