Zeppelin-Staaken R.XVI

The Zeppelin-Staaken R.XVI was a Riesenflugzeug (Giant Aeroplane) completed by Aviatik in October 1918. The new massive 530hp Benz Bz.VI was used, for a total of 1500hp, and three R.XVIs were ordered, R.49/17 to R.51/17. R.49/17 was completed in October 1918 but smashed its landing gear on a test flight, after promising results. R.50/17 was completed on 12 January 1919 as a civil machine, but it probably never received full flight testing before it was dismantled early in 1919. R.51/17 was only 75% complete in early 1919 and was never finished.