Taube

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

 


Notes:
Technical Notes:
Made with Autodesk 3D Studio Max - Airplane not including background, 41662 vertices, 50802 faces - All aircraft insignia are modeled as part of the mesh.
Historical Notes:
The instruments in the cockpit are conjecture.
References:
http://www.theaerodrome.com/aircraft/germany/taube.php
http://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/rumpler-taube-dove-reproduction
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etrich_Taube