FF.71
Front view of the FF.71 prototype after it had been modified with a passenger cabin
Role	floatplane airliner Type of aircraft
National origin	Germany
Manufacturer	Flugzeugbau Friedrichshafen / LFG
First flight	May 1919
Number built	1 known, perhaps 5 more

The Friedrichshafen FF.71 was a German biplane floatplane produced by Flugzeugbau Friedrichshafen.

Design and development

The FF.71 was a four-seat biplane powered by a Benz Bz.IV straight-six engine. The prototype first flew in April 1919; despite the fact that the aircraft was intended for civilian buyers, it was painted in military rhombic camouflage. Initially, passengers were located in an open cockpit, but after an accident the aircraft was rebuilt with an enclosed passenger cabin.^[1]

In 1921, five more slightly modified aircraft were produced by LFG, receiving the designation FF.71a.

Specifications (FF.71a)

Data from Flugzeugbau Friedrichshafen GmbH : Diplom-Ingenieur Theodor Kober,^[1] Thulinista Hornetiin – 75 vuotta Suomen ilmavoimien lentokoneita^[2]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Capacity: up to 3 pax
• Length: 11.65 m (38 ft 3 in)
• Wingspan: 17.15 m (56 ft 3 in)
• Height: 4.25 m (13 ft 11 in)
• Wing area: 71.6 m² (771 sq ft)
• Powerplant: 1 × Benz Bz.IV 6-cyl. water-cooled inline piston engine, 150 kW (200 hp)
• Propellers: 2-bladed wooden fixed-pitch propeller

Performance

• Maximum speed: 140 km/h (87 mph, 76 kn)
• Cruise speed: 130 km/h (81 mph, 70 kn)