Zeppelin-Staaken R.V

The Zeppelin-Staaken R.V was one of the series of large bombers called Riesenflugzeuge, intended to be less vulnerable than the rigid airships in use at the time. Zeppelin moved development of large bombers to Staaken in 1916, and the R.V was co-developed with the R.VI and R.VII. It had two engine pods, each with two engines in tandem driving a single propeller through clutches, gearboxes and shafts, plus a fifth, tractor engine in the nose, and the pods were large enough for some inflight maintenance. The R.IV was selected for production instead because the geared and clutched engines posed a higher developmental risk. The sole R.V, serial R.V 13/15, was accepted into service with Rfa 501 on 23 December 1917 after a protracted development caused by teething troubles with the engine transmission. After its first operational mission on 25 January 1918 it flew fifteen more in eight months of service, and an emergency landing in fog on 18 October 1918 ended its career.