Albatros L 77v

The Albatros L 77v was a German tandem two-seat reconnaissance fighter biplane, four examples of which were built under license for Albatros Flugzeugwerke by Ernst Heinkel Flugzeugwerke in 1928. Based upon the L 76 Aeolus reconnaissance trainer, the aircraft was powered by a 450 kW (600 hp) BMW VI 5.5 water-cooled V12 engine.

L 77
Role Reconnaissance aircraft
Manufacturer Albatros Flugzeugwerke
First flight 1928
Number built 4

Like the L 76, the L 77v had a fabric-covered welded-steel fuselage and wooden dual-spar wings with plywood skins supported by N-type struts. It was armed with twin 7.92 mm (.312 in) machine guns in fixed forward-firing positions and a third on a ring mounting in the rear cockpit.

Three of the aircraft saw service performing armament trials in Lipetsk in the Soviet Union; these included one aircraft testing a free-mounted 20 mm cannon. The fourth aircraft had been destroyed while undergoing tests in March 1929. Between December 1929 and their retirement in October 1931, the surviving L 77vs were based at the Staaken Erprobungsstelle (Test Centre).

Specifications (L 77v)

General characteristics

  • Crew: two, pilot and observer
  • Length: 8.45 m (27 ft 9 in)
  • Wingspan: 12.76 m (41 ft 10 in)
  • Height: 3.9 m (12 ft 10 in)
  • Wing area: 27.8 m2 (299 sq ft)
  • Powerplant: 1 × BMW VI , 450 kW (600 hp)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 220 km/h (140 mph, 120 kn)

Armament

  • 2 × fixed, forward-firing 7.92 mm (.312 in) machine guns
  • 1 × flexible 7.92 (.312 in) mm machine gun for observer
  • 2 × 50 kg (110 lb) bombs
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See also

References
  • Green, W. & Swanborough, G. (1994). The Complete Book of Fighters. London: Salamander Books. ISBN 1-85833-777-1
  • German Aircraft between 1919–1945
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