The LVG B.I was a 1910s
German two-seat
reconnaissance biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two main wings stacked one above the other. The first powered, controlled aeroplane to fly, the Wright Flyer, used a biplane wing arrangement, as did many aircraft in the early years of aviation. While ...
designed by
Luft-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft for the ''
Luftstreitkräfte''.
Development
LVG had been involved in the operation of dirigibles before it started design, in 1912, of the company's first original design, the B.I. The B.I was an unequal-span two-seat biplane with a fixed tailskid landing gear. It was powered by a nose-mounted 80 kW (100 hp)
Mercedes D.I engine. After entering service an improved variant, the B.II was developed with a cut-out in the upper wing to improve visibility for the pilot in the rear cockpit to help spot ground infantry and fitted with a 90 kW (120 hp)
Mercedes D.II engine. The B.II entered service in 1915 and although mainly used as a trainer it was also used for unarmed reconnaissance and scouting duties. A further variant was the B.III which had structural strengthening to allow it to be used as a trainer.
The Euler company built the B.I and B.II under license as the Euler B.I and Euler B.II respectively. The B.III was likewise built under license by Euler as the Euler B.III.
Variants

* B.I - Production variant powered by an 80 kW (100 hp)
Mercedes D.I engine.
** Otto B.I/LVG B.I(Ot) - Otto-built B.I.
[Herris, Jack, 2019. ''Otto, AGO, and BFW Aircraft of WWI: A Centennial Perspective on Great War Airplanes (Great War Aviation Centennial Series).'' Aeronaut Books.]
* B.II - Improved variant powered by a 90 kW (120 hp)
Mercedes D.II engine.
** Lebedev IX - Captured B.II rebuilt by
Lebed and supplied to the
Imperial Russian Air Force
* B.III - Training variant with strengthened structures.
Operators
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Bulgarian Air Force
The Bulgarian Air Force ( bg, Военновъздушни сили, Voennovazdushni sili) is one of the three branches of the Military of Bulgaria, the other two being the Bulgarian Navy and Bulgarian land forces. Its mission is to guard and p ...
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Royal Danish Air Force
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Luftstreitkrafte
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Ottoman Air Force
Specifications (B.I)
See also
References
Notes
Bibliography
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{{Authority control
1910s German military reconnaissance aircraft
Biplanes
Single-engined tractor aircraft
B.I
Aircraft first flown in 1912