Gotha G.IV

Development of the Gotha G.III. Mainstay of the German strategic bomber program. Later versions had biplane tails with twin fins and eliminated the position for the nose gunner. The blunt nose made it possible to place the engines closer together, and together with placing the tailfins in the slipstream this gave better one-engine performance -- making it possible to run the engine at full power. But none of the type G twin-engined biplanes could fly level on one engine. Another feature of the Gotha G was a 'tunnel' in the bottom of the tail, that made it possible for the tail gunner to cover the lower rear of the aircraft.

The G.IV (also produced by LVG and Siemens-Schuckert) was used in the first mass attack on England, when 21 Gothas raided Folkestone, Shorncliffe and elsewhere on 25 May 1917, killing about 95 people and injuring many others. On 13 June 14 Gothas attacked London for the first time and caused the worst casualties (of an air raid) of the war, with 162 people being killed and 432 injured. The heavy casualties suffered among the civilian population of England by these raids forced the return of aircraft from France to defend the cities, and such was their success that the last big raid on England during daylight hours was carried out on 12 August.