AEG C.VI

The AEG C.VI was a German two‑seat reconnaissance biplane built by the electrical‑equipment firm AEG during the final months of World War I. Developed as the last evolution of AEG’s C‑series, it followed the successful C.IV and C.V types and incorporated a number of aerodynamic and structural refinements intended to improve speed, climb rate and operational ceiling. Powered by a 260 hp Mercedes D.IVa six‑cylinder inline engine, the C.VI could reach 180 km/h and climb to 5,000 m in under ten minutes. Its wooden frame was covered with doped fabric; the wings were staggered and featured a slightly increased wingspan of 13.2 m, giving a better lift‑to‑drag ratio. The cockpit accommodated a pilot and an observer/gunner, the latter equipped with a flexible 7.92 mm Parabellum machine gun while the pilot retained a forward‑firing synchronized gun. Although only a handful of prototypes were completed before the armistice, the C.VI demonstrated AEG’s commitment to integrating more powerful engines and refined aerodynamics into its reconnaissance platform. The design influenced post‑war German civil aircraft and served as a technical bridge to the later AEG C.VII, underscoring its importance in the evolution of early military aviation.