Gotha G.VII

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G.VII
Type	Bomber
National origin	Germany
Manufacturer	Gotha
Maiden flight	1918
Primary users	Luftstreitkräfte Ukrainian Air Force, Czechoslovakian Air Force
Number built	ca.20

The Gotha G.VII was a bomber aircraft produced in Germany during the final months of World War I. With the strategic bombing campaign effectively over, it was intended to be a high-speed tactical bomber with a secondary reconnaissance capability. It was a conventional two-bay biplane design with tractor-mounted engines, and a conventional empennage with twin fins and rudders. The bombardier's position in the nose of the aircraft that had featured on earlier Gotha designs was removed, and the nose of the aircraft severely truncated and fitted with a streamlined nose-cone. This allowed the engines to be located further inboard than on previous designs, bringing them closer to the aircraft's centreline and therefore minimising the effects of asymmetric thrust in the event of an engine failure. The engine nacelles too featured careful streamlining.

The Idflieg ordered around 250 of these aircraft, 50 from Gotha and 50 from LVG, and 150 from Aviatik. At least some of the LVG and Aviatik machines had been completed before the Armistice, with some reaching operational service. One G.VII survived the war to see brief service with the Ukranian Air Force before being impounded by Czechoslovakia and used by the Czechoslovakian air force for a short time.

[edit] Specifications

General characteristics

• Crew: Three
• Length: 9.63 m (31 ft 7 in)
• Wingspan: 19.27 m (63 ft 7 in)
• Height: 3.51 m (11 ft 6 in)
• Empty weight: 2,420 kg (5,340 lb)
• Gross weight: 3,140 kg (6,920 lb)
• Powerplant: 2 × Maybach Mb.IVa, 180 kW (245 hp) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 180 km/h (110 mph)
• Range: 540 km (340 miles)
• Service ceiling: 7,000 m (23,000 ft)

Armament

• 1 × fixed, forward-firing MG 08 machine gun
• 1 × Parabellum machine gun in dorsal ring mount
• 1 × Parabellum machine gun in ventral tunnel
• 600 kg (1,320 lb) of bombs

[edit] References

• Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions, 427. 
• World Aircraft Information Files. London: Bright Star Publishing, File 895 Sheet 08. 
• Уголок неба

v • d • e Idflieg G-class aircraft designations AEG: G.I • G.II • G.III • G.IV • G.V Albatros: G.I • G.II • G.III • G.IV Friedrichshafen: G.I • G.II • G.III • G.IV • G.V Gotha: G.I • G.II • G.III • G.IV • G.V • G.VI • G.VII • G.VIII • G.IX • G.X Halberstadt: G.I LFG: G.I LVG: G.I • G.II • G.III Rumpler: G.I • G.II • G.III Schütte-Lanz: G.I Siemens-Schuckert: G.I • G.II • G.III

v • d • e Aircraft produced by Gothaer Waggonfabrik Company designations pre-1918 LD.1 • LD.2 • LD.3 • LD.4 • LD.5 • LD.6 • LD.7 LE.1 • LE.2 • LE.3 WD.1 • WD.2 • WD.3 • WD.4 • WD.5 • WD.7 • WD.8 • WD.9 • WD.11 • WD.12 • WD.13 • WD.14 • WD.15 • WD.20 • WD.22 • WD.27 Idflieg designations 1914-1918 G.I • G.II • G.III • G.IV • G.V • G.VI • G.VII • G.VIII • G.IX • G.X Reichsluftfahrtministerium designations 1933-1945 Go 145 • Go 146 • Go 147 • Go 149 • Go 150 • Go 229 • Go 241 • Go 242 • Go 244 • Go 345 • Ka 430

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