Zeppelin Staaken R.XIVa
role : heavy bomber
first flight : operational : July 1918
country : Germany
design :
production : 3 serial nrs R 43/16, R 44/16, R 45/16
general information :
Zeppelin-Staaken R.XIV 43/17 of Rfa 501 was brought down at 23:50 on August 10, 1918 by Capt A B Yuille of No 151 Sqn RAF, flying a Sopwith Camel D6573. It crashed one mile west of Lighthouse Talmas, near Doullens, and all crew members (Ltn Braun, Ofstv Buth, Ltn Corty, Vfw Donath, Flg Donnemaier, Flg Fonrobert, Uffz Kopp, Gefr Reuther and Flg Schneidersmann) were killed.
"A five engined Gotha (Actually a Staaken R.XIV) came over about midnight and dropped a few bombs. The searchlights got him and this time Jerry had a surprise as our flying scouts were up, spotted Fritz at once and went for him. In a few minutes a fight was on and we soon saw the big Gotha (Staaken R.XIV) in flames. He came down and a number of soldiers ran to the burning wreck, when one of the bombs exploded in the heat. Several of those who were near were killed and more injured. This machine carried eight men, three had been shot, four burned and one staff officer had jumped with a parachute, but this failed to open so he too was killed" - Diary of Thomas Spencer.
Props turn at 50% engine rpm. Diam : 4.30m pitch : 3.30m
After WWI the R.XIV was used for a few commercial passenger flights.
users : Luftwaffe
crew : 7
engine : 5 Maybach Mb.IVa liquid-cooled 6 -cylinder inline engines 260.0 [hp] (191.2 KW) high compression engine : cannot run at full power at sea level, constant power to height : 1350 [m]
dimensions :
wingspan : 42.2 [m], length : 22.5 [m], height : 6.3[m]
wing area : 334.0 [m^2]
weights :
max.take-off weight : 14250 [kg]
empty weight operational : 10000 [kg] bombload : 2000 [kg]
performance :
maximum speed : 135 [km/hr] at sea-level
climbing speed : 143 [m/min]
service ceiling : 4500 [m]
estimated action radius : 650 [km]
description :
4-bay biplane with fixed underwing landing gear with nosewheel and tail strut
airscrew :
three fixed pitch 2 -bladed tractor airscrews and two fixed pitch pusher propellor with max. efficiency :0.64 [ ]
diameter airscrew 4.30 [m]
airscrew revs : 1083 [r.p.m.]
pitch at Max speed 2.08 [m]
blade-tip speed at Vmax and max revs. : 247 [m/s]
calculation : *1* (dimensions)
mean wing chord : 3.96 [m]
calculated wing chord (rounded tips): 4.19 [m]
wing aspect ratio : 10.66 []
estimated gap : 3.93 [m]
gap/chord : 0.99 [ ]
seize (span*length*height) : 5982 [m^3]
calculation : *2* (fuel consumption)
oil consumption : 21.9 [kg/hr]
fuel consumption(cruise speed) : 261.5 [kg/hr] (356.8 [litre/hr]) at 82 [%] power
estimated specific fuel consumption (cruise power) : 332 [gram/kwh]
estimated specific oil consumption (cruise power) : 23 [gram/kwh]
distance flown for 1 kg fuel : 0.46 [km/kg]
estimated total fuel capacity : 4333 [litre] (3176 [kg])
calculation : *3* (weight)
weight engine(s) dry : 2122.7 [kg] = 2.22 [kg/KW]
weight reduction gear : 52.6 [kg]
weight 318 litre oil tank : 27.0 [kg]
oil tank filled with 1.4 litre oil : 1.3 [kg]
oil in engine 53 litre oil : 47.8 [kg]
fuel in engine 7 litre fuel : 4.8 [kg]
weight 152 litre gravity patrol tank(s) : 22.8 [kg]
weight radiator : 143.4 [kg]
weight exhaust pipes & fuel lines 42.7 [kg]
weight self-starter : 4.7 [kg]
weight cowling 7.6 [kg]
weight airscrew(s) (wood) incl. boss & bolts : 143.4 [kg]
total weight propulsion system : 2646 [kg](18.6 [%])
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fuselage skeleton (wood gauge : 18.57 [cm]): 1985 [kg]
bracing : 315.0 [kg]
fuselage covering (doped linen fabric) : 30.6 [kg]
weight controls + indicators: 13.9 [kg]
weight seats : 21.0 [kg]
weight other details, lighting set, etc. : 21.1 [kg]
weight bomb storage : 140.0 [kg]
weight interior + equipment + fuel lines: 333 [kg]
weight 6 fire extinguishers : 42 [kg]
total weight fuselage : 2976 [kg](20.9 [%])
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weight wing covering (doped linen fabric) : 214 [kg]
total weight ribs (294 ribs) : 847 [kg]
load on front upper spar (clmax) per running metre : 1797.4 [N]
load on rear upper spar (vmax) per running metre : 1084.1 [N]
weight engine mounts : 48 [kg]
total weight 8 spars : 725 [kg]
weight wings : 1786 [kg]
weight wing/square meter : 5.35 [kg]
load on front upper spar (clmax) per bay : 9481.0 [N]
weight 16 interplane struts & cabane : 747.1 [kg]
weight cables (289 [m]) : 380.0 [kg] (= 1314 [gram] per metre)
diameter cable : 14.6 [mm]
weight fin & rudder (20.7 [m2]) : 113.6 [kg]
weight stabilizer & elevator (37.6 [m2]): 203.4 [kg]
total weight wing surfaces & bracing : 3278 [kg] (23.0 [%])
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weight machine-gun(s) : 92.6 [kg]
weight ring mounting mg :25.0 [kg]
weight ammunition magazine(s) :6.8 [kg]
weight armament : 124 [kg]
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wheel cycles : 96
wheel density : 221 [kg/m3]
total weight landing gear : 679.9 [kg] (4.8 [%])
wheel pressure : 890.6 [kg]
weight 18 wheels (1010 [mm] by 125 [mm]) : 397.3 [kg]
weight tailskid : 20.3 [kg]
weight undercarriage with axle 262.2 [kg]
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calculated empty weight : 9704 [kg](68.1 [%])
weight oil for 12.8 hours flying : 281.1 [kg]
weight cooling fluids : 206.5 [kg]
weight ammunition (3000 rounds) : 105.0 [kg]
weight signal pistol with cartridges : 3.6 [kg]
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calculated operational weight empty : 10300 [kg] (72.3 [%])
published operational weight empty : 10000 [kg] (70.2 [%])
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weight crew : 567 [kg]
weight fuel for 2.0 hours flying : 523 [kg]
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operational weight : 11390 [kg](79.9 [%])
bomb load : 2000 [kg]
operational weight bombing mission : 13390 [kg]
fuel reserve : 860 [kg] enough for 3.29 [hours] flying
operational weight fully loaded : 14250 [kg] with fuel tank filled for 44 [%]
published maximum take-off weight : 14250 [kg] (100.0 [%])
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calculation : * 4 * (engine power)
engine total stroke volume (displacement): 21.7 [litre]
mean engine pressure : 27.44 [kg/cm2]
compression ratio : 4.98 : 1
power loading (Take-off) : 14.90 [kg/kW]
total power : 956.2 [kW] at 1444 [r.p.m]
power / stroke volume : 8.8 [kW/litre]
calculation : *5* (loads)
manoeuvre load : 1.8 [g] at 1000 [m]
limit load : 2.5 [g] ultimate load : 3.8 [g]
design flight time : 7.49 [hours]
design cycles : 154 sorties, design hours : 1150 [hours]
wing loading (MTOW) : 418 [N/m^2]
wing stress (3 g) during operation : 221 [N/kg] at 3g emergency manoeuvre
calculation : *6* (angles of attack)
angle of attack zero lift : -1.10 ["]
max.angle of attack (stalling angle) : 13.07 ["]
angle of attack at max.speed : 3.21 ["]
calculation : *7* (lift & drag ratios
lift coefficient at angle of attack 0° :0.10 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. angle of attack : 1.29 [ ]
lift coefficient at max.speed : 0.39 [ ]
induced drag coefficient at max.speed : 0.0082 [ ]
drag coefficient at max.speed : 0.0571 [ ]
drag coefficient (zero lift) : 0.0489 [ ]
calculation : *8* (speeds
stalling speed at sea-level (OW): 74 [km/u]
landing speed at sea-level (OW without bombload): 89 [km/hr]
min.power speed (max endurance) : 95 [km/hr] op 2115 [m](power :53 [%])
min. drag speed (max range) : 125 [km/hr] op 2115 [m] (power:75 [%])
max.rate of climb speed : 85.8 [km/hr] at sea-level
cruising speed : 122 [km/hr] op 2115 [m] (P:675.0 [KW])
design speed prop : 128 [km/hr]
maximum speed : 135 [km/hr] op 100 [m] (P:956 [KW])
climbing speed at sea-level (without bombload) : 147 [m/min]
calculation : *9* (regarding various performances)
take-off distance at sea-level : 411 [m]
lift/drag ratio : 9.81 [ ]
practical ceiling : 4900 [m] with flying weight :11390 [kg]
practical ceiling : 3600 [m] with 2000 [ kg] bombload :13390 [kg]
climb to 1500m (without bombload) : 13.39 [min]
climb to 3000m (without bombload) : 32.97 [min]
published ceiling (4500 [m]) vmin : 93.0 [km/hr] vmax : 125.8 [km/hr]
max.dive speed : 450.9 [km/hr] at 2600 [m] height
load factor at max.angle turn 1.49 ["g"]
turn radius at 500m: 72 [m]
time needed for 360* turn 16.1 [seconds] at 500m
calculation *10* (action radius & endurance)
operational endurance : 5.29 [hours] with 7 crew and 2000 [kg] bombload and 43.5 [%] fuel
published endurance : 10.70 [hours] with possible useful (bomb) load : 585 [kg]
action radius : 781 [km] with 7 crew and 20[kg] photo camera/radio transmitter or bombload
max range theoretically with additional fuel tanks for total 5426 [litre] fuel : 1848 [km]
useful load with action-radius 250km : 2901 [kg]
production : 352.49 [tonkm/hour]
oil and fuel consumption per tonkm : 0.80 [kg]
_
Literature :
Jane’s fighting aircraft WWI page 194
Piston-engined airliners page 10
(c) B van der Zalm 03 June 2018 python 3.4.1
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