Gotha WD.9

The Gotha WD.9 was a two‑seat, twin‑engine floatplane developed by the German manufacturer Gotha during the final months of World War I. Conceived in 1917 as a coastal reconnaissance and anti‑submarine platform, the WD.9 built upon the successful design lineage of the earlier WD series, merging a wooden frame with fabric covering and a robust biplane wing arrangement. Powered by two 100 hp Oberursel U.III rotary engines mounted in nacelles beneath the lower wing, the aircraft could generate enough thrust to lift its 2,200 lb (1,000 kg) loaded weight from water, achieving a maximum speed of roughly 85 mph (138 km/h) and a service ceiling of 12,000 ft (3,660 m). Its twin floats provided stability for take‑off and landing in rough sea conditions, while the open cockpit accommodated a pilot and observer equipped with a flexible Parabellum MG 14 and a small bomb load for maritime patrols. Although only a limited number entered service before the Armistice, the WD.9 demonstrated the practicality of multi‑engine seaplanes for naval reconnaissance, influencing post‑war designs such as the German Dornier and British Supermarine floatplanes that would dominate interwar maritime aviation.

Gotha

Classification

Dimensions

Performance

Production & History

Design & Classification