Friedrichshafen FF.29

The Friedrichshafen FF.29 was a German reconnaissance seaplane designed during World War I under the direction of Theodor Kober, the influential engineer who founded Flugzeugbau Friedrichshafen in 1912. First flown in 1915, the FF.29 served primarily with the Imperial German Navy’s Naval Air Service, operating from coastal bases and aboard seaplane tenders. Its biplane configuration featured a wooden frame covered with fabric, two‑bay wings of equal span, and a single 150‑hp Maybach Mb.III inline engine driving a two‑bladed propeller in a pusher arrangement. The aircraft could be fitted with floats or a conventional land undercarriage, giving it versatility for maritime patrol, artillery spotting, and limited bombing missions. Notable for its relatively long endurance—up to six hours—and a maximum speed of about 115 km/h, the FF.29 provided the navy with essential aerial observation over the North Sea and Baltic. Although only about 150 examples were built, the type demonstrated the practicality of ship‑borne aircraft and helped establish the operational concepts of carrier‑based aviation that later influenced post‑war designs. It also acted as a trainer, and lessons learned influenced later Friedrichshafen seaplanes such as the FF.33, shaping interwar naval aviation.

Theodor Kober

Friedrichshafen FF.29

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Design & Classification