Description
In 1916 Germany placed orders with several companies for special fighters with floats. It was needed to protect naval bases along the Flanders Coast. Starting with the plane no.1484, which conducted its first flight in July 1917, all W.4s were equipped with four ailerons and wing-mounted radiator, and the struts between the fuselage and floats were slightly shortened. Maneuverability of the late version was better, but in spite of these advantages, W.4 did not continue its military service. At the end of 1917, their success proved that two-seater fighters were the most suitable for naval service. In total, 118 Albatros W.4 were built; Austria-Hungary purchased eight of them, and the last lot of 20 was never dispatched to combat units. In August 1918 only nine W.4’s were used for military service (four on the North Sea and five in Turkey); all others were either at training stations or under repair.
