Friedrichshafen G.III
| Friedrichshafen G.III | |
|---|---|
| |
| Role | Bomber |
| Manufacturer | Friedrichshafen |
| First flight | March 1917 [1][2] |
| Introduction | Feb 1917[3] to May-June 1917[4][2] |
| Primary user |  Germany
|
| Number built | ~575 ordered [5] [note 1] |
| Developed from | Friedrichshafen G.II |
| Variants | Friedrichshafen G.IIIa |
| Wingspan | 23.7 m (77 ft 9 in)[6] - 23.8 m (78 ft) [7]-24 m (78 ft 9 in)[8] |
| Engine | 2×260hp Mercedes D.IVa inlines |
| Armament | 2-3× flexible Parabellum MGs, front and rear 450 kg (1,000 lb)[7]-1,500 kg (3,300 lb)[6] of bombs |
| Crew | 3 [note 2] |
| Max Speed | 135 km/h (84 mph)[9][6] to 141 km/h (88 mph)[10][7] to 150 km/h (93 mph)[11][8] |
| Climb | 1,000 m (3,280 ft) in 3:30[11][8]-6:31[7] 2,000 m (6,560 ft) in 10:30[11][8]-13:56[7] 3,000 m (9,840 ft) in 20:00[11][8]-23:20[7] 4,000 m (13,100 ft) in 36:00[8] |
| Ceiling | 4,500 m (14,800 ft)[10][6] |
| Endurance | 5:00 [9][10][6] |
Although the Gotha bombers got most of the popular press, the Friedrichshafen G.III bombers were used in a similar medium night bomber role, along with the A.E.G. G.IV, including raids over Paris and many an Entente aerodrome. Pilot, rear gunner, and bombardier/front gunner manned the planes, though sometimes a crew of only two was carried. The rear cockpit had a trap door with two windows to facilitate downward vision. The sturdy undercarriage and easy flight characteristics protected the G.III from landing mishaps that plagued many German bombers.
The similar Friedrichshafen G.IIIa replaced the wide-chord G.III tail with a compound tail.
For more information, see Wikipedia:Friedrichshafen G.III.
Timeline [note 3]
Game Data
Wings of Glory
| Availability | Maneuver | Damage | Dmg Points | Max Alt. | Climb | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May/Jun17-end | XD | B/B [note 4] | 25 | 10 | 5 | 164 |
Miniatures and Models
1:144 Scale
- Shapeways: Reduced Aircraft Factory, wow
- Sculpteo: Reduced Aircraft Factory
- Metal kit: Reviresco
- Resin Kit: Sram 144/058 (company defunct)
1:285/6mm/1:288 Scale
- Shapeways: Reduced Aircraft Factory
1:350 Scale
- Shapeways: wow
1:600 Scale
- Metal kit: Tumbling Dice
Resources
Orthographic Drawings
References
- Notes
- ↑ Production of the G.III and G.IIIa may have totaled 338.[3]
- ↑ Sometimes only two. All cockpits were connected.[9]
- ↑ German numbers are from bi-monthly Frontbestand records (Effective Frontline Strength).[4]
- ↑ This aircraft has a front, rear & side MG - only rear or side can be fired after each movement phase, not both, as they are operated by the rear gunner.
- Citations
- ↑ Grosz'97, p.3.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Herris'14, pp.79-89.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Angelucci, p.77.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Grosz'85, p.60 and Grosz'86, p.66.
- ↑ Grosz'97, p.37.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Angelucci, p.70.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Lamberton, pp.222-223.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 Herris'14, p.73.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Gray, p.116.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Munson, p.25.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Grosz'97, p.31.
- Bibliography
- Enzo Angelucci, ed. The Rand McNally Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft, 1914-1980. New York: The Military Press, 1983 edition. ISBN 0-517-41021-4.
- Peter Gray and Owen Thetford. German Aircraft of the First World War. Great Britain, Putnam, 1962, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-809-7.
- Peter M. Grosz, "Archiv -- Frontbestand". WW1 Aero, № 107, Dec 1985 and № 108, Feb 1986. Poughkeepsie, NY: World War I Aeroplanes, Inc.
- P.M. Grosz, Windsock Datafile 65: Fdh G.III~IIIa. Great Britain: Albatros Publications Ltd., 1997. ISBN 0-948414-97-9
- Jack Herris, German G-Type Bombers of WWI. Aeronaut Books, 2014. ISBN 978-1-935881-26-1.
- W.M. Lamberton and E.F. Cheesman, Reconnaissance & Bomber Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War. Great Britain: Harleyford Publications Ltd., 1962. ISBN 9780900435027
- Kenneth Munson, Bombers: Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft, 1914-1919. New York: The MacMillan Company, 1968, Blandford Press Ltd. ISBN 978-0753721711