Siemens-Schuckert Werke GmbH

There was a Abteilung Flugzeugbau (Department of Aircraft) of Siemens-Schuckert Works, a giant electricity generating firm, in Siemensstadt (Siemens City) near Berlin. Franz and Bruno Steffen were designers starting in late 1914.

The company began building large non-rigid airships in 1907, followed by aeroplanes from 1909-1911, when work stopped due to a death in a flying accident. Aircraft Department reopened September 1914, creating a series of Steffen-designed Rissenflugzeug (giant aircraft) from May 1915; the R8, which had six 300hp Basse and Selve engines in fuselage with shafting to tractor and pusher propellers, was the largest aircraft of 1918; no indication that these were other than prototypes. Production aircraft from October 1915 included Type D and E monoplane fighters; output was modest and included the E1, 1915 (20 built); D1, 1916 (95 delivered); and the D4, 1918, a fast-climbing interceptor with 160hp Siemens-Halske motor (120 built). This work stopped at WWI Armistice.

Sources

• Gunston, 1993, p278
• Gunston, 2005, p425
• SD260

Names	Siemens-Schuckert Werke GmbH (SSW), Abteilung Flugzeugbau
Country	Germany
City	Siemensstadt (Siemens City) near Berlin
Affiliations
Keywords
Started aero	1909
Ended aero	1918
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