From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

DFW C.V
DFW C.V (Aviatik) 5845/16 banking in early morning sunlight. Note the Aviatik trademark on strut; flares in holder behind observer's cockpit; and fully-armed LMG 14 "Parabellum" machine gun. Pilot and squadron unknown.
Type	Reconnaissance
Manufacturer	Aviatik
Designed by	Deutsche Flugzeugwerke
Maiden flight	1916
Introduced	1916
Primary users	Germany Poland Finland
Produced	1916-1918
Number built	3250
Developed from	DFW C.IV

The DFW C.V was a reconnaissance aircraft first used in 1916 in World War I. It was designed by Deutsche Flugzeugwerke and produced also by other aircraft companies.

Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational history 3 Operators 4 Description 5 Specifications (DFW CV) 6 References

The DFW C.V came out in 1916 as a development of the DFW C.IV. Main designer was Heinrich Oelerich. It was produced in larger numbers than any other German aircraft during World War I. About 2000 were manufactured in DFW and about 1250 licence maufactured by the Aviatik (DFW C.V (Av), designated also as Aviatik C.VI), Halberstadt, LVG and Schütte-Lanz. Further development was DFW C.VI.

It was used as a multirole combat aircraft, for reconnaissance, observation, bombing by Germany and Austro-Hungary during World War I. They were also used by the Ottoman Empire in Palestine. In the hands of a skilled pilot it could outmaneuver most allied fighters of the period. It remained in service until early 1918 though 600 were still in use by the Armistice of 11 November 1918. Most were thereafter scrapped according to Versailles Treaty in 1919.

Poland seized 11 aircraft in 1919 and manufactured further 13 in 1920 from seized parts. Several other D.Vs were bought in 1920. They were used by the Polish Air Force in Polish-Soviet war.

Two were used post-war in Finland, four in the Netherlands, two in Switzerland and a number in Estonia. Eight aircraft were converted to civilian ones and used by Deutsche Luft Rederei.

Only one fuselage of DFW C.V(Av) survived in the Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków.

 Finland

• Finnish Air Force operated two DFW C.V. aircraft during 1918-1921.

 German Empire

• Luftstreitkräfte

 Poland

• Polish Air Force operated up to 34 aircraft.

It was a biplane of mixed, mostly wooden construction. A fuselage of a wooden frame, covered with plywood. Two-spar rectangular wooden wings, canvas covered. Upper wing of slighlty greater span, with extended ends with ailerons. Tail of metal frame, covered with canvas. Straight engine in a fuselage nose, with a chimney-like exhaust pipe (LVG-produced planes had horizontal exhaust pipe). Engine was initially covered with an aerodynamic cover, but it was often abandoned. Two-blade wooden propeller, 2.8 m diameter. Water radiators on both fuselage sides, later water radiator before upper wing. Fixed conventional landing gear, with a straight common axle and a rear skid.

General characteristics

• Crew: Two: pilot and observer
• Length: 7.8 m (25 ft 7 in)
• Wingspan: 13.27 m ()
• Height: 3.25 m (10 ft 8 in)
• Wing area: 42.5 m² ()
• Empty weight: 970 kg ()
• Max takeoff weight: 1,430 kg (3,146 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× 185 hp N.A.G. (National Automobil-Gesellschaft AG, Berlin) C.III or Benz Bz.IV 6 cylinder, water cooled, straight engine, 136 kW or 149 kW (185 hp or 200 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 155 km/h (96 mph)
• Range: 500 km ()
• Service ceiling: 5,000 m (16,400 ft)
• Endurance: 3.5 hours

Armament

• 1 x 7.92 mm MG-08/15 (Spandau) fixed machine gun with a synchronizing gear
• 1 x 7.92 mm Parabellum MG14 machine gun on a ring mounting
• 100 kg of bombs

• Krzysztof Chołoniewski, Wiesław Bączkowski: Samoloty wojskowe obcych konstrukcji 1918-1939. Tomik 2 (Barwa w lotnictwie polskim no.7), WKiŁ, Warsaw 1987, ISBN 83-206-0728-0 (Polish language)
• Marian Krzyżan: Samoloty w muzeach polskich, WKiŁ, Warsaw 1983, ISBN 83-206-0432-X (Polish language)

v • d • e Aviation in World War I
Aces · Aircraft of the Entente Powers · Aircraft of the Central Powers · Zeppelins · World War I Aircraft

v • d • e Lists relating to aviation
General	Timeline of aviation · Aircraft · Aircraft manufacturers · Aircraft engines · Aircraft engine manufacturers · Airports · Airlines
Military	Air forces · Aircraft weapons · Missiles · Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) · Experimental aircraft
Notable incidents and accidents	Military aviation · Airliners · General aviation · Famous aviation-related deaths
Records	Flight airspeed record · Flight distance record · Flight altitude record · Flight endurance record · Most produced aircraft