{| |} The Gotha G.III was a heavy bomber used by the Luftstreitkräfte (Imperial German Air Service) during World War I. It succeeded the G.II in production and differed primarily in the choice of powerplant. The eight-cylinder Mercedes D.IV, which had proven highly susceptible to crankshaft failure, was replaced by the new six-cylinder 190 kW (260 hp) Mercedes D.IVa engine. The G.III also had a strengthened fuselage with an extra 7.92 mm (.312 in) machine gun firing through a ventral trapdoor. The G.III was also the first bomber to have a tail gun with a potential 360 degree arc of fire.