Phönix C.I

The Phönix works turned out 1,084 aeroplanes of 22 different types during World War I, starting with licence-built Albatros two-seaters, passing next to Brandenburg types and ending with aircraft of its own design.

The C.I was an ugly but functional two-seat armed-reconnaissance and general-purpose biplane, which became standardised equipment of the Austro-Hungarian air arm from 1917. In addition to reconnaissance it undertook artillery directing by wireless and, in an emergency, contour fighting and bombing (four 12kg or two 25kg bombs). It was on a C.I that the observer Leut Barwig brought down the leading Italian fighter pilot Maj Baracca. A total of 110 was built, powered by the 172kW Hiero engine: the first delivered on 2 March 1917 and the last on 1 October 1918. Armament comprised one forward-firing and one rear-mounted Schwarzlose machine-guns.