Established late 1909 at Berlin-Johannisthal by Dr Walter
Huth. Original name Pilot-Flugtechnische was only briefly
retained. At first built biplanes and (under license) French
Antoinette monoplanes. From 1911 was building highly
efficient biplanes and in 1912 turned attention also to
marine aircraft. In 1912 and later Hellmuth Hirth and
others broke several records on Albatros landplanes.
Development benefited from participation of Ernst Heinkel
who, in 1913/14, designed large single-engined threebay
biplane, forerunner of numerous reconnaissance and
multipurpose types; C III of 1915 remained in
D I
service
until early 1917 and was built by several other firms. Historic line of single-seat fighters began with D.I and D.II, in service 1916. D.III (1917) was "vee-strutter"; W.4
a single-seat fighter seaplane, less known than landplanes
though 118 delivered to German Naval Air Service.
Decline of Albatros land fighters was marked by
company building Fokker D.VII in 1918. First civil aircraft
was single-engined six-passenger L.58 high-wing cantilever
monoplane of 1923; L.73 was twin-engined transport;
L.75 was biplane trainer and L.79 a single-seat
biplane with symmetrical wing-section specially developed
for inverted flight. L.100 was low-wing monoplane;
L.101 a parasol monoplane. One Albatros biplane was
adapted for advanced research (water tanks for trim,
cameras etc.). Aircraft manufacture ceased 1930. Company
merged with Focke-Wulf 1930/31.
