- Yes
- No
I would like to sugges the AEG (Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft) G.IVk (Gotha) (Kanone)
This version was only produced 5 times at the end of the war as a dedicated armored and cannon gorund attacker and armed bomber, however came too late and as likely didnt saw service.
In game it would be certainly a 1.0 Plane, with relatively usable armarment and fit next to the Po-2 in the current gameplay. It would show the very early (WW1) development of German Aircraft and Bombers.
However far more interesting would this plane be in a dedicated WW1 Mode, as it would be adequat in line with most other aircraft as well as the cannon armarment of 2x 20mm Becker M.II guns would easily be usable for its indended roll, Tank hunting, with AP rounds the thin 5,5 mm roof armor of the Mark tanks can easily be pierced. It would be in line of the different Ground stikers for WW1, with twin and single engine planes for Germany.
History:
The AEG G.IV was made during WW1, based on the AEG G.III, beeing a refined and improved version.
It was a metal Biplane twin engine in pull plane of the Gotha series which were “Groß-Kampfflugzeug” (Great(Size)-Fightingplane) This model had overall 320 build and was introduced in late 1916 until the end of the war in 1918.
Overall it was a satisvactory designe, which had improvements in the categorie of bomb load, power and dimensions. More specific, in comparisson to the earlyer AEG G.II it even doubled the bomb load.
Its most and effective usage was in reconnaissance and direct combat against ground targets.
Duo to its relatively short range, it was mainly a tactical bomber, beeing used close to the front lines.
While overall satisfactory, it was still seen by some officials as inadequat in the department of offecive capabilitys, as such a series of 4 planes and a prototype were build of the “k” series, standing for Kanone. These planes had recived armor to the hull as well as the refined cannon armarment.
while this development didnt go on and the planes didnt saw service duo to the end of the war, instead the AEG G.V saw service.
Another develompent was the g (Großflächen) with increased wingspan by three bay wing.
The armarment consisted of a 20mm Becker M.II in the aft position, beein able to shoot pretty much 360° around, to the sides down as well as down through the fuselage in a “Gotha-like tunnel”, same for his machine gun.
To the front, the standart top MG was also retained and in the nose to the ground a 2nd 20mm Becker M.II was installed for direct ground attack to the front.
While it didnt include a conventional bomb bay, it was fitted with 4 vertical tubes of about 2 feet length. These were perhaps intended for flares or special anti-tank bombs, which were developed by Idflieg.
There were different models for the front mount.
Armarment:
2x 7,92 mm MG 14 Parabellum (700 rpm, 9,5 kg, 700mm barrle length)
2x 20mm Becker M.II
2 cm Becker M.II
Pictures:(Click to show)
One of the first modern type 20mm Cannon and served as the basis for the later Oerlikon 20mm FF guns. Using the API Blowback action. It was Intended as a AA and AT gun, on ground, vehicles and planes/airships. Later M3 variant was heavyer, reducing the fire rate to 250 rpm but velocity to 700m/s.
It was intended as 20mm, to not be a warcrime to have an explosive filling, overall the ammo layout was also quite modern, with multiple AP rounds, HE rounds as well as incendary rounds.
Caliber: 20mm
Ammo: 20x70mmRB Becker
Fire Rate: 325 rpm
Single Shot, Full auto, 15 rounds Magazin
Muzzle velocity: 490-500m/s
Weight: 30kg
Mounting: Main Tank gun, Fixed and flexible
Ammo Types: Ap-T, I-T, I, HEI, HE
Summary Of ammo Drawings:(Click to show)
(The drawing isnt fully correct, as the nose is too thinn drawn.)
AP:
Panzergeschoß L'Spur Modell 1 (ApI-T) 145g 490m/s 18mm/10m
(Can be conciddered ApI-T, duo to huge tracer filling, made of Barium Nitrate, Magnesium and Shellac of 7g.)
Panzergeschoß L’Spur Modell 2 (ApI-T) (Identical to first one, different head form, see in above summary.)
HE:
Sprenggeschoß Modell 1 (He High capcity, Fuzeless) 137 g
5,5g TNT + 0,5g Pieic acid 495m/s (See ammo Summary)
Incendary:
Brandgeschoß (I) 137g 12g Incendary 495m/s some penetration
Leuchtspurgeschoß (I-T) 144g Barium Nitrate, Magnesium, Shellac filler 11g 490m/s some penetration
(A bit incorrect here)
The Plane: AEG G.IVk
General characteristics
- Crew: 3
- Length: 9.7 m (31 ft 10 in)
- Wingspan: 18.4 m (60 ft 4 in)
- Height: 3.9 m (12 ft 10 in)
- Wing area: 67 m2 (720 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 2,400 kg (5,291 lb)
- Gross weight: 3,630 kg (8,003 lb)
- Fuel capacity: 560 L (150 US gal; 120 imp gal)
- Powerplant: 2 × Mercedes D.IVa six-cylinder water-cooled inline piston engine, 194 kW (260 hp) each
- Propellers: 2-bladed wooden fixed pitch tractor propellers
Performance
- Maximum speed: 165 km/h (103 mph, 89 kn)
- Endurance: four–five hours in cruise
- Service ceiling: 4,500 m (14,800 ft)
- Time to altitude: 1,000 m (3,300 ft) in five minutes
- Wing loading: 54.2 kg/m2 (11.1 lb/sq ft)
- Power/mass: 0.0986 kW/kg (0.0601 hp/lb)
Source:
Notes on German Shells (second edition)
J.Herries AEG Aircraft of WW1
German Aircraft of the first world war (2nd edition) (Peter Gray)
German Armored Warplanes of WW1 (Jack Herris)