R Series @·AIRCRAFTUBE

  • Siemens-Schuckert R.I Siemens-Schuckert R.I
    Siemens-Schuckert R.I
  • Siemens-Schuckert R.I Siemens-Schuckert R.I
    Siemens-Schuckert R.I
  • Siemens-Schuckert R.II Siemens-Schuckert R.II
    Siemens-Schuckert R.II
  • The R.II under construction at the SSW Dynamowerk The R.II under construction at the SSW Dynamowerk
    The R.II under construction at the SSW Dynamowerk
  • Siemens-Schuckert R.II Siemens-Schuckert R.II
    Siemens-Schuckert R.II
  • Siemens-Schuckert R.II Siemens-Schuckert R.II
    Siemens-Schuckert R.II
  • The R.II crashed The R.II crashed
    The R.II crashed
  • Siemens-Schuckert R.III Siemens-Schuckert R.III
    Siemens-Schuckert R.III
  • Siemens-Schuckert R.IV Siemens-Schuckert R.IV
    Siemens-Schuckert R.IV
  • Siemens-Schuckert R.V Siemens-Schuckert R.V
    Siemens-Schuckert R.V
  • The R.V incident, in February 1917 The R.V incident, in February 1917
    The R.V incident, in February 1917
  • Siemens-Schuckert R.VI Siemens-Schuckert R.VI
    Siemens-Schuckert R.VI
  • Siemens-Schuckert_R.VI (R Series) Siemens-Schuckert_R.VI (R Series)
    Siemens-Schuckert_R.VI (R Series)
  • The R.VI (Kowno, 08-1916) The R.VI (Kowno, 08-1916)
    The R.VI (Kowno, 08-1916)
  • Siemens-Schuckert R.VII Siemens-Schuckert R.VII
    Siemens-Schuckert R.VII
  • Siemens-Schuckert R.VII Siemens-Schuckert R.VII
    Siemens-Schuckert R.VII
  • The R.VII wreck near Cologne, 1918 The R.VII wreck near Cologne, 1918
    The R.VII wreck near Cologne, 1918
  • Siemens-Schuckert R.VIII Siemens-Schuckert R.VIII
    Siemens-Schuckert R.VIII
  • Siemens-Schuckert R.VIII Siemens-Schuckert R.VIII
    Siemens-Schuckert R.VIII
  • Siemens-Schuckert R.VIII Siemens-Schuckert R.VIII
    Siemens-Schuckert R.VIII
  • The R.VIII crashed at Vilna The R.VIII crashed at Vilna
    The R.VIII crashed at Vilna
  • Siemens-Schuckert R.VIII Siemens-Schuckert R.VIII
    Siemens-Schuckert R.VIII
  • The R.VIII had six engines The R.VIII had six engines
    The R.VIII had six engines

Siemens-Schuckert R.I

The Siemens-Schuckert R.I was a bomber aircraft built in Germany during World War I. It was originally ordered as the Siemens-Schuckert G.I prior to the German Inspectorate of Flying Troops (the Idflieg) adopting the "R" classification for multi-engine aircraft in late 1915. Some sources refer to the aircraft as the Siemens-Schuckert Steffen R.I, including the name of the brothers that designed it.

The R.I was a large three-bay biplane with unstaggered wings of unequal span and a fully enclosed cabin. Power was supplied by three 112-kW (150-hp) Benz Bz.III engines mounted internally in the fuselage, which transmitted their power via driveshafts to two propellers mounted tractor-fashion on the interplane struts nearest the fuselage. The main undercarriage consisted of divided units, each of which carried dual wheels, and the tail was supported by a pair of tailwheels. The rear fuselage structure was forked into an upper and lower section, which allowed a clear field of fire to the rear of the aircraft. The entire structure was of wire-braced wood, covered in fabric.

Designers Bruno and Franz Steffen piloted the aircraft themselves on its first test flight on 24 May 1915. They ended this flight prematurely because of overheating in the gearboxes, and subsequent tests revealed other defects such as excessive vibration in the drive system. With these problems addressed, the R.I was ready for its Idflieg acceptance flights in June 1915. Bruno Steffen ferried the three-person inspection team from Neumünster to Döberitz. He had even placed two armchairs and a bottle of champagne in the cabin for the occasion. The R.I reached Döberitz safely and made around twenty-four test flights before it was accepted by the military on 26 July 1915.

On 13 October 1915, the R.I was assigned to Feldfliegerabteil 31, a reconnaissance unit, at Slonim. However, a series of mishaps and malfunctions prevented it from seeing any operational use and the R.I was dismantled and sent back to Berlin by rail in March 1916. Although damaged in transit, the R.I was repaired and was assigned to the Riesenflugzeugersatzabteilung (Rea — "giant aircraft support unit") as a trainer from mid 1916 to 1918 — possibly even to the Armistice.

Parts of the R.I were preserved in a Berlin museum until destroyed by bombing during World War II. Despite the difficulties encountered with the design, the Idflieg was sufficiently impressed with the R.I to order a batch of six similar aircraft on 26 June 1915, to be powered with the more powerful Maybach HS engine in place of the Benz B.III used by the R.I. Although the six were originally intended to be identical, each developed in a different direction and were eventually designated as different aircraft types by the Idflieg — R.II, R.III, R.IV, R.V, R.VI, R.VII.

The R.I was ordered and delivered as the Siemens-Schuckert G.I in the G (Grossflugzeug - large aircraft) series and given serial number SSW G.I 31/15, changed to SSW G.I 32/15 before the final change to R.I/15. Similarly, the Siemens-Schuckert R.II to R.VII were ordered in the G (Grossflugzeug - large aircraft) series and given serial numbers G.32/15 to G.37/15 respectively. These serials were changed on 13 July 1915 to G.33/15 - G.38/15, for unknown reasons and again on 6 November 1915 to R.2/15 - R.7/15 in the R (Riesenflugzeug - giant aircraft) series, adopting the R.II to R.VII designations.

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Siemens-Schuckert R.II

The Siemens-Schuckert R.II was based on the Siemens-Schuckert R.I. Although the R.II was the first of the batch to be completed, it was the last accepted into military service, and then only as a trainer.

Design and development

As designed, the R.II was a large three-bay biplane with unstaggered wings of unequal span and a fully enclosed cabin. Power was to be supplied by three 180-kW (240-hp) Maybach HS engines mounted internally in the fuselage, which transmitted their power via driveshafts to two propellers mounted tractor-fashion on the interplane struts nearest the fuselage.

The R.II first flew on 26 October 1915 and was delivered to the military on 20 November. The Maybach engines proved immediately troublesome, prone to overheating and mechanical failure. In February 1916, the engines were removed and returned to the manufacturer. Ongoing trouble with the same engine in other aircraft eventually led Siemens-Schuckert to abandon work with these engines entirely and in June, the firm asked the Idflieg whether to install Benz Bz.IV or Mercedes D.IVa in the R.II instead. By the time that the Idflieg approved the Mercedes engine for installation, Siemens-Schuckert did not have the workforce available to install them, and placed the R.II in storage instead.

While the R.II was in storage, the Idflieg changed its requirements for the aircraft, requesting that the operational altitude be increased from 3,000 to 3,500 m (9,800 to 11,500 ft), but hoping that even more altitude would be possible. Siemens-Schuckert responded that this would not be possible with the Mercedes engines recently approved for installation, and suggested three Benz D.IV engines inside the fuselage, augmented by two more of the same engine mounted pusher-fashion in the interplane gap. The Idflieg rejected this suggestion, insisting on the basic requirement of having the engines serviceable in flight. By the time that workers were available for the R.II again, in early 1917, Siemens-Schuckert had gained experience with the similar R.VII and attempted to meet the Idflieg's requirements by installing extra sections in the wing to extend it to six bays and thereby offset the extra weight of the new engines. The upper wings were replaced with a new design with greater chord, and the tail surfaces were enlarged. Finally, bomb racks were fitted to the wings that could carry either six 50-kg bombs or four 100-kg bombs.

During its acceptance flight, the newly refurbished R.II carried a 2,310-kg (5,100-lb) useful load to an altitude of 3,800 m (12,500 ft) and stayed aloft for four hours. Having satisfied requirements, R.II was delivered to Riesenflugzeugersatzabteilung (Rea — "giant aircraft support unit"), the support unit for R-type aircraft, on 29 June 1917. Although the R.II's performance was a significant improvement over other R-type aircraft produced by Siemens-Schuckert, its increased span and weight limited its speed, and it could not keep pace with similar aircraft manufactured by Staaken then entering service. The R.II was therefore relegated to training duties with the Riesenflugzeug Schulabteilung ("giant aircraft training unit") at Döberitz. In June 1918, it was transferred back to Rea at Cologne, where it crashed later that year.

Units using this aircraft

Luftstreitkräfte

  • Riesenflugzeugersatzabteilung
  • Riesenflugzeug Schulabteilung

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Siemens-Schuckert R.III

The Siemens-Schuckert R.III was also a prototype bomber aircraft. It's development was impeded by the unreliability of the Maybach HS engines, and when it was eventually accepted for military service, it was only in a training role.

The R.III was delivered to Döberitz for military service on 30 December 1915. Problems with the engines began almost immediately, and numerous modifications to the engines and their cooling systems were carried out in the field. Despite the modifications, engine problems were probably responsible when the R.III crashed in early 1916. New wings were fitted to the aircraft to replace those damaged in the crash, but further attempts to fly the R.III were again hampered by its engines, and the aircraft was returned to Siemens-Schuckert. In June, the firm requested permission from the Idflieg to replace the troublesome engines with Benz Bz.IV engines, but was told to place the R.III in storage instead.

Work on the R.III commenced again in October 1916, when a number of improvements based on field experience with the R.V and R.VI were incorporated into the aircraft. These included: reinforcement of the tail, engine and gearbox thermometers, lighting in the engine room, and covers for the radiators that could be extended in flight. The wing was extended both in span and in chord. By this time, the Idflieg had relaxed its specifications for the R-types ordered from Siemens-Schuckert, and with the Benz engines fitted, the R.III was able to meet the lowered standard. Siemens-Schuckert delivered the refurbished aircraft to Riesenflugzeugersatzabteilung (Rea — "giant aircraft support unit") on 12 December 1916 and it was accepted into service on 21 December. In its modified form, the aircraft was of no use on the front line, but was used for training instead, a role in which it was still serving in February 1918.

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Siemens-Schuckert R.IV

The Maybach HS engines specified by the Idflieg proved unreliable, but with these engines were replaced by Benz Bz.IV engines, the R.IV saw service on the Eastern Front before being relegated to training duties.

Design and development

Siemens-Schuckert delivered the R.IV to the German military on 29 January 1916, and trouble with the engines began almost immediately. Shortly after test flights commenced, it was necessary to replace the original HS engines with new ones. While the engines were being replaced, a number of other modifications were carried out, including replacing the original nose-mounted radiators with aerofoil-shaped radiators fitted in the upper wing and adding new gravity-fed fuel tanks. With these improvements in place, the R.IV flew again in May 1916. Even then, the engines overheated until one of the cylinders turned blue.

Siemens-Schuckert engineers believed that with still larger radiators, the Maybach engines could be made to work on this aircraft. However, the firm lacked the personnel and the experience to undertake engine development. Therefore, while Siemens-Schuckert asked the Idflieg to allow them to substitute Benz Bz.IV engines on the R.II and R.III the firm suggested that the Idflieg accept the R.IV in its current state, including its Maybach engines, so that they could oversee a development programme for the engine themselves. The Idflieg agreed to this suggestion and lowered its specifications for the R.IV accordingly. The R.IV passed the new requirements on an acceptance flight on 27 August 1916, and was accepted into service with the Riesenflugzeugersatzabteilung (Rea — "giant aircraft support unit") the same day.

Within a few months, the R.IV's wings had been extended by adding an extra bay to them and in November 1916, the Maybach engines were finally replaced by Benz Bz.IV engines, probably while the R.IV was being repaired after a crash. Before the aircraft flew with its new engines, a fifth bay was added to the wings. All work was completed by 14 February 1917, and the refurbished aircraft flew on 14 March.

The R.IV was assigned to Riesenflugzeugabteilung 501 (Rfa 501) at Vilna on 27 April 1917. It was used operationally until Rfa 501 was redeployed to the Western Front, at which point it was left behind in Vilna for use as a trainer with the Riesenflugzeug Schulabteilung ("giant aircraft training unit"). The R.IV continued in this role at Vilna until early 1918, when it was withdrawn to Berlin. On 22 June 1918, it was damaged in a forced landing and was not repaired until 28 August.

Operational history

Specific details of five operational missions while with Rfa 501 have survived. In each case, the raid was carried out together with the R.VI and R.VII:

  • 1 April 1917 — town of Naracz.
  • 5 April 1917 — railway station at Vileyka.
  • 5 June 1917 — troop camp at Biala.
  • 18 June 1917 — supply dump at Overky.
  • 2 August 1917 — reconnaissance mission over railway station at Prudy.

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Siemens-Schuckert R.V

Development of the R.V benefited from the experience that Siemens-Schuckert and the Idflieg had gained with the R.II, R.III, and R.IV, particularly in its choice of powerplants, where the R.V was spared from the troublesome Maybach HS engine. Between September 1916 and February 1917, the aircraft saw service on the Eastern Front before it was damaged in an accident and dismantled for spare parts.

Design and development

The Maybach engines had been a never-ending source of trouble on the R.II, R.III, and R.IV, and by June 1916, Siemens-Schuckert had obtained permission from the Idflieg to substitute Benz Bz.IV engines on the R.III The firm made the same change on the R.V, which was almost complete by then. The substitution required an almost complete rebuild of the aircraft, and included adding an extra bay to the wings, increasing their span. The Idflieg accepted the R.V in this form, after agreeing to a reduction in the aircraft's original specifications.

Operational history

Siemens-Schuckert delivered the R.V to the Riesenflugzeugersatzabteilung (Rea — "giant aircraft support unit") at Döberitz on 13 August 1916. From there, it was assigned to Riesenflugzeugabteilung 501 (Rfa 501), and joined the squadron at Vilna on 3 September. It was used operationally until the week of 14 February 1917, when the aircraft was severely damaged during a hard landing at night that fractured its fuselage. The R.V was then dismantled and sent back to Döberitz where it could be used for spare parts for other Siemens-Schuckert bombers.

Specific details of several operational missions while with Rfa 501 have survived:

  • 14–15 October 1916 — railway station at Wileyka.
  • 26 November 1916 — troop camp at Iza.
  • 7 January 1917 — railway station at Poloczany.

Additionally, the R.V carried out the following raids together with the R.VI:

  • 19 January 1917 — troop camp at Iza.
  • 30 January 1917 — railway station at Wileyka.
  • 8 February 1917 — railway station at Molodeczne.
  • 12 February 1917 — railway station at Zalesie.

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Siemens-Schuckert R.VI

The R.VI was the first of the Siemens-Schuckert R-type aircraft to reach service, and saw service on the Eastern Front between July 1916 and November 1917, before it was declared obsolete and dismantled.

Design and development

The Maybach engines had been a never-ending source of trouble on the R.II, R.III, and R.IV, and by June 1916, Siemens-Schuckert had obtained permission from the Idflieg to substitute Benz Bz.IV engines on the R.III The firm made the same change on the R.VI, which was under construction at the time. The fuselage was modified to accommodate the new powerplant, and an extra bay was added to the wings, increasing their span. Upon completion, designer Bruno Steffen piloted the R.VI on a test flight in which the aircraft carried a 2,400-kg (5,300-lb) load for six hours, a world record at the time, but one which was never publicised due to the war.

Despite this remarkable flight, the R.VI did not meet the specifications issued by the Idflieg in its contract with Siemens-Schuckert. Therefore, the Idflieg opted to relax the original specifications somewhat and complete the purchase of the aircraft.

Operational history

Siemens-Schuckert delivered the R.VI to the Riesenflugzeugersatzabteilung (Rea — "giant aircraft support unit") at Döberitz on 20 July 1916. From there, it was assigned to Riesenflugzeugabteilung 501 (Rfa 501), and joined the squadron at Vilna on 7 August. It operated there until it was dismantled as obsolete in November 1917.

Specific details of several operational missions while with Rfa 501 have survived:

  • 3 September 1916 — railway station at Molodeczne.
  • 4 September 1916 — unknown target.

Additionally, the R.VI carried out the following raids together with the R.V:

  • 19 January 1917 — troop camp at Iza.
  • 30 January 1917 — railway station at Wileyka.
  • 8 February 1917 — railway station at Molodeczne.
  • 12 February 1917 — railway station at Zalesie.

together with the R.VII:

  • 2 March 1917 — railway stations at Zalesie and Molodeczne.
  • 7 March 1917 — railway stations at Wileyka and Molodeczne.
  • 16 March 1917 — troop camp at Iza.

and together with the R.IV and R.VII:

  • 1 April 1917 — town of Naracz.
  • 5 April 1917 — railway station at Wileyka.
  • 5 June 1917 — troop camp at Biala.
  • 18 June 1917 — supply dump at Overky.
  • 2 August 1917 — reconnaissance mission over railway station at Prudy.

Siemens-Schuckert R.VII

Development of earlier derivatives of the R.I revealed serious problems with the Maybach HS engine originally specified for these aircraft, and the R.VII was fitted with Mercedes D.IVa engines instead. From February 1917 to the summer of that year, the R.VII saw service on the Eastern Front before it was retired to training duties.

Design and development

The Maybach engines had been a never-ending source of trouble on the R.II, R.III, and R.IV, and during 1916, the engines of the R.III, R.IV, R.V, and R.VI were replaced with Benz Bz.IV engines either at the factory or in the field, while the R.II received the more powerful Mercedes D.IVa. The latter powerplant was also selected for the R.VII, still under construction at the time. Apart from the new engines, the R.VII also received extensive modifications while still at the factory, including overall strengthening to take the greater weight of the heavier Mercedes engines, as well as changes to the fuel tanks, propellers, and undercarriage. The wings were completely redesigned to incorporate heavier spars and a new rib section and gained two extra bays, to provide a greater span.

Siemens-Schuckert delivered the R.VII to the Riesenflugzeugersatzabteilung (Rea — "giant aircraft support unit") at Döberitz on 20 November 1916, and test flights commenced on 15 January 1917. The wings were found to be too heavy, and were again replaced with a new design.

Operational history

The R.VII was assigned to Riesenflugzeugabteilung 501 (Rfa 501), and joined the squadron at Vilna on 26 February 1917. There, a number of field modifications were made, including the addition of extra bomb racks under the fuselage and wings that more than doubled the original bomb load from 300 kg to 750 kg (660 lb to 1,650 lb). Additionally, a wireless sender and receiver were installed, which allowed the R.VII to participate in radio navigation experiments.

The R.VII flew its first combat mission on 15 March 1917 and continued in operational use until Rfa 501 was transferred to the Western Front in the summer. The R.VII remained in Vilna, transferred to the Riesenflugzeug Schulabteilung ("giant aircraft training unit"), with which it was still in service in early 1918.

Specific details of several operational missions while with Rfa 501 have survived. All these missions were accompanied by the R.VI:

  • 2 March 1917 — railway stations at Zalesie and Molodeczne
  • 7 March 1917 — railway stations at Wileyka and Molodeczne
  • 16 March 1917 — troop camp at Iza

these missions included the R.IV too:

  • 1 April 1917 — town of Naracz
  • 5 April 1917 — railway station at Wileyka
  • 5 June 1917 — troop camp at Biala
  • 18 June 1917 — supply dump at Overky
  • 2 August 1917 — reconnaissance mission over railway station at Prudy

Siemens-Schuckert R.VIII

Design and development

Having built the Steffen R series, Siemens-Schuckert planned to produce a six-engined Riesenflugzeug (giant aeroplane) for the Fliegertruppen des deutschen Kaiserreiches (Imperial German Flying Corps). 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 restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles. At the time of its completion the Siemens-Schuckert R.VIII was the largest aeroplane in the world; (the Mannesman-Poll triplane was to have been much larger but was not completed before the Versailles Treaty came into force).

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This text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License
Source : Article Siemens-Schuckert R.I of Wikipedia ( authors )

Siemens-Schuckert R Series

  • Role : Bomber.
  • National origin : Germany.
  • Manufacturer : Siemens-Schuckert.
  • Designer : Bruno and Franz Steffen.
  • First flight : 24 May 1915 (R.I).
  • First flight : 15 January 1917 (R.VII).
  • Number built (R.I) : 1.
  • Number built (R.II) : 1.
  • Number built (R.III) : 1.
  • Number built (R.IV) : 1.
  • Number built (R.V) : 1.
  • Number built (R.VI) : 1.
  • Number built (R.VII) : 1.

    • Specifications (R.I)

  • Crew : 4.
  • Length : 17.5 m (57 ft 5 in).
  • Height : 5.2 m (17 ft 1 in).
  • Wingspan : 28 m (91 ft 11 in).
  • Wing area : 138 m² (1,490 sq ft).
  • Empty weight : 4,000 kg (8,800 lb).
  • Gross weight : 5,200 kg (11,440 lb).
  • Maximum speed : 110 km/h (69 mph, 60 kts).
  • Range : 520 km (325 mi, 282 nmi).
  • Service ceiling : 3,700 m (12,100 ft).
  • Powerplant : Three Benz Bz.III water-cooled, inline engines.
  • Power : 112 kW (150 hp) at 1,400 rpm each.
  • Armament :
    • One 7.9-mm machine gun.
    • 500 kg (1,100 lb) of bombs.

    Specifications (R.VI)

  • Crew : 4.
  • Length : 17.7 m (58 ft 1 in).
  • Height : 4.6 m (15 ft 8 in).
  • Wingspan : 33.36 m (109 ft 6 in).
  • Wing area : 177 m² (1,910 sq ft).
  • Empty weight : 5,250 kg (11,550 lb).
  • Gross weight : 6,660 kg (14,650 lb).
  • Maximum speed : 132 km/h (83 mph, 72 kts).
  • Range : 720 km (450 mi, 390 nmi).
  • Service ceiling : 2,950 m (19,400 ft).
  • Powerplant : Three Benz Bz.IV water-cooled, inline engines.
  • Power : 150 kW (200 hp) each.
  • Armament :
    • Three 7.9-mm machine guns.
    • 500 kg of bombs.

    Specifications of the Benz Bz.IV engine (6,400 built)

  • Type : 6-cylinder, water-cooled, inline aircraft piston engine.
  • Bore : 145 mm (5.7 in).
  • Stroke : 190 mm (7.5 in).
  • Displacement : 18.825 l (1,148.8 cu in).
  • Length : 1,990 mm (78.3 in).
  • Width : 530 mm (20.9 in).
  • Height : 1,150 mm (45.3 in).
  • Dry weight : 370 kg (815.7 lb).
  • Components :
    • Valvetrain : Twin inlet and exhaust valves operated by pushrod actuated double rockers.
    • Fuel system : Two Benz 2-jet carburettors feeding three cylinders each.
    • Fuel type : Gasoline specific gravity 0.72.
    • Oil system : Pressure feed at 0.2 MPa (28 psi) : 50% Vacuum Heavy, 50% Sternol.
    • Cooling system : Water-cooled.
  • Performance :
    • Power output : 170 kW (228.0 hp) at 1,400 rpm.
    • Specific power : 9.1 kW/l (0.2 hp/cu in).
    • Compression ratio : 4.91:1.
    • Fuel consumption : 85.2 l (150 imp pt) / hour.
    • Specific fuel consumption : 0.495 L/kW/hr (0.65 pts/hp/hour).
    • Oil consumption : 2.6 l (4.5 imp pt) / hour.
    • Power-to-weight ratio : 0.3796 kW/kg (0.231 hp/lb).

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This text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License
Source : Article Siemens-Schuckert R.I of Wikipedia ( authors )
Siemens-Schuckert R Series : Your comments on this subject
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    Administrators assume no liability for any content, advertising, products and/or services available on such third party websites. It is reminded that those sites are governed by their own terms of use.

    Placing a link to third party sites or authorize a third party to include a link on their website refering to this Website does not mean that the Administrators recommend in any way the products or services offered by these websites.

    Modifications

    The Webmaster reserves the right to modify at any time without notification the present terms of use as well as all content or specific functionality that the Website offers.

    The modified terms and conditions immediately apply to the using Visitor when changes come online. Visitors are invited to consult the site regularly on the most current version of the terms and conditions

    Governing Law and Jurisdiction

    These general conditions are governed by Belgian law.

    In case of dispute regarding the interpretation and/or execution of the above terms, the parties agree that the courts of the district of Nivelles, Belgium shall have exclusive jurisdiction power.

    Credits page

    Wikipedia.org

    Wikipedia is a collaboratively edited, multilingual, free Internet encyclopedia.

    Youtube

    YouTube is a video-sharing website on which users can upload, view and share videos.

    Special thanks to all Youtube quality aviation vids providers, specially (Those I forgot, please excuse me or report) :

    Airboyd
    Andys Video
    Aviation videos archives
    Bomberguy
    Classic Aviation TV
    Historical Aviation Film Unit
    Horsemoney
    Jaglavaksoldier
    Joluqa Malta
    Just Planes
    Koksy
    Classic Airliners & Vintage Pop Culture
    Memorial Flight
    Octane130
    Okrajoe
    SDASM archives
    Spottydog4477
    The Aviators TV
    Valentin Izagirre Bengoetxea
    Vexed123
    VonBerlich
    Zenos Warbirds

    Bundesarchiv

    The German Federal Archives or Bundesarchiv are the National Archives of Germany.

    FAQ

    I don't see my comments any more!

    Please note that each page has it's own comment entry. So, if you enter a comment i.e. on the B-747, you will only see it on that related page.

    General comments are accessed via the "BLOG En" button.

    Comments are moderated, so please allow some delay before they appear, specially if you are outside Europe.

    Menus are developing below the page, because they are too long!

    But they remain accessible, for example by scrolling the mouse wheel, or with your finger (on the menu) on a smartphone or tablet.

    I see adds on all videos.

    Use a good free add remover software.

    The site is loading random pages at startup.

    We think it is a good way to bring back the memory of aircraft, persons or events sometimes quite forgotten.

    HELP PAGE

    Why this site?

    Discovery

    This website is dedicated to one's aeronautical passion (which I hope we share) and was realised mainly as an educationnal tool. Knowing that, you'll notice that each new visit brings random topics for the purpose of making new discoveries, some achievements or characters certainly not deserving the oblivion into which they have sometimes fallen.

    By these pages, we also want to pay tribute to all those who gave at one time or another, their lives or health in the name of freedom, aeronautical security or simply our comfort.

    Centralisation

    Internet is full of websites dedicated to aviation, but most are dedicated to subjects or periods that are very limited in space or time. The purpose of this site is to be as general as possible and thus treats all events as well as characters of all stripes and times while putting much emphasis on the most significant achievements.

    The same years saw birth of technologies like photography and cinema, thus permitting illustration of a large part of important aeronautical events from the start. Countless (and sometimes rare) media recently put online by enthousiasts finally give us access to these treasures, but the huge amount of information often makes things a little messy. A centralization effort is obviously most needed at this level.

    All persons who directly or indirectly contributed to the achievement or posting of such documents are here gratefully acknowledged.

    General

    Fluid website

    This site automatically fits the dimensions of your screen, whether you are on a desktop computer, a tablet or a smartphone.

    Bilingual website

    You can change the language by clicking on the flag in the upper left or via "Options" in the central menu. Of course, the videos remain in the language in which they were posted ...

    Browser compatibility

    The site is not optimized, or even designed to run on older browsers or those deliberately deviating from standards. You will most probably encounter display issues with Internet Explorer. In this case, it is strongly recommended installing a modern (and free!) browser that's respecting the standards, like Firefox, Opera, Chrome or Safari.

    Cookies and Javascript

    This site uses cookies and JavaScript to function properly. Please ensure that your browser is configured accordingly. Neither of these technologies, or other means shall in no case be used on the Site for the retention or disclosure of personal information about its Visitors. See the "Legal" page for more on this subject.

    Website layout

    Left menus

    Because of the lack of space on smartphones and small tablets, these menus are hidden. Everything is nevertheless accessible via the main menu option, located between the video and photo sections. This menu is placed there for compatibility reasons with some browsers, which play the videos over the menus.

    "Search" and "Latest" :
    The link "In Titles" restricts the search to the titles of different forms. Use this option if you are looking for a plane, a constructor, a pilot or a particular event that could have been treated as a subject.

    The link "In Stories" will bring you to a search in all texts (the "Story" tab) and will take more time. The search term will appear highlighted in green when opening the corresponding story.

    Would you believe, "Timeline" will show all subjects in chronological order.

    "Random" will reload the entire page with a new random topic.

    The bottom section keeps you abreast of the latest five entries. New topics are added regularly. Don't hesitate to come visit us often : add bookmark.

    Blogs and Comments central section

    Under the photos section comes the comments tabs window :

    You can enter general comments in your own language via one of the two buttons on the left (BLOG EN and BLOG FR). Note that these buttons are accessible regardless of the language to allow some participation in the other language.

    All comments are subject to moderation and will be published only if they comply with the basic rules of decorum, while remaining relevant to the purpose of this site.

    The third tab allows you to enter comments on the shown topic and is bilingual. Personal anecdotes, supplements and other information questions will take place here.

    The "Story" tab shows the explanatory texts. They are most often taken from Wikipedia, a site where we participate regularly.

    The "Data" tab is reserved for list of features and specifications.

    Right menus

    On a smartphone, the lack of space is growing and this menu is moved to the bottom of the page to give priority to videos and pictures.

    The top right icons are links to videos posted by third parties (on their own responsabilities) or by ourselves. The link below these icons will take you to the channel of the one who posted the video. Feel free to suggest other videos if you think they are of some interest (Use the BLOG button or the "Contact" link).