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LVG C.VI

1918 WORLD WAR 1

History

The LVG C.VI became one of the last German two-seater aircraft to be mass-produced during the First World War and appeared as an improved C.V. The war would end by the end of 1918, ensuring that C.VI would have a relatively brief and quiet military presence.

In total, around 1,100 samples were delivered and production was taken over by Luft-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft GmbH (hence the abbreviation "LVG" in the name).

Willy Sabersky-Musssigbrodt brought the original 1917 C.V fighter design from his previous boss at DFW (Deustche Flugzeug-Werke) to the new boss at LVG. The C.V is similar in scope to the outgoing C.VI, as it is a two-seat reconnaissance aircraft that excels in a fighter role and can be used for light strikes.

The success of the C.V encouraged a more refined product, which became the first flight of the C.VI in 1917. The C.VI differs slightly from its predecessor and seeks improvements, including a two-person crew (with parachutes and heated flight suits).

A radio system using Morse code made communication on board possible, although the system could only send messages and not receive them. When using the radio, the antenna under the fuselage is lowered. The offensive and defensive armament of the new aircraft is relatively unchanged.

However, C.VI did not have much impact on the inferior Germany and came too late in the war effort to have much impact.

Externally, the C. VI features an aerodynamic tapered nose that accommodates the engine and radiator. The engine is mounted at the very front of the design and drives a two-bladed wooden propeller. The pilot was armed with a fixed forward-firing machine gun that fired synchronously through the rotating propeller blades without incident. The pilot sits behind the engine and artillery system and behind the upper wing assembly.

The unequal-span wing assembly is arranged in a typical double-wing fashion, with upper and lower wings - the former has a greater span than the latter. These components are connected to the fuselage (and to each other) by struts and cables. The wings have double cradles and parallel struts for support. The tail gunner/spotter sits directly behind the pilot's position and has a good view of the rear and sides of the aircraft. Under his control, usually a trainable machine gun, sits on a ring.

The profile of the fuselage changes from its aerodynamic nose to a board-sided fuselage, which tapers to a traditional tail. The tail is characterized by its single vertical tail and applicable horizontal tail.

The landing gear was mounted in typical WWI fashion, with two main gear legs (single wheels) and a useful tail skid. The structure of the fuselage is a half-shell structure covered with moulded plywood, usually left in a clear coat.

The wings are made of wood and metal and covered with canvas fabric.

Front machine gun is 7.92mm LMG 08/15 system. The rear cockpit holds a 7.92mm Parabellum MG14 series machine gun on a ring mount. In addition to the two machine guns on board, the C. VI can also be required to engage ground targets using Fliegermaus bomblets or throwing grenades.

The C. VI was stripped of up to 200 pounds of external ammunition supplied by the underwing racks. In addition to its role as a warrior, the C.VI can easily be used as a photographic reconnaissance device, with rear observers manipulating the cameras through a sliding door on the cockpit floor.

Power is provided by a Benz Bz. IV, 6-cylinder, 200 hp water-cooled inline engine. This gives the C.VI a top speed of 103 mph, a service ceiling of 21,300 feet and a rate of climb of 550 feet per minute. The engine also allows a maximum range of 242 miles.

Unlike earlier WWI fighter attempts, the front-mounted engine presented a streamlined appearance. This slenderness is often broken up by the radiator gauges and "flare" exhaust pipes that are consistent with other WWI brackets.

C. VI entered service with the Luftwaffe in 1918. When deployed, the mount's mobility is considered commensurate with its size. During the war it was used as an offensive/defensive measure on the Western Front along with previous C.V models.

Their primary duties revolve around observation and full reconnaissance of enemy movements and deployments, as well as routine trench punishment and bombardment raids when required.

Some C.VIs continued to exist in a low profile after the war. Some have been converted into three-person (plus a four-person pilot) aircraft for flights across Europe.

Finally, operators of C.VI include the German Empire, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Finland, Lithuania, Poland, the Soviet Union and Switzerland. The last wartime C.VIs, including two from Lithuania, survived until 1940.

Three surviving C. VIs still exist today - these are on display in England, Belgium and France.