GOTHA BOMBERS

As a result of unexpected and seemingly unstoppable bombing raids by German bombers over London in 1917-18, for some civilians the word “Gotha” became synonymous with terror. Development of the series of bombers began in 1915 with the Gotha G.I, the Gotha G.II which entered service on Eastern Front in autumn of 1916. Repeated engine failures led to its withdrawal and the appearance of G.III with two machine guns and the more reliable Mercedes D IVa engine. By December 1916, 14 were in front line service, each able to carry an 880lb bomb load.

Gotha G.I

The Germans had been keen to carry out sustained bombing raids over London, and were able to do this with their Zeppelin airships until British defences got the measure of their hydrogen filled adversaries.  A heavier than air alternative was needed, and so Gotha G.IV was conceived. Some sources claim the aircraft’s development was a greatly helped by the capture of a brand new Handley Page O/400 in early 1917.

Gotha G.II

The G. IV was made of wood and steel, and covered with plywood and fabric. An unusual feature was the “firing tunnel” tested on some G.III, which enabled the gunner to fire down “through” the floor to defend the aircraft’s rear most effectively by eliminating the blind spot favoured by stalking fighter aircraft. Power was provided by two Mercedes D.IVa in line piston engines mounted between the wings and driving pusher propellers. To give clearance to the spinning wooden prop blades behind the wings, the trailing edge of the upper wing had a large section removed. When testing proved the soundness of the aircraft’s design, production began by Gotha, LVG and Siemens-Schuckers.

Gotha G.III

When formations of Ghotas headed to hostile territory they were able to cover each other with defensive fire from their two 0.31in Parabellum machine guns, something lone Zeppelin raiders lacked on their 51 bombing raids over Britain in World War I. The G.IV was able to carry up to 1100lb of bomb in cradles beneath the wing, and two primitive rectangular bomb bays between the pilot and the rear crewman contained up to six bombs, each stacked one on the other so that as the lowest bomb was released, all of the rest followed.

Gotha G.IV

The first large Gotha raid on Britain took place on May 25, 1917 when 21 Gothas bombed Folkestone in Kent, killing almost 100 civilians. Within three weeks, the first daylight raid London was carried out by a formation of 14 Gothas. The raids continued each day, with the Gothas flying at height of 10,000 – 16,000ft up Thames Estuary, too high for defenders to reach them. However to achieve these altitudes the Gothas had reduce their bomb load, which was its maximum on night raids when lower altitudes were safer.

Gotha G.V

The raids against southern England were launched mainly from the German bases St Denis Westrem and Gontrode in Belgium. These airfields were frequently attacked by British bombers trying to remove the threat to the homeland at source. The Gotha raids were costly in lives but were also damaging financially and psychologically for the civilians who experienced the raids. By early 1918 the raiders were suffering heavy losses to the guns of the fast climbing British S.E.5a and Sopwith Camel defending fighters even night.

 August 1917 had seen the introduction of G.V an improved version of IV which featured more aerodynamic engine nacelles to reduce drag. The final versions in service were he G.Va, with a biplane tail assembly and shorter nose, and the G.Vb which had a nose wheel for improved landing safety on night operations. The 22 Gotha raids on Britain had seen these early bombers drop remarkable total 83 tons of bombs on the country.