AEG G.V

The AEG G.V was a German twin‑engine bomber introduced near the end of World War I. Developed by the electrical‑engineering firm AEG (Allgemeine Elektricitäts‑Gesellschaft), the G.V first flew in late 1917 and entered service with the Luftstreitkräfte in early 1918. It was a direct evolution of the earlier G.III and G.IV types, retaining the conventional biplane layout but incorporating a more powerful 260 hp Mercedes D.IVa engine in each nacelle, which increased top speed to about 140 km/h and raised the service ceiling to roughly 5,000 m. The aircraft featured a strengthened wooden frame, enlarged fuel capacity, and a spacious bomb bay capable of carrying up to 400 kg of ordnance. Defensive armament consisted of a pair of flexible machine‑gun positions in the nose and dorsal stations, providing a broader field of fire than its predecessors. Although only a few hundred G.Vs were built before the armistice halted production, the type demonstrated the feasibility of larger, more heavily armed twin‑engine bombers. Its design lessons influenced the interwar development of German strategic aircraft and underscored AEG’s transition from electrical equipment to aeronautical engineering, marking a noteworthy chapter in early aviation history.