Luft-Fahrzeug-Gesellschaft
Encyclopedia
Luft-Fahrzeug-Gesellschaft, also referred to as LFG, was a German
aircraft manufacturer during World War I
. They are best known for their various "Roland" designs, notably the Roland C.II and Roland D.VI
, although they also produced a number of airships and experimental designs.
Luft-Fahrzeug-Gesellschaft formed on April 30, 1908, from the assets of an experimental airship engine company located in Bitterfeld
, Motorluftschiff Studiengesellscaft (MStG). Additional funding for the new enterprise was provided primarily by Krupp
, AEG
, and a local chemical company. The company's offices were located in Berlin
along with the factory at Adlershof
. Manufacture was transferred to Charlottenburg
following a fire on 6 September 1916, allegedly caused by the British Secret Service
.
Their first project was an airship design by August von Parseval
, a German airship designer. This entered service as the PL.II in 1910. During World War I
, four were delivered to the German Army and Navy. In total some 25 "PL" airships were built, flown and delivered to various customers. The PL-26, one of the last, crashed on landing and burnt inside hangar Luftschiffhalle 2 with no fatalities. For the rest of the war the hangar
s were used mostly for repairs of observation balloon
s.
(Nieuport) died, one of his engineers, Franz Schneider, joined LFG and started producing new designs under the name Roland. Roland was a trade name
adopted to avoid confusion with the LVG
firm. In 1916 the company adapted an Albatros design to produce the LFG W, a floatplane
. Some parts were built in Bitterfeld, but final assembly and checkout was carried out in new factories in Stralsund
.
Their first successful design was the Roland C.II
, a two-seat reconnaissance aircraft
; The design used a unique semi-monocoque fuselage made of plywood
that filled the entire area between the wings, leaving the pilot and observer/gunner high over the planform with an excellent view. Although it was said to have tricky handling, the C.II had excellent performance, and was also used on long-range missions as a bomber escort. A version with the 200 hp Benz Bz.IV engine and new wing struts was built as the D.III, but only one prototype was ever built, as was the case for the 160 hp Mercedes D.III
-powered C.V.
The C.II was adapted to the pure fighter
role as the Roland D.I, but in this role the lack of a direct forward view proved to be a problem. A fire at the factory severely constrained production, and only 20 were built. A newer version with a more conventional layout, the Roland D.II
, followed, "thinning" the fuselage vertically but keeping the overall design similar. Although generally a good design, it was inferior to the Albatros D.I
and built only to the extent of about 230 examples, mostly being used on the eastern front and in Macedonia. The fuselage was further thinned in the D.III, which looked almost conventional, but the 180 hp Argus As.III proved temperamental and only a handful were built. Six D.IIs were delivered in July 1917 to the Bulgarian Air Force, as were six D.IIIs in May 1918.
Although the monocoque fuselage was extremely strong, it was also very difficult and time consuming to build. A new method of construction was introduced that used spruce planking running the length of the plane in place of the formed plywood, and the D.III was adapted using this technique to produce D.IV triplane
and D.V biplane, both powered by the D.III's 160 hp Mercedes. A further adaptation of the D.IV with the 185 hp Benz Bz. III resulted in the Roland D.VI
, which was entered in the First Fighter Competition trials at Adlershof
in early 1918. Although the Fokker D.VII
won that contest, the D.VI was also ordered into production as it used a different engine, and by the end of the war about 350 had been delivered. A large number of different versions using various engines were built as prototypes without entering production, as well as a triplane
adaptation as the D.VI (also known as the Dr. I).
The next major design from Roland were parasol monoplane
designs, the D.XVI with the Siemens-Halske Sh.III
or 170 hp Goebel Goe.IIIa rotary piston engine
s, and the otherwise similar D.XVII with the inline 185hp BMW IIIa. Both were entered into the Second Fighter Competition at Adlershof, but lost to the Fokker D.VIII
.
After the war all aircraft production in Germany was banned, and the company was forced to close the Bitterfeld plant and reopen in Seddin, producing airplanes, balloons and life boats. In 1933, aircraft production was shut down. Three additional airships of the Parseval pattern were also built during this period.
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...
aircraft manufacturer during 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...
. They are best known for their various "Roland" designs, notably the Roland C.II and Roland D.VI
Roland D.VI
|-References:NotesBibliography* Gray, Peter and Owen Thetford. German Aircraft of the First World War. London: Putnam, 1962.* Gray, Peter Laurence. German Aircraft of the First World War. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday & Co., 1970....
, although they also produced a number of airships and experimental designs.
Airships
Luft-Fahrzeug-Gesellschaft formed on April 30, 1908, from the assets of an experimental airship engine company located in Bitterfeld
Bitterfeld
Bitterfeld is a town in the district Anhalt-Bitterfeld, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 July 2007 it has been part of the town Bitterfeld-Wolfen. It is situated approx. 25 km south of Dessau, and 30 km northeast of Halle...
, Motorluftschiff Studiengesellscaft (MStG). Additional funding for the new enterprise was provided primarily by Krupp
Krupp
The Krupp family , a prominent 400-year-old German dynasty from Essen, have become famous for their steel production and for their manufacture of ammunition and armaments. The family business, known as Friedrich Krupp AG Hoesch-Krupp, was the largest company in Europe at the beginning of the 20th...
, AEG
AEG
Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft was a German producer of electrical equipment founded in 1883 by Emil Rathenau....
, and a local chemical company. The company's offices were located in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
along with the factory at Adlershof
Adlershof
-External links:*...
. Manufacture was transferred to Charlottenburg
Charlottenburg
Charlottenburg is a locality of Berlin within the borough of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, named after Queen consort Sophia Charlotte...
following a fire on 6 September 1916, allegedly caused by the British Secret Service
Secret Intelligence Service
The Secret Intelligence Service is responsible for supplying the British Government with foreign intelligence. Alongside the internal Security Service , the Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence Intelligence , it operates under the formal direction of the Joint Intelligence...
.
Their first project was an airship design by August von Parseval
August von Parseval
August von Parseval was a German airship designer.As a boy, Von Parseval attended the Royal Bavarian Pagenkorps in Munich from 1873 to 1878, where he took the Fähnrichexamen . He then joined the Royal Bavarian 3rd Infantry Regiment Prinz Carl von Bayern...
, a German airship designer. This entered service as the PL.II in 1910. During 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...
, four were delivered to the German Army and Navy. In total some 25 "PL" airships were built, flown and delivered to various customers. The PL-26, one of the last, crashed on landing and burnt inside hangar Luftschiffhalle 2 with no fatalities. For the rest of the war the hangar
Hangar
A hangar is a closed structure to hold aircraft or spacecraft in protective storage. Most hangars are built of metal, but other materials such as wood and concrete are also sometimes used...
s were used mostly for repairs of observation balloon
Observation balloon
Observation balloons are balloons that are employed as aerial platforms for intelligence gathering and artillery spotting. Their use began during the French Revolutionary Wars, reaching their zenith during World War I, and they continue in limited use today....
s.
Aeroplanes
When Édouard de Nié PortÉdouard de Nié Port
Édouard de Nié Port was the co-founder with his brother Charles of the eponymous Nieuport aircraft manufacturing company, Société Anonyme Des Établissements Nieuport, formed in 1909 at Issy-les-Moulineaux...
(Nieuport) died, one of his engineers, Franz Schneider, joined LFG and started producing new designs under the name Roland. Roland was a trade name
Trade name
A trade name, also known as a trading name or a business name, is the name which a business trades under for commercial purposes, although its registered, legal name, used for contracts and other formal situations, may be another....
adopted to avoid confusion with the LVG
LVG
Luftverkehrsgesellschaft m.b.H. was a German aircraft manufacturer based in Berlin-Johannisthal, which began constructing aircraft in 1912, building Farman-type aircraft. The company constructed many reconnaissance and light bomber biplanes during World War I.The raid on London in 1916 was...
firm. In 1916 the company adapted an Albatros design to produce the LFG W, a floatplane
Floatplane
A floatplane is a type of seaplane, with slender pontoons mounted under the fuselage; only the floats of a floatplane normally come into contact with water, with the fuselage remaining above water...
. Some parts were built in Bitterfeld, but final assembly and checkout was carried out in new factories in Stralsund
Stralsund
- Main sights :* The Brick Gothic historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.* The heart of the old town is the Old Market Square , with the Gothic Town Hall . Behind the town hall stands the imposing Nikolaikirche , built in 1270-1360...
.
Their first successful design was the Roland C.II
LFG Roland C.II
-Armament:A centrally mounted synchronized Spandau 7.92mm gun was provided for the pilot on later models. The observer had a Parabellum gun on a ring mounting...
, a two-seat reconnaissance aircraft
Reconnaissance aircraft
A reconnaissance aircraft is a manned military aircraft designed, or adapted, to carry out aerial reconnaissance.-History:The majority of World War I aircraft were reconnaissance designs...
; The design used a unique semi-monocoque fuselage made of plywood
Plywood
Plywood is a type of manufactured timber made from thin sheets of wood veneer. It is one of the most widely used wood products. It is flexible, inexpensive, workable, re-usable, and can usually be locally manufactured...
that filled the entire area between the wings, leaving the pilot and observer/gunner high over the planform with an excellent view. Although it was said to have tricky handling, the C.II had excellent performance, and was also used on long-range missions as a bomber escort. A version with the 200 hp Benz Bz.IV engine and new wing struts was built as the D.III, but only one prototype was ever built, as was the case for the 160 hp Mercedes D.III
Mercedes D.III
The Mercedes D.III, or F1466 as it was known internally, was a six-cylinder, liquid cooled inline aircraft engine built by Daimler and used on a wide variety of German aircraft during World War I. The initial versions were introduced in 1914 at 160 hp, but a series of changes improved this to...
-powered C.V.
The C.II was adapted to the pure fighter
Fighter aircraft
A 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...
role as the Roland D.I, but in this role the lack of a direct forward view proved to be a problem. A fire at the factory severely constrained production, and only 20 were built. A newer version with a more conventional layout, the Roland D.II
LFG Roland D.II
-See also:-Bibliography:* Angelucci, Enzo . World Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft. London:Jane's, 1981. ISBN 0 7106 0148 4.* Donald, David . The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. London:Blitz, 1997. ISBN 1-85605-375-X....
, followed, "thinning" the fuselage vertically but keeping the overall design similar. Although generally a good design, it was inferior to the Albatros D.I
Albatros D.I
|-See also:...
and built only to the extent of about 230 examples, mostly being used on the eastern front and in Macedonia. The fuselage was further thinned in the D.III, which looked almost conventional, but the 180 hp Argus As.III proved temperamental and only a handful were built. Six D.IIs were delivered in July 1917 to the Bulgarian Air Force, as were six D.IIIs in May 1918.
Although the monocoque fuselage was extremely strong, it was also very difficult and time consuming to build. A new method of construction was introduced that used spruce planking running the length of the plane in place of the formed plywood, and the D.III was adapted using this technique to produce D.IV triplane
Triplane
A 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:...
and D.V biplane, both powered by the D.III's 160 hp Mercedes. A further adaptation of the D.IV with the 185 hp Benz Bz. III resulted in the Roland D.VI
Roland D.VI
|-References:NotesBibliography* Gray, Peter and Owen Thetford. German Aircraft of the First World War. London: Putnam, 1962.* Gray, Peter Laurence. German Aircraft of the First World War. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday & Co., 1970....
, which was entered in the First Fighter Competition trials at Adlershof
Adlershof
-External links:*...
in early 1918. Although the Fokker D.VII
Fokker D.VII
The Fokker D.VII was a German World War I fighter aircraft designed by Reinhold Platz of the Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. Germany produced around 3,300 D.VII aircraft in the summer and autumn of 1918. In service, the D.VII quickly proved itself to be a formidable aircraft...
won that contest, the D.VI was also ordered into production as it used a different engine, and by the end of the war about 350 had been delivered. A large number of different versions using various engines were built as prototypes without entering production, as well as a triplane
Triplane
A 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:...
adaptation as the D.VI (also known as the Dr. I).
The next major design from Roland were parasol monoplane
Monoplane
A 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:...
designs, the D.XVI with the Siemens-Halske Sh.III
Siemens-Halske Sh.III
Siemens-Halske's Sh.III was an 11-cylinder, air-cooled rotary engine developed in Germany during World War I, similar to the Sh.I.-Design:It shared with its predecessor the unusual design feature of having its internal workings rotating in a clockwise direction as seen from "nose-on", within the...
or 170 hp Goebel Goe.IIIa rotary piston engine
Rotary engine
The rotary engine was an early type of internal-combustion engine, usually designed with an odd number of cylinders per row in a radial configuration, in which the crankshaft remained stationary and the entire cylinder block rotated around it...
s, and the otherwise similar D.XVII with the inline 185hp BMW IIIa. Both were entered into the Second Fighter Competition at Adlershof, but lost to the Fokker D.VIII
Fokker D.VIII
-See also:-References:* Weyl, A.R. Fokker: The Creative Years. 1988. ISBN 0-851778-17-8....
.
After the war all aircraft production in Germany was banned, and the company was forced to close the Bitterfeld plant and reopen in Seddin, producing airplanes, balloons and life boats. In 1933, aircraft production was shut down. Three additional airships of the Parseval pattern were also built during this period.
Aeroplane types
This is a list of aeroplane produced, taken from Nowarra, Heinz: Flugzeuge 1914-1918, München 1959 and Emmanuel Gustin's list of German military aircraft.- C.II und C.IIaLFG Roland C.II-Armament:A centrally mounted synchronized Spandau 7.92mm gun was provided for the pilot on later models. The observer had a Parabellum gun on a ring mounting...
"Walfisch" biplane reconnaissanceReconnaissanceReconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
, two-seater - C.III variant of C.II, one built - destroyed by fire when LFG plant burns, 6 September 1916
- C.V - two-seat version of D.II, prototype only
- C.VIII - prototype only
- C.X - reconnaissance
- W - SeaplaneSeaplaneA seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...
- W-1 - Seaplane, single seater fighter
- W-16 - Seaplane
- WD - Seaplane variant of D.I, one built, rejected due to poor visibility
- D.I "Haifisch" - fighter
- D.IILFG Roland D.II-See also:-Bibliography:* Angelucci, Enzo . World Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft. London:Jane's, 1981. ISBN 0 7106 0148 4.* Donald, David . The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. London:Blitz, 1997. ISBN 1-85605-375-X....
- fighter, about 230 built - D.IIILFG Roland D.III-References:*...
- fighter, few built - D.IV - 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:...
, prototype only (also Dr. I) - D.V - only three prototypes
- D.VIRoland D.VI|-References:NotesBibliography* Gray, Peter and Owen Thetford. German Aircraft of the First World War. London: Putnam, 1962.* Gray, Peter Laurence. German Aircraft of the First World War. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday & Co., 1970....
- fighter, 350 built, similar to D III, ordered as backup for D VII - D.VII - one prototype built
- D.VIII - one prototype built
- D.IX - only three preproduction models
- D.X - projected only
- D.XI - projected only
- D.XII - projected only
- D.XIII - development abandoned when destroyed in a fire
- D.XIV - Biplane fighter, variant of D.XIII, very unreliable
- D.XV - Biplane fighter, three of a first design built, two of a second design also named D.XV
- D.XVI - fighter, prototypes only
- D.XVII - Parasol-wing monoplane fighter, one built
- G.I - Biplane bomber, only projected, no production
- Stralsund V.19 - Single-seat seaplane, to operate from submarines, prototype completed after 1918
- ME 8 - Seaplane fighter, only projected
- MD 14 - reconnaissance, only projected
- MD 15 - reconnaissance, only projected
Further reading
- Jahrbuch der Motorluftschiff-Studiengesellschaft / Luft-Fahrzeug-Gesellschaft m.b.H. - company year books from 1907 to 1912 digitized (German)