Mercur-Flugzeugbau

[Tuizentfloot]

Probably the most enigmatic German aircraft manufacturer of WW1 was Mercur-Flugzeugbau GmbH in Johannisthal.
Apart from licensed production af Albatros B.II, C.Ib and C.Ifd, and Rumpler C.I, there were also own projects.

I have the following (sometimes contradictory) information:
Nowarra, Die Entwicklung der Flugzeuge 1914-1918 (1959), pp. 36-37:
- KE 2: single-seat fighter, ready in March 1918
- KE 3: single-seat fighter 1918, only project
- KE 4: single-seat fighter 1918, only project
- CL 2: two-seat attack aircraft, 1 x Benz 200 hp, ready in April 1918
- D I: single-seat fighter 1918, only project
- R: eight-seat bomber 1918, only project, 4 x Maybach 260 hp, bomb load 2000 kg
Haddow & Grosz, The German Giants (1969), p. 151:
- R-plane project: summer 1918, crew of 8, bomb load of 2000 kg, 4 x Mercedes D.IVa 260 hp
- "… Mercur constructed some obscure single-seat and light two-seat fighters of its own design"
Lange, Typenhandbuch der deutschen Luftfahrttechnik (1986), p. 77:
- D-Typ: biplane fighter 1917, 1 build
- KE 2: single-seat fighter, build?
- KE 3: project of monoplane
- KE 4: project of monoplane
Nothing found in Gray & Thetford, German Aircraft of the First World War (1970)

On the internet:
- about the R-plane project: http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,7594.45.html
and
http://alternathistory.org.ua/tyazhelye-bombardirovshchiki-mercur-flugzeugbau-proekt-tyazhelogo-bombardirovshchika-mercur-1918-god
- GL 2: http://flyingmachines.ru/Site2/Crafts/Craft29081.htm with foto

Who knows more about the obscure Mercur designs?

 

[hesham]

Excellent work Tuizentfloot,


and you are welcome,but nothing more about this company is unknown,may be someone
else can add.

 

[Tuizentfloot]

Thank you, Hesham.

I'm afraid the Mercur history will remain a mystery forever. But ... one never knows ...

The Mercur-Flugzeugbau GmbH existed well into the twenties, building the EGO cars.

 

[hesham]

That's right Tuizentfloot,


and a little info about it on Internet.

 

[VictorXL188]

As an aside, I came across this poster advertising the wares of Mercur on EBay.

 

[VictorXL188]

The R-Type plane is also included on the following site: http://alternathistory.com/tyazhely...bombardirovshhika-mercur-1918-goda-germaniya/, featuring all of the illustrations provided by Hesham in https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/german-ww1-bomber-projects.7594/page-2

 

[Tuizentfloot]

Lennart Andersson and Ray Sanger in Retribution and Recovery (2014), p. 114, give some information on what the Inter-Allied Aeronautical Commission of Control (IAACC) found in the Mercur factory after the war.

About the actvities of Mercur during the war, the factory actually built four prototypes of its own design: KE.I, KE.II, CL.I and CL.II (CL.II must be the GL.2 form te above mentioned Russian website).

Three unfinished prototypes were found: CL.II, CL.III and KE.III.

In May 1920 the destruction was ordered of the KE.I, KE.II, CL.I and CL.III, and also of another prototype fuselage.

 

[hesham]

From, German Aircraft of Minor Manufacturers in WWI Vol.2,

please note the Projects.