Albatros flugzeugwerke

[Peter D Evans]

As Clint correctly says, we have three images of Albatros Al.101's with Sktz codes and a line up of three with civilian codes over on the LEMB here...

As an aside, were any of the Albatros types ever known by the Focke-Wulf name? The reason I ask is that we have a selection of Al.102 (B, C & D-series) listed on the D-letters/D-numbers pages of the LEMB Sktz Database and some appear to be designated Focke-Wulf Al.102 whilst others retain the Albatros name. Did the designation change after the acquisition by Focke-Wulf or just those built after 1931 (if any were indeed built after this date)?

Cheers

Peter D Evans
LEMB Administrator

[Stig Jarlevik]

Peter

At the end of WW 1 Albatros was one of the biggest (if not the biggest) aircraft producers in Germany. Hit very heavily by the cut backs it maintained a rather oversized design bureau which during the post war years produced a large number of new designs, many only built in prototype forms. During the years 1919-1932 when they were taken over (not amalgamated) by Focke Wulf they built appx 200+ aeroplanes. Verified WNr range is 10002 to 10199

Reason Focke Wulf took over the company was probably because they saw the potential in certain designs, most of all the L 101 series. I have not found a single one actually built by Albatros on the German civil register, although they must have built the prototypes, even though I lack any WNr for them.

The first verified Albatros aeroplanes (I have) built by Focke Wulf are WNr 106-107 which were model L.78s. From then on the Albatros models L.101, L.75, and L.102 became important but THE most important type was the L.101D where I have some 60 verified WNr in the old civil register (digit register). At one point the type became known as Al.101D. At least during this initial phase in the production the types were known as Focke Wulf L.101 or Focke Wulf AL 101. If Focke Wulf at a later stage "knicked" the type completely and called them Focke Wulf Fw 101 etc is something I don't KNOW, but I don't think they did since in the RLM listing for 8 type serial system, type numbers 101 to 103 are still refered to as Albatros types.

Both the model 101 and 102 seems to have been built also after the Germans switched to a civil letter register in the 1930's. Have no details though about that...

Cheers
Stig