Aviatik C.IX

C.IX
	Oblique view of the second C.IX prototype
Role	Reconnaissance aircraft
Manufacturer	Aviatik
First flight	1918
Primary user	Luftstreitkräfte
Number built	3

The Aviatik C.IX was a prototype two-seat observation aircraft built by Automobil und Aviatik AG for the Imperial German Army's (Deutsches Heer) Imperial German Air Service (Luftstreitkräfte) during the First World War. Three aircraft were built in 1918, but the C.IX was not placed into production.

Design

The C.IX was a two-bay biplane design. The pilot's cockpit was placed underneath the trailing edge of the upper wing, with the observer's cockpit behind his. The wing had a large semi-circular cutout above the cockpit to improve the pilot's visibility above the aircraft. The prototypes differed slightly from each other to compare aileron and tail surface configurations. One aircraft only had ailerons on the upper wing while another had ailerons on both wings; those on the lower wing were actuated by a strut connecting the ailerons together. To reduced airflow interference, the gap between the wings was maximized by suspending the fuselage above the lower wing with several small struts. The C.IX was powered by a water-cooled 200-metric-horsepower (147 kW) Benz Bz.IV straight-six engine that drove a wooden, fixed-pitch, two-bladed propeller. The aircraft's armament consisted of a fixed, forward-firing 7.92-millimeter (0.312 in) LMG 08/15 Spandau machine gun and a 7.92-mm LMG 14 Parabellum machine gun on a flexible mount for the observer.^[1]

Three prototype aircraft were built with the second aircraft destroyed during static load testing in June 1918. It was not chosen for production.^[2]

Specifications

Data from German Aircraft of the First World War^[3]

General characteristics

Crew: 2
Empty weight: 980 kg (2,161 lb)
Gross weight: 1,340 kg (2,954 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Benz Bz.IV water-cooled straight-six engine, 150 kW (200 hp)
Propellers: 2-bladed fixed-pitch

Performance

Maximum speed: 160 km/h (99 mph, 86 kn)
Service ceiling: 4,500 m (14,800 ft)

Armament

Guns: 1 × fixed, forward-firing 7.92 mm (0.312 in) LMG 08/15 Spandau machine gun and a 7.92 mm Parabellum MG 14 machine gun on a flexible mount

References

^ Herris, pp. 167–169
^ Herris, p. 168
^ Gray & Thetford, p. 283

Bibliography

Gray, Peter & Thetford, Owen (1987) [1970]. German Aircraft of the First World War (2nd ed.). Putnam. ISBN 0-85177-809-7.
Herris, Jack (2023). Aviatik Aircraft of WWI: A Centennial Perspective on Great War Airplanes. Great War Aviation Centennial Series. Vol. 10 (2nd ed.). Aeronaut Books. ISBN 978-1-953201-59-1.

[1] Herris, pp. 167–169

[2] Herris, p. 168

[Thetford-3] Gray & Thetford, p. 283

[1]

[2]

[3]

Aviatik aircraft
Aviatik aircraft	B.I B.II B.III C.I C.II C.III C.IV C.V C.VI C.VIII D.II D.III D.IV D.V D.VI D.VII F P13 P14 P18 P19 P20
Aviatik (Berg) aircraft	D.I D.II
Aviatik (Austro-Hungary) aircraft	C.I

World War I aircraft of the Central Powers
Fighters	AEG D.I AEG Dr.I Albatros D.I Albatros D.II Albatros D.III Albatros D.V Aviatik D.I Aviatik C.VI Daimler L.6 Euler D.I Euler D.II Fokker D.I Fokker D.II Fokker D.III Fokker D.IV Fokker D.V Fokker D.VI Fokker D.VII Fokker D.VIII Fokker Dr.I Fokker E.I Fokker E.II Fokker E.III Fokker E.IV Fokker E.V Halberstadt D.II Hannover CL.II Hannover CL.III Hannover CL.IV Hannover CL.V Hansa-Brandenburg W.12 Hansa-Brandenburg W.29 Junkers D.I Kondor D.6 Kondor E.III Naglo D.II Pfalz D.III Pfalz D.XII Pfalz Dr.I Pfalz E.I Pfalz E.II Phönix D.I LFG Roland D.II LFG Roland D.VI Siemens-Schuckert D.I Siemens-Schuckert D.II Siemens-Schuckert D.III Siemens-Schuckert D.IV Zeppelin-Lindau D.I
Bombers and ground attack	AEG DJ.I AEG G.I AEG G.II AEG G.III AEG G.IV AEG G.V AEG J.I AEG J.II AEG R.I Friedrichshafen G.II Friedrichshafen G.III Gotha G.I Gotha G.II Gotha G.III Gotha G.IV Gotha G.V Gotha GL.VII Gotha G.IX Hannover CL.II Junkers CL.I Junkers J.I Rumpler G.I Rumpler G.II Rumpler G.III Siemens-Schuckert L.I Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.II Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.III Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.IV Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI
Reconnaissance	AEG B.I AEG B.II AEG B.III AEG C.I AEG C.II AEG C.III AEG C.IV AEG C.V AEG C.VI AEG C.VII AEG C.VIII AGO C.I AGO C.II AGO C.III AGO C.IV AGO C.VII AGO C.VIII Albatros B.I Albatros B.II Albatros C.I Albatros C.III Albatros C.V Albatros C.VII Albatros C.IX Albatros C.X Albatros C.XII Aviatik B.I Aviatik B.II Aviatik C.I Aviatik C.VI DFW C.V LFG Roland C.II LVG B.I LVG C.II Rumpler C.I Rumpler C.IV Rumpler Taube
Trainers	Euler D.I
Prototypes	Albatros C.II Fokker V.1 Fokker V.2 Junkers J 1 Junkers J 2 Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.I