AEG G.III

G.III
G.III
General information
Type	Bomber
National origin	German Empire
Manufacturer	AEG
Primary user	Luftstreitkräfte
Number built	46
History
Developed from	AEG G.II

The AEG G.III was a biplane bomber 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). It was an enlarged version of the G.II fitted with more powerful engines for the same battleplane (Kampfflugzeug) or aerial cruiser role escorting bombers or reconnaissance aircraft and engaging enemy aircraft. The prototype was completed in December 1915, but deliveries did not begin until May 1916.

Development

The Inspectorate of Flying Troops (Inspektion der Fliegertruppen (Idflieg) ordered the prototype of the G.III (factory designation GZ3) on 1 April 1915 with the intention of using it as a battleplane like its predecessor. The G.III was to be equipped with a pair of the most powerful engines available and AEG selected the water-cooled 220-horsepower (160 kW) Mercedes D.IV straight-eight piston engine. Other requirements included a crew of three, 200 kg (440 lb) of armor and a bomb load of 240 kg (530 lb). Its defensive armament was to consist of a pair of 7.92 mm (.312 in) machine guns or a cannon in the nose and a dorsal machine gun. The aircraft had to use four-bladed propellers to absorb the power of the engines. These tended to break their crankshafts in service as they were not well supported by bearings.^[1]

Idflieg ordered a batch of five G.IIIs on 7 September 1915 before the first prototype was completed in December; one of these was fitted with a triple rudder like the modified G.IIs used for comparison with the single rudder used by the prototype. The single rudder proved to be superior and it was used by all the G.IIIs. Forty more aircraft were ordered in two batches in December 1915 and March 1916. The first three production aircraft were delivered in May and G.IIs were on the front line strength reports the following month. The aircraft equipped Bomber Wing 1 (Kampfgeschwader 1) that operated on the Macedonian Front. The last time that any G.IIIs show up on the bimonthly strength reports is on 30 April 1917.^[2]

Operators

German Empire

Luftstreitkräfte

Specifications (AEG G.III)

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: 3 or 4
Length: 9.2 m (30 ft 2 in)
Upper wingspan: 18.44 m (60 ft 6 in)
Lower wingspan: 17.2 m (56 ft 5 in)
Wing area: 74 m² (800 sq ft)
Empty weight: 1,940 kg (4,277 lb)
Gross weight: 2,560 kg (5,644 lb)
Powerplant: 2 × Mercedes D.IV water-cooled straight-eight piston engine, 160 kW (220 hp) each
Propellers: 4-bladed

Performance

Maximum speed: 150 km/h (93 mph, 81 kn)
Range: 700 km (430 mi, 380 nmi)
Time to altitude: 6 minutes to 1,000 m (3,300 ft)

Armament

Guns: 2 × 7.92 mm (.312 in) machine guns
Bombs: 240 kg (530 lb)

References

^ Herris, p. 109
^ Herris, pp. 4–5, 109
^ Gray & Thetford, p. 242
^ Herris, p. 91

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] Herris, p. 109

[2] Herris, pp. 4–5, 109

[3] Gray & Thetford, p. 242

[4] Herris, p. 91

[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

Operators

Specifications (AEG G.III)

See also

References

Bibliography