The Albatros G.III (L.21) was an advanced German bomber aircraft that emerged during World War I.
This formidable aircraft featured a large, single-bay biplane design with wings of unequal span and no stagger.
Its power was derived from two Benz Bz.IVa pusher engines, cleverly positioned in nacelles between the wings.
One distinctive aspect of its design was the inclusion of cut-outs in the lower wing, allowing the propellers to fit through and enabling the engine nacelles to be placed further forward than conventionally possible.
Although only a limited number of Albatros G.III aircraft were manufactured, they played a significant role on the Macedonian Front in 1917.
Specifications
Crew
Three
Length
11.9 m (39 ft 0 in)
Wingspan
18.0 m (59 ft 0 in)
Height
4.2 m (13 ft 9 in)
Wing area
79.0 m2 (850 sq ft)
Empty weight
2,064 kg (4,550 lb)
Gross weight
3,150 kg (6,945 lb)
Powerplant
2 × Benz Bz.IVa,
164 kW (220 hp) each
Performance
Maximum speed
150 km/h (94 mph, 82 kn)
Range
600 km (370 mi, 320 nmi)
Service ceiling
5,000 m (16,400 ft)
Rate of climb
1.3 m/s (260 ft/min)
Armament
2 × 7.92 mm (.312 in) Parabellum MG14 machine guns
Bombs
325 kg (720 lb) of 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.
