The machine is known as the Hansa-Brandenburg and represents the Austrian version of the German Albatross type. While designed as a reconnaissance machine, neither its speed nor its radius of action are such as to make it particularly suited for this service. It is, moreover, characterized by a number of features of design that must make it a difficult machine to handle in maneuvering or fighting, though these features have gone unchanged since it first appeared. Probably, it is these qualities which have made it a comparatively easy prey for the Italian pilots.
Top Speed: 87 m.p.h.
Engine: 200 h.p. six- cylinder Warskalowski
Wingspan: 40 feet
Weight: 2,888 pounds
Armament: two machine guns
Specifications from “Practical Aviation,” by Charles Hayward, 1919
Planes
Though practically all the details of construction and particularly the fittings have been worked out with a great deal of care, the ingenuity that they display is not reflected in the general design and construction of the machine as a whole.
The over-all span of the machine is approximately 40 feet, the chord 5.6 feet, and the over-all length slightly over 35 feet. The upper plane overhangs the lower but a short distance, while the interplane struts are inclined inwardly instead of being placed vertically. An excessive amount of stagger is given the wings as will be noted in the side view, and this is a feature of design that greatly weakens the structure. At the junction of the wing spars with the body, the latter is strengthened transversely by steel tubes about 11 inches in diameter. The interplane struts are also of steel tubing, streamlined with wood, wrapped with fabric, and having the necessary attachments at top and bottom welded to them. Six- strand steel cable is used for the panel bracing. To prevent excessive horizontal strains on the wings due to the great amount of stagger (approximately 1.0 feet), drift cables are run from the upper ends of the two front struts nearest the body and secured to the forward ends of the longerons. To further the same purpose, the two forward lift wires next to the Ixxly are secured to the end of the upper forward struts of the chassis of the landing gear.
Both upper and lower wings are braced by compression members of steel tubing as well as by bracing cables and wires, while they are secured to the body with a cabane of steel tubing. The engine couple is provided for by varying the angle of incidence of the wings on either side so that the wings are perfectly symmetrical with regard to the axis of the machine.
Tail Unit
Both the horizontal stabilizer and the vertical fin, as well as the rudder, are built up on frames of steel tubing. While neither the fin nor the rudder has dimensions out of the ordinary, the fin having slightly over 10 square feet of surface, the horizontal stabilizer is very large. As will be noted in the plan view of the machine, it extends practically one-half the length of the body from the rudder post to the gunner’s seat and it has an area-of over 40 square feet.
Power Plant
The motor is a six-cylinder vertical water- cooled Warskalowski rated at 200 h.p. It stands so high that, with the additional obstruction of the radiator placed directly over it, the pilot’s view ahead is interfered with considerably. The main fuel tank serves as the pilot’s seat, while an emergency tank is carried on the upper wing.
Landing Gear
Wood-filled steel tubing is employed for the construction of a V type chassis of conventional design, strongls braced with cables. In some machines of this make, the elastic support of the axle as well as that of the tail skid is replaced by a helical steel spring. To retard the speed of the machine on the ground, a sprag is fitted to the axle.