| Rs.IV | |
|---|---|
| Role | Patrol seaplane |
| National origin | Germany |
| Manufacturer | Zeppelin-Lindau |
| Designer | Claudius Dornier |
| First flight | 12 October 1918 |
| Status | scrapped |
| Primary user | German Navy |
| Number built | 1 |
| Developed from | Zeppelin-Lindau (Dornier) Rs.III |
The Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.IV (known incorrectly postwar as the Dornier Rs.IV) was a Riesenflugzeug (Giant aircraft) monoplane all metal flying boat with a stressed skin hull developed for the German Navy to perform long range patrols over the North Sea. Developed by Claudius Dornier while in the employ of Zeppelin in the town of Lindau on the German side of Lake Constance.
Development
editTwo aircraft were ordered by the Navy in January 1918.[1] The first flight was made on 12 October 1918 and was converted shortly thereafter into a passenger seaplane between October 1918, following damage sustained during its first flight, and June 1919 [2] At the same time it was modified so pilot was in hull instead of fuselage in 1919. The second example was not completed. It was scrapped 17 April 1920 on orders from Inter-Allied Military Control Commission, after it had been given a detailed examination.[3]
- Riesenflugzeug requirements included access to engines for in-flight repairs
- Development of previous Rs.III, differing primarily in having a narrower hull fitted with sponsons and stressed skin structure, with some minor tidying of the design.
- braced parasol monoplane with all metal internal structure made up of metal girders.
- first seaplane to have an all-metal stressed skin hull, and the first seaplane to be fitted with Dornier's patented sponsons.
- 4 engines mounted in push-pull pairs in nacelles large enough to allow in flight access, between the hull and the wing and staggered to allow propeller disks to overlap slightly so as to reduce yaw when an engine was not running.
- all-metal stressed skin fuselage mounted on top wing above both engine nacelles and hull.
Operators
edit
German Empire- Kaiserliche Marine - evaluation only
Specifications
editData from Haddow, 1988, p.129
General characteristics
- Crew: 5
- Capacity: 20 (commercial version only)
- Length: 74 ft 6 in (22.7 m)
- Wingspan: 121 ft 5 in (37 m)
- Height: 27 ft 6 in (8.37 m)
- Wing area: 2,432 sq ft (226 m2)
- Empty weight: [convert: invalid number] (7,237 kg)
- Gross weight: [convert: invalid number] (10,600 kg)
- Powerplant: 4 × Maybach Mb.IVa 6 cylinder liquid cooled inline mounted as push-pull pairs, 245 hp (183 kW) each
- Propellers: 10 ft 2 in (3.1 m) diameter
Performance
- Maximum speed: 85.7 mph (138 km/h, 74.5 kn)
- Endurance: 10 hours
- Wing loading: 9.5 lb/sq ft (46.5 kg/m2)
See also
editRelated development
- Zeppelin-Lindau (Dornier) Rs.I
- Zeppelin-Lindau (Dornier) Rs.II
- Zeppelin-Lindau (Dornier) Rs.III
- Dornier Gs.I
- Dornier Wal
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists
References
editNotes
editCitations
editBibliography
edit- Gray, Peter; Thetford, Owen (1970). German Aircraft of the First World War (second ed.). London: Putnam. p. 580.
- Haddow, G W. (1988). The German Giants - The German R-Planes 1914-1918 (3rd ed.). London: Putnam & Company Ltd. pp. 124-130 & 290. ISBN 0-85177-812-7.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - Kössler, Karl (1985). Dornier - Die Chronik des ältesten deutschen Flugzeugwerks. Friedrichshafen, Germany: Walter Biering GmbH. p. 79. ISBN 3-925505-01-6.
- Ogden, Bob (1983). Dornier - Flypast Reference Library. Lincs, England: Key Publishing. p. 16. ISBN 0 946219 05 2. LCCN 0263-5887.
- unknown author (23 December 1920). "Some "Dornier" Milestones". Flight. Flight Magazine: pp.1269–1273 and pp.1289–1292.
{{cite journal}}:|last1=has generic name (help);|pages=has extra text (help) - Rimell, Ray (2009). Dornier Flying boats - Windsock Datafile 136. Hertfordshire, UK: Albatros Productions. ISBN 978-1-906798-03-1.
External links
edit