Siemens-Schuckert R.VIII

Siemens-Schuckert R.VIII
Role Bomber
National origin Germany
Manufacturer Siemens-Schuckert (Siemens-Schuckert Werke G.m.b.H., Siemensstadt. Berlin)[1]
Number built 2 (one unfinished)[1]


The Siemens-Schuckert R.VIII was a bomber aircraft designed and built in Germany from 1916.[1]

Having cut their teeth with the Steffen R series, Siemens-Schuckert planned to produce a six engined Riesenflugzeug for the Military Air Service. In common with many of the other contemporary R projects the R.VIII had all six engines inside the fuselage, where they were tended by mechanics, driving two tractor and two pusher propellers mounted between the mainplanes, via leather cone clutches combining gearboxes, shafts and bevel gearboxes. Two aircraft were built but only the first, R23/16, was completed. Ground trials began in 1919, after the armistice, but were interrupted by a gearbox failure which resulted in a propeller breaking up and causing extensive damage. The second airframe, R24/16, was never completed and the first was not repaired after the ground running accident due to the Versaille Treaty restrictions. At the time of its completion the Siemens-Schuckert R.VIII was the largest complete aeroplane in the world; (the Mannesman-Poll triplane was to have been much larger but was not completed before the Versailles Treaty restrictions were applied).[1]

Specifications (Siemens-Schuckert R.VIII)

Data from The German Giants[1] German aircraft of the First World War[2]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Siemens-Schuckert aircraft.
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Haddow, G.W.; Peter M. Grosz (1988). The German Giants - The German R-Planes 1914-1918 (3rd ed.). Putnam & Company Ltd. ISBN 0-85177-812-7.
  2. Gray, Peter (1970). German Aircraft of the First World War (2nd ed.). London: Putnam & Company Ltd. pp. 569–570. ISBN 0-370-00103-6.
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