The giant seaplane Rs III was a high-wing monoplane of all-metal design with fabric covering of the wing and empennage.
The intrinsically stable hull was a monocoque design made of duraluminium with traverse and longitudinal steps. The hull housed the gun station, the flight deck for two pilots, the engineer's station and the fuel system.
The four Maybach engines were arranged in tandem in two nacelles and installed between the hull and the wing. The tail boom was mounted on the wing and had a box-type horizontal tail assembly with split elevator without compensating surfaces; the rudders and tail fins were divided into halves by the fuselage.
First flight took place on November 4, 1917. On 19 February 1918, a 7-hour non stop flight was made from Friedrichshafen to Norderney for further testing by the Seaplane Test Command Warnemonde.

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