The AEG G.IV was a biplane bomber aircraft designed and produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Allgemeine Elektrizitäts-Gesellschaft. It saw action during the First World War with the Luftstreitkräfte (Imperial German Army Air Service).

The G.IV was developed from the AEG G.III, featuring various refinements to power, bomb-load, and dimensions; specifically, it featured double the bomb capacity of the AEG G.II. Introduced to service during late 1916, the G.IV managed to achieve some operational success in both reconnaissance and direct combat missions. Because of its relatively short range, the G.IV served mainly as a tactical bomber, thus it operated close to the front lines. It initially flew both day and night operations in France, Romania, Greece, and Italy, but was increasingly restricted to night missions as the conflict progressed. Many night operations were considered nuisance raids, conducting without any specific targets other than the intention of disrupting enemy activity at night and achieving some collateral damage at best.

Some officials concluded that the G.IV was still inadequate in terms of offensive capacity and performance, thus further improvements were sought. A single specialised G.IV was converted into an armored, antitank gunship, the G.IVk (Kanone) with two 20 mm Becker cannon, but it did not see action. The G.IV was the last in the series to see action, as while development of the improved G.V did proceed, the Armistice of 1918 that brought an end to the combat came into effect before this successor could become operational.

Design and development

The Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft (AEG) G.IV was derived from the earlier G.III; according to the aviation historians Peter Gray and Owen Thetford, it was only a slight refinement of its predecessor. This design choice resulted in a relatively high structural weight despite its compact size for a twin-engined aircraft. When suitably configured, dual flight controls (with the notable exception of the ailerons) could be furnished, although this facility was of limited use outside of emergencies.

Operational history

thumb|A captured AEG G.IVk in British markings, [[Bickendorf, 1919 Occupation of the Rhineland]]

The G.IV entered service with the German Air Force in late 1916. Even at the start of its career, its performance in several metrics was inferior to that of contemporary Gothas, including range and payload capacity, despite typically sharing the same Mercedes D.IVa engine. However, while Gotha crews struggled to keep their heavy aircraft aloft, the G.IV was regarded as being a relatively easy aircraft to fly. In light of its relatively small payload when fully fueled, missions typically undertaken by the type were short range, thus permitting more munitions to be carried at the expense of fuel. On occasion, it was flown without any offensive payload to perform aerial reconnaissance flights.

By August 1918, around 50 aircraft are believed to have been still active with the German Air Force. The aircraft was brought to Canada in 1919 as a war trophy and has been at the museum since 1970.

Variants

;AEG G.IV

:Tactical bomber

;AEG G.IVg

:Fitted with an increased span three-bay wing.

;AEG G.IVk

:Armoured ground-attack aircraft fitted with two 20 mm Becker cannon, one in a dorsal mounting and one in a turret under the nose. Five built.

Operators

;

  • Luftstreitkräfte

Specifications (AEG G.IV)

See also

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

  • Plan 1919
  • A.E.G. G.IV