The C.IV was a twin-seat biplane aircraft produced by the German firm of Allgemeine Elektrizitats-Gesellschaft (or simply "AEG"). The type was primarily fielded as reconnaissance platform from 1916 onwards though it also served as a bomber escort and saw service with the German air service through to the end of World War 1in 1918. The C.IV represented one of AEG's most successful wartime ventures with production exceeding some estimated 658 examples.
Outwardly, the C.IV was a conventional biplane through and through. The wings featured and equal span upper and lower wing assembly with double bays and parallel struts. The engine, a single Mercedes D.III water-cooled in-line type of 160 horsepower - was mounted in the extreme forward portion of the fuselage with the distinct radiator "horn" protruding the top. The engine powered a two-blade wooden propeller. The forward portion of the fuselage was contoured to an extent, producing a somewhat aerodynamic look while the rest of the body maintained a boxy-like appearance. Seating was for two, made up of the pilot and an observer in tandem, with the pilot in the forward cockpit behind a simplistic windscreen. The pilot had access to a single Spandau machine gun offset to his right side. The system was synchronized to fire through the spinning propeller blades without damaging them via an interrupter gear. The observer manned the rear cockpit, facing aft, and sat inside of a Schneider-type gun mount ring. His position was dominated by a Parabellum machine gun with adequate traverse to engage trailing enemy fighters. The undercarriage remained fixed, characterized by the two large main landing gears at front and a simple tail skid under the tail section. The empennage featured a sharp-angled vertical tail fin with low-mounted horizontal stabilizers.
Performance was good for the time with the C.IV yielding a top speed of 98 miles per hour with a service ceiling of 16,404 feet. Endurance from the Mercedes engine was reported to be roughly 3 hours of flight time.
The C.IV entered service with Germany in early 1916 during the spring season. By June of 1917, no fewer than 150 examples were operating along the Western Front alone. The mount proved a success for the time it was fielded and several models continued in service after the cessation of hostilities.
The C.IV was produced in two other lesser-known variants designated as C.IVa and C.IV.N. The C.IVa distinguished itself from the base model by fitting an Argus engine of 180 horsepower. The C.IV.N was the prototype form of a C.IV night bomber developed sometime in 1917. The night bomber form was powered by a single Benz Bz.III series engine of 180 horsepower and would have carried 6 x 110lb bombs externally.
Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.
(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the base AEG C.IV production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)
STANDARD, FIXED:
2 x 7.92mm machine guns in fixed, forward-firing mountings.
OPTIONAL:
Up to 220lb of externally-held conventional drop bombs.
Supported Types
(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)
Hardpoint Mountings: 2
C.IV - Base Production Model; fitted with 1 x Mercedes D.III series water-cooled in-line engine of 160 horsepower; 1 x Spandau machine gun in forward cockpit; 1 x Parabellum machine gun in rear observer's cockpit.
C.IVa - Fitted with a 1 x Argus engine of 180 horsepower.
C.IV.N - Night Bomber Model with provision for 6 x 110lb bombs; fitted with 1 x Benz Bz.III engine; elongated wings.
General Assessment
Firepower
Performance
Survivability
Versatility
Impact
Values are derrived from a variety of categories related to the design, overall function, and historical influence of this aircraft in aviation history.
Overall Rating
The overall rating takes into account over 60 individual factors related to this aircraft entry.
68
Rating is out of a possible 100 points.
Relative Maximum Speed
Hi: 100mph
Lo: 50mph
This entry's maximum listed speed (98mph).
Graph average of 75 miles-per-hour.
City-to-City Ranges
NYC
LON
LON
PAR
PAR
BER
BER
MOS
MOS
TOK
TOK
SYD
SYD
LAX
LAX
NYC
AEG C.IV operational range when compared to distances between major cities (in KM).
Max Altitude Visualization
Design Balance
The three qualities reflected above are altitude, speed, and range.
Aviation Era Span
Showcasing era cross-over of this aircraft design.
Unit Production (658)
658
36183
44000
Compared against Ilyushin IL-2 (military) and Cessna 172 (civilian).
>>
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.
Images Gallery
1 / 2
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com.
Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing all American military medals and ribbons.
Bulgaria; German Empire; Turkey; Poland
