The R.XVI, an incremental improvement to the Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI, was one of a series of large bombers called Riesenflugzeuge, intended to be less vulnerable than dirigibles in use at the time. The R.XVI had four engines in a push-pull configuration, mounted in nacelles large enough for some inflight maintenance by flight mechanics, housed in nacelles between the engines.[1]
Three aircraft were ordered to be completed by Automobil & Aviatik A.G., at Leipzig-Heiterblick.[2] Only two R.XVIs were completed and only one of these, (R.49), flew before the Armistice on 11 November 1918. The third R.XVI (R.51) was 3/4 complete at the Armistice but was never completed.[2]
R.50 in flight.
Operational historyEdit
Flight testing was carried out by R.49 during the war from September 1918, until a landing accident in October caused significant damage which was unlikely to have been repaired. The second aircraft, (R.50), was completed in 1919 as a civilian airliner, continuing the flight test programme until being flown to Döberitz for storage in November 1919.[2]
^ abcHaddow, G.W.; PeterM Grosz (1988). The German Giants, The Story of the R-planes 1914-1919 (3rd ed.). London: Putnam. ISBN0-85177-812-7.
ReferencesEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Zeppelin-Staaken R.XVI.
A. K. Rohrbach, “Das 1000-PS Verkehrsflugzeug der Zeppelin-Werke, Staaken,” Zeitschrift für Flugtechnik und Motorluftschiffahrt, vol. 12, no. 1 (15 January 1921);
E. Offermann, W. G. Noack, and A. R. Weyl, Riesenflugzeuge, in: Handbuch der Flugzeugkunde (Richard Carl Schmidt & Co., 1927).
The German Giants by G.W. Haddow and Peter M. Grosz.
zeppelin, staaken, very, large, bomber, riesenflugzeug, designed, built, germany, during, 1918, role, bombernational, origin, germanymanufacturer, schütte, lanzdesigner, graf, zeppelinfirst, flight, 1918primary, user, luftstreitkräftevariants, zeppelin, staake. The Zeppelin Staaken R XVI Av was a very large bomber Riesenflugzeug designed and built in Germany during 1918 Zeppelin Staaken R XVIZeppelin Staaken R XVI R 50 Role BomberNational origin GermanyManufacturer Schutte LanzDesigner Graf von ZeppelinFirst flight 1918Primary user LuftstreitkrafteVariants Zeppelin Staaken Riesenflugzeuge Contents 1 Development 2 Operational history 3 Specifications Zeppelin Staaken R XVI Av 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksDevelopment EditThe R XVI an incremental improvement to the Zeppelin Staaken R VI was one of a series of large bombers called Riesenflugzeuge intended to be less vulnerable than dirigibles in use at the time The R XVI had four engines in a push pull configuration mounted in nacelles large enough for some inflight maintenance by flight mechanics housed in nacelles between the engines 1 Three aircraft were ordered to be completed by Automobil amp Aviatik A G at Leipzig Heiterblick 2 Only two R XVIs were completed and only one of these R 49 flew before the Armistice on 11 November 1918 The third R XVI R 51 was 3 4 complete at the Armistice but was never completed 2 nbsp R 50 in flight Operational history EditFlight testing was carried out by R 49 during the war from September 1918 until a landing accident in October caused significant damage which was unlikely to have been repaired The second aircraft R 50 was completed in 1919 as a civilian airliner continuing the flight test programme until being flown to Doberitz for storage in November 1919 2 Specifications Zeppelin Staaken R XVI Av EditData from citation needed General characteristicsCrew seven Length 22 5 m 73 ft 10 in Wingspan 42 2 m 138 ft 5 in Height 6 5 m 21 ft 4 in Wing area 340 m2 3 700 sq ft Empty weight 10 400 kg 22 928 lb Gross weight 14 650 kg 32 298 lb Powerplant 2 Benz Bz VI pusher V 12 water cooled piston engines 400 kW 530 hp each Powerplant 2 Benz Bz IV tractor 6 cyl water cooled in line piston engines 160 kW 220 hp each Propellers 2 bladed fixed pitch wooden tractor and pusher propellersPerformance Maximum speed 130 km h 81 mph 70 kn Cruise speed 135 km h 84 mph 73 kn Range 800 km 500 mi 430 nmi Service ceiling 3 710 m 12 170 ft Armament Guns Provision for nose dorsal ventral and two upper wing machine gun positionsNotes Edit Zeppelin Stakken Retrieved 7 October 2010 a b c Haddow G W PeterM Grosz 1988 The German Giants The Story of the R planes 1914 1919 3rd ed London Putnam ISBN 0 85177 812 7 References Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Zeppelin Staaken R XVI A K Rohrbach Das 1000 PS Verkehrsflugzeug der Zeppelin Werke Staaken Zeitschrift fur Flugtechnik und Motorluftschiffahrt vol 12 no 1 15 January 1921 E Offermann W G Noack and A R Weyl Riesenflugzeuge in Handbuch der Flugzeugkunde Richard Carl Schmidt amp Co 1927 The German Giants by G W Haddow and Peter M Grosz External links Edithttp aeiou iicm tugraz at aeiou film f f041a A Zeppelin Staaken R XIVa airplane lands in Aspern 1919 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Zeppelin Staaken R XVI amp oldid 1021182689, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
