AGO C.II

The AGO C.II was a German two‑seat reconnaissance biplane built by AGO Flugzeugwerke during the later stages of World War I. First flown in early 1918, it was intended to replace the earlier AGO C.I and to provide improved performance for army observation and artillery‑spotting duties. The aircraft featured a conventional wood‑and‑fabric biplane layout with staggered wings, a fixed tail‑wheel undercarriage and an open cockpit for the pilot and observer. Powered by a 200 hp Benz Bz.IV six‑cylinder water‑cooled engine, the C.II could reach a top speed of about 170 km/h (106 mph) and had an operational ceiling of 5,500 m. Its armament consisted of a forward‑firing LMG 08/15 Spandau machine gun synchronized to fire through the propeller and a flexible Parabellum gun on a ring mount for the observer. Though only a limited number were produced before the armistice, the C.II demonstrated noteworthy advances in power‑to‑weight ratio and photographic equipment integration, influencing post‑war German and foreign designs. Its brief service highlighted the transition from early war observation platforms to more capable, fast‑reconnaissance aircraft that foreshadowed the modern tactical reconnaissance role. The aircraft's sturdy construction also allowed it to operate from rough forward airfields, a valuable trait in the fluid trench warfare of 1918.

AGO Flugzeugwerke

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Design & Classification