Albatros J.I

The Albatros J.I was an armoured ground attack aircraft built by Albatros Flugzeugwerke in the First World War, a J-class derivative of the C.XII reconnaissance aircraft that shared its wings and tail but had a new semi-armoured fuselage to protect the crew from ground fire. It carried three 7.92 mm machine guns, two of them fixed to fire downwards for strafing, and the heavy armour cost it some performance. Units of the Luftstreitkräfte began receiving it in April 1918 and crews liked its protection and good visibility. The newer J.II began replacing it at the front from June 1918, but it flew until the Armistice of 11 November 1918. After the war Poland operated ten of them until 1921.