GOTHA G I

The Gotha GI was a German solid landing gear biplane heavy bomber from the First World War. The drive was provided - in the last production units - by two engines Mercedes D.III with a power of up to 160 HP each. The flight of the prototype took place in 1915 - shortly after, serial production began, which led to the creation of 20 aircraft of this type. The deck armament mostly consisted of two 7.92 mm Parabellum MG14 machine guns. The Gotha GI was initially designed as a twin-engine hydrofoil by Oskar Ursinus - one of the promoters and amateurs of aviation in pre-war, imperial Germany. The moment the designer hit the front in 1914, he changed his design and turned it into a heavy bomber. He also quickly got one of his superiors interested in his idea. The latter gave the order to construct a bomber prototype in field conditions and test it in combat. The command of the German aviation got interested in this grassroots initiative of the front division and decided to test a prototype machine. After a positive assessment, Oskar Ursinus sold the license and rights to his aircraft to the Gothaer Waggonfabrik AG factory, where a short series production of these atypical bombers began. The Goth GI series aircraft, however, were too delicate in design, were powered by weak engines (especially in the first examples) and were very difficult to pilot. These features determined the relatively small size of production. In frontline service, the Gotha GI machines were used to a small extent as bombers, and more often as reconnaissance and reconnaissance planes. All machines of this type were probably withdrawn from the line by the end of 1916.