What is this ?

[Regulus]

Hi,

Just got a photo from a Flieger Abteilung A in France on a piece of equipment, it says: (P?)rüfeinrichtung für (Flu)gzeug-Generatoren (?)10 Volt Gleichstrom.
Can anyone enlighten me on this matter and was it commonly present on the airfields ?

Thanks and best from Johan

[Doc]

Hi,

Just got a photo from a Flieger Abteilung A in France on a piece of equipment, it says: (P?)rüfeinrichtung für (Flu)gzeug-Generatoren (?)10 Volt Gleichstrom.
Can anyone enlighten me on this matter and was it commonly present on the airfields ?

Thanks and best from Johan

Johan, basically, that says "test equipment (or set-up) for airplane generator (?)10 volt DC". I have no idea about whether or not it was common on the airfields.... Doc

[Regulus]

Thanks Doc, indeed, but no being an expert on real flying at all, I'm also curious to it's purpose on the technical side...

Would that have been 110 Volt at the time ?

Best from Johan

[Doc]

Sorry, Johan, no knowledge on that. Someone on the forum should know. Doc

[Varese2002]

;) Did I miss the picture of the 10 Volt Prüfeinrichtung für Flugzeug-Generatoren 10 Volt Gleichstrom ?

To judge from the description it is a device to check the working of DC (Direct Current) generators on board of airplanes. DC current was provided in flight by small propellors on a dynamo. Presumably this device tests the working of the dynamo. On a lot of pictures of aeroplanes these small propellors can be seen around the fuselage or somewhere in the wings.

Varese

[Regulus]

Thank you gentlemen !

Now I know exactly what it was used for. Question remains partially, was it in use on every airfield ?

Varese, yes sorry seems you missed it, didn't know that. ^_^ A scan is always possible of course...

Best from Johan

[Varese2002]

I searched for pictures of German aircraft with clearly driven propellor dynamos, but could not find any in a hurry.
Those propellor dynamos were mostly used for observation planes with wireless or perhaps heavy bombers (Gotha or Zeppelin-Staaken). So only reconnaissance or bomber groups had use for such a control device. It is likely they were not in use by fighter squadrons because they had no wireless.
In the beginning of the war wireless was high-tech and driven by accu's or batteries, which invariably were empty at the wrong moment. So the next technology was making own (DC)-power with a dynamo. The effective time of the observation could be much longer and the communication more secure.

Would be interested to see a scan of the Prüfeeinrichtung. Please send the scan to chakort@gmail.com.

Regards

Varese

[Regulus]

Scan is on the way !

Best from Johan

[Varese2002]

About electronics and the use of electrical power generators in aviation in WW1 in Germany I found information in the encyclopedic work by Bruno Lange, Typenhandbuch der deutschen Luftfahrttechnik, Bernard&Graefe Verlag, 1986.

Gross- and Riesenflugzeuge

The Gross- and Riesenflugzeuge had already an electric power net on board for the the first electrical tools (lighting for night flying) and the radio transmitters.
The Riesenflugzeuge with big FT-stations [ FT = Funkentelegraphie-Gerät ] had a Bosch-aggregat which was driven by a seperate engine. It was possible when flying over England to communicate with the home base in Belgium. In 1918 the first valve transmitters came in use.

The development of wireless communication

The first experiments with wireless communication were done in 1910/1911 in the Army with Telefunken-made sender en receivers. Experiments were done with the Zeppelin LZ 9. Telefunken made the first Funkentelegraphie-Gerät (FT) in 1912. The experiments did not result in practical use, because the crystal receivers (no valves then) were very sensitive to the vibrations of the engines. So if something was heard, it was in a cloud of noise !

Further experiments were made in 1913 with the Marine (Albatross-Farman biplane), where the aeroplane was fitted with a 6,5 meter high antenna. The power was generated by the engine, through an extra cobwheel and a power generator.

The actual first operational use of wireless was in beginning 1915 in reconnaissance. Communication was one way only : from the aircraft to the ground, not otherwise. Use was primarily for judging the results of artillery.

The energy generation

The energy for the transmitter was generated by a 500Hz AC (Alternate Current) generator which was driven in tandem with a DC-generator (for lighting, heating). In the early years these generators were driven by small propellors. Later they were driven from the engine via a linking cob etc.

These aircraft were all high tech then and electricity was used in abundance for heating, lighting and transmitting / receiving signals. The bigger planes had an electrical system driven by an engine generator. The smaller ones got electrical power from the engine, or earlier seperate from an auxiliary little propellor.

The picture

In this high tech environment, constant control is necessary to ensure that things work when needed. The technician on the photograph will be the man in charge.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h179/Varese2002/82943acf.jpg

Needs further study but the machine on the ground with the handle can be a Funkentelegraphie (FT) machine for aircraft. The other machinery can be generators.

PS. The book by Bruno Lange is in a series of works [ Die deutsche Luftfahrt ]. I noted Volume 7 by Fritz Trenkle, Bordfunkgeräte - Vom Funkensender zum Bordradar.

Varese

[Varese2002]

Have found a good picture of a propellor driven generator ....

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h179/Varese2002/54cd181a.jpg

The generator is fastened between the nose wheel tubes of a Breguet Type V bomber.

Varese

[CNOCK]

Hello,

In the book 'Unsere Luftstreitkräfte 1914-1918', clear pics are provided of the generator with propellar attached to a reconnaissance plane and of the entire funken telegraphie system.
But the book is to cumbersome to make scans.

Regards,

Cnock

[Marco_Sommerau]

Hello Johan,

The generators used in single-seaters and two-seaters provided -at 4500 RPM- about 250W AC for radio use and at the same time 200W DC for heating and/or illumination and/or anything else (like machine gun heating, for example in two-seaters). These generators weighted between 8 and 10 Kg and were made by Huth and Telefunken and their propellers by Reschke, (in 4 different sizes).

Some fighters DID use radios WITH external “windmill” generators. The first fighter unit so equipped was formed in 1917. I ignore what Jasta they were part of (if any), but I know that the commanding officer's name was Lt d R. Gericke and that they used Halberstadt D types. Maybe any other forumite can provide more information on this unit? In German sources they simply refer to them as the “F T Versuchsabteilung”, and they were assigned to the western front “with great success” ...

Vele groeten,


Marco

[Varese2002]

The generators used in single-seaters and two-seaters provided -at 4500 RPM- about 250W AC for radio use and at the same time 200W DC for heating and/or illumination and/or anything else (like machine gun heating, for example in two-seaters).


While cataloging my book collection I found this beautiful painting of a Voisin bomber on a night raid. Clearly can be seen the propellor driven dynamo and the small illumination for the bomb aimer in the back.

It features in the book of Arthur Bechtel. Vom Zauber alter Flugmaschinen. 1983. ISBN 3-7930-0742-1.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h179/Varese2002/359c57a5.jpg

Varese

[Regulus]

Gentlemen,

Thank you very much for these !

It makes me really happy about the photo I bought.

Best from Johan

[hauptmann]

I have a picture of a generator, in fact. Both Regulus and Varese also have this...:)

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/46/minidsc1834wu4.jpg

Caption:

"Generator
Carl Bamberg Friedenau 1918
Zum betrieb der Selenkompass-anlage würde dieser Doppelgenerator (40V/6ma - 8V/2A) möglichst im Propellerluftstrom am Flugzeug montiert. Ein Regler sorgte für konstante Spannungen."

[jempie]

Hoy Varese!


Here on on a Roland C II !

Wireless station + generator weight was in total 15 kg.
(Leistung : 250 Watt bei 4500 touren)


vb

Jempie.

[jempie]

Here the type C (Telefunken) wireless station which was placed into the Roland C II ...it placed in front of the into the observers seat...
(also a picture available from!)
They started 1914 with a Type A and Type B before!


vbr

Jempie

[jempie]

Hallo!

Here the Type D Telefunken (Dr Huth) as used on C-planes
Wireles sender-receiver 150 to 500 m radiowave reach
range 150-350 lenght antenna 35 m.
range 300-500 m lenght antenna 100 m!
Generator 250 Watt- 500 Hz for wireless...+ 200 Watt DC for warming up machineguns, rudders and Pilot and observer clothes...

Total weight of wireless and generator is given up as 18 kg.

Introduced on C-planes at the front "November 1916"!

VBR

Jempie

[Marco_Sommerau]

"Generator
Carl Bamberg Friedenau 1918
Zum betrieb der Selenkompass-anlage würde dieser Doppelgenerator (40V/6ma - 8V/2A) möglichst im Propellerluftstrom am Flugzeug montiert. Ein Regler sorgte für konstante Spannungen."

The Selenkompass was a very advanced remote compass used late war. The ancestor of modern remote compasses.