AEG PE

The AEG PE was a pioneering German reconnaissance and light‑attack aircraft developed by the electrical‑engineering firm AEG in the closing years of World War I. Initiated in 1917 as part of the company's effort to diversify beyond its successful G‑type bombers, the PE (short for Projekt‑Eindecker) first flew in March 1918 under the direction of chief designer Karl Schmitt. Its airframe combined a conventional biplane layout with a streamlined wooden fuselage reinforced by metal bracing, a novel approach for AEG which had previously relied on all‑metal structures. Powered by a 160 hp Mercedes D.IIIa inline engine, the PE achieved a top speed of 180 km/h and a service ceiling of 5,500 m, while carrying a modest payload of two forward‑firing LMG 08/15 machine guns and a single observer’s flexibly mounted gun. The aircraft also featured a removable camera mount, making it valuable for photographic reconnaissance. Although only twelve units were produced before the Armistice halted further manufacture, the PE demonstrated the practicality of mixed‑material construction and contributed to post‑war German aeronautical research. Its influence can be seen in later interwar designs such as the Heinkel He 70, which adopted similar aerodynamic principles and engine installations.