Gotha WD.1

The Gotha WD.1 was a German two‑seat biplane floatplane designed and built by the Gothaer Waggonfabrik in the early 1910s. First flown in 1914, it was intended for naval reconnaissance and training duties for the Imperial German Navy. The aircraft featured a conventional wood‑frame fuselage covered with fabric, a 120‑horsepower Mercedes D.II inline engine mounted in the nose, and twin wooden floats that gave it good stability on water. Its unequal‑span biplane wings were braced with struts and wires, providing ample lift at low speeds, while the open cockpit placed the pilot and observer side by side for effective communication. The WD.1's simple yet robust construction made it reliable in the harsh North Sea environment, and it served as a development platform for later Gotha seaplanes such as the WD.2 and the larger WD.5. Although only a handful were produced, the type demonstrated the practicality of float‑borne aircraft for maritime patrol and helped establish Gotha’s reputation as an innovative aircraft manufacturer during World War I. Its influence extended beyond the war, inspiring post‑war civil seaplane designs and confirming the viability of amphibious operations that later aircraft such as the Dornier Wal would exploit.

Gotha

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