Albatros B-, C-type Weight and Balance Questions

[JFM]

Hello,

I'm posting to see if anyone has information regarding Albatros B- and C-type weight and balance information. Specifically, center of gravity envelopes and observer/pilot stations.

Also, were these airplanes flown solo from the forward or aft cockpit--or either? If flown solo from the forward cockpit, was any ballast required in the aft cockpit? If so, how much?

Thank you for any input, linkage, etc.

JFM

[Volker_Nemsch]

Here is what I found.

The empty weight (first figure) is the aircraft without crew (about 160kg), fuel/lubricants and armament.

The second figure stands for the maximum load.

Up to now I found nothing concerning the balance/needed extra weight for aircraft flown without observer.

Albatros B.I (D(L.1)) 732kg 1080kg
Albatros B.II (DD(L.2)) 723kg 1071kg
Albatros B.IIa (L.30) 720kg 1072kg
Albatros B.III (L.5) 600kg 960kg

Albatros C.I (L.6) 875kg 1190kg
Albatros C.Ia (L.6) 875kg 1190kg
Albatros C.Ib 839kg 1154kg
Albatros C.III (L.10) 851kg 1353
Albatros C.V/16 (L.14) 1024kg 1585kg
Albatros C.V/17 (L.14) 1069kg 1585kg
Albatros C.VI (L.16) 830kg 1343kg
Albatros C.VII (L.18) 989kg 1550kg
Albatros C.IX (L.23) 790kg 1150kg
Albatros C.X (L.25) 1099kg 1668kg
Albatros C.XII (L.27) 1021kg 1639kg

I found no data concerning the Albatros C.XV.

Hope this helps a bit ...

[mossie]

Albatros C.XV: Empty 859kg, loaded 1320kg (includes crew)

I've not seen any references to CofG in any book to date. Some British two-seater aircraft have notices on them about not flying without an observer or the equlivent weight.

CofG data would be very valuable, so if anyone has some I too would be interested.

[JFM]

Thanks for the info so far, guys!

[R Pope]

AFAIK, the first single-engine two-seater that didn't need ballast to fly single was the DH4.Well, other than the older ones that seated the observer forward, on the CG. DH4 was big and heavy enough to ignore the slight nose-heaviness.