Idflieg aircraft designation system
Encyclopedia
The Idflieg
designation system was used to designate German
heavier-than-air military aircraft
from the early days of the Luftstreitkräfte
to the end of World War I
. The system necessarily evolved during this period, as new aircraft types were produced. It was never extended to aircraft operated by the German Navy – nor was it applied to lighter-than-air types. Further complicating this situation, German aircraft manufacturers typically used their own type designations.
Each designation consisted of one of the following letters, followed by a roman numeral. For example, the first "D"-class aircraft built by Albatros was designated the Albatros D.I
, the second, the Albatros D.II
and so on.
The system ceased to apply with the end of German military aviation following the Armistice, and aircraft of the newly reborn Luftwaffe
would be designated according to the RLM aircraft designation system
.
Idflieg
The Idflieg was the bureau of the German War Office that oversaw German military aviation prior to and during World War I....
designation system was used to designate German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
heavier-than-air military aircraft
Military aircraft
A military aircraft is any fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft that is operated by a legal or insurrectionary armed service of any type. Military aircraft can be either combat or non-combat:...
from the early days of the Luftstreitkräfte
Luftstreitkräfte
The Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte , known before October 1916 as Die Fliegertruppen des deutschen Kaiserreiches , or simply Die Fliegertruppen, was the air arm of the Imperial German Army during World War I...
to the end of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The system necessarily evolved during this period, as new aircraft types were produced. It was never extended to aircraft operated by the German Navy – nor was it applied to lighter-than-air types. Further complicating this situation, German aircraft manufacturers typically used their own type designations.
Each designation consisted of one of the following letters, followed by a roman numeral. For example, the first "D"-class aircraft built by Albatros was designated the Albatros D.I
Albatros D.I
|-See also:...
, the second, the Albatros D.II
Albatros D.II
|-See also:...
and so on.
- A – monoplaneMonoplaneA monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with one main set of wing surfaces, in contrast to a biplane or triplane. Since the late 1930s it has been the most common form for a fixed wing aircraft.-Types of monoplane:...
s. “A” type aircraft (for example the Rumpler TaubeRumpler TaubeThe Etrich Taube, also known by the names of the various manufacturers who build versions of the type, such as the Rumpler Taube, was a pre-World War I monoplane aircraft. It was the first mass-produced military plane in Germany...
and Fokker M.5Fokker M.5The Fokker M.5 was an unarmed single-seat monoplane aircraft designed and built by Anthony Fokker in 1913. It served as a light reconnaissance aircraft with the German army at the outbreak of World War I and was the basis for the first successful fighter aircraft in German service, the Fokker...
) were not limited by any official limiting specification, apart from their wing layout, although they were typically unarmed two seat reconnaissance or training aircraft with low powered engines. After 1915 few “A” types were retained by the Luftstreitkräfte.
- B – biplaneBiplaneA biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two superimposed main wings. The Wright brothers' Wright Flyer used a biplane design, as did most aircraft in the early years of aviation. While a biplane wing structure has a structural advantage, it produces more drag than a similar monoplane wing...
s. Again, this designation was not connected to any official specification, apart from the wing layout. In practice, specifications applied to later types limited aircraft retaining the “B” designation after 1915 to low powered unarmed two-seaters, mostly used for training and other second line duties.
- C – two-seat armed biplanes (designation introduced in 1915). This was the first new designation to be introduced after the outbreak of war, and also the first to have a defining specification. In order to reduce the extreme vulnerability of early German military aircraft to Allied types equipped with machine guns, “C” types were armed with a rearward firing machine gun operated by the observer and (later) a forward firing synchronizedSynchronizedSynchronized can refer to the following definitions:*synchronization , or syncronisation , the coordination of events to operate a system in unison.*Synchronized , a 2002 album by sHeavy....
machine gun for the pilot. An engine of more than 150 hp was also specified (later “C” types typically had over 200 hp). A number of future German fighter acesFlying aceA flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
obtained their first victories in the "C" type- CL – lightweight "C" class aircraft (designation introduced early 1917). Later “C” types became progressively larger – the “CL” specification was intended to provide smaller aircraft, nimble enough to be used as a two-seat fighter aircraftFighter aircraftA fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
. In practice, the “CL” types were mainly used for close supportClose air supportIn military tactics, close air support is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are close to friendly forces, and which requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of these forces.The determining factor for CAS is...
. Engine power of a “CL” was limited to less than 200 hp – and total loaded weight to under 360 kg.. In other respects “CL” types were similar to “C”s – in fact serial and type numbers generally fell in the same sequence.
- CL – lightweight "C" class aircraft (designation introduced early 1917). Later “C” types became progressively larger – the “CL” specification was intended to provide smaller aircraft, nimble enough to be used as a two-seat fighter aircraft
- D – single-seat armed aircraft, specifically intended for use by the new jagdstaffeln or fighter squadrons (designation introduced in 1916). Until late in 1918, when designations for fighter aircraft were simplified, “D” implied a doppeldecker, or biplane. By the end of the war all single seat fighters were designated as “D” types, as distinctions based on wing layout were abandoned.
- Dr – single-seat armed triplaneTriplaneA triplane is a fixed-wing aircraft equipped with three vertically-stacked wing planes. Tailplanes and canard foreplanes are not normally included in this count, although they may occasionally be.-Design principles:...
, or Dreidecker (designation introduced in late 1917 – abandoned in late 1918). The first two Fokker Dr.IFokker Dr.IThe Fokker Dr.I Dreidecker was a World War I fighter aircraft built by Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. The Dr.I saw widespread service in the spring of 1918...
aircraft were in fact designated “F.I”. By the end of the war the all new single-seat fighters were designated as “D” types, regardless of wing layout.
- E – armed monoplane (designation introduced in 1915 – abandoned in late 1918), from Eindecker. This was initially simply the monoplane version of the “C” class armed biplane, having the same relationship to the “C” class as the “A” had to the “B”, and several early “E” types were two-seaters. In practice, due largely to the success of the single seat Fokker “E” types, which were single seat fighters, the “E” class came to mean a single seat fighter monoplane (i.e. the monoplane equivalent of the “D” class). In late 1918 the last “E” type, the Fokker E.V was redesignated the “D.VIII”, and other late war monoplane types (such as the Junkers CL.IJunkers CL.I-Bibliography:...
) were also designated in their "functional" class, in line with the abandonment of designations based on wing layout.
- F – single-seat armed triplane (designation used briefly in 1917). Applied only to the Fokker F.I, which was redesignated the “Dr.I” by the time it went into full production.
- G – armed biplane bomber aircraft with two or three engines (groß - "large") (designation used from 1916). These aircraft were originally designated K (see below).
- GL – faster twin-engined aircraft suitable for use as a day-bomber or long range reconnaissance (designation introduced in 1918). Bore a similar relationship to the “G” as the “CL” bore to the “C”. Weight and wing span were reduced, and crew was limited to two – the forward gunner’s cockpit being eliminated.
- J – armoured dual-role liaison aircraftLiaison aircraftA liaison aircraft is a small, usually unarmed aircraft primarily used by military forces for artillery observation or transporting commanders and messages. The concept developed before World War II and included also battlefield reconnaissance, air ambulance, column control, light cargo delivery...
and ground attack aircraftGround attack aircraftGround-attack aircraft are military aircraft with primary role of attacking targets on the ground with greater precision than bombers and prepared to face stronger low-level air defense...
(designation introduced in 1917). Most examples resembled “C” types in general layout – differing only in being fitted with armour to reduce vulnerability to ground fire. The exception was the unique Junkers J.IJunkers J.I-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Flight 18 March 1920* Grey, C. G. Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1919. London: Putnam, 1919.* Grosz, P.M. Junkers J.I, Windsock Datafile 39. Hertfordshire, UK: Albatros Productions Ltd., 1993. ISBN 0-948414-49-9.* Taylor, Michael J. H. Jane's Encyclopedia...
.
- K – armed biplane bomber aircraft with two or three engines (Kampfflugzeug - "battle aircraft"). Designation introduced in 1915 – replaced by “G” by early 1916.
- N – two-seat (single engines) night (Nacht) bomber (designation introduced in 1918). Basically a “C” type aircraft with longer wing span to enable a heavier war-load.
- R – a large bomber aircraft with at least three, in some cases up to six engines (Riesenflugzeug - "giant aircraft"). An important distinguishing feature from the “G” class (apart from size) was that all engines should be accessible in flight – permitting minor running repairs.
The system ceased to apply with the end of German military aviation following the Armistice, and aircraft of the newly reborn Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
would be designated according to the RLM aircraft designation system
RLM aircraft designation system
The German Air Ministry had a system for aircraft designation which was an attempt by the aviation bureaucracy of the Third Reich to standardize and produce an identifier for each aircraft type produced in Germany...
.