The Lloyd C.II and its derivatives, the C.III and C.IV were reconnaissance aircraft produced in Austria-Hungary during the First World War.[1] They were based on the Lloyd company's pre-war C.I design, and like it, were conventional biplanes with swept-back wings.
Design and development
After the outbreak of World War I, the original aircraft was refined somewhat by Lloyd designers Wizina and von Melczer,[2] featuring a reduced wingspan and wing area but increased weight.[3] An 8 mm Schwarzlose machine gun was added on a semi-circular mount for an observer.[4]
Beginning in 1915, one hundred examples of this type were built – fifty by Lloyd at their plant in Aszód, and another fifty by WKF in Vienna.
Apart from their service with the Austro-Hungarian flying service, ten C.IIs saw service with Poland. These were captured in Malopolska in November 1918 and were used as trainers until being withdrawn from service in 1920.
A C.III shot down in Romania
The C.III was almost identical except for the use of a 120 kW (160 hp) Austro-Daimler engine, which increased the top speed to 133 km/h (83 mph).[3] Production again was by both Lloyd and WKF, with total production amounting to 50-60 machines.
The C.IV also used the Austro-Daimler engine, and small batches were produced by both Lloyd and WKF.[3]
Variants
C.II with Heiro engine and 14.00 m wingspan (100 built)
C.III with Austro-Daimler engine and 14.00 m wingspan (8 or 16 built by Lloyd, 43 by WKF)
C.IV with Austro-Daimler engine produced by Lloyd with 14.52 m (47 ft 8 in) wingspan (47 built, plus one converted)
^Treadwell, Terry C. (2010). German & Austro-Hungarian Aircraft Manufacturers 1908 - 1918. Stroud: Amberley Publishing. pp. 268–271. ISBN978-1-4456-0102-1.
References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lloyd C.II.
Grosz, Peter M. (2002). Austro-Hungarian Army Aircraft of World War One. Colorado: Flying Machine Press.
Gunston, Bill (1993). World Encyclopedia of Aircraft Manufacturers. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press.
Murphy, Justin D. (2005). Military Aircraft: Origins to 1918. Santa Barbara: ABC-Clio.
Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions.
Treadwell, Terry C. (2010). German & Austro-Hungarian Aircraft Manufacturers 1908 - 1918. Stroud: Amberley Publishing. pp. 268–271. ISBN978-1-4456-0102-1.