Albatros Flugzeugwerke


Albatros-Flugzeugwerke GmbH was a German aircraft manufacturer best known for supplying the German airforces during World War I.
The company was based in Johannisthal, Berlin, where it was founded by Walter Huth and Otto Wiener on December 20, 1909. The company produced some of the most capable fighter aircraft of World War I, notably the Albatros D.III and Albatros D.V, both designed by Robert Thelen for the firm. The works continued to operate until 1931, when it was merged into Focke-Wulf.

History

The company was founded in Berlin-Johannisthal the end of 1909 by Enno Walther Huth as Albatros Werke AG.
The first aircraft the company produced was a French Antoinette monoplane, which they built under licence.
They then produced several versions of the Etrich Taube monoplane, as well the Doppeltaube biplane which used the same basic planform. A variety of other biplanes, with more conventional wing planforms were also built and flown.
In 1912 five Albatros F-2 were built. This was a development of the French Farman III biplane with a gondola for the crew and an Argus in-line engine instead of the original Gnome rotary engine. Four were sold to Bulgaria and they took an active part in the 1912-1913 Balkan wars.
On October 16, 1912 one of these carried out the first combat mission over Europe.
During World War I Albatros Flugzeugwerke produced about 10,300 aircraft.

Aircraft