what is it?
The DFW C.I biplane reconnaissance aircraft built by the Deutsche Flugzeug-Werke (DFW) during the First World War for the Imperial German Army's (Deutsches Heer) Imperial German Air Service (Fliegertruppen des deutschen Kaiserreiches). First flown in 1915, the aircraft was built in small numbers. The C.II differed from the C.I by switching the positions of the pilot and observer, placing the former in the front cockpit.
How to recognise it: 1 piston engine with propeller · 11.2 m wingspan
base stats
Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).
fun facts
- First flew 111 years ago, in 1915.
- Wingspan of 11.2 m: about 2 cars parked nose to tail.
piston: A car-like piston engine turning a propeller: simple and cheap, the classic small plane.
spec sheet
- first flight
- 1915
- number built
- 130
- role
- reconnaissance aircraft
- makers
- DFW
- engines
- 1× Benz Bz.III / Bz.III
- crew
- 3
- length
- 7.2 m
- wingspan
- 11.2 m
- height
- 3.2 m
- max take-off weight
- 1,235 kg
- top speed
- 140 km/h
- range
- 350 km
- ceiling
- 4,000 m
Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q3700377, Wikipedia: DFW C.I (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.