订阅以下载
BTO (RANK 1.0) (🇩🇪German Empire) (reconnaissance biplane) (Albatros B.I)

# Albatros B.I

The **Albatros B.I** was an unarmed German reconnaissance biplane developed in the early 1910s. It was used primarily during the early stages of **World War I** for observation, artillery spotting, and training purposes.

---

## Design and Development

The Albatros B.I was designed by **Albatros Flugzeugwerke** in Germany and first flew in 1913. It belonged to the **B-class** of German military aircraft, which denoted unarmed two-seat biplanes used for reconnaissance.

The aircraft featured a conventional biplane configuration with two-bay staggered wings and a fixed tailskid undercarriage. The crew sat in two open cockpits in tandem. The design emphasized simplicity and good visibility for observation duties.

Several variants were produced, powered by different inline engines, most commonly the **Mercedes D.I** or the **Mercedes D.II**, which provided sufficient power for reconnaissance missions.

---

## Specifications

| Feature | Specification |
| ----------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| **Role** | Reconnaissance aircraft |
| **Crew** | 2 (pilot and observer) |
| **Length** | \~8.3 m |
| **Wingspan** | \~14.4 m |
| **Height** | \~3.3 m |
| **Empty Weight** | \~800 kg |
| **Gross Weight** | \~1,250 kg |
| **Powerplant** | Mercedes D.I or D.II inline engine (100–120 hp) |
| **Maximum Speed** | \~110 km/h |
| **Endurance** | \~4 hours |
| **Armament** | None (B-class aircraft were unarmed) |

---

## Operational History

When World War I broke out in 1914, the Albatros B.I was among the primary reconnaissance platforms of the German air service. It was used extensively on the Western and Eastern Fronts to observe enemy troop movements and direct artillery fire.

As the war progressed, the need for defensive armament became evident, and later reconnaissance aircraft were equipped with machine guns. By 1915–1916, the Albatros B.I was largely withdrawn from front-line duties and relegated to training roles, where it continued in service as a basic pilot trainer and observer school aircraft.

The B.I was also built under license in Austria-Hungary by **Oesterreichische Flugzeugfabrik AG (♥♥♥♥♥♥)** and remained in use in the Austro-Hungarian forces.

---

## Variants

* **Albatros B.I** – Original production version.
* **♥♥♥♥♥♥ B.I** – License-built version in Austria-Hungary.
* Some aircraft were fitted with different engines or minor structural modifications depending on production batches.

---

## Operators

* **Imperial German Air Service (Luftstreitkräfte)**
* **Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Aviation Troops (Luftfahrtruppen)**

---

## Legacy

Although quickly rendered obsolete in front-line roles, the Albatros B.I was important as one of the first dedicated reconnaissance aircraft of the German forces. It played a significant part in the development of military aviation tactics in the early stages of the First World War and contributed to the transition from unarmed observation planes to armed reconnaissance and fighter aircraft.

---

**See Also**

* Albatros Flugzeugwerke
* B-class German reconnaissance aircraft
* German aircraft of World War I

**References**

* Gray, Peter, and Owen Thetford. *German Aircraft of the First World War*. Putnam.
* Herris, Jack. *Albatros Aircraft of WWI: Vol 1 – Early Two-Seaters*. Aeronaut Books.