Austro-Hungarian Aircraft for Flying Circus?

[Aviatrissa]

I just got this awesome new book, full of the weird and sometimes less-than-wonderful aircraft of the Austro-Hungarian empire during WW1, and I was wondering if there was any appetite to add any Austro-Hungarian aircraft to Il-2 Flying Circus.  It seems like a bit of an underserved area considering the variety of aircraft they fielded across multiple fronts during the war.

[Avimimus]

There is a faction among the player base which dreams of a map running from the Gulf of Venice up the Isonzo and into the Alps.

I've actually gradually put together a short list of aircraft variants for this dream expansion (down to exact series numbers)... 🙂 It is unlikely to happen, but we still hold out hope.

[catch]

19 hours ago, Avimimus said:

There is a faction among the player base which dreams of a map running from the Gulf of Venice up the Isonzo and into the Alps.

I'm pretty sure 1C want to go there once the Korea testbed irons out the bugs with the new engine and they can do the WW1 Italian front justice. Of course, as a caveat nothing in life is certain. C’est la vie.

19 hours ago, Avimimus said:

I've actually gradually put together a short list of aircraft variants for this dream expansion (down to exact series numbers)... 🙂 It is unlikely to happen, but we still hold out hope.

Unlikely? Au contraire, I should think they are now duty bound to do it after your efforts Avi.

[Avimimus]

On 6/26/2026 at 5:12 AM, Catch said:

Unlikely? Au contraire, I should think they are now duty bound to do it after your efforts Avi.

Oh! No, mon amie, I disagree - I'm certain that if it gets made it will be due to your efforts my dear Catch! My humble efforts are miniscule compared to your boundless faith.

So, to make this work we need two Western Front modules in order to get the Nieuport N.11, Nieuport N.17, Hanriot HD.1, Spad S.VII, Spad S.XIII, and the Sopwith Camel, R.E.8, D.H.4, F.2B, any early war French two-seaters, DFW C.V, Rumpler C.IV, AEG G.IV, Fokker E.III, Ablatros D.III, Albatros D.V. Possibly the Nieuport N.27 and Roland D.II was well. This will allow us to populate most of the license produced Italian fighters and include the British intervention in late 1917 - as well as give us an early two seater.

This will allows us to focus entirely on aircraft that were unique to the front!

That is the first step in the plan!

 

 

 

 

[catch]

8 hours ago, Avimimus said:

Oh! No, mon amie, I disagree - I'm certain that if it gets made it will be due to your efforts my dear Catch! My humble efforts are miniscule compared to your boundless faith.

I think not sir. Whilst I appreciate your compliment (which I may add is a common, charming and hospitable feature of the Canadian peoples in my experience), my powers of research pale into insignificance when compared with that of your diligent investigative work and optimism in all things aviation. Why, I am often surprised in a delighted way by facts and photos unearthed by your military aviation research across all theatres of war. Yes, I wave the flag for WW1, but let's be honest, I am a mere hack dismayed by my own unimportance. One can, if one likes, call that boundless faith. Others may call it downright annoying. Posts have been removed for less. 🙂

But enough of that. I like your plan. It is a well thought out and cunning one indeed. And I think, once the community has identified all the bugs in the new engine, it may proceed with haste, and voilà, a new glorious chapter in 1C's journey back to WW1 will commence. As it should, and as it will be.

[Airborne2001]

Austria-Hungary as well as Italy and Russia tend to be pretty under-represented in WWI flying games. Austria-Hungary coming in particular would feel like a dream come true for me.

 

It's late for me so I'll make it quick for now, but some cool aircraft to consider:

Hansa-Brandenburg D.I

Aviatik (Berg) D.I

Phönix D types

Licence built Oeffag Albatros fighters

Hansa-Brandenburg C.I

Lloyd C.V

UFAG/MARE C.I

Hansa-Brandenburg G.I

 

A lot of the above aircraft had multiple variants with different engines and other changes. When I get time tomorrow I can go in more depth about them.

[Airborne2001]

Okay, here is a fighter plane list (credit to Wings of Linen for most of the photos and information):

Hansa-Brandenburg D.I 

Austria-Hungarys first domestic fighter. A bit unstable, yes, but it was the starting point for many aces. Hansa-Brandenburg aircraft featured engines of 150-160hp and a small rudder. Phönix built ones had 185hp engines and multiple fixes to improve stability, like a larger rudder.

Aviatik (Berg) D.I

The most heavily produced fighter of the dual monarchy. It was noted for its good high-altitude performance, speed, and maneuverability. This aircraft brings a plethora of variant options given that it used engines with power outputs as small at 160hp, and as big as 225hp. Early variants had wing structure issues, though these were rectified in later variants. Another option is the D.II, though this was produced in small numbers with very little combat experience due to a decision being made to license build the Fokker D.VII instead.

Phönix D.I, D.II, D.IIa

(Phönix D.I pictured)

The Phönix D types were well liked for their good speed, strong climb rate, and stability. The stability may have been a bit too much though, and there were attempts to fix it. The D.I started with a 200hp Hiero engine, the D.II followed with structural improvements to better mobility, and the D.IIa gave a 230hp Hiero engine. Another possible variant is the D.III, which was a D.IIa with ailerons on all wings. A good number were built, though they may have been just a tad bit too late to see service (sources differ). Sweden used them a lot though. The D.IV never entered production as other aircraft were preferred.

Fokker A.III

(From Their Flying Machines)

An early version of the iconic Fokker Eindecker fighter. The A.III was initially used as an unarmed scourt, however several were armed and became the Fokker E.I. This aircraft would differ from the E.III in game by having an 80hp engine, a weaker structure, and an 8mm machine gun that is not built directly into the airframe.

Albatros D.III (Oeffag)

The iconic German fighter that was perfected by Austria-Hungary. The lower wing was strengthened (the wings were also made bigger on the licensed D.II), the spinner was removed to lighten the aircraft (not done on early production versions), and it had more powerful engines (among other things). The series 253 was regarded as being one of the best fighter aircraft of the war.

----

This is it for the fighters! There was an evolution of the Fokker D.VII with a 225hp engine, though this may have not seen service. The last fighter to get a production order was the domestically produced WKF D.I, but this was a bit too late to see service. I'll do a post soon for bombers and multirole planes, and then another for naval aircraft.

[Airborne2001]

(Just like with the last post, the majority of info comes from Wings of Linen.)

Now it is time for bomers and multi-role! I would put bombers separate usually, but Austria-Hungary (technically) had only one operation bomber aircraft:

Hansa-Brandenburg C.I

This was the most important Austro-Hungarian aircraft of the first world war. Its production made up about 1/4 of total aircraft production! It was stable and reliable. From the beginning to the end of its service, it had engines ranging from 160hp to up to 250hp. Many variants of this aircraft are possible given to the wide range of modifications from many manufacturers.

Lohner B.VII/C.I

(Lohner B.VII pictured)

After a lengthy process of eight total types, Lohner created a decent recon aircraft with the Lohner B.VII, and then C.I. They were eventually replaced with the Hansa-Brandenburg C.I. Ace pilot Julius Arigi notably sank an italian ship power by steam with a B.VII. (Thanks to the Lohner B.VII Wikipedia page for that info.)

Knoller C.II

Yes, the Knoller reconnaissance aircraft were poor performers with severe stability issues. However, a Knoller C.II is one of the only surviving Austro-Hungarian aircraft left. It is on display in the Czech Republic.

Lloyd C.V

The final Lloyd C type was a decent performer, and made almost entirely of plywood. This gave it a stronger structure than facric covered airplanes, but repairs were a bit more complex than with other types. Nevertheless, it was a decent type that also gives representation to the Hungarian side of the dual monarchy.

UFAG/MARE C.I

Speaking of the Hungarian side of the dual monarchy, the UFAG C.I was one of the best C types to enter service in Austria-Hungary. It was one of two types developed from the failed Hansa-Brandenburg C.II. Later series of the aircraft were modified to be more maneuverable. A follow on UFAG C.II did not enter service in time for WWI.

Phönix C.I

The aircraft competing with the UFAG C.I after the failure of the Hansa-Brandenburg C.II. It was better at high-altitude than the UFAG design, but the other was considered to be a better performer in other areas. Nevertheless, the Phönix C.I was still a strong design.

Hansa-Brandenburg G.I

The only "fully" operation domestic bomber type of Austria-Hungary. The flawed engine lay out with heavy metal struts made the design slower, heavier, and uncomfortable to fly. Nevertheless, it was the only domestic plane of its type to receive mass production in Austria-Hungary.

----

There you have it! Now, there are plenty more planes than this. Oeffag C types, early Lloyd C types, the Aviatik (Berg) C.I, etc. The ones I linked are the most important in my opinion. For bombers, the Hansa-Brandenburg ZM prototype went through a brief operational test where it saw combat, but this was only one aircraft. The Aviatik-Mises Gr may have seen some test service, but I doubt that it saw combat and info about any service of any kind is iffy. Austria-Hungary did use Gotha G.IVs and gave them Hiero engines in place of Benz ones; this could be a possible addition. Soon I will post the last part, which is about naval aviation!

Edited July 13 by Airborne2001

[Airborne2001]

(You know the drill. Wings of Linen is the main source unless noted.)

Now for the final part, which is the naval aircraft!

Lohner L (Lohner T.I)

A pioneering multi-role flying boat aircraft. It was so well liked that it served up to the end of the war from its introduction in 1915. In fact, it was seen as good enough to be copied by the Italians with the Macchi L.1.

Mickl Oeffag G (AKA Pola G)

(Photo from ... and Info from Naval Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, and Wings of Linen)

A three-engine flying boat bomber designed by Josip Mikl (AKA Josef Mickl). It was designed under the Oeffag company, but it was built at Pola, hence the two names. While early machines were underpowered, performance improved as more powerful engines became available in the wars later years. It was originally designed with a flexible 66mm cannon for anti-ship duties. It was built in smaller numbers, yes, but it was a very unique design that could be nice to have in game.

Hansa-Brandenburg CC

(From Wikimedia)

The first flying boat fighter design of Austria-Hungary. The design notably retains the "star-strut" design of the Hansa-Brandenburg D.I. It helped to pioneer manueverable flying boat fighter designs.

Hansa-Brandenburg W.13

A strong later war design that showed how experience was helping Hansa-Brandenburg. It had long range and a good bomb load. This made it a good bomber and reconnaissance aircraft.

Phönix A

After Hansa-Brandenburg failed to get the W.18 into service because Germany liked floatplanes better, the fighter was given to Austria-Hungary for use instead. It was there that it was produced by Phönix. It was light and fast, and it helped to redeem Josip Mikl somewhat in the face of struggles with the Oeffag G.

----

Well there you have it! The last section of Austro-Hungarian aircraft that could be considered for use in game. While the land based air section of Austria-Hungary gets overlooked, the naval part sometimes has it worse. Hopefully, if Austria-Hungary ever gets introduced, these nice aircraft won't be overlooked as much.

[Avimimus]

Yes, that is pretty complete as a list - although I can think of a few others. The Hansa-Brandenburg K/FB is potentially viable - it has a smaller bomb load and lower performance than the W.13 but was still pretty capable and it entered service a bit earlier. It also had a single seat fighter conversion.

One thing I was surprised by with regard to the Italian-Austro-Hungarian Front is the number of aircraft that have:

- Surviving examples

- Factory drawings

- Flying replicas

In spite of it often being overlooked, the documentation is actually quite good in many cases (in some ways as good as, or even better than, the Western Front).

One potential gap I've found is cockpit information for the K.u.K. - I'm pretty sure that information on the cockpit of Banfield's one-off fighter survives, as does the W.13 (due to it being studied by the Americans after the war). I've yet to see anything for the Hansa-Brandenburg CC, W.18, or the FB/K. It is quite possible that drawings or photographs survive for these aircraft in an archive somewhere (or in non-English language sources). I know at least five of the Hansa-Brandenburg single seat seaplane fighters were captured by the Italians (at least one was fully intact) - but I'm not sure what information survives. Someone a few years back found Mickl Oeffag G drawings in an archive - so a lot of material might still be out there if we searched.

Edit: I've located a UFAG K cockpit photograph (so just need Hansa-Bradenburg CC or W.18 cockpit photos to turn up... or Mickl-Oeffag G...)

[Avimimus]

I think it is unlikely to happen, but there isn't really any harm - and I think it could be fun to 'theory craft' a module...

The challenge is to make it feasible...

So, some good news: A single 'Great Battles' sized map can successfully cover a significant portion of the Isonzo, as well as Venice and Trieste.

I gather that the following aircraft were not made in Italy, and campaigns could be added for them if the user had purchased the appropriate Western Front modules: Spad S.VII, Spad S.XIII, Sopwith Camel, R.E.8

Nieuport N.11, Nieuport N.17, Hanriot HD.1, and the Caudron G.IV. were license produced in Italy, so it could make sense to include Italian variants (even if they are almost identical in performance, they might differ in detail)... this would reduce development costs.

If we assume an ideal of two modules of 8 aircraft, that would mean a total of 12 additional aircraft remaining. The question is what aircraft would be part of this dozen!

This undoubtedly means some hard choices.

P.S. The Nieuport N.27 is an interesting aircraft, in that the Italian aircraft were produced in France, but they seem to have only been used by the RFC in Palestine and the USAS as a trainer. As a result, from a practical perspectives, they may as well be Italian made. That said, it appears only 100 were used.

[Avimimus]

On 7/6/2026 at 7:12 AM, Airborne2001 said:

Hansa-Brandenburg C.I

Lloyd C.V

UFAG/MARE C.I

Hansa-Brandenburg G.I

So, I've done a bit of a deep dive.

There are a lot of interesting earlier (1915/1916) types. But these are less relevant to gameplay as a practical start date is probably more like the Fall of 1916 or the start of 1917.

The Lloyd C.V had a short range, which meant it was mainly used on the Russian Front (rather than Italian). It had poor low speed handling, but was responsive. It could carry 50kg of bombs only when flown as a single-seater (compare this to the UFAG C.I and Phonix C.I which could carry 150kg of bombs and a gunner). It was fast, but not exceptionally so for a later war Austro-Hungarian type (170 km/h). Introduced in Nov 1917 and withdrawn in July 1918 (withdrawal);  Series 82 started arriving earlier in January 1917 but was not operational until August 1917.

Phonix C.I didn't become operational until March 1918.  It was also introduced in smaller numbers than the UFAG C.I.

Viable candidates for the late war:

Aviatik (Berg) C.I: was very common toward the end of the war. It becomes operational in August 1917. It was also fast (180 km/h) and agile enough that several were converted to be single-seat fighters, having a better power-to-weight ratio and lower wing loading than contemporary Pfalz or Albatross fighter made in Germany. However, I have found no evidence that it carried bombs.

UFAG C.I: September 1917 a few were in service (and may not have carried bombs). Most were made as a significantly modified design in May 1918. Heavier than the Aviatik (Berg) C.I, but with a slightly superior power to weight ratio. Later versions carried 150kg of bombs.

Hansa-Brandenburg C.I: Some later series were substantially redesigned and achieved higher performance. Notably the s.69 (January 1917), s.369 (August 1917), with an even later war type being the s.429 (June 1918). These types achieved about 170-175 km/h, dropping to 160 km/h for the s.429. Although the 29.5 of September 1916 would be the first priority.

 

[Airborne2001]

5 hours ago, Avimimus said:

So, I've done a bit of a deep dive.

There are a lot of interesting earlier (1915/1916) types. But these are less relevant to gameplay as a practical start date is probably more like the Fall of 1916 or the start of 1917.

The Lloyd C.V had a short range, which meant it was mainly used on the Russian Front (rather than Italian). It had poor low speed handling, but was responsive. It could carry 50kg of bombs only when flown as a single-seater (compare this to the UFAG C.I and Phonix C.I which could carry 150kg of bombs and a gunner). It was fast, but not exceptionally so for a later war Austro-Hungarian type (170 km/h). Introduced in Nov 1917 and withdrawn in July 1918 (withdrawal);  Series 82 started arriving earlier in January 1917 but was not operational until August 1917.

Phonix C.I didn't become operational until March 1918.  It was also introduced in smaller numbers than the UFAG C.I.

Viable candidates for the late war:

Aviatik (Berg) C.I: was very common toward the end of the war. It becomes operational in August 1917. It was also fast (180 km/h) and agile enough that several were converted to be single-seat fighters, having a better power-to-weight ratio and lower wing loading than contemporary Pfalz or Albatross fighter made in Germany. However, I have found no evidence that it carried bombs.

UFAG C.I: September 1917 a few were in service (and may not have carried bombs). Most were made as a significantly modified design in May 1918. Heavier than the Aviatik (Berg) C.I, but with a slightly superior power to weight ratio. Later versions carried 150kg of bombs.

Hansa-Brandenburg C.I: Some later series were substantially redesigned and achieved higher performance. Notably the s.69 (January 1917), s.369 (August 1917), with an even later war type being the s.429 (June 1918). These types achieved about 170-175 km/h, dropping to 160 km/h for the s.429. Although the 29.5 of September 1916 would be the first priority.

I think these are good choices! The Hansa-Brandenburg C.I is an absolute must because it was the most important aircraft of the dual monarchy. It, just like the Aviatik Berg D.I, have a whole host of variant options. The UFAG C.I I think is important because it was (arguably) the best two-seat multirole plane in Austria-Hungary, and after the competition with the Phönix C.I it was judged as a better plane. I was not aware of a single seat conversion of the Aviatik Berg C.I! I don't know if I find the C.I all that necessary because of the D.I, but it was still used a bit. The main early one I would still want is the Lohner B.VII/C.I because of how it managed to stay viable at least until early 1917, especially because it sank a ship. The Lloyd C.V is very much a maybe, but I could be okay with or without it. With that, I generally agree with what you've given. 🙂

[kraut1]

1 hour ago, Airborne2001 said:

I think these are good choices! The Hansa-Brandenburg C.I is an absolute must because it was the most important aircraft of the dual monarchy. It, just like the Aviatik Berg D.I, have a whole host of variant options. The UFAG C.I I think is important because it was (arguably) the best two-seat multirole plane in Austria-Hungary, and after the competition with the Phönix C.I it was judged as a better plane. I was not aware of a single seat conversion of the Aviatik Berg C.I! I don't know if I find the C.I all that necessary because of the D.I, but it was still used a bit. The main early one I would still want is the Lohner B.VII/C.I because of how it managed to stay viable at least until early 1917, especially because it sank a ship. The Lloyd C.V is very much a maybe, but I could be okay with or without it. With that, I generally agree with what you've given. 🙂

Interesting idea, Austro-Hungarian planes could maybe used with the Romanian 1917 front mod + the EMG mod for mission generation.

Discussion and Developement:

Mod:

 

[Airborne2001]

5 hours ago, kraut1 said:

Interesting idea, Austro-Hungarian planes could maybe used with the Romanian 1917 front mod + the EMG mod for mission generation.

Discussion and Developement:

Mod:

 

This is really awesome! We already have a nice launchpoint for Austria-Hungary. A-H actually invested in Odessa by (more or less) taking over the Anatra aviation company during occupation, so this could open the door for Russian aircraft too.

[Avimimus]

One thing to consider is the limited number of available slots. For instance, it would take two modules (3-4 years of development) to produce the following... and that is assuming that the Western Front planeset is already complete (for aircraft like the s.VII, s.XIII, an early French designed two-seater, Sopwith Camel, R.E.8, Fokker E.III/A.III etc.).

Anyway, here is an attempt at a balanced plane-list for Oct-1916 to 1918... feedback welcome.

 

Italy:

Nieuport N.11 (ita)

Nieuport N.17 (ita)

Hanriot H.D.1 (ita)

Ansaldo S.V.A.5

SAML S.1

Caproni Ca.3 450hp

Macchi L.3/M.3

Macchi M.5 160hp

AI: MF.11

AI: Possibly also Caproni Ca.1 300hp or Ca.2 350hp

Collector: Caproni Ca.42 triplane bomber or Nieuport N.27 or Pomilio PD/PE or Macchi L.1?

 

 

Austria-Hungary:

Hansa-Brandenburg D.I s.28

Aviatik (Berg) D.I s.138

Oeffag s.153

Phönix D.I

Hansa-Brandenburg C.I s.29

UFAG C.I

UFAG K (Hansa-Brandenburg FB) pre-K233 (i.e. with Austro-Daimler and/or Rapp engine) or W.13

Hansa-Brandenburg CC or W.18 (possibly AI if cockpit references can't be found).

Collector: Oeffag s.253 or Aviatik (Berg) D.II or Phönix D.IIa

Collector: Aviatik (Berg) C.I s.137 185hp/200hp/single-seat

 

Aircraft in theatre built and/or operated by other powers.

Spoiler

Spad s.VII

Spad s.XIII

Spad s.XI

License produced Maurice-Farman M.F.11 (ita) or Caudron G.IV (ita) or Voisin III

Sopwith Camel

R.E.8

Bristol F.2B; Airco D.H.4 and D.H.9; Sopwith 1A2 (French "1 and 1/2 Strutter")

Fokker D.VII

Fokker E.III redesignated as Fokker A.III

(There was also a raid by Pfalz A.II/Morane-Saulnier L painted in Austro-Hungarian markings - but these aircraft were German ad it only happened once)

 

Arranged by date with more details:

Spoiler

Italy:

-1916 fall-

Nieuport N.11 (ita): August 1916. License produced.

Caproni Ca.2: Small number in 1916 (improved type in June 1917). Three engine bomber. Used in large numbers.

Macchi L.3/M.3: 1916. Two seat seaplane patrol and bombing aircraft. Options for cannons.

-1917 early-

Nieuport N.17 (ita): January 1917. License produced.

-1917 summer-

Pomilio DE or PE: June 1917. Fast two-seater (185-195 km/h).

Macchi M.5: July 1917. Single seat seaplane fighter.

-1917 fall-

Hanriot H.D.1 (ita): August 1917. License produced. Most popular Italian fighter.

-1918-

Ansaldo S.V.A.5: February 1918. Single seat high speed Interceptor/Reconnaissance-Bomber. 230 km/h!

? Collector: Nieuport N.27 or Caproni Ca.42 triplane bomber?

 

Austria-Hungary:

-1916 fall-

Hansa-Brandenburg C.I s.29: September 1916 (s.29). Two-seater. Also flown as a single seat interceptor and as a bomber.

UFAG K (Hansa-Brandenburg FB): October 1916. Two or three seat seaplane bomber. Single-seat fighter conversions existed (although I need to confirm if this is more than K184).

-1917 early-

? Hansa-Brandenburg W.18 or CC: Early 1917 single-seat seaplane fighter (if cockpit references could be found).

Hansa-Brandenburg D.I s.28: January 1917. Fighter. Relatively fast but difficult to fly.

-1917 summer-

Oeffag s.153: July 1917. Albatross derived fighter. Faster and more strongly built than German variants.

-1917 fall-

Aviatik (Berg) D.I s.138: October 1917. Fighter. Light weight with an exceptional power-to-weight ratio.

Phönix D.I: October 1917. Fighter. Good stall characteristics. Some fitted with bombs.

Later war two seater: Either the UFAG C.I (Sept 1917 or May 1918 for improved) or Hansa-Brandenburg C.I (s.69/s.369; January/August 1917)?

-1918-

Collector: Oeffag s.253 or Aviatik (Berg) D.II fighters of 1918 or Phönix D.IIa

? Collector: Aviatik (Berg) C.I  s.137 185hp agile two seater of 1917 and its single-seat fighter conversion?

 

From the above list there are some areas which could do with more feedback and research:

Spoiler

- Only one variant of each Austro-Hungarian fighter is present (so aircraft like the Oeffag s.253, s.53 or Aviatik/Berg D.II would be possible Collector Planes).

- Italy is missing a two seater from Oct 1916 to Oct 1917. The S.P.A.2 or S.P.A.3 come time mind, but it might be best to use a Farman/Voisin or even Caudron G.IV (operated in smaller numbers in Italy than the other types), as these could also be used in France.

- Another significant type is the S.A.M.L S.2 which acted as a two-seat fighter before being replaced by the Pomilio PE/PD. It had a top speed of 151 km/h (or slightly higher in the cropped wing version).

- Nieuport N.27 is missing, although only 100 were used (a possible Collector Plane)? The Ca.42 is missing (possible collector plane)?

- I prioritised the Ca.2 because it was numerous and significant in earlier battles as well as later ones, but the up-engined 450hp Ca.3 might have more interesting field mods (pending further research). The Ca.5 arrived too late to be significant.

- The Ansaldo Baby was used by only a few units operationally while waiting for the Macchi M.5 to enter service. It might be an interesting option though, especially if the Sopwith Baby was already modelled as an anti-submarine and patrol fighter for a Channel Map. 

- Austria-Hungary is missing a late war two-seater (viable options are a later production Hansa-Brandenburg C.I, or the UFAG C.I). The other option for a later war two-seater is the Aviatik (Berg) C.I which was much lighter than the other two-seaters and had field modifications that actually converted into a competitive single seat fighter - however, it lacked bombs.

- There is no single seat seaplane fighter for Austria Hungary except for a field-modification of the UFAG K. An alternative would be to include the Hansa-Brandenburg W.18/CC (pending discovery of cockpit references). Additionally, the Hansa-Brandenburg W.13 carried twice the bombload of the UFAG K (making it a somewhat more powerful bomber - but it was also a later design which makes it less relevant to the campaign).

Note: With the UFAG K there is a nice tempo over the Adriatic, with the the UFAG K being potentially slightly superior to the Macchi L.3, but the L.3 having cannons, and then later having the UFAG K is augmented by the Hansa-Brandenburg CC/W.18, which is in turn matched by the Macchi M.5 (whereas with the W.13, the Macchi M.5 is already entering service and the W.13 is quickly 'on the back foot'). The Oeffag G (with its 66mm broadside cannon) would be hilarious, but would only make sense as a collector plane if sufficient materials survive.

 

[Avimimus]

One of the challenges of exploring Austro-Hungarian aircraft is not the lack of documentation, but a major source of complexity:

- When a promising type was identified its production was often split between three to seven different production lines! These production lines sometimes introduced their own modifications. This is actually somewhat simplified in practice, because a bunch of air units actually had their own workshops where they would retrofit their aircraft to be more standardised.

- Because build quality varied greatly between these production lines and some producers didn't understand why certain modifications were unwise (e.g. strengthening rear spars or using thinner formers) the structural validation period between production and acceptance into services was sometimes five months or longer. Furthermore, sometimes aircraft from some producers would be grounded for modification. As a result the number ordered, number produced, and date of production often has little relationship to the date a type became operational or the number which were in use at the front.

- Austria-Hungary had the best engines of the Central-Powers (considerably better than German ones). However, they never had enough of them. As a result, the same airframes were often produced with three or more different types of engines. This means that an airframe might carry a 200hp high performance engine in its initial series, but also be ordered with 160hp engines for its second production series, and then be augmented with a lower power-to-weight ratio 230hp engine...

This means that an awareness of the series matters - as it determines the engine (usually) and the manufacturer and service dates!

Rationales for the series selected:

Fighters:

Hansa-Brandenburg D.I s.28: The s.28 was by far the most successful 'star-strutter' variant, with almost all kills being made with this production series (65 out of 68)! It had higher speed and less structural issues - especially after the Arigi tailplane field modifications was refitted to all of the aircraft by May 1917. The 65.7 appears in November 1916, 65.5 appears in December 1916, and the s.28 appears in January 1917... so going with the improved type only loses a month or so. The s.28 had better visibility, safer landing characteristics, and also has an option for a synchronised gun.

Aviatik (Berg) D.I s.138: Several Aviatik series were relegated to training aircraft due to lack of access to enough powerful engines (including the two surviving airframes). As a result, the most promising series are s.38 and s.138. In July 1918 both types received a modification with smaller chord wings and seem to have also received similar upgrades over time (differing mainly in the engine used). Some also received field modifications to strengthen and shorten the lower wing in June 1918. The s.38 appears in small number by May 1917 and the s.138 appears by October 1917.  It appears the s.38 equipped five squadrons while the s.138 equipped ten squadrons (with many other squadrons receiving a single example for testing). Given how the Austrio-Hungarian airforce begins to become increasingly out-numbered and higher speed allied types are appearing, I suspect picking whichever series has higher performance might not go amiss, the decision also depends on whether one wants the Aviatik D.I to appear in small numbers at the same time as the Oeffag s.153 Albatros - or to appear as an alternative and potential upgrade which changes the air combat dynamics three months after the introduction of the Albatros.

Oeffag s.153 Albatros: The s.53 was meant as an interim type using slightly enlarged D.II style wings and entering service in May 1917 and withdrawn by the end of 1917. The s.153 arrived at the front in June 1917, so only a month is lost, and the s.153 was much more numerous and more successful. The s.253 was even faster, but this makes it a good candidate as a Collector Plane, and its late introduction (May 1918) means that it isn't essential for representing the Albatros in the campaign, whereas the s.153 is essential.

Phönix D.I: Unusually for Austro-Hungarian aircraft the Phönix didn't have as much variation, with the three series being very similar. The D.II arrived later and had a slightly greater power-to-weight ratio due to lightening of the fuselage structure. However, the growth in performance isn't that noticeable - so it might make sense to put the effort into another aircraft type (e.g. the Aviatik Berg D.II which served in very small numbers at the end of the war but could match the Spad in speed). While offering only a barely detectable increase in speed, the Phönix D.IIa was available from June 1918, with about 40 aircraft spread across ten units to make use of its high rate of climb to intercept reconnaissance aircraft.

Hansa-Brandenburg CC vs. Hansa-Brandenburg W.18: The Austro-Hungarian variant of the CC was high performance and entered service a bit earlier than the W.18. However, the choice likely comes down to whichever aircraft has surviving cockpit documentation.

Two seaters (Note: At least half of these had single-seat fighter field modifications):

Hansa-Brandenburg C.I s.29.5: Over 1200 Hansa-Brandenburg C.I were produced (spread over 26 production series). The s.29.5 is desirable because it was in service early enough to allow the campaign to start in the fall of 1916, but has enough performance to stand at least some chance at self defence against the Nieuport fighters that Italy is fielding and some chance of intercepting the Caproni bombers (as it was flown as a single-seat fighter to augment the Hansa-Brandenburg D.I). The s.29.5 also has the 'universal fuselage' allowing to be used for photo-reconnaissance, radio spotting, or bombing (earlier production series were more specialised). Finally, it has field modifications for strafing, and at least three different defensive turret options, and two or three different options for forward firepower.

UFAG C.I: s.161.01 (March 1918), s.161.31 (enlarged wing and elevator, May 1918), s.161.91 (smaller tailfin with unbalanced rudder). Here the balance is between giving the Austro-Hungarians a higher performance two-seater earlier or representing a more numerous version. It seems the differences may be small enough to make it feasible to model both. In reality, the Hansa-Brandenburg C.I remained in large numbers (with later version having only a 10-15 km/h speed increase over the s.29 and somewhat greater agility) - so it is realistic for the Hansa-Brandenburg C.I to still be present well into 1918. The UFAG C.I is a better choice than the Phönix C.I due to it being much more numerous. The only other reasonable alternative is a late war night bomber Hansa-Brandenburg C.I variant (e.g. s.169/s.369).

Aviatik C.I s.137: Most other series had manufacturing issues or arrived too late to see much use. The likely options, s.37 and s.137, differed in the engine they equipped (185hp vs. 200hp Daimler), although many s.137 ended up receiving the 185hp engine as well. Grounded initially for structural improvements it arrives in August 1917. In July 1918 the remaining aircraft at the front line were converted to single-seat fighters (in which role they has similar performance to contemporary German fighters). Both variants followed this timeline. Both served with over a dozen units. Neither variant carried bombs. This is one case where engine variants might be desirable, but a 185hp Daimler equipped s.137 is probably a good choice.

UFAG K / Hansa-Brandenburg FB: K233 onward (August 1918) had a new tailplane and a more powerful engine. However, it is desirable to model an earlier example to allow use from 1916 onward (Indeed, if a late war flying boat is desired, the W.13 is a better representative). K222 is also well documented. It is a January 1917 variant which had a 160-hp Austro-Daimler (165hp and 185hp engines by this manufacturer were used). If a variant representing the Fall of 1916 is desired than a 175hp Rapp engine variation would be needed. Note: This is also more representative of the flying boats the Macchi L.3 would have faced by late 1916 than the Lohner boats (which were obsolete by that time). The Hansa-Brandenburg W.13 is desirable as a bomber aircraft (being the most numerous bomber used by Austria-Hungary to carry over 200kg of bombs), but it arrived relatively late.

 

[Avimimus]

Ca.2/Ca.3 is a challenge to sort out due to the designation changes and I've been unable to clarify exactly when the 300 hp, 350hp, and 450hp variants appeared in significant numbers at the front. I can't really make sense of it (assistance is welcome).

*edit* I did some more digging and the following appears to be the case:

Ca.2 350hp appears in very small numbers by July 1916 (to supplement large numbers of Ca.1), by the end of end of 1916 there are about 40 Ca.2...
Ca.3 450hp appears in June 1917 and raids quickly scale up in size, with the Ca.2 gradually withdrawn...

So we'd probably want both to be included... which uses up one more slot! I'm not sure what to remove, suggestions?

 

Another puzzle relates to the use of a single-seat seaplane fighters by Austria-Hungary, and their cockpit layouts:

At least two were captured intact during the war by the Italians and others were inspected postwar (at least two were sent to the U.S. Navy for study), factory drawings appear to exist, and overall the K.u.K. itself seems to have taken a lot of photographs during the war... so I'd give it about fifty percent that a cockpit reference exists. However, I've yet to track down any photograph looking directly into the cockpit of the Hansa-Brandenburg CC or the Hansa-Brandenburg W.18.

Apparently some drawings exist at the central archives building – Nottendorfer Gasse Archives in Vienna... anyone want to go take a look?

[Airborne2001]

On 7/29/2026 at 9:28 AM, Avimimus said:

<snip>

On 7/31/2026 at 12:23 PM, Avimimus said:

<snip>

This is really great! I agree with this list. In terms of the release module, I would probably swap the Ca.2 and Ca.3 just because the latter is more well known, although the Ca.2 does give us that 1916 bomber aircraft. One aircraft that was modified by Austria-Hungary for domestic use was the Gotha G.IV, which used Hiero 6 engines while in service under the dual monarchy. For the Phönix D.II, you could do the D.IIa which upgraded to a Hiero 6 engine which allow for a more noticeable difference in designs.

For collectors, I still think that the Hansa-Brandenburg G.I would be good as it was Austria-Hungarys only truly operational bomber, even if it was only built it smaller numbers. A possible collector plane for Italy could be the Ansaldo A.1 Balilla, which was Italys only domesticly built fighter that reached operational service, though it was still used in smaller numbers. Other collector planes are still good too, but maybe after these ones. (I do have a soft spot for the Aviatik Berg D.II though.)

[Avimimus]

8 hours ago, Airborne2001 said:

This is really great! I agree with this list. In terms of the release module, I would probably swap the Ca.2 and Ca.3 just because the latter is more well known, although the Ca.2 does give us that 1916 bomber aircraft. One aircraft that was modified by Austria-Hungary for domestic use was the Gotha G.IV, which used Hiero 6 engines while in service under the dual monarchy. For the Phönix D.II, you could do the D.IIa which upgraded to a Hiero 6 engine which allow for a more noticeable difference in designs.

For collectors, I still think that the Hansa-Brandenburg G.I would be good as it was Austria-Hungarys only truly operational bomber, even if it was only built it smaller numbers. A possible collector plane for Italy could be the Ansaldo A.1 Balilla, which was Italys only domesticly built fighter that reached operational service, though it was still used in smaller numbers. Other collector planes are still good too, but maybe after these ones. (I do have a soft spot for the Aviatik Berg D.II though.)

Thanks for the input! It allows me to dig deeper.

1) Austro-Hungarian Bombers

The Hansa-Brandenburg G.I initially consisted of 12 airworthy examples, conducting one massed raid, and carried a mere 160-300kg of bombs. That said, as many as thirty were pulled out of storage and pressed into use for the battle of the Piave in 1918. Compare this to the numerous:

- UFAG K which carried 200kg of bombs (74 built).

- The W.13 which carried 400kg of bombs (83 delivered).

- The Hansa-Brandenburg C.I s.169 (and other late-war night bomber variants) which could carry 200-250kg of bombs each (several hundred).

All of these were used in large numbers and were used in some of the largest Austro-Hungarian bombing raids. So my instinct would be to use the space for either a Hansa-Brandenburg W.13 or a late war Hansa-Brandenburg C.I s.169/s.369 if a larger bombload was desired. These aircraft were also operational earlier than the Gothas.

2) Phönix D.IIa: Only 48 built (only 4/5th receiving the 230hp engine), and reaching units at the end of May 1918, does limit its relevance. However, it appears that the 48 aircraft were spread over ten units (eleven if we include photo-reconnaissance trials), presumably to make use of the high rate of climb to intercept high flying aircraft. I will add this to the list of possible Collector Aircraft.

3) Ansaldo A.1 Balilla only arrived in October 1918 and only as aircraft for evaluation, being considered unready for combat. Four were used by 70a Squadriglia, achieving one kill. As a result, it is tempting to focus attention on higher priorities:

- The S.V.A.5 already provides that for Italy and it would be tempting to give Austria-Hungary the Aviatik D.II and Oeffag s.253...

- The Savoia-Pomilio SP.2/SP.3 would be a much higher priority from a historical accuracy perspective for both the campaign and representing Italian aircraft.

4) Ca.2 350hp vs. Ca.3 450 hp: With the exception of some structural strengthening these aircraft are extremely similar, except for the type of engine mounted in the tail booms. They also were not that different in performance. 

For instance, performance differences in speed were modest:
115-127.5 km/h (Ca.1 300 hp)
129-133.5 km/h (Ca.2 350 hp)
135 km/h (Ca.3 450hp)

It appears that the performance gains were mainly in rate of climb, especially when fully loaded. While the increase in maximum bombload is listed as only 10%-15% (450kg to 500kg between the Ca.2 and Ca.3), I suspect the increase in practical bomb load was greater between the variants as a result.

Given the similarity of these aircraft, the Ca.2 350hp is desirable as it would be present from the start of the campaign (in the fall of 1916 or start of 1917) and would give something for the fighter conversions of the Hansa-Brandenburg C.I and Hansa-Brandenburg D.I to intercept (ideally with at least one of the following to add variety: M.F.11, Voisin III, Caudron G.IV, or SP.3.)

Please continue to provide feedback or supply questions for further research!

[Avimimus]

In terms of progress regarding cockpit references for single-seat seaplane fighters... This photo shows the top of the seat, the frame structure, and some other details of A15 (an early series Hansa-Brandenburg CC):

It isn't enough, but it is getting a bit closer to viability.

Of course, this probably doesn't really matter, as the creation of such a module is a distant dream over the horizon - but it would still be nice to know it is possible!

The fact that the Isonzo map being extended a reasonable distance to the south could see the Macchi L.3 fighting the UFAG K (or W.13) two-seat flying boats... and the Macchi M.5 and Hansa-Brandenburg CC (or W.18) single-seat seaplane fighters escorting them... creates a very elegant and intriguing vision. The fight between the canal-city of Venice and Trieste would also make a very interesting contrast with the rugged mountain airfields and climb-rate favouring fights over the Isonzo valley further north.

In addition to patrol duty, the single-seat seaplane fighters were intended to compensate for the lack of rear gunners on Austro-Hungarian two-seat flying boats (making their addition somewhat 'necessary').

There were three main variants:
- CC early (wing bracing added eventually to increase roll rate, 160-180-200hp)
- CC late (outer wing bracing, new cockpit with two guns, fuselage redesigned for increased length and buoyancy, 200hp)
- W.18 (new wing with larger area to increase agility and improve landing, conventional struts, 200-230hp)

While this represents a succession of design improvements, all types (except the W.23) were roughly contemporary:
The early CC was ordered in October 1916
The Late CC was ordered in November 1916
The W.18 was ordered in December 1916

The Phönix D.I, operated from land bases, would eventually supplant these seaplane fighters in K.u.K. naval service during 1918.

[Airborne2001]

Just now, Avimimus said:

<snip>

Okay I do see these arguments. The Hansa-Brandenburg G.I is really just important in that it was the only fully operational "heavy bomber" of Austria-Hungary, though I was not aware that its bomb load started to be surpassed by smaller single engine designs! Perhaps that Hiero 6 powered Gothas could become a form of modification. I agree though that the Oeffag Albatros D.III S.253 should get priority as a collector plane alongside the Aviatik Berg D.II. Both of them were in the "top tier" of Austro-Hungarian fighter aviation during WWI, so they would attract attentino.

[catch]

21 hours ago, Avimimus said:

Of course, this probably doesn't really matter, as the creation of such a module is a distant dream over the horizon

Dream! Chin up old thing. Korea is just a stepping stone. A test bed for what really matters. A pathway for the purists.  You can have your whiny jets but give me a Macchi M.5 over the Adriatic Sea .... and the rest will follow in due course. Flight will rise again.

[Avimimus]

9 hours ago, Airborne2001 said:

Okay I do see these arguments. The Hansa-Brandenburg G.I is really just important in that it was the only fully operational "heavy bomber" of Austria-Hungary, though I was not aware that its bomb load started to be surpassed by smaller single engine designs! Perhaps that Hiero 6 powered Gothas could become a form of modification. I agree though that the Oeffag Albatros D.III S.253 should get priority as a collector plane alongside the Aviatik Berg D.II. Both of them were in the "top tier" of Austro-Hungarian fighter aviation during WWI, so they would attract attentino.

Some more calculations:

Combined bomb load across the entire fleet:
Hansa-Brandenburg G.1 = 2 tons realistic (9 tons at its most optimistic)
Gotha G.IV = <20 tons
Hansa-Brandenburg FB/UFAG K = less than 15 tons
Hansa-Brandenburg W.13 = 33 tons
Hansa-Brandenburg C.I = >80 tons (see calculation)

Note: Hansa-Brandenburg C.I varied in bombload - some early examples couldn't carry bombs, others only carried 60kg or 90kg some were as high as 250kg... if we treat 90kg as the average, remove four hundred aircraft as not carrying bombs or being used as trainers... then we'd still get >81 tons. This is also a relatively conservative calculation. If we were to calculate another two seater, the UFAG C.I, the same way I calculated the bombers, its combined bombload of s.161 alone is over 40 tons. 

The Gotha G.IV's only arrived in March-April 1918, had engine mounting issues, and 17 were lost due to non-combat accidents (out of the original order of 40). They also had very bad handling characteristics. I haven't factored this attrition into the bombload calculation (which would reduce the Gothas' combined bombload to 8 tons) primarily because I haven't assessed the attrition rate of the Flying Boat bombers.

If we consider when they first entered service:
Hansa-Brandenburg C.I = >24 months
Hansa-Brandenburg FB/UFAG K = 24 months
Hansa-Brandenburg W.13 = 19 months
Gotha G.IV = 7 months

Because the Hansa-Brandenburg G.I spent much of its career in storage, it didn't actually have more operational time at the front than the Gotha G.IV. So, if we consider the amount of time available for bombing, and the bombloads per sortie... then the two-seat seaplanes and two-seat land-planes were even more important.

[Airborne2001]

9 hours ago, Avimimus said:

<snip>

Nice info! So this settles it then, the G.I should generally be avoided in favor of other lighter bomber designs (both naval and land-based). Perhaps it could be a collector for a much later date, but with the other planes we might be good by that point.