The German military reconnaissance aircraft, Albatros L 76 Aeolus, was manufactured by Albatros Flugzeugwerke in 1927.
Featuring wooden dual-spar wings with plywood skins supported by N-type struts and a fabric-covered fuselage made of welded steel tubing, this aircraft was utilised for testing purposes and for training the Soviet Air Force. Unfortunately, the Albatros L 76 Aeolus was known for being challenging to fly, resulting in several fatal accidents.
Notable incidents include the crashes of Emil Thuy near Smolensk on June 11, 1930, and Paul Jeschonnek near Berlin on June 13, 1929. Due to these tragic events, improvements were necessary, leading to the development of the Albatros L 77v by Ernst Heinkel Flugzeugwerke.
This new model aimed to address the issues that plagued its predecessor, ensuring a safer and more reliable aircraft for military reconnaissance purposes.
Specifications
Crew
2
Length
8.55 m (28 ft 1 in)
Wingspan
12.76 m (41 ft 10 in)
Height
3.74 m (12 ft 3 in)
Wing area
27.8 m2 (299 sq ft)
Empty weight
1,615 kg (3,560 lb)
Powerplant
1 × BMW VI inline engine,
450 kW (600 hp)
Performance
Maximum speed
235 km/h (146 mph, 127 kn).
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.
