LVG C.VI

LVG C.VI
Role	Reconnaissance aircraft
Manufacturer	Luft-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft G.m.b.H.
First flight	1917
Introduction	1918
Primary user	Luftstreitkräfte
Produced	1918
Number built	1,100[1]
Developed from	LVG C.V

The LVG C.VI was a German two-seat reconnaissance and artillery spotting aircraft used during World War I.

Development

The aircraft was designed by Willy Sabersky-Müssigbrodt and developed by Luft-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft (LVG) in 1917. The C.VI was a further development of the C.V, which Sabersky-Müssigbrodt had made for his former employer DFW. It was lighter, smaller and aerodynamically refined, although its fuselage seemed more bulky. It was a biplane of mixed, mostly wooden construction. It featured a semi-monocoque fuselage, plywood covered. Rectangular wings of wooden and metal construction, canvas covered. Upper wing of slightly greater span, shifted some 25 cm (10 in) towards front. Vertical fin plywood covered, rudder and elevators of metal frame canvas covered, stabilizers (tailplanes) of wooden frame canvas covered. Straight uncovered engine in the fuselage nose, with a chimney-like exhaust pipe. Two-blade Benz wooden propeller, 2.88 m (9.45 ft) diameter. Flat water radiator in central section of upper wing. Fixed conventional landing gear, with a straight common axle and a rear skid. Aircraft were equipped with a radio (morse;send only); transmissions were by means of an antenna which could be lowered below the aircraft when needed. The crew had parachutes and heated flying suits. A total of 1,100 aircraft of the type were manufactured.^[1]

Operational service

Most LVG C.VIs were used by the German military aviation in last operations of World War I, mostly on Western Front, for close reconnaissance and observation.

After the war, Deutsche Luft-Reederei (DLR) used several C.VIs to provide mail and passenger transport service. The Polish Air Force used several aircraft during the Polish-Soviet war, one left by the Germans, another completed from parts in 1920 and several more bought abroad.

Suomen ilmailuliikenne Oy purchased two C.VIs in 1923, from a Swedish airline that had gone bankrupt in 1922, becoming the predecessor to Aero O/Y and Finnair.

The Finnish Air Force purchased two aircraft;one destroyed in a spin in Santahamina in 1923, the other used until the end of 1924.

More than 20 were used by Lithuania, two of which survived until 1940.

Three were used in Czechoslovakia, two in Switzerland (1920–1929) and several in the USSR.

Survivors

Today, there are three surviving C.VIs. One is on display at the RAF Museum in Hendon, one at the Brussels Air Museum in Belgium and the one at the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace in Paris.

Specifications (C.VI)

Data from Thulinista Hornettiin

General characteristics

Crew: 2: pilot, observer
Length: 7.45 m (24 ft 5 in)
Wingspan: 13.00 m (42 ft 8 in)
Height: 2.85 m (9 ft 4 in)
Wing area: 37 m² ()
Empty weight: 945 kg ()
Max. takeoff weight: 1,390 kg (3,060 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Benz Bz.IV 6-cylinder, water-cooled, straight engine, 147 kW (200 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 170 km/h (92 kn, 103 mph)
Range: 400 km (216 nmi, 242 mi)
Service ceiling: 6,500 m (21300 ft)
Rate of climb: 4.17 m/s (820 ft/min)

Armament

1 × 7.92 mm (.312 in) LMG 08/15 fixed with an interruptor gear
1 × 7.92 mm (.312 in) Parabellum MG14 machine gun on a ring mounting
90 kg (200 lb) of bombs

References

1 2 Holmes, Tony (2005). Jane's Vintage Aircraft Recognition Guide. London: Harper Collins. p. 33. ISBN 0-00-719292-4.

Sources

Heinonen, Timo: Thulinista Hornetiin – Keski-Suomen ilmailumuseon julkaisuja 3, Keski-Suomen ilmailumuseo, 1992, ISBN 951-95688-2-4
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)
Lewis, Michael: 1914–18 Connections website. Restoration of Brussels Air Museum LVG CVI

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[Holmes-1] 1 2 Holmes, Tony (2005). Jane's Vintage Aircraft Recognition Guide. London: Harper Collins. p. 33. ISBN 0-00-719292-4.

Idflieg C-, CL-, CS-, and CLS-class aircraft designations
C- and CL-	AEG C.I C.II C.III C.IV C.V C.VI C.VII C.VIII AGO C.I C.II C.III C.IV C.VII C.VII Albatros C.I C.II C.III C.IV C.V C.VI C.VII C.VIII C.IX C.X C.XI C.XII C.XIII C.XIV C.XV Aviatik C.I C.II C.III C.V C.VI C.VIII C.IX BFW CL.I CL.II CL.III CL.IV DFW C.I C.II C.III C.IV C.V C.VI Fokker C.I Friedrichshafen C.I Germania C.I C.II C.IV Halberstadt C.I CL.II C.III CL.IV C.V C.VII C.VIII C.IX CLS.X Hannover C.I CL.II CL.III CL.IV CL.V Junkers CL.I LFG/Roland C.I C.II C.III C.V C.VIII LVG C.I C.II C.III C.IV C.V C.VI C.VIII OAW C.I C.II Otto C.I C.II Pfalz C.I Rumpler C.I C.III C.IV C.V C.VI C.VII C.VIII C.IX C.X Sablatnig C.I C.II C.III Schütte-Lanz C.I Zeppelin-Friedrichshafen C.I C.II Zeppelin-Lindau C.I C.II
CLS-	Albatros CLS.I Halberstadt CLS.I CLS.II (see also main sequence above) Junkers CLS.I
CS-	Zeppelin-Lindau CS.I

Aviation in World War I
People and aircraft	Commanders Aces Aircraft of the Entente Powers Aircraft of the Central Powers Zeppelins
Campaigns and battles	Strategic bombing German Cuxhaven Bombing of cities Aerial reconnaissance Fokker Scourge Flight over Vienna Bloody April Battles
Entente Powers air services	British air services Royal Flying Corps Royal Naval Air Service Royal Air Force Australian Flying Corps Canadian Air Force (1918–20) French Air Service Imperial Russian Air Service Royal Italian Air Corps United States Army Air Service Greek air services Army Air Service Naval Air Service
Central Powers air services	Imperial German Air Service Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Aviation Troops Ottoman Aviation Squadrons Bulgarian Army Aeroplane Section