<p>The collection of German WW1 aircraft at Krakow is impressive, to say the least.
Some 3,250 DFW C.V were built, and this is one of 1250 actually built by Aviatik with the designation C.V(Av).
It is the only remaining C.V of any type and is c/n 473.
The restored fuselage is on display in the 'WW1' hangar at the Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego.
Krakow, Poland.
23-8-2013.
</p><p>It's history is given in the following info taken from the museum website:-
</p><p>"The German DFW C.V was a two seat scout biplane, of an all wooden construction. It was created by Karl Saberski - Mussigbrodt in 1916 at the DFW Works in Leipzig as the development of the earlier, DFW D I construction. The DFW aircraft, characterised with stability and durability, were equal in performance to fighters. The stiff and light construction of the fuselage was achieved thanks to the use of the multi coated stressed skin, made of the fabric reinforced veneer strips; also, the boards and the bottom were made of the glued veneer - it allowed to resign from the deficit plywood. The aerodynamically refined fuselage housed the Bz IV Benz, or the compression ratio upgraded Bz IVa Benz engines, which allowed the aircraft to operate at 5000 metres altitude, remaining beyond a reach of a fighter.
The DFW aircraft were produced in the years 1916 - 1918, at the mother works as well as on licence at the Aviatik Works, the LVG Works, and the Halberstadt Works. The total number of the aircraft built is not known, however the estimative data mention some 3250 aircraft. The DFW C.V's were used for reconnaissance, observation, liaison and photo intelligence. They flew on the Western front, in Italy, Macedonia, Palestine and on the Eastern front. Everywhere, they were praised as excellent machines. By the end of the war, they were used as school aircraft. After the end of the hostilities, some saved machines were handed over to the civil company - Deutsche-Luft-Rederei. In Poland, after regaining independence, about 63 captured or bought aircraft were utilised. Because of the flight characteristics, they had a good reputation among Polish pilots, however the upgraded compression ratio engines were troublesome. During the Polish - Bolshevik War, the aircraft were used for combat missions. Apart from being in service with the flights, they flew also at the Higher Officers School in Poznań and the Aviation Observers Officers School in Toruń. As school aircraft they flew until 1923.
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The displayed, 17077/17 aircraft is the only one saved. It was produced in 1917, at the Aviatik Works. A destroyed fuselage without wings was restored in Krakow in the years 1998 - 1999. The original multi layers fuselage construction was recreated and the aircraft was brought back to its original outlook, received in 1918 after the last war overhaul at the Bork &amp; Mark Workshops."
<bdi><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q33132025" class="extiw" title="d:Q33132025"><span title="photographer from the UK">Alan Wilson</span></a>
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<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ajw1970/14205049168/">DFW C.Vc '17077/17'</a>