[wwi] l.v.g. C.vi

[Phaelen Bleux]

Biplane of the Month Club: August

L.V.G. C.VI
Despite being built in significant numbers (1,100 aircraft), the Luft-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft C.VI is little remembered (possibly because it is easier to say "Fokker"). It was a typical reconnaissance and artillery spotting design, featuring a pilot and observer in a tandem arrangement. The pilot fires a fixed MG through the arc of the propeller, while the observer fires a trainable MG in a ring mount. The plane came equipped with a Morse Code transmitter. The crew carried parachutes and had heated flight suits.

After the war, the C.VI was used as a mail carrier and passenger transport. The plane saw combat again with the Polish Air Force during the Polish-Soviet War (1919-1921). Three examples survive in museums in London, Pairs, and Brussels.

The plane burns 7.4 gallons of aviation fuel per hour at routine usage. Historical range was 242 miles. A full load of fuel and ammo (excluding bombs) costs $20.50.

L.V.G. C.VI
Subassemblies: Recon Plane chassis +2; Light Fighter wings with Biplane option +2; 2 fixed wheels +0.
Powertrain: 147-kW HP gasoline engine with 147-kW old prop and 52.5-gallon Standard fuel tank [Body] (Fire 14).
Occ.: 2 XCS Body
Cargo: 0 Body

Armor
Body: 1/1W
Wings: 1/1C
Wheels: 2/3

Weaponry:
Aircraft LMG/7.92 mm LMG 08/15 [Body:F] (500 rounds).
Aircraft LMG/7.92 mm Parabellum [Body:B] (500 rounds).
200 lbs. Bombs.

Equipment:
Body: Small radio transmitter (3-mile), 200-lb. bomb bay, casemate and high-angle mount for the rear MG.

Statistics:
Size: 24'x42'x9' Payload: 0.47 tons Lwt.: 1.52 tons
Volume: 96 Maint.: 86 hours Cost: $5,418
HT: 6. HPs: 15 Body, 135 each Wing, 3 each Wheel.
aSpeed: 103 aAccel: 2 aDecel: 64 aMR: 16 aSR: 1
Stall Speed: 40 mph. Take-Off Run 200 yards. Landing Run 160 yards.
gSpeed: 157 gAccel: 8 gDecel: 10 gMR: 0.5 gSR: 2
Ground Pressure: Very High. 1/8 Off-Road Speed.

Design Notes:
Historical wing area was 356 sf. MG load outs are a guess. One-half of a bomb bay module was purchased (250 lb. capacity); the historical load is shown. Design loaded weight was lowered 2% to the historical value. Design aSpeed was 106 mph. Performance calculations were based on historical values for wing area and loaded weight. The front Body MG is synchronized to fire through the propeller arc, lowering RoF by 10% (see p. W:MP8).
One source listed a 172-kW powerplant. Placement of the bombs in a bomb bay was designer fiat, but no photos showed bombs or hardpoints.

Variants:
The C.V (1917) was a similar but larger aircraft. Loaded weight 3,141 lbs., empty weight 2,188 lbs, wing area 429 sf (Medium Fighter Wings with Biplane option, 160 HP each). It only carried 90 lbs. of bombs. Its 150-kW engine gave it a top speed of 106 mph. aAccel 2, aMR 18, aDecel 73, aSR 1, Stall 37 mph.