Albatros B.II

B.II
	An Albatros B.IIa in the Polish Aviation Museum
Role	Reconnaissance aircraft
Manufacturer	Albatros Flugzeugwerke
Designer	Robert Thelen
First flight	1914
Primary user	Luftstreitkräfte

The Albatros B.II, (post-war company designation L.2) was an unarmed German two-seat reconnaissance biplane of the First World War.

Design and development

Designed by Robert Thelen based on his 1913 Albatros B.I, the B.II was the aircraft that brought the aircraft manufacturer Albatros Flugzeugwerke to the world's attention (Ernst Heinkel claimed to have designed this aircraft, which is considered untrue by aviation historians).[1]

The B.II had a shorter wingspan than the B.I and used a variety of engines up to 89 kW (120 hp). In 1914 it set an altitude record of 4,500 m (14,800 ft). The seating arrangement was not ideal; the pilot occupied the rear cockpit, the observer sat in front over the wings which greatly reduced his downward view while the protruding engine block almost completely obscured the view over the nose. When Albatros developed the armed C.I based on their B-series, the seat positions were swapped so that the observer/gunner had a better view and clear field of fire.

A floatplane variant of the B.II was developed, known as the W.1 or B.II-W, as was a purpose-built trainer with increased wingspan and different engines, designated the B.IIa. Further developments led to the Albatros B.III, which was produced in small numbers.

Operational history

First flying in 1914, large numbers of the B.II were built and, though it was relegated from front-line service in 1915 following the introduction of the armed C-type two-seaters, the B.II remained in service as a trainer until 1918 and was still operated by the Swedish Air Force in 1919 and by the Polish Air Force during the Polish-Soviet war of 1920. A B.II from Feldflieger Abteilung 41 was one of the first landplanes (as opposed to Zeppelin) to drop bombs on England that caused some damage;[2] on April 16, 1915, ten bombs were dropped by hand in the area of Sittingbourne and Faversham. No significant damage or casualties resulted.[3]

Service in Sweden

In 1914, the German manufacturer Albatros-Flugzeugwerke GmbH of Berlin-Johannisthal, was touring several countries in northern Europe, displaying their new aircraft, the Albatros B.IIa. At the time, it was considered one of the best primary trainer aircraft. However, the landing gear and propeller were damaged when it arrived in Sweden. Due to the outbreak of World War I, no spares could be sent, and the aircraft was interned. It was repaired and used as a trainer by the Swedish Air Force. This aircraft was later copied and manufactured in Sweden by six different aircraft companies: Svenska Aeroplanfabriken (SAF), Södertelge Werkstäder (SW), Marinens Flygväsende (MFV), Nordiska Aviatikbolaget (NAB), AB Thulinverken as the Thulin C and Flygkompaniets Verkstäder Malmen (FVM). It was the first military trainer aircraft in Sweden and received the designation Sk 1 and Ö2 in the Swedish Air Force (the two types differed slightly, mainly by choice of engine). An FVM-built Sk 1 Albatros is on public display in the Swedish Air Force Museum near Linköping. The type was used until 1935. One aircraft was later sold to Finland.

Service in Finland

NAB Albatros Type 9 (and SW 20 Albatros), Type 12 and Type 17 were among the first aircraft of the Finnish Air Force. It was in use between 1918 and 1923. There were two Type 9s, and one each of the Type 12 and 17. There was also one SW 20 Albatros, which was similar to the Type 9. The Type 12 aircraft was destroyed in the ferry flight to Finland; the remains of the aircraft were found near Eckerö, Åland. Type 12 was actually a modified Curtiss Twin JN with floats made by NAB.

Austro-Hungarian service

The Albatros B.II was widely used by the K.u.K, but was given the designation Albatros B.I (series 21).

Variants

B.II: Developed from the B.I, the B.II entered production in 1914; (Company post-war designation L.2).
B.IIa: strengthened airframe, particularly the tail section and 120 hp (89 kW) Mercedes D.II or 120 hp (89 kW) Argus As III engines with radiators moved to the leading edge of the upper centre section; (Company post-war designation L.30).
B.II (Ph) series 23: Production of the B.I in Vienna by Phönix Flugzeug-Werke AG, for the Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Aviation Troops.[4]
B.II (Ph) series 24: Production of the B.I in Vienna by Phönix Flugzeug-Werke AG, for the Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Aviation Troops.[4]
W.1: Seaplane with twin floats and a 150 hp (112 kW) Benz Bz.III engine.[5]
Thulin C: Licence built version by AB Thulinverken

Operators

Albatros B.II (Sk 1) in the Swedish Air Force Museum.


German Empire

Austria-Hungary

Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Aviation Troops

Kingdom of Bulgaria

Bulgarian Air Force operated this type to 1918

Finland

Finnish Air Force operated three aircraft (two NAB 9, one SW 20) in 1918-20

Latvia

Latvian Air Force

Lithuania

Lithuanian Air Force operated six aircraft postwar
Air Club of Lithuania from 1929 until late 1930s used one ex-military Albatros B.II

Ottoman Empire

Ottoman Air Force

Poland

Polish Air Force operated 116 B.IIs and B.IIas between 1918 and 1927. A dozen or so remained within civil aviation until 1937.

Sweden

Swedish Air Force operated 47 aircraft postwar (Sk 1/Ö2).
Swedish Navy operated five aircraft between 1920 and 1929.

United Kingdom

Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force operated one aircraft from August 1914 - February 1918.[6]

Specifications (B.II with Mercedes D.II engine)

Data from German aircraft of the First World War [5]

General characteristics

Crew: Two
Length: 7.63 m (25 ft 0.38 in)
Wingspan: 12.8 m (42 ft 0 in)
Height: 3.15 m (10 ft 4 in)
Wing area: 40.12 m² (431.8 sq ft)
Empty weight: 723 kg (1,594 lb)
Gross weight: 1,071 kg (2,361 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Mercedes D.II , 89.5 kW (120 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 120 km/h (75 mph, 65 kn)
Endurance: 4 hours
Service ceiling: 3,000 m (9,840 ft)
Rate of climb: 1.6 m/s (320 ft/min)

References

Grosz, Peter M. Albatros C.I, Windsock Datafile No. 57, Albatros Productions, 1996, ISBN 0-948414-76-6, p.5, 10
Cole, Christopher; Cheeseman, Eric Franklin (1984). The Air Defence of Britain: 1914-1918. London: The Bodley Head. p. 50. ISBN 978-0370305387.
Castle, Ian. "Zeppelin Raids, Gothas and 'Giants' - 16th April 1915 - Kent". www.iancastlezeppelin.co.uk. Archived from the original on 6 January 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
Treadwell, Terry C. (2010). German & Austro-Hungarian aircraft manufacturers 1908–1918. Stroud: Amberley Publishing. pp. 236–244. ISBN 978-1-4456-0102-1.
Gray, Peter; Owen Thetford (1970). German aircraft of the First World War (2nd ed.). London: Putnam. ISBN 0-370-00103-6.
Jarrett, Philip (2010). "The Allies' Albatros". Aeroplane. IPC (July 2010): 82–87.

Bibliography

Klaauw, Bart van der (March–April 1999). "Unexpected Windfalls: Accidentally or Deliberately, More than 100 Aircraft 'arrived' in Dutch Territory During the Great War". Air Enthusiast (80): 54–59. ISSN 0143-5450.
Nelcarz, Bartolomiej & Peczkowski, Robert (2001). White Eagles: The Aircraft, Men and Operations of the Polish Air Force 1918–1939. Ottringham, UK: Hikoki Publications. ISBN 1-902109-73-2.

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[1] Grosz, Peter M. Albatros C.I, Windsock Datafile No. 57, Albatros Productions, 1996, ISBN 0-948414-76-6, p.5, 10

[Cole-2] Cole, Christopher; Cheeseman, Eric Franklin (1984). The Air Defence of Britain: 1914-1918. London: The Bodley Head. p. 50. ISBN 978-0370305387.

[Castle-3] Castle, Ian. "Zeppelin Raids, Gothas and 'Giants' - 16th April 1915 - Kent". www.iancastlezeppelin.co.uk. Archived from the original on 6 January 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2015.

[Treadwell-4] Treadwell, Terry C. (2010). German & Austro-Hungarian aircraft manufacturers 1908–1918. Stroud: Amberley Publishing. pp. 236–244. ISBN 978-1-4456-0102-1.

[Gray-5] Gray, Peter; Owen Thetford (1970). German aircraft of the First World War (2nd ed.). London: Putnam. ISBN 0-370-00103-6.

[AMJuly2010-6] Jarrett, Philip (2010). "The Allies' Albatros". Aeroplane. IPC (July 2010): 82–87.

World War I aircraft of the Central Powers
Fighters	AEG D.I AEG Dr.I Albatros D.I Albatros D.II Albatros D.III Albatros D.V Aviatik D.I Aviatik C.VI Daimler L.6 Euler D.I Euler D.II Fokker D.I Fokker D.II Fokker D.III Fokker D.IV Fokker D.V Fokker D.VI Fokker D.VII Fokker D.VIII Fokker Dr.I Fokker E.I Fokker E.II Fokker E.III Fokker E.IV Fokker E.V Halberstadt D.II Hannover CL.II Hannover CL.III Hannover CL.IV Hannover CL.V Hansa-Brandenburg W.12 Hansa-Brandenburg W.29 Junkers D.I Kondor D.6 Kondor E.III Naglo D.II Pfalz D.III Pfalz D.XII Pfalz Dr.I Pfalz E.I Pfalz E.II Phönix D.I LFG Roland D.II LFG Roland D.VI Siemens-Schuckert D.I Siemens-Schuckert D.II Siemens-Schuckert D.III Siemens-Schuckert D.IV Zeppelin-Lindau D.I
Bombers and ground attack	AEG DJ.I AEG G.I AEG G.II AEG G.III AEG G.IV AEG G.V AEG J.I AEG J.II AEG R.I Friedrichshafen G.II Friedrichshafen G.III Gotha G.I Gotha G.II Gotha G.III Gotha G.IV Gotha G.V Gotha GL.VII Gotha G.IX Hannover CL.II Junkers CL.I Junkers J.I Rumpler G.I Rumpler G.II Rumpler G.III Siemens-Schuckert L.I Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.II Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.III Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.IV Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI
Reconnaissance	AEG B.I AEG B.II AEG B.III AEG C.I AEG C.II AEG C.III AEG C.IV AEG C.V AEG C.VI AEG C.VII AEG C.VIII AGO C.I AGO C.II AGO C.III AGO C.IV AGO C.VII AGO C.VIII Albatros B.I Albatros B.II Albatros C.I Albatros C.III Albatros C.V Albatros C.VII Albatros C.IX Albatros C.X Albatros C.XII Aviatik B.I Aviatik B.II Aviatik C.I Aviatik C.VI DFW C.V LFG Roland C.II LVG B.I LVG C.II Rumpler C.I Rumpler C.IV Rumpler Taube
Trainers	Euler D.I
Prototypes	Albatros C.II Fokker V.1 Fokker V.2 Junkers J 1 Junkers J 2 Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.I

Idflieg B-class aircraft designations
AEG	B.I B.II B.III
Albatros	B.I B.II B.III
Aviatik	B.I B.II B.III
DFW	B.I B.II
Euler	B.I B.II B.III
Germania	B.I
Gotha	B.I B.II
Halberstadt	B.I B.II B.III
Kondor	B.I
LVG	B.I B.II B.III
NFW	B.I
Otto	B.I
Rumpler	B.I
Sablatnig	B.I
Siemens-Schuckert	B.I

Swedish military aircraft designations 1926–current
Attack aircraft (A)	A 1 A 28 A 29 A 32 A 36 AJ 37 A 38 JAS 39
Bombers (B)	B 1 B 2 B 3 B 4 B 5 B 6 B 7 B 8 B 16 B 17 B 18 B 24 B 26
Army aeroplanes (Fpl)	Fpl 51 Fpl 53 Fpl 54 Fpl 61
Gliders (G/Lg/Se)	G 101 Se 102 Se 103 Se 104 Lg 105
Helicopter (Hkp)	Hkp 1 Hkp 2 Hkp 3 Hkp 4 Hkp 5 HKP 6 HKP 9 HKP 10 HKP 11 HKP 14 HKP 15 HKP 16
Fighters (J)	J 1 J 2 J 3 J 4 J 5 J 6 J 7 J 8 J 9 J 10 J 11 J 12 J 19 J 20 J 21/21R J 22 J 23 J 24 J 26 J 27 J 28 J 29 J 30 J 31 J 32 J 33 J 34 J 35 JA 37 JAS 39
Advanced trainers (Ö)	Ö 1 Ö 2 Ö 3 Ö 4 Ö 5 Ö 6 Ö 7 Ö 8 Ö 9
Trials aircraft (P)	P 1 P 2 P 3 P 4 P 5 P 6 P 7 P 8/P 8A/P 8B P 9A/P 9B
Reconnaissance (S)	S 1 S 2 S 3 S 4 S 5 S 6 S 7 S 8 S 9 S 10 S 11 S 12 S 13 S 14 S 15 S 16 S 17 S 18 S 22 S 26 S 29 S 31 S 32 S 35 SF 37/SH 37 JAS 39 S 100
Trainers (Sk)	Sk 1 Sk 2 Sk 3 Sk 4 Sk 5 Sk 6 Sk 7 Sk 8 Sk 9 Sk 10 Sk 11 Sk 12 Sk 14 Sk 15 Sk 16 Sk 25 Sk 26 Sk 28 Sk 35 Sk 38 Sk 40 Sk 50 Sk 60 Sk 61
Torpedo bombers (T)	T 1 T 2 T 16 T 18
Transports (Trp/Tp)	Trp 1 Trp 2/2A Trp 3 Trp 4 Tp 5 Tp 6 Tp 7 Tp 8/8A Tp 9 Tp 10 Tp 16 Tp 24 Tp 45 Tp 46 Tp 47 Tp 52 Tp 53 Tp 54 Tp 55 Tp 78 Tp 79 Tp 80 Tp 81 Tp 82 Tp 83 Tp 84 Tp 85 Tp 86 Tp 87 Tp 88 Tp 89 Tp 91 Tp 100 Tp 101 Tp 102 Tp 103