On the outbreak of the First World War, the company moved from Miffilhausen, which was near the Western Front, to Freiburg im Breisgau, on the other side of the Rhine. Here the B.I was designed, and flown in late 1914 (probably in November). A two seat biplane, it was powered by a 100 hp Mercedes D.1 six cylinder water cooled engine. A small series was built for the Imperial Air Service, supplementing the pre-war aircraft of similar design, one of which became the first aircraft to be shot down in air combat, on October 5, 1914.
During the winter of 1914 15 the company’s Austro Hungarian subsidiary, Osterreichisch Ungarisch Flugzeugfabrik Aviatik of Vienna, designed and went into production with a developed version, the B.II. Powered by a 120 hp Austro Daimler, this differed mainly from the B.I in having angular elevators and rudder with large horn balances; it could also carry two 10 kg (22 lb) bombs, but guns were not originally fitted. Limited production, designated Serie 32, was undertaken for the Austro Hungarian Flying Service, and from about April 1915 the B.II was an observation machine on the Russian Front.
In the spring of 1915 production switched to the more powerful B.III, with a 160 hp Austro Daimler with the radiator repositioned above the cylinders. The wings were larger, with swept back tips, and pilot and observer sat in a single large cockpit, the observer having a rifle or often a 7.92 mm Schwarzlose machine gun either on an infantry tripod or a spigot mounting on the upper longerons. The B.III had a sluggish response to control, so production reverted to the Serie 34, which was virtually a B.II with the 160 hp engine (but B.II side radiator) and machine-gun; most Serie 33 (B.III) and Serie 34 had racks for three 10 kg bombs. Hundreds were delivered, but by 1916 they were all being relegated to training.
Span: 14.00 m (45 ft 11 in)
Length 8.00 m (26 ft 3 in) (small variations according to sub type)
Gross weight (B.I) 860 kg (1900 lb)
Gross weight (B.II) 870 kg (1918 lb)
Maximum speed (all): 110 km/h (68 mph) approx
All Aero 