AEG C.V

The AEG C.V was a prototype two-seat biplane reconnaissance aircraft built by the (AEG) during the First World War for the Imperial German Army's () Imperial German Air Service (). Designed to use a more powerful engine than previous AEG C-class reconnaissance aircraft, the aircraft proved inferior to competing prototypes using the same engine and further development was cancelled.

Development

When the water-cooled Mercedes D.IV straight-eight piston engine became available in December 1915 the Inspectorate of Flying Troops ( () ordered prototype reconnaissance aircraft from AEG, Albatros and LVG. AEG designed the C.V roughly in parallel with the C.IV that used the Mercedes D.III straight-six engine and the two aircraft shared many features including the armament of one forward-firing 7.92 mm (.312 in) LMG 08/15 machine gun and a Parabellum MG 14 machine gun of the same caliber on a flexible mount for the observer.

The only prototype was completed in February 1916 and its performance was only slightly better than the C.IV despite its advantage of an additional Template:Cvt; it was marginally faster with a slightly greater rate of climb. No documentation survives regarding its flight testing by , but it was not selected for production, unlike the other two competitors. Presumably they had better performance or flying qualities than the C.V.

See also

Related development

• AEG C.IV

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Albatros C.V