BILL McBRIDE COLLECTION
No. 12072. LVG D4 German Naval Air Service
Source unknown

LVG D4

09/30/2013. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "A derivative of the C.I, the exact designation of this LVG machine is not certain, but reportedly it had the company designation D4. Completed as a single-seat torpedo machine for the German Naval Air Service, it later received the German Navy designation S110 (110th GNAS aircraft).

It had its wing area increased by the insertion of an extra bay, and retained the stepped ailerons seen on the early C-series. Powered by a 200 hp Benz Bz IV, it was test flown in 1915 by Flugmeister Herz (Flight Master Herz). Noteworthy is the complicated and robust split axle landing gear with heavy-duty tires.

The object in the carrying cradle under the fuselage is a wooden mockup torpedo. Sheet lead nailed to the mockup increased its weight on successive experiments, as a result of which Kaptain (Captain) Friedlander was able to make the first torpedo drop over water at Travemünde on June 11, 1915. In September two torpedoes were dropped that ran true through the water, proving that this type of torpedo release was capable of operational use."

Created September 30, 2013