The Taube was designed by Igor Etrich and was first flown in 1910. It rapidly became the standard military plane of Germany and its allies and was ultimately produced by as many as 50 different manufacturers in hundreds of variations.
The resemblance to a bird is co-incidental. The plane was controlled by warping of the wings and the fan shaped structures at the tail and wing tips provided better control of the plane in flight. The plane was extremely stable but slow.
A Taube was used in the first recorded aerial bombardment during the Italo-Turkish War in 1911. It continued in use as a bomber, fighter, and reconnaissance plane until replaced by faster and more maneuverable planes in 1915.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Country of Manufacture | Germany |
| First Year of Service | 1911 |
| Wing Span | 45.8 ft | 14.3 m |
| Length | 33.5 ft | 9.9 m |
| Height | 10.5 ft | 3.2 m |
| Weight | 1200 lbs | 850 kg |
| Engine | 6 cylinder, water cooled, inline engine, 99hp |
| Top Speed | 60 mph | 100 km/h |
| Range | 86 miles | 140 km |
| Armament | None |
| Crew | 2 |