Albatros W.4

Ordered by the German Navy in may 1916 the first 3 prototypes was tested in Aug-Sept. 1916 at Seeflugzeug Versuchs Kommando in Warnemünde for Flight evaluaton and seaworthiness. It was at this time powered by a Mercedes 160 hp engine. It had a singel fixed gun and ailerons only on the upper wing.

Looking at the plane it resemble a lot of the Albatros D. I fighter and had borrowed heavily from that design. Nevertheless it was both larger and heavier.

The production-design was "upgraded" through every production batch.The most significant changes from the prototype being a new type of floats, airfoil radiator instead of the earlier "ear type", twin guns, hexagonal camouflage on upper surfaces and aileron on both upper and lower wing.