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Friedrichshafen FF45 G.III
role : medium-weight bomber
first flight : operational : February 1917
country : Germany
design :
production : 338 aircraft
general information :
In 1918 the Luftwaffe began to bomb Paris again after interval of 3 years. One of the
aircraft used was de Friedrichshafen G.III
users : Luftwaffe
crew : 3
armament : 3 movable 7.92 [mm] (0.312 in) Parabellum MG 14 machine-guns
engine : 2 Mercedes D.IVa liquid-cooled 6 -cylinder inline engine 252 [hp](185.3 KW)
dimensions :
wingspan : 23.75 [m], length : 12.85 [m], height : 3.66[m]
wing area : 86.0 [m^2]
weights :
max.take-off weight : 3940 [kg]
empty weight operational : 2695 [kg] bombload : 600 [kg]
performance :
maximum speed : 141 [km/u] op 1000 [m]
service ceiling : 4510 [m]
endurance : 5.0 [hours]
estimated action radius : 317 [km]
description :
4-bay biplane with fixed underwing landing gear with nosewheel and tail strut
two spar upper and lower wing
engines and landing gear attached to the wings, fuel and bombload in or attached to fuselage
airscrew :
two fixed pitch 2 -bladed pusher airscrews with max. efficiency :0.64 [ ]
estimated diameter airscrew 3.12 [m]
angle of attack prop : 12.86 [ ]
fine pitch
reduction : 1.00 [ ]
airscrew revs : 1400 [r.p.m.]
pitch at Max speed 1.68 [m]
blade-tip speed at Vmax and max revs. : 232 [m/s]
calculation : *1* (dimensions)
mean wing chord : 1.81 [m]
calculated wing chord (rounded tips): 1.92 [m]
wing aspect ratio : 13.12 []
estimated gap : 1.93 [m]
gap/chord : 1.07 [ ]
seize (span*length*height) : 1117 [m^3]
calculation : *2* (fuel consumption)
oil consumption : 8.5 [kg/hr]
fuel consumption(cruise speed) : 94.9 [kg/hr] (129.4 [litre/hr]) at 71 [%] power
distance flown for 1 kg fuel : 1.34 [km/kg]
estimated total fuel capacity : 734 [litre] (538 [kg])
calculation : *3* (weight)
weight engine(s) dry : 850.0 [kg] = 2.29 [kg/KW]
weight 66 litre oil tank : 5.6 [kg]
oil tank filled with 2.8 litre oil : 2.5 [kg]
oil in engine 21 litre oil : 18.5 [kg]
fuel in engine 3 litre fuel : 1.9 [kg]
weight 55 litre gravity patrol tank(s) : 8.3 [kg]
weight radiator : 55.6 [kg]
weight exhaust pipes & fuel lines 20.8 [kg]
weight self-starter : 4.5 [kg]
weight cowling 7.4 [kg]
weight airscrew(s) (wood) incl. boss & bolts : 55.6 [kg]
total weight propulsion system : 1025 [kg](26.0 [%])
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fuselage skeleton (wood gauge : 10.74 [cm]): 379 [kg]
bracing : 34.4 [kg]
fuselage covering ( 31.2 [m2] doped linen fabric) : 10.0 [kg]
weight controls + indicators: 9.0 [kg]
weight seats : 9.0 [kg]
weight other details, lighting set, etc. : 9.1 [kg]
weight bomb storage : 42.0 [kg]
weight Görz bomb sight with 90 cm Zeiss-telescope: 2.5 [kg]
weight two 340 [litre] main fuel tanks empty : 54.4 [kg]
weight oxygen/compressed air flasks for high altitude : 16.3 [kg]
weight interior + equipment + fuel lines: 59 [kg]
total weight fuselage : 625 [kg](15.9 [%])
***************************************************************
weight wing covering (doped linen fabric) : 55 [kg]
total weight ribs (178 ribs) : 234 [kg]
weight engine mounts : 19 [kg]
load on front upper spar (clmax) per running metre : 927.3 [N]
load on rear upper spar (vmax) per running metre : 462.5 [N]
total weight 8 spars : 208 [kg]
weight wings : 497 [kg]
weight wing/square meter : 5.78 [kg]
weight 16 interplane struts & cabane : 70.7 [kg]
weight cables (151 [m]) : 57.0 [kg] (= 377 [gram] per metre)
diameter cable : 7.8 [mm]
weight fin & rudder (6.5 [m2]) : 38.9 [kg]
weight stabilizer & elevator (9.7 [m2]): 56.6 [kg]
total weight wing surfaces & bracing : 739 [kg] (18.8 [%])
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weight machine-gun(s) : 28.5 [kg]
weight pivot mounting mg :10.0 [kg]
weight armament : 38 [kg]
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wheel pressure : 866.8 [kg]
weight 5 wheels (990 [mm] by 124 [mm]) : 107.2 [kg]
weight tailskid : 6.8 [kg]
weight undercarriage with axle 113.4 [kg]
total weight landing gear : 227.4 [kg] (5.8 [%]
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calculated empty weight : 2655 [kg](67.4 [%])
weight oil for 6.0 hours flying : 51.2 [kg]
weight cooling fluids : 80.1 [kg]
weight 3 drums empty : 6.8 [kg]
weight ammunition (1500 rounds) : 59.3 [kg]
weight signal pistol with cartridges : 3.6 [kg]
weight automatic pistol with spare magazines : 1.2 [kg]
*******************************************************************
calculated operational weight empty : 2850 [kg] (72.3 [%])
published operational weight empty : 2695 [kg] (68.4 [%])
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weight crew : 243 [kg]
weight (electrical heated) clothing for high altitude : 18.0 [kg]
weight fuel for 2.0 hours flying : 190 [kg]
********************************************************************
operational weight : 3301 [kg](83.8 [%])
bomb load : 600 [kg]
operational weight bombing mission : 3901 [kg]
fuel reserve : 39 [kg] enough for 0.41 [hours] flying
operational weight fully loaded : 3940 [kg] with fuel tank filled for 42 [%]
published maximum take-off weight : 3940 [kg] (100.0 [%])
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calculation : * 4 * (engine power)
power loading (Take-off) : 10.63 [kg/kW]
total power : 370.7 [kW] at 1400 [r.p.m]
calculation : *5* (loads)
manoeuvre load : 1.2 [g] at 1000 [m]
limit load : 2.5 [g] ultimate load : 3.8 [g] load factor : 1.5 [g]
design flight time : 3.50 [hours]
design cycles : 329 sorties, design hours : 1150 [hours]
wing loading (MTOW) : 449 [N/m^2]
wing stress (3 g) during operation : 231 [N/kg] at 3g emergency manoeuvre
calculation : *6* (angles of attack)
angle of attack zero lift : -1.06 ["]
max. angle of attack (stalling angle) : 10.04 ["]
angle of attack at max. speed : 3.62 ["]
calculation : *7* (lift & drag ratios
lift coefficient at angle of attack 0° :0.10 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. angle of attack : 1.05 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. speed : 0.44 [ ]
The G.IIIa had a box-shaped tail unit which gave improved handling on 1 engine.
induced drag coefficient at max. speed : 0.0084 [ ]
drag coefficient at max. speed : 0.0768 [ ]
drag coefficient (zero lift) : 0.0684 [ ]
calculation : *8* (speeds
stalling speed at sea-level (OW): 87 [km/u]
landing speed at sea-level (OW without bombload): 105 [km/hr]
min. drag speed (max endurance) = minimum speed*1.1 at cruise height : 107 [km/hr] at 2255 [m] (power:50 [%])
min. power speed (max range) : 107 [km/hr] at 2255 [m] (power:50 [%])
cruising speed : 127 [km/hr] op 2255 [m] (power:67 [%])
design speed prop : 134 [km/hr]
maximum speed : 141 [km/hr] op 1000 [m] (power:94 [%])
climbing speed at sea-level (without bombload) : 223 [m/min]
calculation : *9* (regarding various performances)
take-off distance at sea-level : 227 [m]
lift/drag ratio : 9.21 [ ]
max. practical ceiling : 5450 [m] with flying weight :2915 [kg]
practical ceiling (operational weight): 4650 [m] with flying weight :3301 [kg]
practical ceiling fully loaded (mtow- 1 hour fuel) : 3625 [m] with flying weight :3845 [kg]
published ceiling (4510 [m]
climb to 1500m (without bombload) : 6.97 [min]
climb to 3000m (without bombload) : 16.93 [min]
max. dive speed : 386.8 [km/hr] at 2625 [m] height
load factor at max. angle turn 1.62 ["g"]
turn radius at 500m: 95 [m]
time needed for 360* turn 17.3 [seconds] at 500m
calculation *10* (action radius & endurance)
operational endurance : 2.60 [hours] with 3 crew and 600 [kg] bombload and 45.8 [%] fuel
published endurance : 5.00 [hours] with 3 crew and possible useful (bomb) load : 372 [kg] and 88.1 [%] fuel
action radius : 553 [km] with 3 crew and 20[kg] photo camera/radio transmitter or bombload
max range theoretically with additional fuel tanks for total 1463 [litre] fuel : 1435 [km]
useful load with action-radius 250km : 473 [kg]
production : 60.00 [tonkm/hour]
oil and fuel consumption per tonkm : 1.72 [kg]
Literature :
Warplanes WOI page 62,107td, 108f,123f
Praktisch handboek vliegtuigen deel 1 page 268
Bomber 1914-19 page 25
Jane’s fighting aircraft WWI page 154
DISCLAIMER Above calculations are based on published data, they must be
regarded as indication not as facts.
Calculated performance and weight may not correspond with actual weights
and performances and are assumptions for which no responsibility can be taken.
Calculations are as accurate as possible, they can be fine-tuned when more data
is available, you are welcome to give suggestions and additional information
so we can improve our program.
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(c) B van der Zalm 21 August 2019 contact : info.aircraftinvestigation@gmail.com python 3.7.4