How did the Ago C.IV brake on the ground?

Short answer

With a claw-type braking device built into the landing gear, which was supported by faired steel tubes. The aircraft's tail assembly was also thoroughly revised: the original wire bracing gave way to a rigid diagonal strut supported by faired steel tubing.

Published: November 1, 2026 · Updated: November 1, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

How did the Ago C.IV brake on the ground?

Captured German bomber aircraft at Cologne 1918

Faired tubes and a claw brake

The AGO C.IV's landing gear was supported by faired steel tubes and incorporated a claw-type braking device. The tail assembly also received a significant overhaul: the original wire bracing was replaced by a rigid diagonal strut supported by faired steel tubing.

Fast and well armed, but unstable

The aircraft proved somewhat unstable in flight, and pilots often disliked it for that reason. Pilots of the early examples frequently complained about that in-flight instability. At the same time, it was recognized as a relatively fast and well-armed aircraft for its time. Although a considerably larger number were ordered from both AGO and two other manufacturers tasked with building it under licence, fewer than a hundred units had been completed by the war's end.

The C.I, the first of the series

The AGO C.I was a German reconnaissance biplane from the First World War with a pusher engine and nacelle-and-boom configuration. It was designed by August Häfeli. The crew and the pusher engine shared a central nacelle, while the two tail booms carried the tail and a four-wheel landing gear.