AEG C.VIII

C.VIII
C.VIII
General information
Type	Reconnaissance aircraft
National origin	German Empire
Manufacturer	AEG
Primary user	Luftstreitkräfte
Number built	2
History
First flight	October 1917
Developed from	AEG C.VII

The AEG C.VIII was a prototype two-seat reconnaissance aircraft built by the Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft (AEG) during the First World War for the Imperial German Army's (Deutsches Heer) Imperial German Air Service (Luftstreitkräfte). Three examples were built in an effort to improve on the unsuccessful C.VII design, two of biplane configuration, the other a triplane (the latter sometimes referred to as the C.VIII.Dr). Neither version offered enough of an improvement over aircraft already in service to make mass production worthwhile.

Development

The C.VII had been developed to the Inspectorate of Flying Troops (Inspektion der Fliegertruppen (Idflieg)'s requirement for a new type of two-seat aircraft, smaller than the existing C-type aircraft. These were to be used to equip protection flights (Schutzstaffeln) to escort reconnaissance aircraft.^[1] The C.VII had proven inferior to the submissions by Hannoversche Waggonfabrik and Halberstädter Flugzeugwerke, but AEG hoped that a more aerodynamic version of the C.VII might be successful. Idflieg ordered three prototypes in mid-1917 and AEG decided to build one as a triplane to appeal to Idflieg's fascination with triplanes at that time.^[2]

Changes to the C.VIII included new multi-wing spars, tall "ear"-type radiators mounted on the sides of the fuselage, a new tail structure with the horizontal stabilizers supported by two struts and a single interplane I-strut supporting the wings. The first of the biplanes was completed in July 1917. The triplane used the fuselage, engine and tail of the biplanes. An extra I-strut was added to support the extra weight of the wings. Neither design proved superior to the designs from other companies and they did not enter production.^[3]^[2]

Variants

C.VIII - Biplane prototype two-seater fighter/reconnaissance aircraft.^[3]
C.VIII Dr - Triplane version of C.VIII, no improvement in climb and speed reduced to 165 km/h (103.12 mph)^[3]

Specifications (C.VIII)

Data from German Aircraft of the First World War;^[3] A.E.G. Aircraft of WWI: A Centennial Perspective on Great War Airplanes^[4]

General characteristics

Crew: 2
Length: 6.2 m (20 ft 4 in)
Upper wingspan: 9.5 m (31 ft 2 in)
Lower wingspan: 9.1 m (29 ft 10 in)
Wing area: 22.67 m² (244.0 sq ft)
Empty weight: 800 kg (1,764 lb)
Gross weight: 1,160 kg (2,557 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Mercedes D.III water-cooled straight-six piston engine, 120 kW (160 hp)
Propellers: 2-bladed fixed-pitch propeller

Performance

Maximum speed: 170 km/h (110 mph, 92 kn)
Time to altitude: 3.8 minutes to 1,000 m (3,300 ft)
Power/mass: 0.10 kW/kg (0.061 hp/lb)

Armament

Guns: 2 × 7.92 mm (0.312 in) Parabellum MG 14 machine guns

References

^ Gray & Thetford, p. xv
^ ^a ^b Herris, p. 46
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Thetford & Gray, p. 237
^ Herris, p. 17

Bibliography

Gray, Peter & Thetford, Owen (1987) [1970]. German Aircraft of the First World War (2nd ed.). London: Putnam. ISBN 0-85177-809-7.
Herris, Jack (2015). A.E.G. Aircraft of WWI: A Centennial Perspective on Great War Airplanes. Great War Aviation Centennial Series. Vol. 16. n. p.: Aeronaut Books. ISBN 978-1-935881-28-5.

[1] Gray & Thetford, p. xv

[h6-2] Herris, p. 46

[t7-3] Thetford & Gray, p. 237

[4] Herris, p. 17

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

v t e Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft (AEG) aircraft
Company designations:	Z.1 Z.2 Z.3 Z.6 Z.9
Idflieg designations:	B.I B.II B.III C.I C.II C.III C.IV C.V C.VI C.VII C.VIII D.I D.II D.III DJ.I Dr.I/F.1 G.I G.II G.III G.IV G.V J.I J.II N.I R.I
Other:	AEG helicopter PE Wagner Eule

v t e World War I aircraft of the Central Powers
Fighters	AEG D.I AEG Dr.I Albatros D.I Albatros D.II Albatros D.III Albatros D.V Aviatik D.I Aviatik C.VI Daimler L.6 Euler D.I Euler D.II Fokker D.I Fokker D.II Fokker D.III Fokker D.IV Fokker D.V Fokker D.VI Fokker D.VII Fokker D.VIII Fokker Dr.I Fokker E.I Fokker E.II Fokker E.III Fokker E.IV Fokker E.V Halberstadt D.II Hannover CL.II Hannover CL.III Hannover CL.IV Hannover CL.V Hansa-Brandenburg W.12 Hansa-Brandenburg W.29 Junkers D.I Kondor D.6 Kondor E.III Naglo D.II Pfalz D.III Pfalz D.XII Pfalz Dr.I Pfalz E.I Pfalz E.II Phönix D.I LFG Roland D.II LFG Roland D.VI Siemens-Schuckert D.I Siemens-Schuckert D.II Siemens-Schuckert D.III Siemens-Schuckert D.IV Zeppelin-Lindau D.I
Bombers and ground attack	AEG DJ.I AEG G.I AEG G.II AEG G.III AEG G.IV AEG G.V AEG J.I AEG J.II AEG R.I Friedrichshafen G.II Friedrichshafen G.III Gotha G.I Gotha G.II Gotha G.III Gotha G.IV Gotha G.V Gotha GL.VII Gotha G.IX Hannover CL.II Junkers CL.I Junkers J.I Rumpler G.I Rumpler G.II Rumpler G.III Siemens-Schuckert L.I Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.II Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.III Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.IV Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI
Reconnaissance	AEG B.I AEG B.II AEG B.III AEG C.I AEG C.II AEG C.III AEG C.IV AEG C.V AEG C.VI AEG C.VII AEG C.VIII AGO C.I AGO C.II AGO C.III AGO C.IV AGO C.VII AGO C.VIII Albatros B.I Albatros B.II Albatros C.I Albatros C.III Albatros C.V Albatros C.VII Albatros C.IX Albatros C.X Albatros C.XII Aviatik B.I Aviatik B.II Aviatik C.I Aviatik C.VI DFW C.V LFG Roland C.II LVG B.I LVG C.II Rumpler C.I Rumpler C.IV Rumpler Taube
Trainers	Euler D.I
Prototypes	Albatros C.II Fokker V.1 Fokker V.2 Junkers J 1 Junkers J 2 Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.I

Development

Variants

Specifications (C.VIII)

See also

References

Bibliography