Late war C type

[SCMc]

In the tread on the L.W.F. Sreiko posted some photos from the National Technical Museum in Prague. Among them was this two-seater. It appears to be a late war C-type that I am unfamiliar with. Could someone identify it for me?

Thank you,

Steve McCarty

[Varese2002]

Originally Posted by SCMc

In the tread on the L.W.F. Sreiko posted some photos from the National Technical Museum in Prague. Among them was this two-seater. It appears to be a late war C-type that I am unfamiliar with. Could someone identify it for me?

Thank you,

Steve McCarty

Hi Steve. This is the only remaining example of the Austro-hungarian Knoller C.II. For more detail on this museum machine look for instance here.

Kees

[SCMc]

Thank you Kees.

From its appearance in Sreiko's photo I had guessed that it was designed later than it was (early 1917). So much for my assumptions.

It is an interesting piece for a museum, considering that the design was discontinued before service, because the wings collapsed during a test flight. Perhaps that makes it an appropriate representation of the times, when aeronautics was in its infancy.

Steve McCarty

[Uhlan]

Originally Posted by SCMc

Thank you Kees.

From its appearance in Sreiko's photo I had guessed that it was designed later than it was (early 1917). So much for my assumptions.

It is an interesting piece for a museum, considering that the design was discontinued before service, because the wings collapsed during a test flight. Perhaps that makes it an appropriate representation of the times, when aeronautics was in its infancy.

Steve McCarty

The Knollner was an abject failure as a frontline aircraft and was a great embarrassment to the Austro Hungarian military establishment. It is a good example of what happens when aircraft are designed by committee. The preoccupation of certain elements of the Austro Hungarian military establishment with the Knollner led them to order several aircraft companies to manufacture it. One of these was the Austrian Aviatik company which was told concentrate all it's efforts on the Knollner with the result that the service debut of the Aviatik C.I two seater and more importantly the Aviatik D.I fighter were drastically delayed. The Knollner was finally sent to the Eastern Front for evaluation in July 1917. In January 1918 the following evaluation came back:


The C.II can be flown only by skilled pilots, especially while landing. It tosses and swings in gusty weather but reacts rapidly and positively to the controls. In turns, altitude loss is rapid if airspeed is not carefully maintained. The observer is buffeted by a frightening prop wash, to such a degree that he must hold on and take care not to fall out while operating the machine gun. In cold weather, impossible for the observer. Pleasant to fly in calm conditions. Good view forward.

Most Knollner C.II aircraft ended their days as little used communications aircraft or trainers others became instructional airfames and one became a museum piece.

[Varese2002]

The Knoller C.II cannot be al that bad, as it even figured on a series of Liberian poststamps





Professor Richard Knoller [ b. Vienna, April 25, 1869, d. Vienna, March 4, 1926 ] was the founder of aeronautical engineering in Austro-Hungary, established an "aeromechanical laboratory" with wind tunnels. He was a Professor at the University of Technology in Vienna.

Kees