How many G.IVs did AEG build?

Short answer

AEG built 320 G.IV. The twin-engined bomber entered service with the German air force in late 1916 and remained in operational use until the armistice of 11 November 1918; around 50 are believed to have still been active at one point. It was derived from the AEG G.III and doubled the bomb load of the G.II.

Published: October 30, 2026 · Updated: October 30, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

Captured German bomber aircraft at Cologne 1918

Three hundred and twenty aircraft

AEG G.IV production is put at 320 units. That is a considerable run for a First World War twin-engined bomber, and it explains why the type could stay on the front line for more than two years rather than remaining a handful of evaluation units. The G.IV was introduced into service in late 1916, when it entered the German air force, and from then on the type became a stable part of the bombing inventory.

A development of the G family

The G.IV was not a clean-sheet design but an evolution of the AEG G.III, which received improvements in power, bomb load and dimensions. The most significant advance over the earliest members of the family lies in offensive capability: the G.IV doubled the bomb load of the AEG G.II. That stepwise progression within a single line of bombers (G.II, G.III, G.IV) is what led AEG to an aircraft with performance sufficient to sustain operations for the rest of the war.

In service until the armistice

The G.IV continued to be used in operations by the German side until the armistice of 11 November 1918 that ended the conflict. It is also estimated that at one point around 50 aircraft were still active with the German air force, a fraction of the 320 built that gives an idea both of the wear accumulated through intensive use and of the relevance the type retained. Few bombers of its generation went through such a complete operational cycle, from late 1916 to the last day of hostilities.