The German tandem two-seat reconnaissance fighter sesquiplane, Albatros L 77v, was produced in a limited quantity of four units under licence by Ernst Heinkel Flugzeugwerke for Albatros Flugzeugwerke in 1928.
This aircraft was an evolution of the L 76 Aeolus reconnaissance trainer and was equipped with a powerful 450 kW (600 hp) BMW VI 5.5 water-cooled V12 engine.
Similar to its predecessor, the L 77v featured a fabric-covered welded-steel fuselage and wooden dual-spar wings with plywood skins, reinforced by N-type struts.
It was armed with twin 7.92 mm (.312 in) machine guns in fixed forward-firing positions, complemented by a third machine gun mounted on a ring in the rear cockpit for defensive purposes.
During its operational lifespan, three L 77v aircraft were utilised for armament trials in Lipetsk, Soviet Union, with one of them specifically testing a 20 mm cannon.
Unfortunately, the fourth aircraft was lost during testing in March 1929.
The remaining L 77vs served until October 1931, stationed at the Staaken Test Centre
1 × flexible 7.92 (.312 in) mm machine gun for observer
Bombs
2 × 50 kg (110 lb) bombs.
Sources German & Austro-Hungarian aircraft manufacturers 1908–1918-T C Treadwell. German Aircraft of the First World War-Peter Gray & Owen Thetford. Flugzeug Publications, Die Deutsche Luftwaffe 1914 – Heute. The World’s Great Bombers: 1914 to the Present Day-C Chant. Windsock Worldwide Vol.25, No.5 – September October 2009. Albatros Aircraft of WWI Vol.1: Early Two-Seaters-Jack Herris. Albatros Aircraft of WWI Vol.2: Late Two-Seaters-Jack Herris. Albatros Aircraft of WWI Vol.3: Bombers, Seaplanes J Types-Jack Herris. Albatros Aircraft of WWI Vol.4: Fighters-Jack Herris.
