How did the Albatros C.VII differ from the C.V/16?

Short answer

By the engine: one of the main visual differences between the two was the cylinder block, which on the C.VII stood proud of the inspection panels. The C.VII used the Benz Bz.IV, a well-established and reliable engine. The C.V had been designed for the eight-cylinder Mercedes D.IV.

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

How did the Albatros C.VII differ from the C.V/16?

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The engine, in plain sight

One of the main visual differences between the C.V and the C.VII was in the engine's cylinder block: on the latter it protruded above the inspection panels. The C.VII used the Benz Bz.IV, a well-established and reliable engine. The C.V, on the other hand, had been developed to take advantage of the eight-cylinder Mercedes D.IV, newly available at the time.

The burden of the Mercedes D.IV

That Mercedes D.IV suffered continuous, serious problems, including frequent crankshaft failures among other faults. C.V production was halted after no more than 424 aircraft were completed. The C.VII, for its part, was largely regarded as a stopgap solution while the company designed a higher-performance successor.

Radiators on the sides

On the C.V, engine cooling was originally achieved with radiators fitted to the sides of the forward fuselage, just above the lower wing's leading edge, an arrangement that detracted from the airframe's overall cleanliness. On the C.VII, the radiators were also fixed to the sides of the fuselage, immediately ahead of the lower wing's leading edge.