LFG Roland C.II

The L.F.G. Roland C.II was a method used in the First World War German two-seat reconnaissance aircraft. The plane was first tested in a wind tunnel and was due to its aerodynamic shape called whale.

Development and production

The plane was the smallest German two-seater of the war. It was distinguished by its successful streamlined shape. This was the result of the first at the Aerodynamic Research Institute in Göttingen under Professor Ludwig Prandtl for the first time carried out wind tunnel tests. Was driven by the Dipl. -Ing. Tantzen 1915 constructed in half-shell construction biplane through a motor Mercedes D III with 160 hp. When arming the observer served a mounted on a ring Parabellum MG 14, while for the pilot until the second production batch ( C.999-1023/16 ) a -firing through the propeller arc 7.92 mm 08 /15 Spandau MG was available. In addition to the LFG, which produced about 200 aircraft of this type, made ​​the Palatine and the Linke- Hofmann works C.II in the license so that a total of about 300 machines left the factory buildings.

There was a modification: When implemented in prototype form conventional Roland C. III eight struts between the upper and lower wing and a 200 -hp Benz Bz IV ​​engine was used in place of the two major I - stems of C.II used. This machine was destroyed in a fire at the factory in Adlershof. After losing the Adlershof site the aircraft production of LFG was relocated to Berlin Charlottenburg.

Use

The Roland C.II reached due to its extravagant building late and in too small numbers the front, was there, however, much of the equipped with a colorful variety of obsolete aircraft Feldflieger departments, and in establishing the new combat squadron ( Kagohl = Battle Squadron of the High Command ) required which had to fend off the growing Allied air superiority at the Battle of Verdun and the Battle of the Somme without adequate fighter escort.

The plane distinguished itself by its own design in use as a particularly stable from, but it was hard to land down because of the poor visibility of the pilot forward. Used, the aircraft was from March 1916 on the Western Front and was in this period thanks to the good aerodynamics in the speed to keep up with Allied fighters. The first missing MG for the pilot, which was built only from the second production series, has been replaced in some instances by the troops by an improvised built- booty -MG, which fired through the propeller away.

Especially become known aviator Roland C.II were Hermann Koehl, a highly decorated squadron leader in the fight Squadron 4 and later Atlantic flyer, and Eduard von Schleich, of his " whale " with eyes and mouth decorated and thus the similarity of the machine with a whale still stressed.

From the first half of 1917, the remaining Roland C. II were slowly withdrawn from the front line units and transferred to flight schools.

Variants

  • Roland C.IIa: Variant with feuerndem forward LMG 08, reinforced wingtips and rectangular roll bar
  • Roland C. III: variant with eight wing struts and Benz Bz IV ​​engine (1 copy )

The Roland C.II benchmarked (approx. Spring 1916)

Specifications

Source Notes

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