Albatros Flugzeugwerke

Albatros Flugzeugwerke

Albatros-Flugzeugwerke was a German aircraft manufacturer best known for supplying the German airforces during World War I.

The company was based in Johannisthal, Berlin, where it was founded by Walter Huth and Otto Wiener on December 20, 1909. It produced some of the most capable fighter aircraft of World War I, notably the Albatros D.III and Albatros D.V. The works continued to operate until 1931, when it was merged into Focke-Wulf.

In 1912 five Albatros F-2 were built. This was a modified version of the French Farman III biplane (therefore the letter F) with gondola for the crew and an Argus in-line engine instead of the original Gnome rotary engine. Four of these planes were sold to Bulgaria and they took active part in the Balkan wars of 1912-1913. One of them performed on October 16, 1912 the first military mission in the skies of Europe.