Gotha

German aircraft

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Last updated

June 29, 2026

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The Gotha is a type of German aircraft that gained notoriety during World War I as a strategic bomber. These twin-engined, "pusher" biplanes were known for making daylight bombing raids on London in the summer of 1917. While initially effective, they later transitioned to night operations. The Gotha represented a significant development in early bomber technology, designed to carry substantial bomb loads over considerable distances, contributing to the evolution of aerial warfare tactics during the conflict.1

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air warfare
Through World War I
…by aircraft such as the Gotha bomber, which, by flying at night and often as high as 20,000 feet (forcing the crew to breathe bottled oxygen through a tube in the mouth), operated beyond the ceiling of many defensive fighters.
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…by aircraft such as the Gotha bomber, which, by flying at night and often as high as 20,000 feet (forcing the crew to breathe bottled oxygen through a tube in the mouth), operated beyond the ceiling of many defensive fighters.
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military aircraft
Bombers
…World War I were twin-engined Gotha “pusher” biplanes, which made several daylight raids on London in formation in the summer of 1917 before reverting to night operations. The German air force also operated a family of giant four-engined metal bombers known as Riesenflugzeug, or R-planes. Typical of these was the…
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…World War I were twin-engined Gotha “pusher” biplanes, which made several daylight raids on London in formation in the summer of 1917 before reverting to night operations. The German air force also operated a family of giant four-engined metal bombers known as Riesenflugzeug, or R-planes. Typical of these was the…
Read More