Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI

The Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI was a four-engined German biplane strategic bomber of World War I, and the only Riesenflugzeug (giant aircraft) design built in any quantity. The R.VI was the most numerous of the R-Bombers built by Germany, and also among the earliest closed-cockpit military aircraft (the first being the Russian Sikorsky Ilya Muromets). The bomber was reputedly the largest wooden aircraft to be produced in any quantity during World War I, with only the Siemens-Schuckert R.VIII prototype bomber of 1916–1919 being larger, and with the Staaken R.VI's wingspan of 42.2 m (138 ft) nearly equaling that of the World War II Boeing B-29 Superfortress, although significantly less than the 48 m (157 ft) span of the Siemens-Schuckert R.VIII.
Summary from Wikipedia, photo via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA.
- Manufacturer
- Zeppelin-Staaken
- Category
- Bombers
- First flight
- 1916-01-01
Specifications
- Cruise speed
- 73 kt
- Max speed
- 73 kt
- Range
- 430 nm
- Service ceiling
- 14,170 ft
- Rate of climb
- 329 ft/min
- Max takeoff weight
- 26,120 lb
- Empty weight
- 17,463 lb
- Fuel capacity
- 793 US gal
- Powerplant
- 4 × Mercedes D.IVa
- Engines
- 4
- Seats
- 10
- Length
- 72.5 ft
- Wingspan
- 138.5 ft
- Height
- 20.7 ft
- Number built
- 56
Specifications are approximate and may vary by variant. Compiled from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Reference and training only. Specifications vary by variant — consult the manufacturer and the official documents.