Gotha G.V

The Gotha G.V was a heavy bomber built by Gothaer Waggonfabrik for the Imperial German Air Service in the First World War and used mainly as a night bomber. It answered a flaw in the G.IV, whose fuel tanks sat in the engine nacelles and could rupture in a crash landing, by moving the tanks inside the fuselage, which blocked the walkway between the gun stations and left all bombs to be carried externally. It entered service in August 1917, but it was up to 450 kg heavier than the G.IV, partly because of insufficiently seasoned timber, and so generally could not fly as high. Later G.Va and G.Vb versions added a biplane tail, an auxiliary nose wheel and a tandem two-bogie landing gear, and 205 aircraft were built.