The Albatros C.III was a German two seat general-purpose biplane of World War I.
The C.III was a refined version of the successful Albatros C.I and was eventually produced in greater numbers than any other C-type Albatros.
Like the Albatros C.I, the C.III was a popular aircraft with rugged construction and viceless handling.
The most prominent difference between the two was the revised vertical stabilizer.
The C.III had a lower, rounded tail compared to the large, triangular tail of the C.I, which, combined with smaller weight, gave the C.III greater agility.
The powerplant was either a 110 kW (150 hp) Benz Bz. III or a 120 kW (160 hp) Mercedes D.III inline engine and like numerous other two seat aircraft used during the war, the cylinder head and exhaust manifold protruded above the front fuselage, limiting the pilot’s forward visibility.
The observer, who occupied the rear cockpit, was armed with a single 7.92 mm (0.312 in) Parabellum MG14 machine gun.
C.III aircraft were typically fitted with a gun synchronizer and a single forward firing 7.92 mm (0.312 in) LMG 08/15 machine gun.
The C.III could also carry a bomb load of up to 90 kg (200 lb) in four vertical tubes in the fuselage or external racks.
Between 1926 and 1927, two Mercedes D.III engine copies were built from saved parts and components of the destroyed aircraft by Bulgarian state aircraft workshops DAR as the DAR 2 for use as trainers.
Specifications
Crew
2
Length
7.9 m (25 ft 11 in)
Wingspan
11.7 m (38 ft 5 in)
Height
3.2 m (10 ft 6 in)
Wing area
36.91 m2 (397.3 sq ft)
Empty weight
830 kg (1,830 lb)
Gross weight
1,343 kg (2,961 lb)
Powerplant
1 × Argus As.III, 6-cylinder water cooled inline piston engine,
130 kW (180 hp)
Propellers
2-bladed propeller
Performance
Maximum speed
145 km/h (90 mph, 78 kn)
Endurance
4 hours 30 minutes
Service ceiling
3,350 m (10,990 ft)
Time to altitude
3,000 m (9,800 ft) in 35 minutes
Armament
Guns
1 × 7.92 mm (0.312 in) Parabellum MG14 machine gun in observer’s cockpit
&
1 × fixed forward firing 7.92 mm (0.312 in) LMG 08/15 in the nose
