A.E.G B. I and C. I
Model Airplane News Cover Art for July, 1966
by Jo Kotula
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A.E.G (Allgemeine Elektrizitäts Gesellschaft -"General Electricity Company") manufactured a number of airplanes that saw service for Germany during World War I.

  

A.E.G B. I

  

A.E.G C. I
Look for the Radiator "Horn"
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Their designs were ultra-conventional -- an equal span biplane with double bays and parallel struts. The water-cooled in-line engine put out 160 horsepower - and was mounted in the extreme forward portion of the fuselage with the distinct radiator "horn" protruding the top. The most certain way to spot an A.e.G. plane is to look for the radiator horn) Most planes had a crew of two - a pilot and an observer/gunner. The pilot had access to a single machine gun synchronized to fire through the propeller blades . The observer had a machine gun on a ring mount.

The "B" type was primarily assigned reconnaissance duty from 1915 onwards. It was supplanted in 1916 by the "C" series which mostly did reconnaissance but could also be used as though it a bomber escort. Performance was good for the time with a top speed of 98 miles per hour and service ceiling of 16,400 feet. Endurance from the Mercedes engine was reported to be roughly 3 hours of flight time. The "C" models were in service at the end of the war. The C series represented one of AEG's most successful wartime ventures with production exceeding some estimated 658 examples.

Beyond service to Imperial Germany, the "C" series was also used by Turkey, Bulgaria and Poland.

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