Albatros C.VIII N

The Albatros C.VIII N was a German large, single engine biplane bomber, intended for night time operations, It was seriously underpowered and could only carry a small bomb load.

The C.III N was a large but underpowered three bay night bomber, as denoted by the N, its engine only just powerful enough to meet the Idflieg two seat C-class minimum requirement. It had straight edged, constant chord wings of about equal span and with parallel pairs of interplane struts. There were ailerons on both upper and lower planes.^[1]

A 119 kW (160 hp) inline Mercedes D.III mounted in the nose with its upper cylinders exposed drove a two blade propeller, with two tandem, open cockpits aft. The externally braced tailplane was at mid-fuselage height; the fin, broad and almost quadrant-edged, carried a balanced rudder which ended above the elevators. The C.VIII N landed on a fixed conventional undercarriage with a pair of mainwheels on a rigid axle and a tailskid.^[1]

The C.VIII N first flew in 1917 and it seems likely only one was built.^[1]

Data from German aircraft of the first World War p.257^[1]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 7.34 m (24 ft 1 in)
• Wingspan: 16.34 m (53 ft 7 in)
• Powerplant: 1 × Mercedes D.III 6-cylinder water cooled inline, 120 kW (160 hp)
• Propellers: 2-bladed

Performance

• Maximum speed: 135 km/h (84 mph, 73 kn)
• Time to altitude: 5 min to 1,000 m (3,280 ft)

Armament

• Guns: 1×Spandau machine gun and 1×Parabellum machine gun
• Bombs: light load under wing