Gotha G.I
Encyclopedia
The Gotha G.I was a heavy bomber
used by the Luftstreitkräfte
(Imperial German Air Service) during World War I
.
, the founder and editor of the German flying magazine Flugsport, began designing a large twin-engine seaplane
of unconventional configuration. While most biplane
designs have the fuselage attached to the lower wing, Ursinus had a snub-nosed fuselage attached to the upper wing, and twin engine nacelles mounted on the lower one. The purpose of this arrangement was to allow the engines to be kept close together thereby minimizing asymmetrical thrust in the event of an engine failure, although Ursinus later also claimed that this design balanced out the lowering of the centre of pressure as speed increased, and minimised the drag on the upper wing caused by turbulence from the fuselage.
Ursinus was conscripted into the army on 1 August 1914 and little over a week later, presented his commanding officer, Major
Helmut Friedel, with the seaplane design adapted into a Kampfflugzeug ("battle aircraft") intended for ground attack duties. Apart from the aerodynamic benefits claimed by Ursinus, the aircraft's unorthodox layout provided excellent views for the three crewmen and broad fields of fire for the gunner. The design also matched the specifications that the Idflieg
had issued in March that year for a "Type III" large military aircraft, and Friedel ordered the construction of a prototype.
This aircraft was built by the men his unit, Fliegerersatz Abteilung 3 ("Aviator Replacement Unit 3") and received the Idflieg designation B.1092/14, although it was generally known as the FU for "Friedel-Ursinus". It was powered by two 75 kW (100 hp) Mercedes D.I
engines, and in keeping with the "Type III" requirement, it was armed with a 7.92 mm (.312 in) machine gun
in the nose and the engines and crew were protected by 200 kg (440 lb) of chrome-nickel armor.
The prototype first flew on 30 January 1915
and was inspected by an Idflieg engineer on 20 February. His report confirmed that the aircraft conformed to the specification, and Ursinus' claims about the excellent field of fire and advantages of the design in single-engine operation. However, he also noted that the aircraft was difficult to fly, lacking in structural integrity, dangerous to the crew in the event of a crash landing, and underpowered. Despite its shortcomings, the FU was sent to the front, assigned to Feld Flieger Abteilung 28 reconnaissance unit at Ujatz on the Russian Front in early 1915.
With the design proved under service conditions, the Idflieg issued a contract on 1 April for series production to Gothaer Waggonfabrik
AG, which acquired a license from Ursinus, who held the patent to the design. Gothaer chief engineer Hans Burkhard simplified and refined the design, which was originally known as the Gotha-Ursinus-Heeresflugzeug (Gotha Ursinus Army Aircraft), or "GUH," later known as the Gotha G.I or Gotha-Ursinus G.I. The first production aircraft was completed on 27 July 1915. These aircraft were powered by two 110 kW (150 hp) Benz Bz.III
engines. Gothaer Waggonfabrik built 18 G.I aircraft in three batches of six before production ceased at the end of the year. The final batch was powered by 120 kW (160 hp) Mercedes D.III
engines and featured an extra defensive machine gun and nearly double the armor of previous examples.
A single example of a seaplane version was also built, ordered by the Navy in April 1915, and delivered in February 1916. During a test flight, six men climbed aboard to take the place of ballast. When they emerged after landing, a nearby naval officer likened the aircraft to the Trojan Horse
, and this nickname stuck. It was used operationally until 2 October when it was written off after a hard landing.
, and only rarely for bombing. By the time it reached the front, the Gotha G.I was already an easy target for faster and more maneuverable fighters, and the few pilot recollections that have survived are largely unfavourable to the type.
The UWD seaplane is known to have participated in a successful air-raid on Dover
sometime in 1916, bombing Langton Fort and the Shoulder of Mutton battery, but the exact date is not now known.
Heavy bomber
A heavy bomber is a bomber aircraft of the largest size and load carrying capacity, and usually the longest range.In New START, the term "heavy bomber" is used for two types of bombers:*one with a range greater than 8,000 kilometers...
used by the Luftstreitkräfte
Luftstreitkräfte
The Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte , known before October 1916 as Die Fliegertruppen des deutschen Kaiserreiches , or simply Die Fliegertruppen, was the air arm of the Imperial German Army during World War I...
(Imperial German Air Service) during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Design and development
In mid-1914, Oskar UrsinusOskar Ursinus
Carl Oskar Ursinus was a pioneer of German aviation and is remembered mainly for his contributions to sailplane designs and the sport of gliding...
, the founder and editor of the German flying magazine Flugsport, began designing a large twin-engine seaplane
Seaplane
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...
of unconventional configuration. While most biplane
Biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two superimposed main wings. The Wright brothers' Wright Flyer used a biplane design, as did most aircraft in the early years of aviation. While a biplane wing structure has a structural advantage, it produces more drag than a similar monoplane wing...
designs have the fuselage attached to the lower wing, Ursinus had a snub-nosed fuselage attached to the upper wing, and twin engine nacelles mounted on the lower one. The purpose of this arrangement was to allow the engines to be kept close together thereby minimizing asymmetrical thrust in the event of an engine failure, although Ursinus later also claimed that this design balanced out the lowering of the centre of pressure as speed increased, and minimised the drag on the upper wing caused by turbulence from the fuselage.
Ursinus was conscripted into the army on 1 August 1914 and little over a week later, presented his commanding officer, Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Helmut Friedel, with the seaplane design adapted into a Kampfflugzeug ("battle aircraft") intended for ground attack duties. Apart from the aerodynamic benefits claimed by Ursinus, the aircraft's unorthodox layout provided excellent views for the three crewmen and broad fields of fire for the gunner. The design also matched the specifications that the Idflieg
Idflieg
The Idflieg was the bureau of the German War Office that oversaw German military aviation prior to and during World War I....
had issued in March that year for a "Type III" large military aircraft, and Friedel ordered the construction of a prototype.
This aircraft was built by the men his unit, Fliegerersatz Abteilung 3 ("Aviator Replacement Unit 3") and received the Idflieg designation B.1092/14, although it was generally known as the FU for "Friedel-Ursinus". It was powered by two 75 kW (100 hp) Mercedes D.I
Mercedes D.I
|-See also:...
engines, and in keeping with the "Type III" requirement, it was armed with a 7.92 mm (.312 in) machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
in the nose and the engines and crew were protected by 200 kg (440 lb) of chrome-nickel armor.
The prototype first flew on 30 January 1915
1915 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1915:- Events :* The United States Navy establishes a lighter-than-air arm, charged with the operation of airships and of kite balloons to be towed behind warships...
and was inspected by an Idflieg engineer on 20 February. His report confirmed that the aircraft conformed to the specification, and Ursinus' claims about the excellent field of fire and advantages of the design in single-engine operation. However, he also noted that the aircraft was difficult to fly, lacking in structural integrity, dangerous to the crew in the event of a crash landing, and underpowered. Despite its shortcomings, the FU was sent to the front, assigned to Feld Flieger Abteilung 28 reconnaissance unit at Ujatz on the Russian Front in early 1915.
With the design proved under service conditions, the Idflieg issued a contract on 1 April for series production to Gothaer Waggonfabrik
Gothaer Waggonfabrik
Gothaer Waggonfabrik was a German manufacturer of rolling stock established in the late nineteenth century at Gotha. During the two world wars, the company expanded into aircraft building.-World War I:...
AG, which acquired a license from Ursinus, who held the patent to the design. Gothaer chief engineer Hans Burkhard simplified and refined the design, which was originally known as the Gotha-Ursinus-Heeresflugzeug (Gotha Ursinus Army Aircraft), or "GUH," later known as the Gotha G.I or Gotha-Ursinus G.I. The first production aircraft was completed on 27 July 1915. These aircraft were powered by two 110 kW (150 hp) Benz Bz.III
Benz Bz.III
The Benz Bz.III was a six-cylinder, water-cooled, inline engine developed in Germany for use in aircraft in 1914. Developing 112 kW at 1,400 rpm from 875 cuin , it powered many German military aircraft during World War I...
engines. Gothaer Waggonfabrik built 18 G.I aircraft in three batches of six before production ceased at the end of the year. The final batch was powered by 120 kW (160 hp) Mercedes D.III
Mercedes D.III
The Mercedes D.III, or F1466 as it was known internally, was a six-cylinder, liquid cooled inline aircraft engine built by Daimler and used on a wide variety of German aircraft during World War I. The initial versions were introduced in 1914 at 160 hp, but a series of changes improved this to...
engines and featured an extra defensive machine gun and nearly double the armor of previous examples.
A single example of a seaplane version was also built, ordered by the Navy in April 1915, and delivered in February 1916. During a test flight, six men climbed aboard to take the place of ballast. When they emerged after landing, a nearby naval officer likened the aircraft to the Trojan Horse
Trojan Horse
The Trojan Horse is a tale from the Trojan War about the stratagem that allowed the Greeks finally to enter the city of Troy and end the conflict. In the canonical version, after a fruitless 10-year siege, the Greeks constructed a huge wooden horse, and hid a select force of men inside...
, and this nickname stuck. It was used operationally until 2 October when it was written off after a hard landing.
Operational history
Today, little is known about the G.I's service history. Idflieg records show only small numbers ever in service on the Front at any one time (the most being five in October and six in December 1915). At this stage of the war, Type G aircraft were being used for a variety of duties, including defensive patrols, reconnaissanceReconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
, and only rarely for bombing. By the time it reached the front, the Gotha G.I was already an easy target for faster and more maneuverable fighters, and the few pilot recollections that have survived are largely unfavourable to the type.
The UWD seaplane is known to have participated in a successful air-raid on Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
sometime in 1916, bombing Langton Fort and the Shoulder of Mutton battery, but the exact date is not now known.
Variants
- FU - (Friedel-Ursinus) - single prototype
- G.I - standard production version
- UWD - (Ursinus Wasser Doppeldecker - Ursinus Water Biplane) - seaplane variant with twin floats (1 only built), also known as the WD.4.
Operators
-
- Armeeabteilung Falkenhausen
- Fliegerersatz Abteilung 1
- Fliegerersatz Abteilung 3
- Fliegerersatz Abteilung 5
- Fliegerersatz Abteilung 7
- Fliegerersatz Abteilung 37
- Fliegerersatz Abteilung 46
- Kagohl 1
- Kagohl 2, Staffel 8
- Prüfanstalt und Werft
- Sonderstaffel S