Continuing in the long line of short-term reconnaissance biplane designs, the German Air Force fielded the Albatros C.III in an effort to improve upon the successes of the C.I design. Appearing outwardly nearly identical to the Albatros B.III of 1914, the C.III model entered service in 1915 and would see a variety of roles throughout the year that it operated in frontline service. In the end, it would represent an improvement over the original C.I and make the C.III one of the finer biplane reconnaissance aircraft of the war the is often regarded as the best aircraft in the Albatros C-series type.
By all accounts the C.III benefited from the successful pioneered in both the C.I and the B.II designs. The C.III was fitted with the powerful Mercedes-brand D.III liquid-cooled inline engine capable of 160 horsepower with a top speed of 87 miles per hour and a service ceiling of over 11,000 feet. The aircraft accommodated two personnel with the pilot in the front cockpit position and the observer/gunner in the rear. As with the C.I, the gunner in the rear cockpit was afforded an arrangement of 1 x 7.5mm Parabellum machine or a setup of 2 x 7.5mm Parabellum machine guns. Each arrangement was trainable to an extend and offered up a good arc of defensive fire. The aircraft's design as a whole was of the typical biplane arrangement with a standard unspectacular boxey fuselage, similar in many respects to the B.III before it.
The C.III became a versatile aircraft during the 12-plus months of service to the German Air Force. The system undertook missions ranging from basic reconnaissance and observation, to photographic reconnaissance sorties and the occasional bombing strike when called upon. By the end of its service run, the C.III would be relegated to crew training - replaced by the ever-evolving breed of new fighting scouts taking the stage.
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Aircraft Quick Profile:
Image courtesy of Dan Alex.
1915
Designation:Albatros C.III Classification Type:Biplane Reconnaissance Aircraft Contractor:Albatros Flugzeugwerke - Germany Country of Origin: Imperial Germany Production Total: Not Available
Operators: Imperial Germany
Variants
C.I - Initial C-series model; based on the B.II unarmed reconnaissance biplane; 1 x 7.5mm machine gun in rear gunner position; Mercedes D.III engine delivering 160hp.
C.III - Derived from the B.III reconaaissance biplane; 1 or 2 x 7.5mm machine guns in rear gunner position; Mercedes D.III engine delivering 160hp.
C.V - Developed from the C.III; 2 x 7.5mm machine guns in rear gunner position; Mercedes D.IV 8-cylinder engine delivering 220hp; refined fuselage design.
C.VII - Replacement Model beginning in mid-1916 for the underperforming C.V model.
C.X - Improved over the C.V design; fitted with Mercedes D.IVa engine delivering 260hp; refined fuselage design.
C.XII - Regarded as best of te C-series; in service through the end of the war; refined fuselage design.
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