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The Albatros B.II, (post-war company designation L.2) was an unarmed two-seat reconnaissance biplane designed and produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Albatros Flugzeugwerke. It was the aircraft that brought Albatros Flugzeugwerke to the world's attention.
The design of the B.II, which included an unusually strong fuselage and an atypically flexible trailing edge, drew heavily upon the preceding Albatros B.I. Various measures were incorporated to elevate its usefulness as a reconnaissance aircraft, such as the presence of large square cutouts in the lower wing spars to increase downwards visibility from the observer's position. The pilot was seated behind the observer, rather than in front as later convention would dictate. In terms of flying performance, the B.II was inherently stabile and relatively docile, characteristics that naturally lent itself to the trainer role for which a dedicated variant, the B.IIA, would be developed. Further developments, including a floatplane and the Albatros B.III, would also be produced.
The B.II was active from the onset of the First World War, being operated by the Luftstreitkräfte during the opening year of the conflict primarily to perform aerial reconnaissance. It was displaced from frontline service due to the arrival of more capable armed reconnaissance types, and was then used as a primary trainer. It is commonly accepted that the aircraft's actual designer was Robert Thelen. Irrespective of this controversy, the design process commenced during peacetime and drew extensively upon the preceding Albatros B.I. One of the most clear visual distinctions between the B.I and the B.II was a noticeably shorter wingspan of the latter.
thumb|Side view of an Albatros B.II on the ground, circa 1914
The fuselage of the B.II, which was atypically strong for the era, was primarily composed of plywood. The structure of the wing followed the company's established practices, comprising a pair of spars, the rearward of which being roughly in the middle of the wing, making the trailing edge atypically flexible and thus gave the B.II a level of inherent stability. It had ailerons with an inverse taper while the operating cables ran externally over the surface of the lower wing.
The B.II was furnished with a large triangular tail, akin to the B.I; it had an unbalanced rudder and elevator control surfaces. on 16 April 1915, ten bombs were dropped by hand in the area of Sittingbourne and Faversham. No significant damage or casualties resulted.
Sweden
During 1914, Albatros Flugzeugwerke toured several countries across northern Europe, performing displays of the then-new B.II. It was considered one of the best primary trainer aircraft available at that time. However, both the landing gear and propeller of the demonstrator aircraft were damaged upon its arrival in Sweden. Due to the outbreak of the First World War, no spares could be sent and the aircraft was interned. It was subsequently repaired and operated in the trainer role by the Swedish Air Force. This aircraft was later copied and manufactured in Sweden by six different aircraft companies: Svenska Aeroplanfabriken (SAF), Södertelge Werkstäder (SW), Marinens Flygväsende (MFV), Nordiska Aviatikbolaget (NAB), AB Thulinverken as the Thulin C and Flygkompaniets Verkstäder Malmen (FVM). It was the first military trainer aircraft in Sweden and received the designation Sk 1 and Ö2 in the Swedish Air Force (the two types differed slightly, mainly by choice of engine). An FVM-built Sk 1 Albatros is on public display in the Swedish Air Force Museum near Linköping. The type was used until 1935. One aircraft was later sold to Finland.
Finland
NAB Albatros Type 9 (and SW 20 Albatros), Type 12 and Type 17 were among the first aircraft of the Finnish Air Force. It was in use between 1918 and 1923. There were two Type 9s, and one each of the Type 12 and 17. There was also one SW 20 Albatros, which was similar to the Type 9. The Type 12 aircraft was destroyed in the ferry flight to Finland; the remains of the aircraft were found near Eckerö, Åland. Type 12 was actually a modified Curtiss Twin JN with floats made by NAB.
Austro-Hungary
The Albatros B.II was widely used by the K.u.K; somewhat confusingly, it was assigned the designation Albatros B.I (series 21).
Variants
;B.II
:Developed from the B.I, the B.II entered production in 1914; (Company post-war designation L.2).
;B.IIa
:Strengthened airframe, particularly the tail section and Mercedes D.II or Argus As III engines with radiators moved to the leading edge of the upper centre section; (Company post-war designation L.30).
;B.II (Ph) series 23: Production of the B.I in Vienna by Phönix Flugzeug-Werke AG, for the Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Aviation Troops.
;B.II (Ph) series 24: Production of the B.I in Vienna by Phönix Flugzeug-Werke AG, for the Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Aviation Troops.