Nazi Germany (1938)
Tactical Reconnaissance Aircraft – 13-18 Built
The Second Bv 141 Prototype (V1) – Colorized by Michael Jucan
During the Second World War, the Germans would design and build a number of unusual aircraft (the Me 163 or the He 111 Zwilling, for example), but none was so unorthodox and strange as the Bv 141. In order to provide good visibility for its reconnaissance role, the crew gondola was completely separated from the aircraft’s fuselage. While small numbers were built, during testing it was shown to have decent flying characteristics for its completely unconventional design.
History
In 1937, the German Ministry of Aviation (Reichsluftfahrtministerium RLM) issued a request to all German aircraft manufacturers for a new single-engine reconnaissance aircraft with provision for three crew members. Great attention was to be dedicated to having a good all-around visibility. In addition, the aircraft would also have to be able to act as a light attack, and smokescreen laying aircraft. Three aircraft manufacturers responded to this request, Arado, Focke Wulf, and Blohm und Voss. Of these, Blohm & Voss would submit the most distinctive design to say at least.
While at first glance, the Ha 141 (as it was known at the start of the project, with the ‘Ha’ designation stands for Hamburger Flugzeugbau) appears to be created by someone with no experience whatsoever in aircraft design. This was not actually the case. In reality, the Ha 141 was designed by Dr. Ing. Richard Vogt, who was Chief Designer at Blohm und Voss for the new reconnaissance aircraft. The Ha 141 was to have an unusual design, as the crew was put into a well-glazed gondola, with the fuselage with and engine to the left. During his initial calculations, Dr. Vogt predicted, successfully, that the large crew gondola would act as a counterbalance to the long left-side engine fuselage.
When Dr. Ing. Richard Vogt presented his plans to the Ministry of Aviation, the officials were quite uninterested in such an unorthodox design, and the story of the Ha 141 would have ended there. Not willing to give up on his idea so easily, the Blohm und Voss company financed the construction of the first prototype with its own funding. The prototype was completed early in 1938 and the name was changed to Bv 141. It made its maiden flight on the 25th of February that year. The flight went well, without any major problems. The only issue was a slight oscillation of the landing gear. When it was presented to the Luftwaffe officials, they were surprised by its performance and ordered a production run of three more prototypes. Interestingly, after some negotiations with Blohm & Voss, their prototype was included in this order and two more aircraft were actually built. The first prototype was marked as V0 and would be later rebuilt into the Bv 141 V2 prototype and tested with the BMW 139F engine. The Luftwaffe officials only requested that the crew gondola be completely redesigned, internally and externally, to incorporate a larger working space, and to be almost completely glazed, quite similar in design to the Fw 189. Bv 141 V1, actually the second produced aircraft, was used to test the aircraft’s general flight performance. The V3 made its first test flight on 5th October 1938 and was used mainly to test the BMW 132N engine.
After the first prototype was shown to the Luftwaffe officials order few more to be built for future testing [luftwaffephotos.com]By 1939, an additional two more aircraft were built. The V4, that was to be sent to the Erprobungstelle Testing Center at Rechlin, had an accident during landing. After the repairs were made, it was finally flight tested at Rechlin. It performed well and it was liked by the pilots that had the chance to fly it. It also underwent a number of different weapon tests. Once all these tests were completed, the V4 prototype was chosen for modification into the first A-series. After that, a small series of the A version, five aircraft in total, were built and used mostly for testing and development of new improvements at Rechlin. Some were stationed at Aufklärungsschule 1 (Training School 1) at Großenhain. While the A-2 would be rebuilt into a training airframe in May 1942, the fate of the remaining aircraft of this series is unknown. Likely, all were scrapped. Depending on the sources the A-series aircraft were powered by a 1,000 hp BMW Bramo 323 radial engine.
A rear view of the Bv 141 V4 prototype. [luftwaffephotos.com]Following these tests, the Bv 141 received positive reports about its overall performance. There were also discussions about its mass production. Despite this, the whole project was officially canceled on 4th April 1940. The main reason was the Luftwaffe high officials’ distrust of the design. The official reason for rejection of the Bv 141 was noted as ‘underpowered,’ despite its good performance.
Technical Characteristics
The Bv 141 was a uniquely designed single-engine all-metal aircraft. It did not have a standard fuselage, with the engine in the front and the crew behind it. The crew gondola and the fuselage with the engine were completely separate from each other. Both were located slightly off the center of the wings. The crew gondola was placed on the right, with the engine to the left.
The glazed crew gondola is quite visible here [luftwaffephotos.com]The first A-series aircraft had a wingspan of 15 m (49 ft 3 in). The Bv 141 was initially powered by a 865 hp BMW 132N 9-cylinder radial engine. It used a constant speed propeller. Behind the engine, the 490 l fuel tank was placed.
Close up view of the initially used 865 km/h BMW 132N engine. While weaker than the later engine used, its performance was much better and offered a much more pleasant flight. [luftwaffephotos.com]The tail design was changed during the Bv 141’s development. Initially, a standard tail design was used. This would later be replaced with a forward leaning, asymmetric tailplane, offset to port side. The unusual shape of the new tailplane had the intent of providing the rear gunner with the best available firing arc. It only had one elevator, which had a larger surface area than the previous model. Surprisingly, the aircraft’s good performance was left unchanged after the introduction of the asymmetric tailplane.
The landing gear was more or less standard for its time. The front landing gear consisted of two large wheels that retracted outwards into the leading edges of the wings. To the rear, there was a small landing wheel that retracted to the back and slightly protruded out of the fuselage.
The landing gear on the Bv 141 were standard type at the time, consisting of two forward landing wheels and one smaller to the rear [luftwaffephotos.com]The first crew gondola had fewer glazed surfaces than the later used models. In general, it provided the crew with excellent front, rear, and right-side views of the surroundings. The left view was partly obscured because of the engine.
The Bv 141 pilot front gondola interior [luftwaffephotos.com]The armament consisted of four 7.92 mm machine guns. Two MG 17 forward firing fixed machine guns were placed in the forward nacelle. These were operated by the pilot, who used a Revi aim sight. To the rear, one defensive MG 15 was placed in a small circular cupola atop of the Bv 141. The last MG 15 was positioned to the rear of the aircraft. The Bv 141 could also carry four 50 kg (110 lb) bombs.
The pilot was positioned on the left side of the englazed nose of the gondola. Next to him was the position of the observer, who also acted as bombardier in case the Bv 141 was used for ground attack. The observer also had the job of operating the radio and the machine gun placed in the small circular cupola. Interestingly, because he performed different tasks, his seat was connected to two tracks which enabled him to move freely inside the gondola without getting up. The third crew member operated the rear defensive machine gun.
The Bv 141 pilot had a large glazed gondola where the crew was positioned. It offered a good all round view (except to the right side where the engine was). [luftwaffephotos.com]The front view of the first Bv 141 prototype built by Blohm und Voss. [luftwaffephotos.com]
Last Hope for Production
With the cancelation of the Bv 141A series due to allegedly poor engine performance, Dr. Ing. Richard Vogt immediately began working on an improved version. In order to address the concerns made by the Luftwaffe regarding its engine, the Blohm & Voss designers decided to use the stronger 1,560 hp BMW 801A 14-cylinder two-row engine. Unbeknownst to them, this decision would actually doom the whole project.
With the new engine, other changes to the overall design had to be made. The wings had to be reinforced and their span increased to 17.46 m (57 ft 3 in). In addition, the leading and trailing edges had to be redesigned. The rear part of the fuselage’s design was also changed. The landing gear was also improved by adding much stronger landing gear wheels. The armament appears to have been reduced to three machine guns (the sources are not clear here), while the bomb load remained the same.
The top view of one of few built Bv 141B series. While intended to improve the Bv 141A series performance, it was never achieved successfully. [luftwaffephotos]All these changes would lead to the development of the Bv 141B series. The first mock-up was completed in February 1940. The first test flight was made on the 9th January 1941. This time, the Luftwaffe officials showed interest in it, especially after installing the much stronger engine. While Blohm & Voss received permission to build five aircraft of the B-series, the order was increased by five more. Initial calculations showed that it could reach speeds up to 480 km/h (300 mph), at least in theory. Almost immediately, the Bv 141B aircraft proved to be plagued with many problems. The controls were difficult to use and the plane was prone to mechanical faults, especially regarding the landing gear and the hydraulic systems. A huge issue was also created by the strong vibrations that occurred during the test flights. In addition, during firing trials, it was noted that cordite fumes would accumulate in the cockpit from the guns.
The Luftwaffe’s initial enthusiasm for this unusual aircraft quickly faded away. While the tests on the Bv 141 would go on for a few more years, the Fw 189 would be chosen instead. Despite this setback, Dr. Vogt would continue on working on similar and improved designs during the war. Due to urgent requests for more ‘normal’ planes, he was ultimately forced to abandon his work and, besides some proposals, he never got a chance to build another such aircraft during the war. The last mention of the Bv 141 B-10 was in May of 1944, when it was used to tow another unusual design from Blohm and Voss, the experimental Bv 40 armed glider.
A group of three Bv 141 aircraft during one of many test flights [luftwaffephotos]
Operational Use
The Blohm und Voss Bv 141 [luftwaffephotos.com]The second BV 141B prototype was allocated to Aufklärungsschule 1 (Reconnaissance Training Unit) in 1941, stationed at Grossenhain. It appears that its performance was deemed satisfactory, as more aircraft were requested in order to form at least one operational test unit for use on the Eastern Front. This was never implemented, mostly due to two reasons. The Blohm und Voss factories were redirected to higher priority projects, and since the Fw 189 was accepted for service, there was no real need for another reconnaissance aircraft.
Some sources, like the book Aircraft of World War II by C. Chant, mention that it was used in test flights over the UK and the Soviet Union during its short operational service.
Use After the War
The fate of the small number of Bv 141s produced is not known. While the majority were scrapped, some managed to survive until war’s end. One Bv 141 was actually captured by the Soviet Forces near the end of the war. This aircraft would be flight tested by the British pilot Captain Eric Brown. He was the chief test pilot of the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough. He was involved in a British project tasked with taking over German war research installations and interrogating technical personnel after the war.
The single Bv 141 was relocated to an auxiliary airfield near the town of Meissen. When Captain Brown arrived, Soviet soldiers were already taking anything that was of use from the airfield and destroying everything else. After making a request to the Soviets to see if the aircraft could be flown, the Soviets approved. He was instructed to conduct a short flight around the airfield, and to beware of possible engine malfunctions due to the general poor state of the aircraft.
Captain Eric Brown described the flight with the Bv 141 as follows. “With the flaps set to start, there was surprisingly little take-off swing, although I had expected rather a lot. The run was short, but I found the undercarriage took a long time to retract, although I suspected the hydraulics were sluggish after a long period of disuse.
The climb was mediocre at a speed of 189 km/h (112 mph) and, remembering my Russian instructions, I did not go above about 915 m (3,000 ft). Cruising speed at that height was 325 km/h (202 mph). It was at this speed that I decided to try out the theory behind the asymmetric layout of the 141, namely that in the event of attack, the aircraft could be stood on its wing tip and held there in straight flight, thus giving the gunner in the cone of the nacelles a tremendous field of fire.
Frankly, I was sceptical of this claim of edge-on straight flight, but it proved to be, as near as damn it, true. I then stepped up the power, increasing the speed to 360 km/h (224 mph), but just as I rolled the aircraft on to its port side, the engine suddenly backfired heavily and oil pressure began to drop. This terminated any short handling session, as I considered discretion better than providing the Russians with their eagerly awaited spectacle.
I therefore turned straight into the landing pattern with the engine throttled well back, and lowered the undercarriage immediately at about 610 m (2,000 ft) to give it time to lower in case it got temperamental. I had both flaps and the undercarriage lowered by about 305 m (1,000 ft), across wind of the final approach, turning on to finals at 150 m (490 ft) at 145 km/h (90 mph) and easing the speed off to 130 km/h (80 mph) over the airfield boundary.
I stopped the engine at the end of the landing run, as it was obviously very sick. …. In retrospect, I am really glad to have had the unique opportunity of even a short flight in the Bv 141B, because it left me with the realisation that it was not as bad an aircraft as its development history seemed to suggest. It had good, effective controls, although it had poor lateral stability, which would have made it unpleasant to fly in turbulence at low level. Maybe this and the fact that its competitor, the Fw 189, had excellent flying characteristics, were the real reasons for its demise before reaching operational production. “
Allegedly, according to some internet sources, at least one Bv 141 was captured by the British forces. It was then shipped to England for evaluation, but its fate is unknown.
Production
How many Bv 141s were produced is not clear in the sources. The number ranges from 13 to 18 aircraft being built. This includes at least three prototypes, five of the slightly improved A series and some 10 B series aircraft. The last Bv 141B was delivered in mid-May 1943.
Ha 141 Prototype – The first prototype was built as a Blohm & Voss private venture.
BV 141A – Slightly improved version.
BV 141B – Powered by a much stronger engine and with many other modifications, especially to the wing design.
Operators
Germany – A few aircraft were used experimentally by the Luftwaffe.
Soviet Union – After the War, the Soviets managed to capture one Bv 141B, but its fate is unknown.
United Kingdom – Possibly captured one, which was allegedly shipped to England for evaluation.
Conclusion
The BV 141 initially demonstrated generally good flight characteristics, despite its unusual and radical design. The desire to further improve the flight performance, and distrust by the Luftwaffe eventually killed the project. The extensive redesign of the Bv 141B series simply had too many problems that were never completely resolved. The Luftwaffe was also reluctant to invest more time in it, especially as the more orthodox Fw 189 was being introduced into service. In the end, while it was not put into production, the BV 141 was nevertheless an interesting design and certainly deserves a spot in aviation history.
Bv 141B Specifications
Wingspans
57 ft 3 in / 17.56 m
Length
45 ft 9 in / 13.9 m
Height
11 ft 9 in / 3.6 m
Wing Area
570 ft² / 52.9 m²
Engine
One BMW 801 A-0 1.560 HP 14 cylinder radial engine
Empty Weight
10,360 lbs / 4,700 kg
Maximum Takeoff Weight
13,450 lbs / 6,100 kg
Fuel Capacity
470 l
Climb Rate to 6 km
In 8 minute 48 second
Maximum Speed at 5.000 m
272 mph / 438 km/h
Cruising speed
250 mph / 400km/h
Range
745 miles / 1,200 km
Maximum Service Ceiling
32,810 ft / 10,000 m
Crew
Pilot, observer and the rear gunner.
Armament
Two forward fixed 0.3 in (7.92 mm) machine guns and one same caliber machine gun placed to the rear.
Nazi Germany (1936)
Shipborne and coastal reconnaissance aircraft – 98~118 Built
The He 114 Source: www.warbirdphotographs.com
In the mid-thirties, the German Ministry of Aviation (Reichsluftfahrtministerium – RLM) tasked the Heinkel company with developing a replacement for the He 60 shipborne and reconnaissance aircraft. While Heinkel fulfilled the request by building the He 114, its overall performance was deemed insufficient for German standards.
History
During the early thirties, the He 60 was adopted for service as the main German shipborne and coastal reconnaissance aircraft. As it was considered outdated, in 1935, the RLM issued to Heinkel a request for a new shipborne and coastal reconnaissance aircraft that was to replace the He 60. The next year, two prototypes were completed. While it was originally planned to test these aircraft with the BMW 132 engine, due to lack of availability, this was not possible. The first prototype (with D-UBAM marking) made its maiden flight in September 1936. It was powered by a Daimler Benz DB-600A which gave out 900 hp. The test results of the first flight were disappointing, as it proved difficult to control on the water but also in the air. The second prototype, V2 (D-UGAT), powered by a 740 hp Jumo 210 E, made its first flight in December 1936. It was used to test the catapult launching capabilities of this aircraft. It had some modifications in comparison to the first prototype, like having a larger tail and redesigned floats. Despite some improvements, the catapult launch testings from the Gneisenau showed that the He 114 was not suited for this role.
Despite not having a promising start, further prototypes were ordered. The V3 (D-IDEG) prototype was powered by an 880 hp BMW 132 K (or D, depending on the source) engine. The floats were once again redesigned and the pilot had a better-glazed shield. This aircraft was tested in April 1937 with similar performance as previous versions.
V4 (D-IHDG) made its maiden test flight in August 1937. It had many modifications in order to improve its performance. The wing’s edges were redesigned, new floats were used and it was also fitted with machine gun armament. V5 (D-IQRS) had new improved floats which enabled it to take-off even from ice. While most sources mention only five prototypes, some note that there were two more. The V6 and V7 prototypes were tested with similar equipment and were armed with two machine guns, one firing through the propeller and the second mounted to the rear. Additional armament tested consisted of two 50 kg (110 lb) bombs.
A side view of the V4 prototype, during a test flight. Source www.warbirdphotographs.com
Technical characteristics
The He 114 was designed as a single-engine, all-metal, twin crew biplane aircraft. It had a monocoque oval-shaped fuselage design. It was powered by one BMW 132K 960 hp nine-cylinder radial engine. The fuel load consisted of 640 l.
The He 114 BMW 132K 960 hp nine-cylinder radial engine. Source: www.warbirdphotographs.com
Somewhat unusual for biplanes of the era, the lower wings were much smaller than the upper ones. They had a half-elliptical design and were thicker than the upper wings. The upper wing was connected to the fuselage by two ‘N’ shaped struts. There were also two ‘Y’ struts connecting the lower and the upper wings. The upper wing was constructed using three parts with two ailerons. The upper wing could, if needed, be folded to the rear. The landing gear consisted of two floats which could also act as auxiliary fuel storage tanks with 470 l each.
On later models, the floaters were used as auxiliary fuel tanks. Source www.warbirdphotographs.com
The crew consisted of the pilot and the rear positioned machine gunner/observer. The armament consisted of one MG 15 7.92 mm (0.31 in) machine gun placed to the rear. The ammunition load for this machine gun was 600 rounds. Additionally, there was an option to externally mount two 50 kg (110 lb) bombs.
Close up view of The He 114 pilot control table. Source: www.warbirdphotographs.com/luftwaffephotos
Further development
Despite being shown to have poor performance, a small production run was made by Heinkel. Some 10 (or 6 depending on the source) aircraft of the A-0 series, together with 33 of the A-1 series would be built. The only difference was the use of a larger rear tail design on the He 114A-1 series. The small number of He 114 built were given to various test units and flight schools, where its performance was often criticized by all. During its introduction to service, the much more promising Ar-196 was under development, but it would need some time until production was possible. As a temporary solution, the Luftwaffe officials decided not to retire the He 60 from service yet. Heinkel was informed that, due to the He 114’s overall poor performance, it would not be accepted for service and that it would be offered for export if anyone was interested. For this reason, Heinkel developed the He 114A-2 series. The He 114A-2 had a reinforced fuselage, floats that could be used as fuel storage tanks, and, additionally, it was modified to have catapult attach points. The He 114A-2, while tested, was not operated by the Luftwaffe, and it was used for the export market.
The following B-series (including B-1 and B-2) were actually just A-2 planes with some slight improvements, meant primarily for export. The history of the C-series is somewhat unclear, as it appears to be specially developed for Romania. It was much better armed, with either two 20 mm (0.78 in ) MG 151 cannons, two 13 mm (0.51 in) MG 131 heavy machine guns, or even two MG 17 7.92 mm (0.31 in) (the sources are not clear) placed inside the lower wings. Some sources also mention that additional machine guns were installed inside the engine compartment and could be fired through the propeller. Additionally, it appears that its fuselage was modified to be able to carry two additional 50 kg (110 lb) bombs. The rear positioned MG 15 was unchanged. This version also had a new Junkers type 3.5 m diameter propeller. The floaters were also slightly redesigned and it received smoke screen trovers. Additionally, to provide better stability while positioned near shore, a small anchor could be realized.
Operational use
Despite not being accepted by the Luftwaffe, due to the Kriegsmarine’s (German war navy) lack of sufficient seaplanes, some He 114 had to be used for this purpose. The distribution of the He 114 began in 1938 when the 1./Küstenfliegergruppe 506 was equipped with this aircraft. In 1939, it was 43equipped with the older He 60, as these proved to be better aircraft. Some German ships, like the Atlantis, Widder, and Pinguin, received these aircraft. During their use, the He 114 floater units proved to be prone to malfunctions. These were reported to be too fragile and could easily be broken down during take-off from the sea during bad weather.
While designed to be able to take-off from German ships, the He 114 construction was not strong enough and was prone to breakdowns with many aircraft being lost this way. Source /www.warbirdphotographs.com/luftwaffephotosDespite intended as a replacement of the He 60 this was never implemented due to He 114 poor performance. Source www.warbirdphotographs.com/luftwaffephotos
A group of 12 He 114 C-1 aircraft that were to be sold to Romania were temporarily allocated to the 2nd Squadron of the 125th Reconnaissance Group (2/125 Aufkl.Sta.). These units operated in the area of Finland’s shore. When the Bv 138 became available in sufficient numbers, the He 114 C-1 was finally given to Romania.
Foreign use
While the He 114 failed to get any large production orders in Germany, it did see some export success. These included Denmark, Spain, Romania and Sweden. The B-series was sold, which was more or less a copy of the A-2 series.
In Danish service
The Danish use of the He 114 is not clear. Depending on the source, there are two versions. In the first, Denmark managed to buy 4 He 114 aircraft and even ordered more, but the German occupation stopped any further orders. In the second, while Denmark wanted to buy some He 114, nothing came of it, once again due to German occupation.
In Spanish service
During 1942, Spain obtained some 4 He 114s from the Germans. In Spanish service, these were known as HR-4. Despite their obsolescence and lack of spare parts, these would remain in use up to 1953.
Small numbers of He 114 were supplied to Spanish State during 1942. Source: www.warbirdphotographs.com
In Romanian service
Romania received a group of 12 He 114 in 1939. During the war, the number would be increased to 29 in total. These would be extensively used to patrol the Black Sea. At the end of the war, these were captured by the Soviets, who confiscated them. Some would be returned to Romania in 1947, which would continue to use them up to 1960, when they were scrapped.
The He 114 in Romanian Service.Source: www.warbirdphotographs.com/luftwaffephotos
In Swedish service
Sweden bought some 12 He 114 in March 1941. In Swedish service, these would be renamed to S-12. Despite being an unimpressive design and prone to malfunction, the Swedish used them extensively during the period of 1941 to 1942, with over 2054 flight missions. They would remain in service up to 1945, with six aircraft being lost in accidents.
One S-12 (as it was known in Sweden) of 12 in total was sold to Sweden. Source: www.warbirdphotographs.com/luftwaffephotos
Production
Despite its poor performance, Heinkel undertook a small production of the He 114. The number of produced aircraft ranges from 98 to 118 depending on the source.
He 114 Prototypes – Between 5 to 7 prototypes were built
He 114 A – Limited production series
He 114 B – Export version of the A-series
He 114 C – Slightly improved version with stronger armament
Operators
Germany – Small numbers of these aircraft were operated by the Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine, but their use was limited
Denmark – Possibly operated four He 114 before the German occupation
Spain – Bought four He 114, and operated them up to 1953
Sweden – Bought 12 He 114 in March 1941, which remained in use until 1945
Romania – Operated 29 He 114, with the last aircraft being scrapped in 1960
Surviving aircraft
While there are no complete surviving He 114s various parts and wrecks have been found over the years. Parts of one wreck were found in lake Siutghiol near Mamaia, on the Romanian Black Sea coast, in 2012. There is a possibility that the wreck of another lays in a lake near Alexeni as well.
Conclusion
The He 114 was an unsuccessful design that failed to gain any larger production orders in Germany. It had difficult controls both in the air and on the water. While it would see some limited service with the Luftwaffe, most would be sold abroad, where some were used up to the ’60s.
He 114C-1 1./SAGr.125 -Baltic Area 1941He 114A-2 1.-KuFlGr-506 Devenow 1938He 114A 1./SAGr.125 Baltic Area 1941He 114B in Romanian Service Circa 1943
Sources
D. Nešić (2008), Naoružanje Drugog Svetskog Rata Nemačka Beograd
M. Griehl (2012) X-Planes German Luftwaffe Prototypes 1930-1945, Frontline Book.
S. Lonescu and C. Craciunoi, He 114, Editura Modelism
Jean-Denis G.G. Lepage Aircraft Of The Luftwaffe 1935-1945, McFarland and Company.
Ferenc A. and P. Dancey (1998) German Aircraft Industry And Production 1933-1945. Airlife England.
https://www.cugetliber.ro/stiri-eveniment-hidroavion-din-al-doilea-razboi-mondial-descoperit-in-lacul-tasaul-201060
Nazi Germany (1939)
Experimental jet-engine powered aircraft – 2 prototypes and 1 mockup
The He 178 has the honor to be the first aircraft that made it to the sky solely powered by a jet engine. It was mainly designed and built to test the new jet engine technology. Two would be built, of which the first prototype made its maiden flight in late October 1939, just weeks after the start of the Second World War.
A photograph of the He 178 taken during its first test flight. Source: airwar.ru
Early German jet engine development
The leading German scientist in jet engine development was Hans Joachim Pabst von Ohain. He began working on jet engine designs during the thirties, and by 1935 managed to patent his first jet engine while working at the University of Göttingen. The following year, the director of this University, seeing the potential of the Hans Joachim jet engine, wrote a letter to Ernst Heinkel (the owner of the Heinkel aircraft manufacturer). Ernst Heikel was very interested in the development of jet-powered aircraft, seeing they had the potential of achieving great speed and range. After a meeting with Hans Joachim (17th March 1936), Ernst immediately employed him and his team (led by a colleague named Max Hahn) to work for his company.
In 1936, Hans Joachim and his team began building the first working prototype jet engine, using hydrogen gas as the main fuel, the HeS 1 (Heinkel-Strahltriebwerk 1). The HeS 1 was not intended as an operational engine, but for testing and demonstration purposes only. It was built and tested in early 1937, and was considered successful, so the research continued. The HeS 2 was the second test jet engine that initially used hydrogen gas fuel, but this would be changed to gasoline fuel. While this engine had some issues, it helped Hans Joachim and his team in gaining important experience in this new technology.
In September 1937, a series of modifications were made in order to improve its performance. By March 1938, the third HeS 3 jet engine was able to achieve 450 kg (1,000 lbs) of thrust during testing, much lower than the estimated 800 kg (1,760 lbs). Further modifications of the HeS 3 jet engine would lead to an increase of only 45 kg (100 lbs) of thrust.
Experimenting with the HeS 3 engine mounted on the He 118
In May (or July depending on the source) of 1939, testing of the improved HeS 3A engine began. At the same time, field testing done by attaching this engine to a piston-powered aircraft was being planned. For this reason, an He 118 was equipped with this auxiliary test jet engine. The He 118 was Heinkel’s attempt to build a dive bomber, but the Junkers Ju 87 was chosen instead. Having a longer undercarriage, the He 118 was able to mount the jet engine without any major problem. In order to keep the whole flight testing a secret, the tests were scheduled to start early in the morning.
Drawing of the He 118 equipped with the experimental HeS 3A jet engine. An improved version of this engine would later be mounted in the He 178. Source: www.fiddlersgreen
The pilot chosen for this test flight was Erich Warsitz. When the He 118 reached the designated height using the piston engine, the pilot would then activate the auxiliary jet engine. During this flight, the He 118 powered by the HeS 3A jet engine managed to achieve 380 kg (840 lb) of thrust. More test flights were carried out with the modified He 118 until it was destroyed in a fire accident during landing. Despite this accident, the final version of the HeS 3B jet engine was intended to be mounted in the Heinkel designed He 178 aircraft. While this engine was far from perfect and did not manage to achieve the designer’s expected thrust, Ernst Heinkel urged its installation in the He 178 as soon as possible.
The He 178 history
Interestingly, the whole He 178 development began as a private venture. It was also under the veil of secrecy and the RLM (Reichsluftfahrtministerium), the German Aviation Ministry, was never informed of its beginning. Ernst Heinkel gathered the designers and technical directors to reveal to them ’…We want to build a special aircraft with a jet drive! The RLM is not to know anything about the 178. I take full responsibility!..’
Heinkel was possibly motivated by a desire to get an early advantage over the other German aircraft manufacturers. The main competitor was the Junkers Flugzeugwerke, which would also show interest and invest resources in developing this new technology.
While Hans Joachim was in charge of developing the proper jet engine, work on the He 178 airframe was led by the team of Hans Regner as main designer and Heinrich Hertel, Heinrich Helmbold, and Siegfried Günter as aircraft engineers. The first He 178 mockup was ready by the end of August 1938. Ernst Heinkel was, in general, satisfied with the design, but asked for some modifications of the cockpit and requested adding an emergency escape hatch door for the pilot on the starboard side. The following year, both the He 178 airframe and the HeS 3B jet engine were ready, so the completion of the first working prototype was possible.
Technical characteristics
The He 178 was designed as a shoulder wing, mixed construction, jet engine-powered aircraft. As it was to be built in a short period of time and to serve as an experimental aircraft, Ernst Heinkel insisted that its overall construction should be as simple as possible. It had a monocoque fuselage which was covered with duralumin alloy. The wings were built using wood and were sloping slightly upwards. The wing design was conventional and consisted of inboard trailing edge flaps and ailerons. The rear tail was also made of wood. The pilot cockpit was placed well forward of the wing’s leading edge.
The jet engine used initially was the HeS 3B, but this was later replaced with a stronger HeS 6 jet engine. The He 178 jet engine was supplied with air through a front nose Pitot-type intake, then through a curved shaped duct which occupied the lower part of the fuselage, leading directly to the engine. The exhaust gasses would then go through a long pipe all the way to the end of the fuselage. At the developing stage, there were proposals to use side intakes but, probably for simplicity’s sake, the nose-mounted intake was chosen instead. The He 178 fuel tank was placed behind the cockpit.
The He 178 was to be equipped with a retractable landing gear with two larger wheels in the front and a small one at the rear. All three landing gear legs retracted into the aircraft fuselage. For unknown reasons, this was not adopted early on and many test flights were carried out with landing gear in the down position. One possible explanation was that the Heinkel engineers may have left it on purpose. They probably wanted to have the landing gear down in order to be able to land quickly if the engine failed.
First test flights
The first He 178 V1 prototype was completed by June 1939, when it was transported to the Erprobungsstelle Rechlin (test center). Once there, it was presented to Adolf Hitler and Hermann Göring. Interestingly, prior to the flight testing He 178 V1, another Heinkel innovative rocket-powered aircraft, the He 176 was demonstrated. On 23rd June 1939, the He 178 pilot Erich Warsitz performed a few ground test runs. During this presentation, the He 178 was not taken to the sky, mostly due to the poor performance of the HeS 3A jet engine.
Following this presentation, He 178 V1 was transported back to the Heinkel factory in order to prepare it for its first operational test flight. The first He 178 test flight was achieved on 27th August 1939 at the Heinkel Marienehe Airfield near Rostock. At this stage, the pilot, Erich Warsitz, was instructed by the Heinkel engineers not to fly this aircraft at high speeds, mostly due to the fixed undercarriage. In addition, the HeS 3B could only provide enough thrust for only six minutes of effective flight. During this flight, there was a problem with the fuel pump but, despite this, the pilot managed to land with some difficulty but nevertheless successfully.
While there are only a few photographs of the He 178 V1 prototype, this was taken during its maiden flight on the morning of 27 August 1939. Source: airwar.ru
The flight is best described by the pilot’s own words. ‘…As the aircraft began to roll I was initially rather disappointed at the thrust, for she did not shoot forward as the 176 had done, but moved off slowly. By the 300-meter mark, she was moving very fast. The 176 was much more spectacular, more agile, faster, and more dangerous. The 178, on the other hand, was more like a utility aircraft and resembled a conventional aircraft …In this machine, I felt completely safe and had no worries that my fuel tanks would be dry within a minute. She was wonderfully easy to hold straight, and then she lifted off. Despite several attempts, I could not retract the undercarriage. It was not important, all that mattered was that she flew. The rudder and all flaps worked almost normally, the turbine howled. It was glorious to fly, the morning was windless, the sun low on the horizon. My airspeed indicator registered 600 km/h, and that was the maximum Schwärzler had warned me. Therefore, I throttled back, since I habitually accepted the advice of experienced aeronautical engineers. The tanks were not full and, contrary to custom, I did not want to gain altitude for a parachute jump should things go awry. It was supposed to be a short flight. At 300 to 400 meters altitude I banked cautiously left – rudder effect not quite normal, the machine hung to the left a little, but I held her easily with the control stick, she turned a little more and everything looked good.
After flying a wide circuit my orders were to land at once, this had been hammered into me, but now I felt the urge to go round again. I increased speed and thought, ‘Ach! I will!’ Below I could see the team waving at me. On the second circuit – I had been in the air six minutes – I told myself ‘Finish off!’ and began the landing. The turbine obeyed my movement of the throttle even though a fuel pump had failed, as I knew from my instruments and later during the visual checks. Because the airfield was so small for such flights I was a little worried about the landing because we did not know for certain the safe landing speed: we knew the right approach, gliding and landing speeds in theory, but not in practice, and they did not always coincide. I swept down on the heading for the runway. I was too far forward and did not have the fuel for another circuit. Now I would have to take my chances with the landing, losing altitude by side-slipping. I was flying an unfamiliar, new type of aircraft at high speed near the ground and I was not keen on side-slipping. It was certainly a little risky, but the alternative was overshooting into the River Warnow. Such an ending, soaking wet at four on a Sunday morning, appealed less. The onlookers were horror-struck at the maneuver. They were sure I was going to spread the aircraft over the airfield. But the well-built kite was very forgiving. I restored her to the correct attitude just before touching down, made a wonderful landing, and pulled up just short of the Warnow. The first jet flight in history had succeeded! …’’ Source: L. Warsitz (2008) The First Jet Pilot The Story of German Test Pilot Erich Warsitz.
An interesting fact is that pilot Erich Warsitz managed to be the first man that flew on both a rocket-powered (He 176) and a jet-powered (He 178) aircraft in history.
Heinkel’s attempt to gain the support of the Luftwaffe
During the following months, Hans Joachim tried to improve the HeS 3B jet engine, which would lead to the development of the HeS 6. This jet engine managed to achieve a thrust of 1,300 lb (590 kg), but due to the increase in weight, it did not increase the He 178’s overall flight performance.
As the He 178 was built as a private venture, Heinkel’s next step was to try obtaining state funding for further research from the RLM. For this reason, a flight presentation was held at Marienehe with many RLM high officials, like Generaloberst Ernst and General Erhard Milch. During the He 178 V1’s first attempt to take off, the pilot aborted the flight due to a problem with the fuel pumps. During his return to the starting point, a tire burst out. The pilot, Erich Warsitz, lied to the gathered RLM officials that this was the reason why he aborted the takeoff.
After a brief repair, Erich Warsitz managed to perform several high-speed circuits flights. During the presentation flight, Erich Warsitz estimated that he had reached a speed of 700 km/h (435 mph), which was incorrect, as later turned out… Interestingly, even at this stage, the He 178 was still not provided with the retractable landing gear. The RLM officials were not really impressed with the He 178’s performance, and for now, no official response came from them.
This was for a few reasons. The Luftwaffe had achieved great success during the war with Poland, which proved that the piston-powered engines were sufficient for the job. In addition, Hans Mauch, who was in charge of the RLM’s Technical Department, as opposed to the development of jet engines. He was against the development of jet engines by any ordinary aircraft manufacturer. Another problem was the He 178’s overall performance. During the test flights, the maximum speed achieved was only 595 km/h (370 mph). Hans Joachim calculated that the maximum possible speed with the HeS 6 was 700 km/h (435 mph). The speed was probably affected by the landing gear, which was still deployed and not retracted.
While the RLM did not show any interest in the He 178, Heinkel would continue experimenting with it. While the He 178 did perform many more flight tests, these were unfortunately not well documented. What is known is that, in 1941, the He 178 (with fully operational landing gear) managed to achieve a maximum speed of 700 km/h (435 mph) with the HeS 6 jet engine.
The He 178’s final fate
By this time, Heinkel was more interested in the development of the more advanced He 280. In addition, the use of the HeS 3B jet engine was completely rejected, being seen as underpowered. The interest in the development of the He 178 was lost and it was abandoned. The second prototype, which was similar in appearance, but somewhat larger in dimensions, was never fitted with an operational jet engine. It was possibly tested as a glider. There was also a third mockup prototype built that had a longer canopy.
This is a wooden mockup of the third prototype. While it is somewhat difficult to spot, the front landing gear wheels are actually made of wood and not rubber. Source: airwar.ruFront view of He 178 V2. Strangely, more photographs of the second prototype survived the war than of the first prototype. Source: airwar.ruRearview from the second He 178 V2 prototype. Source: airwar.ruThis is the second V2 prototype which was to be powered by the HeS 6 jet engine but was never equipped with it. Source: Source: airwar.ru
The He 178 V1 was eventually given to the Berlin Aviation Museum to be put on display. There, it was lost in 1943 during an Allied bombing raid. The fate of the second prototype is unknown but it was probably scrapped during the war. While no He 178 prototypes survived the war, today we can see a full-size replica at the Rostock-Laage Airport in Germany.
An He 178 replica can be seen at Rostock-Laage Airport in Germany. Source: Wiki
Conclusion
Today, it is often mentioned that the He 178 was Germany’s lost chance to get an edge in jet-powered aircraft development. What many probably do not know is that the He 178 was not designed to be put into production, but to serve as a test aircraft for the new technology. We also must take into consideration that the jet engine technology was new and needed many years of research to be properly used. While Germany would, later on, operate a number of jet aircraft, they were plagued with many mechanical problems that could never be solved in time. Regardless, the He 178 was an important step in the future of aviation development, being the first aircraft solely powered by a jet engine
Heinkel He 178 (HeS 6 jet engine) Specifications
Wingspan
23 ft 7 in / 7.2 m
Length
24 ft 6 in / 7.5 m
Wing Area
98 ft² / 9.1 m²
Launch Weight
4.405 lbs / 2.000 kg
Engine
One HeS 6 jet engine with 590 kg (1,300 lb) of thrust
Maximum speed
435 mph / 700 km/h
Cruising speed (when towed)
360 mph / 580 km/h
Crew
Pilot
Armament
None
Gallery
Illustration’s by Ed Jackson
He-178 V1
He 178 V2
Sources
C.Chant (2007), Pocket Guide Aircraft Of The WWII, Grange Books
D. Nešić (2008), Naoružanje Drugog Svetskog Rata Nemačka Beograds
Jean-Denis G.G. Lepage (2009), Aircraft Of The Luftwaffe 1935-1945, McFarland & Company Inc
M. Griehl (2012) X-Planes German Luftwaffe Prototypes 1930-1945, Frontline Book
T. Buttler (2019) X-Planes 11 Jet Prototypes of World War II, Osprey Publishing
L. Warsitz (2008) The First Jet Pilot The Story of German Test Pilot Erich Warsitz Pen and Sword Aviation
By the middle of the Second World War, the Germans were losing control of the skies over the occupied territories. Even the Allied air attacks on Germany itself were increasing. In an attempt to stop these raids, the Blohm und Voss company presented the Luftwaffe with a new project which involved using cheap gliders in the role of fighters. While a small series would be tested nothing came from this project.
The Bv 40 was designed as a cheap, armed, and armored fighter glider. This is the first prototype (PN + IA) which was lost on its second test flight. Source: https://www.flugrevue.de/klassiker/kampfgleiter-blohm-voss-bv-40/
History
By 1943, the German Luftwaffe (air force) was stretched to limits in an attempt to stop the ever-increasing number of Allied air attacks. The Allied Bombing campaign particularly targeted German war industry. During this time, there were a number of proposals on how to effectively respond to this ever-increasing threat. Proposals like the use of a large number of relatively inexpensive fighter aircraft, that were to be launched from larger aircraft, were considered with great interest. One proposal went even further by suggesting the use of an inexpensively modified glider for this role. This idea came from Dr. Ing Richard Vogt who was the chief designer at Blohm und Voss.
In mid-August 1943, Dr. Ing Richard Vogt handed over the plans of a cheap and easy to build (without the use of strategic materials which were in short supply) glider that could be built by a non-qualified workforce to the German Ministry of Aviation (Reichsluftfahrtministerium – RLM). The pilots intended to fly this glider were to be trained in basic flying skills only. The initial name of this Gleitjäger (glider fighter) was P186 which would later be changed to Bv 40. After receiving the initial plans the RLM responded at the end of October 1943 with a request for six prototypes to be built. The number of prototypes would be increased to 12 December 1943 and again to 20 in February 1944. If the project was successful, a production order of some 200 per month was planned.
One of the few built prototype is preparing for a test flight. Source: https://www.flugrevue.de/klassiker/kampfgleiter-blohm-voss-bv-40/
Design
The Bv 40 was designed as a partly armored and armed, mixed construction, fighter glider. Its 0.7 m (2ft 3 in) wide fuselage was mostly constructed using wooden materials, while the cockpit was provided with armored protection. The front armor of the cockpit was 20 mm (0.78 in) thick, the sides were 8 mm (0.31 in), and the bottom 5 mm (0.19 in) thick. Additionally, the cockpit received a 120 mm thick armored windshield.
The wings and the tail unit were also built mostly using wooden materials. The rear tail had a span of 1.75 m (5ft 9in). For towing operation, the Bv 40 was provided with a jettisonable trolley that was discarded once the Bv 40 was in the air. Once it was back to the airbase it was to land using a skid.
What is interesting is that in order to have as small a size as possible, the cockpit was designed so that the pilot had to be in a prone position. While a pilot prone positioned design offered advantages like being a smaller target and having an excellent view at the front, it also caused some issues like a bad rearview. While this design was tested in Germany (like the Akaflieg Berlin B9 for example), it was never implemented. Inside the cockpit, there were only basic instruments that were essential for the flight. In addition, due to the high altitude that it was supposed to operate, the pilot was to be provided with an oxygen supply system and a parachute. The side windows had sliding armored screens with integral visor slots that could offer extra protection.
Close up view of the small pilot cockpit. Source: https://www.flugrevue.de/klassiker/kampfgleiter-blohm-voss-bv-40/
The armament of this glider consisted of two 3 cm (1.18 in) MK 108 cannons. These were placed in the wing roots with one on each side. This was serious firepower which could cause a huge amount of damage to the target it hit. Due to its small size, the ammunition loadout was restricted to 35 rounds per cannon. The ammunition feed system was quite simple; it consisted of a rectangular ammunition feed hatch placed in the middle of each wing. Inside the wings, an ammunition conveyor chute was placed to guide the rounds directly to the cannons. There was also a secondary option which included the use of one cannon together with the ‘Gerät-Schlinge’ 30 kg (66 lb) towed guided bomb. This bomb was to be guided by the Bv 40 toward the enemy bombers and was then detonated at a safe distance. In practice, during testing, this proved to be almost impossible to achieve success.
The front view of the Bv 40. Note the towing cable and the release mechanism just behind it. The pilot was beside he armored cockpit also protected by a 120 mm thick armored windshield. The large box with the round capcel (marked as number 5) is the compass housing. Source: https://www.flugrevue.de/klassiker/kampfgleiter-blohm-voss-bv-40/
Other weapon systems were also proposed. For example the use of R4M rockets placed under the wings. There was also a proposal to use the Bv 40 in the anti-shipping role by arming it with four BT 700 type torpedoes or even using 250 kg (550 lbs) time-fused bombs. Due to the extreme weight increase, this was never possible to achieve.
How should it be used?
In essence, the glider was to be towed by a Me-109G to a height of around 6 km before being released. Once released, it was to engage incoming enemy bombers with its two 3 cm (1.18 in) cannons. If circumstances allowed, a second attack run was to be launched. After the attack, the pilot simply guided the glider to the nearby airbase. It was hoped that the small size and armored cockpit would be the pilot’s best defense.
Testing of the Prototypes
Once the first prototype (marked PN+UA) was completed in early 1944, the first test flight made at Hamburg-Finkenwerder was unsuccessful as it was not able to take-off from the ground. A second more successful attempt was made on the 6th (or 20th depending on the source) May 1944 at Wenzendorf. Despite being intended to have an armored cockpit, the first prototype was tested without it. It appears also that during the maiden flight it was towed by another unusual Blohm und Voss design: the asymmetrical Bv 141. But according to most sources, the Me-110 was to be used, which seems more plausible. After the first flight, some modifications to the jettisonable undercarriage were made. On the 2nd June 1944, the first prototype was lost during a crash landing.
The Bv 40 small size is evident here. Source: Pinterest
A few days later the second prototype (PN+UB) made its first test flight. During a dive, it managed to reach a speed of 600 km/h (370 mph). Its final fate is unknown but it was probably scrapped. The third prototype never took off from the ground as it was used for static structural tests. The fourth prototype (PN+DU) was lost during its first test flight but the precise date is unknown. The fifth prototype (PN+UE) made its first test flight on 6th July 1944, but its fate is also unknown. The last prototype (PN+UF) was tested with a new fin section and made its maiden flight on the 27th of July 1944.
During these test flights, the Bv 40 was able to achieve a flight speed of up to 650 km/h (404 mph). During dive testing, the following speeds at different altitudes were achieved: 850 km/h (528 mph) at 4,000 m (13,120 ft), 700 km/h (435 mph) and an astonishing 900 km/h (560 mph) at 5,000 (16,400 ft). Nevertheless, the results of the test flight appear to have been disappointing due to Bv 40’s poor overall flight performance.
The Bv 40 interior of the pilot cockpit. The Pilot was placed in a prone position. While this arrangement was tested on some German aircraft design in practice it was never implemented. Source: https://www.flugrevue.de/klassiker/kampfgleiter-blohm-voss-bv-40/
Rejection of the Project
Once the project was properly revised by the RLM officials, the obvious shortcomings of the Bv 40 became apparent. The Bv 40 was simply deemed too helpless against the Allied fighter cover. In addition, when the report of the first few prototypes was studied, it became clear even to the RLM that the Bv 40 was simply a flawed concept and so it decided to cancel it in mid-August 1944. The next month the Allies bombers destroyed the remaining 14 Bv 40 which were in various states of production.
Not wanting to let their project fail, the Dr. Ing Richard Vogt and the Blohm und Voss designers proposed to mount either two Argus As 014 pulsejets or two HWK 109-509B rocket engines under its wings. Nothing came from this as the Me-328 and Me-163 proved to be more promising (these ironically also ended in failure). There was even a proposal to modify the BV 40 to be used as a Rammjäger (ram fighter) which was never implemented.
Production
Despite initial requests for the production of 200 such gliders only a small prototype series would be built by Blohm und Voss during 1944.
Bv V1 – Lost during its second test flight.
Bv V2 – Fate unknown.
Bv V3 – Used for static testing.
Bv V4 – Lost during it’s first flight.
Bv V5 – Flight tested but final fate unknown.
Bv V6 – Tested with modified fin section.
Bv V7-V20 – Lost during one of many Allied bombing raids on Germany.
Operators
Germany – While testing was conducted on a small prototype series no production order was given.
The Bv 40 side view. Source: http://www.histaviation.com/Blohm_und_Voss_Bv_40.html
Conclusion
The Bv 40 on paper had a number of positive characteristics; it was easy to make, could be available in large numbers, was cheap, well-armed and it did not need skilled pilots. But in reality, the poor performance, lack of a power plant, low ammunition count, and its vulnerability to Allied escort fighters showed that this was a flawed concept. This was obvious even to RLM officials who put a stop to this project during 1944.
The Bv 40 drawings. The small rectangles in the middle of the wings are ammunition feed openings. Source: http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/LRG/luftwaffe_blohm_und_voss_bv40.html
Gallery
Illustration by Ed Jackson
Blohm und Voss Bv 40
Blohm und Voss Bv 40 Specifications
Wingspan
25 ft 11 in / 7.9 m
Length
18 ft 8 in / 5.7 m
Height
5 ft 4 in / 1.63 m
Wing Area
93.64 ft² / 8.7 m²
Empty Weight
1.844 lbs / 830 kg
Launch Weight
2.097 lbs / 950 kg
Climb rate to 7 km
In 12 minutes
Maximum diving speed
560 mph / 900 km/h
Cruising speed (when towed)
344 mph / 550 km/h
Maximum Service Ceiling
23,000 ft / 7,000 m
Crew
Pilot
Armament
Two 3 cm (1.18 in) MK 108 cannons
Or one 3 cm (1.18 in) MK 108 cannon and a glider bomb
Sources
J. Miranda and P. Mercado (2004) Secret Wonder Weapons of the Third Reich: German Missiles 1934-1945, Schiffer Publishing.
R. Ford (2000) Germany Secret Weapons in World War II, MBI Publishing Company.
Jean-Denis G.G. Lepage Aircraft Of The Luftwaffe 1935-1945, McFarland and Company.
M. Griehl (2012) X-Planes German Luftwaffe Prototypes 1930-1945, Frontline Book.
D. Herwig and H. Rode (2002) Luftwaffe Secret Projects, Ground Attack and Special Purpose Aircraft, Midland.
Nazi Germany (1938)
Transport plane – 13 built with 4 uncompleted aircraft
The Blohm und Voss Bv 222 was the largest World War Two flying boat that ever reached operational service. Even though it started as a civilian project, due to wartime demand, it was quickly put into service with the Luftwaffe during the Second World War.
The Bv 222 during a flight over Germany. Source: http://www.warbirdphotographs.com/luftwaffephotos/index.html
The History of Blohm & Voss
The Blohm & Voss Schiffswerft und Maschinenfabrik (shipbuilding and engineering works) company was founded in 1877 by Hermann Blohm and Ernst Voss. After World War I, Blohm & Voss continued production of ships, but also reoriented to the production of aircraft (especially flying boats). In the following years, the company managed to cooperate with Lufthansa (the German Passenger Airline) and later even with the Luftwaffe.
Early on in the development and production of their first aircraft, they received the ‘Ha’ designation (standing for Hamburger Flugzeugbau, the factory’s station at Hamburg). This would be later replaced by ‘Bv’ (also sometimes marked as ‘BV’), which represented the owner’s initials. Blohm & Voss would build a number of flying boat designs like the Ha 138, Ha 139, Bv 222 and BV 238. During the war, the company was also engaged in developing a number of glide bombs like the Bv 143 and Bv 246 Hagelkorn.
The first prototype of the Bv 222, V1 (reg. D-ANTE), was briefly tested by Lufthansa before being taken over by the Luftwaffe. Source: http://www.warbirdphotographs.com/luftwaffephotos/index.html
The Lufthansa Request
In 1937, Lufthansa opened a tender for long-range passenger transport flying boats. The requirements for this tender included that the aircraft had to be able to travel from Berlin to New York in 20 hours. A few well known German aircraft manufacturers responded to this tender, including Heinkel, Blohm & Voss and Dornier. Whilst both Heinkel and Dornier had enough experience in designing seaplanes, Blohm & Voss was relatively new to this. One of the first Blohm & Voss seaplane designs was the Ha 139. While only a few were built, the company gained valuable experience in building such aircraft. The man responsible for designing the flying boat was Dr. Ing. Richard Vogt (chief designer at the Blohm & Voss) and his assistant R. Schubert.
All three aircraft manufacturers presented their models. Heinkel submitted the He 120 (renamed later to He 220), Dornier came up with the Do 20 and Blohm & Voss proposed the Ha 222 (later renamed to Bv 222). The Lufthansa officials, after detailed considerations, decided that the best aircraft was the Bv 222. An official contract between Lufthansa and Blohm & Voss was signed on 19th August 1937 for three aircraft to be built.
By the end of 1937, the Lufthansa officials requested improvements to the Bv 222. One of these regarded the number of passengers. It now had to accommodate at least 24 passengers on shorter trips and 16 during long voyages across the Atlantic.
Change into a Military Project
The design work on the new aircraft began in January of 1938 and lasted almost a year. This was mainly due to the huge task and the inexperience of Blohm & Voss in designing such large aircraft. Nevertheless, the construction of the first Bv 222 V1 prototype began in September 1938, followed a few weeks later by the V2 and V3 prototypes. Work on the Bv 222 was slow and it dragged on into 1939 and 1940. By this time, due to the outbreak of war, a shortage of skilled labour and the decision to concentrate on the Bv 138, the Bv 222 had low priority.
In July 1940, Blohm & Voss presented a mockup of the Bv 222 exterior and interior to Lufthansa officials. They were generally satisfied but demanded some changes. In early August, despite receiving Lufthansa approval, the Bv 222 project was actually slowly being taken over by the Luftwaffe for its own use.
By the end of August 1940, the Bv 222 V1 prototype was completed, and many taxi and loading tests were carried out. The first test flight was piloted by Captain Helmut Wasa Rodig on 7th September 1940. While the general flight performance was deemed satisfactory, there were some issues, such as instability during horizontal flights and staggering from one side to another when floating on water. While still under development and testing for civilian use, the Bv 222 V1 received the registration D-ANTE.
The Bv 222’s cockpit. Source: http://www.warbirdphotographs.com/luftwaffephotos/index.html
Technical Characteristics
The Bv 222 was designed as a six-engined, high wing, flying transport plane. Unfortunately, the sources do not provide us with more precise information about its construction. This is mostly due to the small number of aircraft built.
While the sources do not mention if it was built using only metal or mixed construction, the Bv 222’s fuselage was covered with 3-5 mm thick anticorrosive metal framework. Its large size made it possible to build two floors. The upper floor was designed for the crew of the plane. The lower floor was initially designed to accommodate civilian seats, but as the Bv 222 was put into military service, this area was used to store equipment or soldiers. A large door was provided to access the lower floor.
The wings were constructed using a huge tubular main spar. These were used to provide additional room for spare fuel and oil tanks. The fuel was stored in six fuel tanks with a total capacity of 3,450 litres. Four outboard stabilising floats (two on each side) were carried on the wings. These would split into two halves and retract into the wing. The purpose of these stabilising floats was to stabilise the plane during landings on water.
The crew number varied between each aircraft. It usually consisted of two pilots, two mechanics, a radio operator and, depending on the number of guns installed, additional machine gun operators.
The Bv 222 was initially powered by six Bramo 323 Fafnir 1000 hp strong radial engines. Other engines, for example Jumo 207C, were used later during the production run.
The defensive armament varied between each plane and usually consisted of several different machine guns or cannons. The following different types of weapons are known to have been used: 7.92 mm (0.31 in) MG 81, 13 mm (0.51 in) MG 131 and 20 mm (0.78 in) MG 151.
The Bv 222 V2 prototype from the rear. Here we can also see the rear defense turret. Source: http://www.warbirdphotographs.com/luftwaffephotos/index.html
The Bv 222 (V4, V5, V6 and V8) were equipped with the most advanced electronic equipment that the Germans had, such as the FuG 200 surface search radar, FuG 101 A radio altimeter, FuG 25 A friend or foe identification system and the FuG 16 command guided target approach system. The radio equipment used on these four were the Lorenz VP 257 and the Lorenz VP 245 transoceanic relay sets.
First Military Transport Flight Operations
By the end of 1940, Bv 222 V1 was mostly used for testing and correcting any issues. By December of 1940, due to the winter and bad weather, further tests were not possible. As Bv 222 V1 was fully operational and enough fuel was stored, it was deemed a waste of resources to simply wait for the arrival of spring. For this reason, Luftwaffe officials proposed for the Bv 222 V1 to be used in a military transport operation between Hamburg and Kirkenes (Norway). For this operation, the Bv 222 V1 was modified by adding a large side hatch door. During this operation, Bv 222 V1 received a military camouflage paint scheme and received the registration number CC+EQ. By mid August 1941, the Bv 222 V1 achieved a total of 120 hours flight, with some 65 tonnes of cargo and 221 wounded soldiers transported. This mission was a success and the Bv 222 V1 proved to be an effective transport plane.
Bv 222 V5 somewhere in the Mediterranean. Note the left wing’s outboard stabilizing floats designed to provide better balance when floating on water. Source: http://www.warbirdphotographs.com/luftwaffephotos/index.html
After a period of needed general overhaul and repair, Bv 222 V1 was set for a new transport mission, this time to support the DAK-Deutsches Afrikakorps (German Africa Corps). The main bases of operation were from Athens to Derna in Africa. The mission was carried out from 16th October to 6th November 1941. In total, seventeen flights were carried out, with 30 tonnes of supplies and 515 wounded soldiers and personnel transported. As Bv 222 V1, at this time, was not equipped with any defensive armament, two Me 110s were provided for its escort. While it was a prototype plane, no defensive armament was installed. But, after several encounters with the British Air Force in the Mediterranean, the need for defensive armament became apparent. At this stage, the Bv 222 was lucky, as it managed to emerge from these engagements in one piece. It even managed to survive the attack of three British Beaufighters on a flight from Taranto to Tripoli.
During these transport flights, the improved Bramo 323 engines (which replaced the earlier BMW 132) achieved a solid but satisfactory overall flight performance. But the Bramo 323 engines were deemed prone to malfunctions.
Future Service within the Luftwaffe
During the winter of 1941/1942, Bv 222 V1 was again returned to Blohm & Voss for more repairs but also for fitting its first defensive armament. The armament consisted of several 7.92 mm (0.31 in) and 13 mm (0.51 in ) machine guns. Note that the information about armament in this article is taken from H. J. Nowarra’s book “Blohm and Voss Bv 222”, but other authors state that different armament was used. One MG 81 was placed in the nose, four more MG 81s were placed in the fuselage and two additional DL 131 turrets with MG 131s were placed in the upper fuselage. At the same time, Bv 222 V1 received a new registration code, X4+AH. It was attached to Luft-Transport-Staffel 222 (short LTS 222) which mainly operated in the Mediterranean. The LTS 222 official squadron marking was a Viking longship and it is probably for this reason that the Bv 222 were nicknamed ‘Wikings’.
The Bv 222 V8 placed on a ramp, possibly for repairs. Source: http://www.warbirdphotographs.com/luftwaffephotos/index.html
During 1942, LTS 222 was reinforced with four newly built Bv 222s of the A-series. V4 (reg. num. X4+DH) was received in mid April, V5 (reg. num. X4+EH) on 7th July, V6 (reg. num. X4+FH) on 21st August and V8 (reg. num. X4+HH) in late September. These four were provided with defensive armament consisting of two DL 151 turrets, each armed with an MG 151 in the upper fuselage, one MG 131 in the nose position and two MG 81 on the fuselage sides.
After many extensive and dangerous transport missions, Bv 222 V1 finally ran out of luck, and was lost in a tragic accident in early 1943. While on a flight to Athens, due to Allied air raids, the pilot tried to land on water. Because of the total darkness, the pilot was unable to see a half sunken wreckage, which damaged the plane so much that it sank in only a few minutes. Luckily, the crew was safely evacuated.
Bv 222 V2 made its first test flight on the 7th August 1941. It was initially used by the Erprobungsstelle Travemünde for testing and improvements. It had its bottom fuselage redesigned to provide better stability when floating in water. In addition, two reserve thrust propellers were attached to each middle engine on both sides, which improved flight performance. It was not used by LTS 222 but was instead given to the Fliegerführer Atlantik unit. As this unit name suggests, Bv 222 V2 (which later included other Bv 222s) was used to patrol the Atlantic. Its main base of operations was the city of Biscarrosse in occupied France. Bv 222 V2 would remain in use up to the war’s end, when it was captured by the Allied forces in May 1945.
The Bv 222 V3 prototype had a much shorter operational service life. It made its first test flight on the 28th November 1941. It was lost on the 30th June 1943 while on a patrol mission across the Atlantic.
Bv 222 V4 was initially used in a transport mission above the Mediterranean. On 10th December 1942, it was damaged by Allied raids. After the necessary repairs, it would be used for the remainder of the war on patrol missions across the Atlantic. In October 1943, it, together with Bv 222 V2, managed to shoot down a British Avro Lancaster bomber over the ocean. The circumstances of this event are not clear even to this day. Bv 222 V4 was sunk by its crew in May 1945 at Kiel.
Most Bv 222s were powered by six 1000 hp Bramo 323 engines. These were later replaced with Jumo 207Cs. http://www.warbirdphotographs.com/luftwaffephotos/index.html
V5 was used for transport of materiel and men above the Mediterranean, until the loss of Bv 222 V1. After that, it was recalled to Germany to be structurally strengthened and equipped with stronger defensive armament. From April 1943, it was used in Atlantic patrol missions, until it was shot down by the Allies in June the same year.
V6 was shot down by the British shortly after it was attached to LTS 222. Bv 222 V8 also had a short operational life, as it was lost in action to Allied fighters on 10th December 1942.
It is interesting to point out that, during the Bv 222’s service in the Mediterranean, the British would attack these aircraft only when they were transporting ammunition and supplies to Africa, but they would not attack them on their way back to Europe as they would be transporting wounded soldiers.
After construction of the first three prototypes, the next four aircraft were reclassified as the A-series (V4, V5, V6 and V8). Interestingly, these would also retain their prototype ‘V’ designation, which can lead to some confusion.
Future Improvements and Modifications
Even as the first series of Bv 222 were under construction, there was a proposal for a new improved civilian version named Bv 222 B, which was to be powered by Jumo 208 engines. Due to the war, this was never implemented and remained a paper project.
As the first series of Bv 222 had some issues with the engines, there were attempts to equip them with better models. For this reason, Bv 222 V7 (reg. TB+QL ) was instead powered by Jumo 207 C 680 hp diesel engines. The idea behind using diesel engines was that the Bv 222 could be refueled at sea by using U-boats. The Jumo 207C engines also proved to have some issues, but it was nevertheless decided to use the Bv 222 V7 as the basis for the C-series. Bv 222 V7 was flight tested in April 1943, and it would remain in service up to the war’s end, when it was destroyed by its crew to avoid capture by Allied forces in May 1945.
Due to the bad wartime situation for the Germans and the lack of materials, only a limited number of C-series aircraft were ever built. Of the nine that were under construction, only about five (beside V7) were ever completed. Two of the C-series aircraft were to be used for a new D-series powered by the Jumo 207 D engines. Due to problems with this engine, production was never implemented.
Bv 222 V2 that was captured by the Allies in Trondheim Fjord. Source: http://www.warbirdphotographs.com/luftwaffephotos/index.html
The first aircraft of the C-series (Bv 222 C-9) was allocated to Fliegerführer Atlantik on the west in late July 1943. After the Allied landings in France, the Germans lost their air bases in this area. For this reason, the long-range patrol missions were carried out from occupied Norway. C-9 was lost in early 1945 (or 1944, depending on the source), when it was shot down by a British Hawker Typhoon. C-10 was lost in a crash in February 1944. C-11 was fully equipped but was never used operationally for unknown reasons. C-12 was tested with rocket assisted engines to help during takeoff. The use of the C-13 aircraft is unfortunately unclear. While the C-14 to C-17 were under construction, they were never completed due to a lack of resources.
While the Bv 222 was primarily designed as a flying boat, there were plans to modify it to be used as a standard transport plane. This was to be achieved by adding landing gear wheels to it. The projects received the P.187 designation. Possibly due to a low priority, this project was under development up to the war’s end and was never implemented.
Flight to Japan
During the war, the Germans had plans to establish a flight line connection with Japan. Original flight plans stated that the starting point for the Germans was Kirkenes and then to Tokyo via the Sakhalin Island. The Bv 222 was in the competition for this mission, but was rejected due to the small number built and because it was not designed for this role. Other aircraft considered were the Ju 290 and the He 177. The aircraft ultimately chosen was the Ju 290, but this planned flight was never attempted and the whole project was dropped.
The side view of the Bv 222. Source: http://www.warbirdphotographs.com/luftwaffephotos/index.html
Arctic Rescue Mission
During the war, the Germans managed to set up a secret meteorological station in the Arctic. In the spring of 1944, the crew of this station were sick because they had eaten raw meat. A supply mission was conducted using a Fw 200 for transporting a doctor to this base. The pilot tried to land but, during the landing, one wheel of the landing gear broke down. The base sent back a distress call for further aid. For this mission, one of the Bv 222s was chosen and was loaded with a spare wheel and spare parts. Once it was above the base, the parts were successfully dropped by a parachute. The station crew were eventually rescued once the Fw 200 was repaired.
In Allied Hands
By the end of the war, the Americans managed to capture two Bv 222 aircraft, C-11 and C-13. C-11 would be flown to America and was used for evaluation. While it would eventually be scrapped, it gave the Americans valuable information about designing and building such huge flying bots. C-13 was also flown to America, where it would later be scrapped.
One of the captured Bv 222s used by the British. Source: http://www.warbirdphotographs.com/luftwaffephotos/index.html
The British also managed to capture Bv 222 C-12 in Norway. During the flight to the UK, one of the engines stopped working, but the pilot managed to reach the UK. The British also captured the Bv 222 V2 prototype which was also relocated to the UK. These would serve the British in gaining valuable information about the aircraft’s construction.
Production
The only producer of these aircraft was Blohm & Voss at Hamburg. Due to many factors, such as long development and testing time, the substantial resources needed to build them and the pressing need for fighter aircraft, there was only a limited production run. In total, only 13 Bv 222 were ever made. These included three prototypes, four of the A-series and six C-series aircraft. While there were a few more under construction, these were never completed.
Versions
Bv 222 V1-V3 – Several prototypes built with different armament and engines tested
Bv 222 A – Four aircraft built
Bv 222 B – Proposed improved civilian version
Bv 222 C – Version powered by the Jumo 207 engine, few built
Bv 222 D – Proposed improved C-series to be powered by Jumo 207 D engine, none built
P.187 – Proposed land-based version, none built
Operators
Lufthansa – Although the original purchaser of this aircraft, only V1 saw limited evaluation and testing service in Lufthansa service
Nazi Germany – Operated a small number of these aircraft
USA – Captured two aircraft of the C-series which were used for testing
UK – Captured two aircraft.
Surviving aircraft
Unfortunately, due to wartime attrition and sabotage by their own crews, not a single BV 222 is known to have survived to this day. There are possibly several wrecks underwater, like the one in Greece, that could maybe one day be salvaged or even restored.
Conclusion
The Bv 222 was the largest operational aircraft built during the war. While it was never used in its original role, it would see extensive service with the Luftwaffe, despite being available only in small numbers. Due to its large transport capabilities, it was vital to the Germans, as they lacked transport planes throughout the war. But, due to the bad military situation in the second half of the war and the need for a large number of fighter planes, the Bv 222 would only be built in limited numbers.
Nazi Germany (1938)
Multi-role Fighter – 12 ~ 18 Built
Rear Quarter Drawing of the 240 [Luftnachrichtenhelferin]The Ar 240 was designed as a possible replacement of the Me 110. While initially it seemed to have great potential, problems with handling and mechanical breakdowns proved to be too much for this aircraft. As it would not be accepted for service, only a small number were actually built. While a few were used by the Luftwaffe, their operational usage was limited.
History of Arado
Werft Warnemünde, later known as Arado, was an aircraft manufacturer that was founded during the Great War, in 1917, as a subsidiary of Flugzeugbau Friedrichshafen. In 1921, this company was purchased by an engineer, Heinrich Lübbe, who was more interested in designing and building ships. In 1924, it was once again engaged in development of aircraft designs, mainly intended for foreign markets. For the position of chief designer, Walter Rethel, who previously had worked for Fokker was chosen.
Werft Warnemünde would be renamed in 1925 to Arado Handelsgesellschaft and renamed again in March 1933 to Arado Flugzeugwerke GmbH. At this time, Walter Blume was appointed as the new chief designer. During his supervision, several projects that were later used by the Luftwaffe were built, including the Ar 66 trainer and the Ar 65 and Ar 68 fighter aircraft.
At the start of the Second World War, Arado was mostly engaged in licenced aircraft production for the Luftwaffe. But work on its own aircraft designs was not discarded. The most important of these upcoming designs were the Ar 96 trainer, Ar 196 reconnaissance plane and the Ar 234, which would become the first operational jet bomber in the world. While these proved a huge contribution to the German war efforts, the Ar 240 design proved to be a failure.
Development of the Ar 240
During 1938, the German Ministry of Aviation (Reichsluftfahrtministerium, RLM) was interested in the development of a new multi-purpose twin engine aircraft that would replace the Me 110. Besides Messerschmitt, which began development of the Me-210, the Arado company would also be involved. In early April 1939 or 1938, depending on the source, the Arado company received a contract for the construction of three prototypes of the new multi-purpose plane initially called E-240. The development of this new aircraft was carried out by an Arado team of designers and engineers led by Walther Blume and by Dipl.-Ing. Wilhelm van Nes.
Interestly, possibly for reasons such as good connections with the Nazi Party or Arado’s good reputation as an aircraft manufacturer, even before the completion of the first prototype, an order for 10 additional prototypes was given by the RLM. While these would be built, a number of problems were identified which would prove to be the downfall of the aircraft.
Technical Characteristics
Front view of the Arado Ar 240 V3 prototype. [Luftwaffe Resource Center]Close up of the extended flap system [Luftnachrichtenhelferin]The Arado 240 was designed as a two seater, twin-engined, mid wing monoplane. The fuselage had a monocoque design and stressed-skin. The fuselage was oval-shaped, with the rear part being more round shaped. The rear tail of the Ar 240 consisted of two fins and rudders, but also had dive brakes installed.
The central parts of the wings were rectangular, while the outer part was trapezoidal in shape. The wings were constructed using a two-part spar structure. The Ar 240 used Fowler type flaps, which covered the entire trailing edge. What is interesting is that the Ar 240 flaps were integrated with the ailerons and that this configuration was previously tested on the Ar 198. Another innovation was the use of automatic leading edge slats, but this system was used only on the first few prototypes and abandoned later on. The wings also housed four fuel tanks on each side, which had a total fuel load of 2,300 liters (600 US gallons). The fuel tanks were built using a new self-sealing system that used thinner tank liners, which enabled the aircraft to have a much increased fuel load.
Ar 240 front view. This picture was taken during March 1944. [WarBirds Photos]The Ar 240’s cockpit interior. [WarBirds Photos]The cockpit was initially positioned directly over the place where the wing root. After the third prototype, the cockpit was moved forward. The cockpit used a back to back seat configuration, with the pilot positioned on the front seat and the radio operator, who was also acting as the rear gunner, being positioned in the rear seat. The Ar 240 cockpit was completely pressurized. The cockpit was directly connected to the fuselage, but was provided with a jettisonable canopy in case of emergency. The well designed glazed canopy provided the pilot and crewman with an excellent all-around view.
The Ar 240 used a conventional retractable landing gear which consisted of two front wheels and one smaller tail wheel. The two front wheels retracted outward into the engine nacelles, while the third wheel retracted into the rear tail fuselage section.
The Ar 240 was tested with a number of different engine types, as the designer had problems in finding an adequate one. The prototype series was powered by Daimler Benz DB 601A and DB 603 A. The later built A series would also be tested with a number of different engines, including the DB 601 A-1 and DB 603, BMW 801 TJ etc..
Different armaments were proposed for the AR 240, including a pair of remotely controlled defence turrets. The control of these turrets was hydraulic and they were equipped with periscope aiming sights. The bomb load would consist of around 1 to 1.8 tons, placed under the fuselage.
Development and Usage of the Ar 240 Prototype Series
Another view of the V3 prototype. [WarBirds Photos]Note: Due to differing information depending on the author, the following information was mostly taken from G. Lang. (1996), Arado Ar 240, A Schiffer Military History Book.
The first operational Ar 240 V1 prototype (markings DD+QL), powered by two 1,157 hp DB 601 engines, was completed in early 1940 and was flight tested on the 10th of May the same year. The next flight tests were made on 25th June and 17th July 1940. In May 1941, the engines were replaced with two DB 603 E. More tests were carried out until October 1941, when the prototype was removed from service for unknown reasons. According to M. Griehl, it was destroyed on the 18th April 1941. The test results of the Ar 240 V1 showed that this aircraft had huge problems with the controls and was difficult to fly, a trend which will be inherited on all Ar 240 planes.
The second prototype, V2, is somewhat shrouded in mystery, as the date of its first operational test flight is unknown. A possible date for the first test flight is 15th September 1940. While it is not clear, the V2 prototype probably received the DD+CE markings. Arado test pilots made several flight trials during September 1940. By the end of February 1941, the Ar 240 V2 prototype was relocated to Rechlin for future tests. By May 1941, the V2 prototype received new DB 603 engines. At the same time, it was also fitted with two 7.92 mm (0.311 in) MG 17 and two 20 mm (0.78 in) MG 151/20 cannons. In November 1941, this plane was modified to be used in dive bombing trials. An additional change was the installation of two DB 601 E engines. The final fate of the V2 prototype is not known precisely, but it was probably scrapped.
The Ar 240 V3 (KK+CD) prototype was first flight tested on 9th May 1941. In comparison to the earlier two prototypes, this model had the cockpit moved forward. The rear tail-positioned dive brakes were replaced with a cone and ventral fins. Numerous engines were tested on this aircraft, including two Jumo 203 and DB 601 E. In early 1942, a number of pressure cabin tests were conducted on the V3 prototype. This aircraft also served as a test bed for the new FA-9 remote controlled system developed in cooperation between Arado and the DVL (aviation research institute), but proved to be problematic. V3 would be used operationally as a reconnaissance aircraft over England. It was piloted by Oberst Siegfried Knemeyer, and while his plane was unarmed, thanks to its high speed, he managed to avoid any confrontation with British planes. The fate of this aircraft is not known, as (depending on the sources) it could have been lost in either April 1944 or May 1942.
Row of three Ar 240 prototypes. [Luftwaffe Resource Center]The V4 prototype was to be tested as a dive-bomber variant. The first test flight was made on 19th June 1941. It was powered by two 1,750 hp DB 603 A engines. It was modified with added dive brakes and was capable of carrying up to eight 50 kg (110 lb) bombs under the fuselage. Its fuselage was also elongated to 13.05 m (42 ft 9 ¾ inches). Many detailed tests with the V4 were carried out in France and in the Mediterranean. The V4 prototype was lost in August 1941 in an air accident.
The V5 (GL+QA or T5+MH) prototype made its maiden flight test in September 1941. What is interesting is that it was not built by Arado but by AGO Flugzeugwerken from Oschersleben. It was powered by two 1,175 hp DB 601 E engines and was provided with a tail cone. It was armed with two wing root MG 17 machine guns and two same caliber MG 81 machine guns placed into two (one above and under the fuselage) FA-13 type remotely controlled turrets. In late March 1942, this aircraft was given to the Aufklärungsgruppe Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe (reconnaissance unit/group belonging to the Commander in Chief of the Luftwaffe). It was then, possibly in late 1942, allocated to Versuchsstelle für Höhenflüge VfH (research station for high-altitude flight).
Ar 240 with tow ropes attached in the Soviet Union during the winter of 1942/1943 [Luftnachrichtenhelferin]Ar 240 A-01 used around Kharkov in late 1942. [Luftnachrichtenhelferin]The V6 (GL+QA or T5+KH) prototype was also built by AGO, and while most parts were ready during November 1941, the aircraft was only completed in early 1942. It was flight tested in January 1942, but if this was its first test flight is not clear. It was given to the Luftwaffe in early March 1942 and moved to Oranienburg for future tests. It was similar in appearance and equipment with the previous V5 aircraft. While it was used mostly for testing, it saw front line service during the winter of 1942/43 around the Kharkov area. The plane is listed as destroyed but under which circumstances is not known.
The V7 (DM+ZU) prototype made its first test flight in October or December 1942. It was designed to be used as the basis for the Ar 240 B high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft. It was to be provided with a pressurized cockpit and a heating system. V7 was powered by two 1,475 hp DB 605 A engines, which were specially designed to use a methanol-water injection in order to increase the engine overall performance and output. Armament consisted of two wing mounted MG 17s and a rear mounted remotely-controlled turret armed with the MG 151/20, and two 50 kg (110 lb) bombs. Operational range was 1,900 km (1,180 mi) and it a was capable of climbing to 6 km (19,685 ft) in 10 minutes and 6 seconds.
The V8 prototype was a direct copy of the V7 and possibly made its first test flight in December 1942 or March 1943 depending on the sources. The final fate of this and the previous aircraft is not known.
The V9 (BO+RC) prototype was designed as a Zerstörer (heavy fighter) aircraft. It was to be used as a test base for the planned Ar 240 C version. The V9 had redesigned longer wings and fuselage. It was powered by two DB 603 A engines which were also equipped with a methanol-water injection system. The main armament consisted of four forward and two rear MG 151/20. While this version had a great priority and was even considered for acceptance for production. This was never achieved, mostly due to a lack of necessary equipment and parts. The final fate of this aircraft is not clear, as it was possibly never even fully completed, but some sources also mention that it was lost in a landing accident.
The V10 prototype was designed as a night fighter aircraft, powered by two Jumo 213 engines. The first test flight was made in September of 1943, while more tests would be carried out up to late 1944. Arado reused this aircraft for the new improved version called Ar 440.
The V11 prototype was tested as a heavy fighter-bomber and was to be used as the base of the Ar 240 F aircraft. Due to many delays, it was actually never fully completed. It had the heaviest armament, which included a mix of MG 151 and 30 mm (1.18 inch) MK 103 cannons forward mounted, rear mounted MG 151 and 13 mm (0.5 inch) MG 131 and a bomb load of 1,800 kg (3,970 lbs). V12 was a direct copy of V11 and, as these two aircraft were never completed, both were scrapped. V13 was to be used as a test base of the Ar 240 D equipped with two 2,020 hp DB 614 engines, but none were built.
V14 was probably never fully constructed. It was to be used as a base for the Ar 240 E project and powered by two DB 627 engines. V15 was to be used in a reconnaissance role and equipped with the FuG 202 Lichtenstein radar. The V15 prototype was probably never built.
An Ar 240 during its short operational life in the Soviet Union during the winter of 1942/1943. [WarBirds Photos]There are two more Ar 240 aircraft only known by their serial numbers (240009 and 2400010). While the usage and fate of the first aircraft is generally unknown, the second was used by the Luftwaffe operationally in the Soviet Union during 1943. It was damaged during a landing in August the same year. Its final fate is unknown.
Development of the ‘A’ Version
An Ar 240 during a flight test. [WarBirds Photos]After a series of prototypes were built, work on the first Ar 240 A version was also undertaken by Arado. Initially, the Ar 240 A aircraft were to be powered by two 1.750 hp DB 603 A-1 engines equipped with four blade metal propellers. Armament chosen for this version consisted of two MG 151/20 (with 300 rounds of ammunition for each gun) placed in the fuselage floor and two more MG 151/20 (with same ammunition load) placed in the wings roots. There was an option for increasing the fire power by adding two more MG 151/20. For rear defence, two defense turrets equipped with MG 131 machine guns could be placed under and above the fuselage. The bomb load could have different configurations, like: One 1,000 kg (2,220 lbs) or 1,800 kg (3,930 lbs) bomb, two 500 kg (1,100 lbs) bombs, eight 50 kg (110 lbs) bombs or even 288 smaller 2.5 kg (5 lbs) incendiary and fragmentation bombs. As the Ar 240 was never accepted for service, only few of the A version aircraft were ever built.
Ar 240 A-01 (GL+QA possible marking) made its first test flight on 28th June 1942. The test flights were carried out until September 1942, when this aircraft was to be given to the Luftwaffe. After a series of further flight and weapon tests conducted at Rechlin and Tarnewitz, the Ar 240 A-01 was to be allocated to the front. It was used around Kharkov in late 1942. On 16th February 1943, Ar 240 A-01 was lost during a flight due to mechanical failure. Both crew members lost their lives during the fall.
The second Ar 240, A-02 (GL+QB), was completed by September 1942. On 13th September, the first test flight was made. The aircraft was damaged in a landing accident in late January 1943. The final fate of this aircraft is not known.
Many Ar 240 were lost in crash landings.[Luftnachrichtenhelferin]Ar 240 A-03 (DI+CY) was initially powered by two DB 601 engines, but these were replaced with BMW 801 TJ. This aircraft had a change in the cockpit configuration, with the radio operator/observer facing forward. This aircraft was stationed at Rechlin, where it was tested from May to June 1943. During testing, Ar 240 A-03 showed to have better stability and handling during flight in contrast to previous built aircrafts. From June to late July, it was tested at Brandenburg. After these tests were completed, the aircraft was allocated for operational front use. It was given to the Aufklärungsgruppe 122, a reconnaissance unit stationed in Italy at that time. This aircraft had the same fate as most previous Ar 240, as it was heavily damaged in a crash. As the damage was extensive, it was never repaired.
Ar 240 A-04 (DI+CG) was initially equipped with two DB 601 E engines, but these would be later replaced with DB 603. It made its first flight test in late September 1942. Ar 240 A-04 was allocated to the Aufklärungsgruppe 122 as a replacement for the previous aircraft. Ironically, it suffered the same fate, but it was repaired and sent back to Arado.
Ar 240 A-05 was powered by two 1880 hp BMW 801 TJ engines equipped with a Rateau type turbo supercharger. It was possibly allocated to Aufklärungsgruppe 10 stationed in the Soviet Union.
Proposed Versions
During the Ar 240’s development, the Arado officials proposed several different variants of this aircraft, but as the whole project was not going well beside a few experimental attempts, nothing came from most of them.
Ar 240 B
This was a high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft version that was to be equipped with a pressurized cockpit and a heating system. Nothing came from this project.
Ar 240 C
On 10th March 1942, Arado officials proposed that the Ar 240 should be modified for the bomber role. For this reason, the wings were modified and its size increased. The tail design was also changed, with added tail dive brakes. As the attempt to increase the size of the internal fuel tanks proved a failure, external tanks were to be used instead. The armament consisted of two MG 151/20 and two rear mounted MG 81. It is not clear, but it is possible that at least one aircraft was built.
Ar 240 D
A proposed paper project version powered by two DB 614 engines.
Ar 240 E
A proposed version with reinforced fuselage, added bomb rack for two 500 kg (1,100 lbs) bombs and increased fuel load. Different engines were also proposed for this version, including DB 603 G, DB 627 or BMW 801 J.
Ar 240 F
A proposed heavy fighter/bomber version to be powered by two DB 603 G engines.
Ar 240 mit 7.5 cm Bordwaffen
During the war, Arado and Rheinmetall discussed the installation of a 7.5 cm gun in the Ar 240. In September 1944, it appears that one plane was actually equipped with this weapon, but was probably never operationally flight tested.
Ar 240 TL
In 1942, Dr. Ing. Walther Blume proposed a heavy fighter and night-fighter version of the Ar 240. This version was designated as Ar 240 TL, which stands for Turbinen-Luftstrahltriebwerk (turbojet). This plane was to be powered by two jet engines placed in the fuselage. It remained only a paper project.
Ar 440
With the cancellation of the Ar 240 project, Arado tried to improve the Ar 240’s overall performance by building a new version, named Ar 440. The Ar 240 V10 prototype served as a base for this modification. Beside this prototype, three more were built using already existing Ar 240 components. After some time in testing, the Ar 440 was officially rejected in October 1943 by the RLM.
Overall Performance and Cancellation of the Ar 240 Project
The Ar 240 possessed several advanced characteristics like a pressurized cockpit, remote-controlled defensive turrets, traveling flaps which provided this aircraft with good low-speed overall lift performance and fuel tanks with a new self-sealing system that used thinner tank liners. But, almost from the start of first flight testing, things turned from bad to worse for this aircraft. Almost from the start, the Ar 240 was plagued with extremely bad handling on all three axes. There were also huge problems with the controls during landing, with most aircraft being lost due to this. As the aircraft proved to be dangerous to fly, it was never adopted and the initial orders for production of 40 aircraft were never materialized.
Allied Examination After the War
Strangely, despite being a rare aircraft, the Allies managed to capture at least one Ar 240 during their advance in the West in 1944/45. This aircraft was tested by Allied pilot Captain Eric Brown. He was Chief test pilot of the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough. He was involved in a British project of taking over of German war research installations and interrogating technical personnel after the war. After the war, he managed to find the single surviving Ar 240 and, after a flight on it, made a report on its performance. The source for this account is Wings Of The Luftwaffe Flying The Captured German Aircraft of World War II by Eric Brown. This aircraft would be given by the Allies to the French and its fate is unknown.
In his report, he stated. “When the Ar 240 was wheeled out of the hangar, I was struck by its angular appearance. The wings, fuselage, and tail unit all seemed to be straight-edged, with very few curves to be seen. The engines looked very large, the airscrew spinners being level with the nose of the cockpit and well ahead of the wing leading edge, while the nacelles protruded well aft of the trailing edge. I had the feeling that, if this aeroplane was as fast as it was reputed to be, then brute engine force must be the answer … The cockpit layout was neat and the instruments were quite logically arranged, while the view was good all around except downwards on either side, where the engines interfered. Take-off was quite long, even with using 20 degrees of flap, and the initial climb rate was just over 600 m/min (2,000 ft/min). Longitudinal stability was poor, lateral stability neutral, and directional stability positive. The rate of climb fell off very little as I climbed to 6,096 m (20,000 ft), where I levelled out and settled into the cruise at what I calculated was a true airspeed of 580 km/h (360 mph). In the cruise, the aeroplane could not be flown hands-off because it diverged quickly both longitudinally and laterally, and would be tiring to fly for a long time. An autopilot was fitted, although not serviceable in my case, but I believe it would have been essential for instrument flying in bad weather. On opening up to full power, I estimated that after three minutes I was hitting an impressive true airspeed of 628 km/h (390 mph), but it was obvious that the Ar 240 was a poor weapons platform. The harmony of control was terrible, with heavy ailerons, light elevators. and moderately light rudders. ….
My assessment of the Arado Ar 240 is that it was an aircraft of outstanding performance for its class and era, but it could not capitalise on this because of inferior, and indeed dangerous, handling characteristics. According to German information, it had a service ceiling of 10,500 m (34,450 ft) and a maximum range of 1,186 miles, so it had great potential as a reconnaissance intruder, and indeed it is claimed that it made such sorties over Great Britain in 1941 and 1944. Be that as it may, there can be little doubt that the Ar 240 was a failure ..”
Production Numbers
While the Ar 240 production was initially to begin in 1941, due to many problems and delays, this was not possible. While there were attempts to start production, by the end of 1942, the RLM officially terminated the program.
How many aircraft were built depends on the source. According to author G. Lang, the problem with identification of the production numbers is complicated by the fact that some prototype aircraft were allegedly modified and used for the few A-series aircraft built. Another issue, according to Lang, is that the highest known serial number production was 240018 (starting from 240000), which suggests that at least 18 were built, but it is not completely clear. Authors Ferenc A. and P. Dancey mention that at least 15 were built by 1944. Eric Brown claims that 12 prototypes were built.
Main Production and Prototypes
Ar 240 V1-V14 – Prototypes series used to test different equipment, armament and engines.
Ar 240 A – Was to be main production version, but only few aircraft were actually built
Ar 240 B – High-altitude reconnaissance version, possibly few built.
Ar 240 C – A bomber version, unknown if any were built.
Ar 240 D – Proposed version powered by two DB 614 engines.
Ar 240 E – Proposed modified Ar 240 version.
Ar 240 F – Proposed heavy fighter/bomber version to be powered by two DB 603 G engines.
Ar 440 – An improved version of the Ar 240. Only a few were built. The project was cancelled in 1943.
Ar 240 mit 7.5 cm Bordwaffen – A proposed version armed with a 7.5 cm gun, possibly one built, but its fate is unknown.
Ar 240TL – A jet-powered paper project.
Operators
Germany – Operated small numbers of these aircraft, mostly for testing and reconnaissance operations.
France – Captured one, but the fate is not known.
Conclusion
While the Ar 240 was, on paper, an excellent design with many innovations and advanced technology, in reality it did not live up to expectations. The plane proved to be dangerous during flight and many were damaged during landing, with fatal outcomes. Because the Ar 240 proved to be difficult to control, the RLM simply decided to stop the project, as it was probably unwilling to waste more time and resources on it.
Arado Ar 240 A-0 Specifications
Wingspan
14.3 m (47 ft)
Length
12.8 m (42 ft)
Height
3.95 m (13 ft)
Wing Area
31 m² (333 ft²)
Engine
Two liquid cooled twelve-cylinder 1,750 hp DB 603 A-1
Empty Weight
6,350 kg (14.000 lbs)
Maximum Takeoff Weight
10,500 kg (23,150 lbs)
Fuel Capacity
2,300 liters (607.6 US gallons)
Maximum Speed at 6 km
670 km/h (415 mph)
Cruising Speed
600 km/h (370 mph)
Range
2,200 km (1,370 mi)
Maximum Service Ceiling
11,500 m (37,730 ft)
Climb speed
Climb to 6,000 m in 9.7 minutes
Crew
Two pilot and the rear radio operator/gunner
Armament
Four 2 0mm (0.78 inch) MG 151/20
Two 13 mm (0.5 inch) MG 131
One 1,000 kg (2,220 lbs) or one 1,800 kg (3,930 lbs) bomb
Or two 500 kg (1,000 lbs) bombs,
Or eight 50 kg (110 lbs) bombs,
Or 288 2.5 kg (5 lbs) incendiary and fragmentation bombs
Nazi Germany (1942)
Transport Floatplane – 1 Built
BV238 on the Water [Colorization by Michael Jucan]With the success of the previous Blohm & Voss Bv 222 flying boat, Dr. Ing. Richard Vogt, chief designer at Blohm & Voss, began working on an even larger improved design in the form of the Blohm & Voss Bv 238. As the Bv 238 development began in the late stages of the war, only one aircraft was ever completed and used only briefly.
Dr. Ing. Richard Vogt’s Work
In 1937, Lufthansa opened a tender for a long-range passenger flying boat transport that would be able to reach New York in 20 hours. Blohm & Voss eventually would go on to win this tender. The chosen aircraft was the Blohm & Voss Bv 222, designed by Dr. Ing. Richard Vogt.
During 1941, Dr. Ing. Richard Vogt began working on a new aircraft larger even than the already huge Blohm & Voss Bv 222. In July the same year, he presented to the RLM, the German ministry of aviation (Reichsluftfahrtministerium), the plans for the new Blohm & Voss Bv 238. This aircraft was, in essence, a modified and enlarged version of the Bv 222 powered by six Daimler-Benz DB 603 engines. Three aircraft powered with this engine were to be built, belonging to the A-series. Six more aircraft were to be powered by six BMW 801 engines and these would be designated as B-series.
To speed up the development and avoid wasting resources if the project proved to be unsuccessful, the RLM officials asked for a smaller scale flying model to be built first instead of a working prototype. This scale model plane was named FG 227 (or FGP 227, depending on the source) and was to be built and tested at Flugtechnische Fertigungsgemeinschaft GmbH located in Prague.
The FG 227 scale flying model
To speed up the development and avoid wasting resources, the RLM officials asked for a smaller scale flying model to be built first. How it turned out the FG 227’s overall performance was disappointing and it didn’t play any major role in the Bv 238 development. [Histaviation]The construction of this scale model was undertaken by a group of Czech students under the direction of well-known glider pilot Dipl.Ing. Ludwig Karch. It was to be powered by six ILO Fl 2/400 engines pushing 21 hp each. As it was meant to be tested on the ground and not in water, the FG 227 was provided with landing gear which consisted of two wheels in the nose and two more wheels placed on each side of the fuselage.
The small scale model, designated the FG 227 [Histaviation]When the FG 227 was completed, it was to be flight tested. From the start, there were issues with it, as it was unable to takeoff under its own power. After the unsuccessful start, it was disassembled and transported to Travemünde for future testing. During transport, French prisoners of war deliberately damaged one of the wings. Once the damage was repaired, it was flight tested. But during the flight, made in September 1944, all six engines stopped working, which caused an accident where the FG 227 was damaged. After yet another major repair, a few more flights were carried out. The FG 227’s overall performance was disappointing and it didn’t play any major role in the Bv 238 development.
The FG 227’s small scale engines being serviced [Histaviation]The Bv 238
Rear view of the Bv 238 [Warbird Photographs]Construction of the first Bv 238 parts began in early 1942. The final assembly was not possible until January 1944. Due to a shortage of materials and the increasing assaults by the Allied Air Forces, the Bv 238 V1 first prototype could not be completed until March of 1945. The first flight test we conducted immediately after its completion. However, sources do not agree on the exact year when this happened. This is the timeline of development and construction according to author H. J. Nowarra.
Author M. Griehl states that the first flight test was made on the 11th of March 1944. Author C. R. G. Bain states, according to post war testimonies of Dr. Ing. Richard Vogt, that the first test flight was actually made in 1943. According to D. Nešić, the first flight was made in April 1944. The results of this test flight showed that the Bv 238 prototype had surprisingly excellent flying performance. For this reason, it was immediately put into operational service.
Front view of the Bv 238 with the nose hatch doors open [Warbird Photographs]Throughout the Bv 238 development phase, it was often discussed precisely which role it could fulfill. While it was primarily designed as a transport plane, a new idea was proposed to act as a U-boat support aircraft. This would include carrying supplies, fuel, torpedos and men to the U-boats operating in the Atlantic. Of course, by the time the first prototype was near completion, the war was almost over, so this proposal was realistically not possible. Plans to use it as a long range bomber, carrying six 2,400 kg bombs, also never materialized.
Bv 238 V1 was meant to operate from Shaalsee, and for its service with the Luftwaffe, it received the RO+EZ designation. As the Allied bombing raids effectively destroyed the Blohm & Voss factory in Hamburg, orders came down to hide the Bv 238 from the Allied Air Force. The question was how to hide such a huge aircraft. The Germans did try to do so but the aircraft was eventually found by the Allies who managed to sink it. The circumstances are not clear to this day, as both Americans and the British pilots claimed the kill. According to the most well-known story, it was destroyed by a group of American P-51 Mustangs belonging to the 131st Fighter Group. The kill was made by the leading P-51 piloted by Lt. Urban Drew. According to the testimony of the Blohm & Voss workers, the British, in their advance discovered the hidden craft. Once spotted, the British sent attack aircraft to sink it. Its remains would finally be blown up during 1947 or 1948 to make the scrapping process easier. All the remaining Bv 238 that were under construction were also scrapped after the war.
Technical Characteristics
The Bv 238 was designed as a six-engined, high wing, flying transport floatplane. The Bv 238 fuselage was divided into two decks. On the upper deck, the crew and the inboard equipment were housed. The lower floor was designed as a storage area during transport flights. In theory, there was enough room for around 150 soldiers in the Bv 238. A huge front hatch door was provided for easy access to the fuselage interior.
The wings were constructed using large tubular main spars. The wings were used to provide additional room for spare fuel and oil tanks. The wings were provided with flaps running along the trailing edge. The large size of the wing construction allowed passageways for the crew to be installed, in order to have easy access to the engines. Unlike the Bv 222, which had a pair of outboard stabilizing floats mounted on each side, the Bv 238 had only two. The Bv 238 was powered by six Daimler DB 603G engines.
For self defense, the Bv 238 was to be provided with two HD 151 twin-gun turrets with 20 mm (0.78 in) MG 151 cannons, two HL 131 V turrets with four 13 mm (0.51 in) MG 131 machine-guns and two additional MG 131s mounted in the fuselage sides. Despite the plans to arm the V1 prototype, this was never done.
The crew number is mentioned as 11 or 12 depending on the source. The sources do not specify the role they performed. It can be assumed, based on what is known from Bv 222, that there were at least two pilots, two mechanics, a radio operator and machine gun operator.
Production
Despite being based on the large Bv 222, the Bv 238 was even larger [Warbird Photographs]The production of the Bv 238 was carried out by Blohm & Voss factory at Hamburg. Only one completed prototype would be built during the war. There were also at least two to six more prototypes under construction (depending on the source), but due to the war ending, none were completed.
The small number under construction may be explained by the fact that, in the late stages of the war, the Luftwaffe was more in need of fighter planes than transports planes. In addition, there is a possibility that the Bv 238 project was actually canceled by the RLM officials.
Versions
Bv 238 A – Powered by Daimler-Benz DB 603 engines, only one built
Bv 238 B – Powered by six MW 801 engines, none built
Bv 250 – Land based version, none built
FG 227 – Scale test model of the Bv 238, used for testing
Land Based Version
There were plans to adapt the Bv 238 for land based operations by adding landing gear wheels. The project was designated Bv 250 but none were ever built. It was planned to provide this version with heavy defence armament consisting of twelve 20 mm (0.78 in) MG 151 cannons. The engine chosen for this model was the six Jumo 222. As this engine was never built in any large numbers, the DB 603 was meant to be used instead.
Escape Aircraft
There are some rumors that the Bv 238 was actually developed as an escape aircraft for high ranking Nazi officials. It was rumored that Martin Bormann had plans to use it to escape Germany in early 1945. Of course, due to Allied Air Force supremacy and the Bv 238’s large size, this may have not been a viable plan if ever attempted.
Conclusion
The V1 Prototype after its maiden test flight [Warbird Photographs]If it was put into production, the Bv 238 would have had the honor of being the largest flying boat that saw service during the war. While it only performed test flights and was never used operationally, it was nevertheless an astonishing engineering achievement.
Blohm & Voss BV 238 V1 Specifications
Wingspan
196 ft / 60 m
Length
145 ft / 43.4 m
Height
35 ft 9 in / 10.9 m
Wing Area
3,875 ft² / 360 m²
Engine
Six 2900 hp Daimler-Benz DB 603
Empty Weight
120,500 lb / 54,660 kg
Maximum Takeoff Weight
207,990 lb / 94,340 kg
Maximum Speed
220 mph / 355 km/h
Cruising Speed
210 mph / 335 km/h
Range
3,790 mi / 6,100 km
Maximum Service Ceiling
20,670 ft / 6,300 m
Crew
11-12 (2 pilots, 9 airmen)
Armament
none
Gallery
The sole completed Bv238V1 Prototype by Ed Jackson
The Fi 167 was developed out of a need for a dedicated torpedo-bomber to be operated on the first German aircraft carrier. While its overall performance proved to be satisfactory, due to the cancellation of the aircraft carrier project, only a small number were ever built. Unfortunately, information about the Fi 167 is not available or precise enough, with many disagreements between different authors.
Fieseler Flugzeugbau
In the early 1930’s, World War I fighter veteran Gerhard Fieseler (1896–1987) bought the Segelflugzeugbau Kassel Company, which mostly produced gliders, and renamed it to Fieseler Flugzeugbau. Gerhard Fieseler had gained experience in aircraft design while working as a flight instructor for the Raab-Katzenstein Aircraft Company in Kassel. In 1926, he managed to design his first aircraft, named Fieseler F1, which would be built by the Raab-Katzenstein company. By the end of twenties, Gerhard Fieseler designed another aircraft, the Raab-Katzenstein RK-26 Tigerschwalbe, of which 25 were built and sold to Swedish Air Force.
With his own company, he changed to focus on sports aircraft. In 1935, Gerhard Fieseler managed to obtain a licence for the production of military aircraft. While his best known design was the Fi 156 ‘Storch,’ he also designed the less known Fi 167 torpedo-bomber. The Fi 167 was built in small numbers and never managed to reach the fame of the Storch.
History of the Fi 167
Engine view of the Fi 167. [Valka.cz]As the German Navy began construction of its first aircraft carrier, the ‘Graf Zeppelin,’ in 1937, there was a need for a completely new torpedo bomber. For this reason, the German Ministry of Aviation (Reichsluftfahrtministerium) opened a tender for all German aircraft manufacturers who wished to participate to present their designs for such aircraft. The new aircraft was requested to have folding biplane wings, the best possible STOL (short take-off and landing) capabilities, and that the whole construction should have sufficient strength to successfully endure offensive combat operations at high speeds.
Only two manufacturers, Fieseler and Arado, presented their designs. For Fieseler it was the Fi 167 and for Arado the design was the Ar 195. In the summer of 1938, after a series of flight tests, the Fieseler Fi 167 was declared the better design. For this reason, another prototype was to be built for further testing.
The first prototype built, Fi 167 V1 (serial no. 2501), was powered by a DB 601 A/B engine. It was used mainly for testing and evaluation purposes. The second prototype (serial no. 2502) had some changes to the design, such as a modified undercarriage and was powered by the DB 601B. This engine would be used on later production versions. While most sources state that only two prototypes were built, some authors, like M. Griehl (X-Planes German Luftwaffe Prototypes 1930-1945), mention a third prototype being built. This third prototype, Fi 167 V3 (serial no. 2503), according to Griehl, was used to test the equipment used on this plane. While the sources do not give precise details about the fate of the Fi 167 prototypes, after May 1940, they were not present in the Luftwaffe inventory anymore. This may indicate that all three were scraped. After a number of tests with the Fi 167 were completed, series production of 80 aircraft was ordered.
Short lived operational service life
Fi 167 during flight in German service [Nature & Tech]Despite having promising overall performance, the Fi 167 was directly connected with the Graf Zeppelin project. While the production of a small series was underway, the construction of the Graf Zeppelin aircraft carrier was stopped in 1940, so the same fate befell the Fi 167, as there was no longer a need for a carrier capable fighter. In 1942, there was a brief revival of the aircraft carrier concept, but by that time the Ju 87C was deemed better suited for this role. This decision was not without merit, as the Ju 87 was already in production and it would be much easier, quicker, and cheaper to simply modify it for the role of aircraft carrier torpedo bomber than to put the Fi 167 back into production.
As a small number of 12 Fi 167 A-0 were built, they were sent to Holland for evaluation and testing purposes in order not to waste the resources invested in them. These were used to form Erprobungstaffel 167 which operated in Holland from 1940 to 1942. In 1943, the Fi 167 were returned to Germany and Erprobungstaffel 167 was disbanded. Their use by the Germans from 1943 onward is not completely clear in the sources. While the majority were given to Germany’s allies in late 1944, the final fate of the remaining aircraft is not known, but they were probably either lost or scrapped.
Technical characteristics
Designed to operate from an aircraft carrier, the folding wings were necessary [Nature & Tech]The Fi 167 was an all-metal, single engine biplane designed as a torpedo bomber. The Fi 167’s fuselage was constructed by using thin but with high-strength steel tubes that were welded together and then covered with duralumin sheet metal.
In the glazed cockpit there was room for two crew members, the pilot and the observer/rear gunner. The cockpit was covered with plexiglass but was open to the rear in order to provide the rear gunner with a good arc of fire. The Fi 167 was powered by the Daimler-Benz DB 601B 12-cylinder inverted-V engine putting out 1,100 horsepower. The total fuel load was 1,300 liters.
The Fieseler Fi 167 had a biplane layout. The upper and lower wings were the same in size and had a rectangular shape with rounded edges. The wings were divided into three parts in order to make any necessary maintenance or disassembly easier. Being designed to be used on an aircraft carrier, the Fi 167’s wings could also be folded. In order to be adequately structurally stable, the upper and the lower wings were interconnected by ‘N’ shaped metal rods. There were four of these ‘N’ shaped metal rods in total. These were then held in place with steel cables. For better control during flight, both wings were provided with flaps.
The landing gear consisted of two independent fixed landing wheels which were provided with shock absorbers to ease the landing. The forward landing gear units were covered with duralumin coating to help reduce the aerodynamic drag. To the rear there was a smaller fixed landing wheel. The Fi 167 landing gear was designed to be easily discarded in the case of a forced landing on water. The idea was that it would enable the Fi 167 to float on the water surface and thus provide more time for the crew to successfully evacuate the aircraft.
The armament consisted of two machine guns, one forward mounted 7.92 mm MG 17 with 500 rounds of ammunition and a second MG 15 of the same caliber mounted in a rear, flexible mount with 600 rounds of ammunition. The Fi 167 could be additionally armed with up to 2,200 lbs (1,000 kg) of bombs or one torpedo. In some sources, it is mentioned that there were actually two forward mounted machine guns.
Production
The German Navy was trying to build its first aircraft carrier, the Graf Zeppelin, but due to various reasons it was never completed. [Vaz]The Fi 167 production run was quite limited, mostly due to cancellation of the Graf Zeppelin aircraft carrier. Besides the two or three prototypes, only a small series of Fi 167 (A-0) pre-production aircraft were made. How many were built varies depending on the source. Authors C. Chant (Pocket Guide: Aircraft Of The WWII) and D. Nešić (Naoružanje Drugog Svetskog Rata Nemačka) mention that, besides two prototypes, 12 pre-production aircraft were built. Authors F. A. Vajda and P. Dancey (German Aircraft Industry And Production 1933-1945) give a number of 15 aircraft produced. They also mention that a serial production of 80 Fi 176 was to be completed by June 1941 but, due to the cancelation of the project, this was never achieved. On different internet websites, the total number of Fi 167 built varies between 14 and 29.
Fi 167 V1 – Powered by the DB 601 A/B engine.
Fi 167 V2 – Had modified undercarriage and was powered by the DB 601B engine.
Fi 167 V3 – Possibly-built third prototype, but sources are not in agreement about its existence.
Fi 167A-0 – 12 aircraft built.
In Romanian hands?
It is commonly stated in many sources that the Fi 167 were sold to Romania in 1943. These were allegedly used to patrol the Black Sea. This is likely incorrect, as another German ally, the Independent State of Croatia ‘NDH,’ received nearly all Fi 167 produced. There is a possibility that the Fi 167 were given to Romanians and then returned back to Germany. But due to the lack of any valid documentation, this is only speculation at best.
In NDH service
Fi 167 (serial no. 4808) in NDH service. This is the aircraft that pilot Romeo Adum deserted to the Partisan side. [Vaz]A group of 11 (or 10 depending on the source) Fi 167 (serial no. 4801-4812) arrived in NDH during September 1944. These aircraft were given to the 1st Squadron stationed in Zagreb for the necessary pilot training. While during its service in the NDH, the Fi 167 was used in bombing combat operations, but was mostly used as a transport plane for food and ammunition. Due to having no problem carrying significant loads and its ability to take off or to land on short airfields, they were ideal for supplying many NDH garrisons besieged by Yugoslav Partisans.
Due to the overall difficult situation of the Axis forces on all fronts, the NDH Army and Air Force were plagued with frequent desertions, including a number of pilots. On 25th September 1944, while flying a Fi 167 (serial no. 4808), pilot Romeo Adum escaped to the Yugoslav Partisan held airfield at Topusko.
There is an interesting story about one Fi 167 piloted by Mate Jurković, as it is claimed he managed to avoid being shot down by five American P-51 Mustangs. This engagement happened on 10th October 1944 during a Fi 167 ammunition supply mission to Bosanska Gradiška. During this flight, the Fi 167 was attacked by a group of five Mustangs. Outgunned and outnumbered, the pilot could only hope to escape by using the Fi 167’s excellent maneuverability at lower altitudes. He eventually managed to escape his pursuers without taking any damage.
Due to a lack of spare parts, Allied air supremacy and Partisan advance, by April 1945 there were only four Fi 167 still present in the NDH Air Force. The condition of these planes is not known. Of these, at least three would be used after the war by the new JNA (Yugoslav People’s Army) army. During its operational use by the NDH Air Force, the Fi 167 was known as ‘The Great Fiesler’.
In Partisan hands
The Fi 167 operated by the Yugoslav Partisans during the war. The Red Star can be seen painted under the lower wings. [paluba.info]As mentioned earlier, the Partisans managed to acquire one Fi 167. It would be redeployed to the island of Vis and included in the group of NDH aircraft that had defected earlier (one FP 2, two Saiman 200s, one Bü 131, and one Fiat G. 50).
On the 17th of October 1944, while on a liaison mission from Vis to the village of Vrdovo, after delivering orders to the command of the Partisan 20th Division stationed there, the Fi 167 piloted by M. Lipovšćak and with General Ćetković as a passenger began taking to the sky. Unfortunately for them, a group of four P-51 Mustangs attacked the lone aircraft. The Fi 167 was hit in the engine and the tail and the wounded pilot was forced to land on a nearby open plateau. While the pilot was only wounded, General Ćetković was dead, being directly hit by machine gun fire. Circumstances of this accident are not clear even to this day. The P-51 pilots later claimed that, due to bad weather, they could not see the Partisan markings. By the later account of the Fi 167 pilot, he claimed that the visibility was such that the Partisan markings could have been easily seen.
In JNA service
At least three Fi 167 were put into use by the JNA (Yugoslav People’s Army) after the war. Due to the lack of spare parts, their use was probably limited. They would remain in use up to 1948, but unfortunately they were probably all scrapped, as none survive to this day.
Conclusion
Despite being considered an overall good design, the Fi 167 was never put into mass production. The main reason for this was the cancellation of the Graf Zeppelin aircraft carrier. Nevertheless, the Fi 167 did see some limited service within the Luftwaffe, mainly for testing, but also with the Croatia NDH, where its performance was deemed sufficient.
Operators
Nazi Germany – Used the small number of Fi 167, mostly for various experimental purposes.
Romania – Allegedly supplied with Fi 167 in 1943, but this is not confirmed.
Independent State of Croatia NDH – Operated 10 to 11 aircraft between September 1944 and April 1945.
SFR Yugoslavia – Operated a small number of Fi 167 during the war and up to 1949.
Specification: Fi 167
Wingspan
44 ft 3 in / 13.5 m
Length
37 ft 5 in / 11.4 m
Height
15 ft 9 in / 4.8 m
Wing Area
490 ft² / 45.5 m²
Engine
One 1100 hp (820 kW) Daimler-Benz DB 601B
Fuel load
1,300 l
Empty Weight
6170 lb / 2,800 kg
Maximum Takeoff Weight
10,690 lb / 4,860 kg
Maximum Speed
200 mph / 325 km/h
Cruising Speed
168 mph / 270 km/h
Range
800 mi / 1,300 km
Maximum Service Ceiling
26,900 ft / 8,200 m
Crew
One pilot and one observer/rear gunner
Armament
One 7.92 mm MG 17 forward-firing machine gun
One 7.92 mm MG 15 rear mounted machine gun
Bomb load of 1.000 kg (2.200 lbs)or 750 kg (1650 lbs) torpedo
Fi 167A-0 in service with Erprobungsstaffel 167 in the Netherlands 1940 – Equipped with a centerline rack and torpedoFi 167A-0 (W.Nr.08) in service with Erprobungsstaffel 167 in the Netherlands 1940 – Seen here sporting a different camo patternFi 167 No. 4806 in Croatian ServiceFi 167 in Partisan Yugoslav service circa 1944Artist Concept of the Fi 167 in Romanian Service in 1943
While the Fi 167 proved to have excellent handling characteristics, due to the cancelation of the German aircraft carrier project, it was not accepted for service. [Vaz]Another view of a flying Fi 167. [Valka.cz]Sources
An alternate side view of the Fw 190 mit DB 609 model. [Falko Bormann]The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 mit DB 609 was a 1942 design venture to provide the Luftwaffe with a successor to the Fw 190 and its troublesome BMW 801 radial engine. Intended, to mount the envisioned experimental 16-cylinder Daimler-Benz DB 609 engine to produce around 2,600 hp (later 3,400 hp), the new power plant would have required a drastic redesign to the forward section of the Fw 190 as well as parts of the fuselage. In the end, the Fw 190 mit DB 609 was canceled due to flaws with the design and Daimler-Benz’s cancellation of the DB 609 project. Similar to many of the other designs produced in 1942, the Fw 190 mit DB 609 remained a paper design only, although an airframe was provided for the intent of mounting and testing the engine. Obscure in nature and short-lived, much of the project’s specifications and estimated performance are unknown.
History
The original blueprint illustration of the Fw 190 mit DB 609. [War Thunder Forums]The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Würger (Shrike) was one of Nazi Germany’s most iconic fighters of the Second World War. First introduced in August of 1941, the Fw 190 gave contemporary Allied fighters a run for their money and proved to be a relatively successful design. However, the air-cooled 14-cylinder BMW 801 radial engine which powered the Fw 190 proved to be troublesome at times. The BMW 801’s cooling system was inadequate, which caused overheating and production of fumes, which would leak into the cockpit and could suffocate the pilot. Despite the relatively successful introduction of the Fw 190, it was not known if the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM / Ministry of Aviation) would make further orders for the aircraft. However, the spring of 1942 was a prosperous time for the Focke-Wulf firm and assured the Fw 190’s future. The RLM put in orders for large quantities of Fw 190, which in turn boosted the firm’s budget. As such, designers at the Bremen-based Focke-Wulf firm initiated a design venture to produce a successor for the Fw 190 by replacing the troublesome BMW 801 engine with more advanced engines being developed by BMW and Daimler-Benz.
As such, the Focke-Wulf firm produced several drawings in late 1942 which saw the Fw 190 mounting experimental engines. The designs are as follows:
Drawing Number
Project Title
10 10 05-201
Fw 190 mit BMW P. 8028
10 10 05-202
Fw 190 mit BMW 801 J
10 10 05-203
Fw 190 mit DB 609
10 13 141-02
Fw 190 mit DB 623 A
10 13 141-16
Fw 190 mit DB 614
11 19 05-502
Fw 190 mit BMW P. 8011
Unknown
Fw 190 mit DB 603
Unknown
Fw 190 Strahljäger
In order to provide a suitable testbed for these engines, Fw 190 V19 (Werknummer 0042, rebuilt from a Fw 190 A-1) was allocated for engine installation tests. Curiously enough, Fw 190 V19 would be later be redesigned for the “Falcon” wing design which saw a drastic redesign of the wing to a swept, bent design. Conversion to this wing type was meant to take place on February 16, 1944 but this would never occur. Nonetheless, Fw 190 V19 would maintain the regular wings for engine testing.
A closeup of the Fw 190 mit DB 609 model’s cockpit and fuselage section, highlighting the supercharger radiator’s placement. [Falko Bormann]Although the Fw 190 mit DB 609 showed potential, there were several problems which plagued the design. For one, the rather heavy and bulky engine severely affected the aircraft’s center of gravity. As such, the engine’s radiators had to be moved down the fuselage behind the cockpit. The engine also would have put too much stress on the landing gears which could potentially result in a fatal crash if landing conditions were rough. On top of the airframe design issues, the intricate design of the engine also proved a problem for the Daimler-Benz designers, who would terminate the DB 609 (and its subprojects) in April 1943. As such, the Fw 190 mit 609 project would be dropped as well without the experimental engine ever being mounted on V19. Many of the other designs produced by Focke-Wulf in 1942 would also meet the same fate, for more or less similar reasons.
Due to the short-lived conceptual nature of the design, detailed specifications and estimated performance do not appear to have survived. As such, much of the aircraft’s intricate details and specifications are unknown. One could only hope that, in the near future, more details of the Fw 190 mit DB 609 and it’s contemporary designs will surface.
Design
A model of the Fw 190 mit DB 609 in a hypothetical livery with a drop tank. [Falko Bormann]The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 mit DB 609 was a 1942 project to produce a successor to the Fw 190 by replacing the troublesome BMW 801 engine with more promising experimental engines being developed at the time. As the name of the project suggests, this design would have seen the implementation of a Daimler-Benz DB 609 V16 engine. The Daimler-Benz DB 609 was a development of the company’s DB 603 engine. Unlike its predecessor, the DB 609 would have 16 cylinders in contrast to the former’s 12 cylinders. The DB 609’s output was estimated by Daimler-Benz designers to be approximately 2,600 to 2,660 hp, though it would later be upped to 3,400 hp. The benefits of this engine were the ability to function normally upright and inverted, but the bulky engine design required a drastic redesign of the engine cowl and parts of the fuselage. The cowl would have been extended to accommodate the DB 609 engine, the length of which would have measured at 115 in / 2,935 mm compared to the BMW 801’s 79 in / 2,006 mm length.
According to the official blueprints for the Fw 190 mit DB 609, the two large radiators intakes required for the engine’s supercharger were moved to the cockpit’s rear, on the side of the fuselage. This was done to pull the center of gravity back, as placing them in the front would make the aircraft too nose heavy. The placement of the supercharger radiators is similar to that of the American Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. It would appear that internet sources claim the radiator placement was nicknamed the Hamsterbacken (Hamster Cheeks), but it is unknown whether or not this was an official nickname.
Fw 190 V19 (Werknummer 0042), which was intended to mount and test the DB 609 engine, was rebuilt from a Fw 190 A-1, but it is unknown which variant precisely the hypothetical production variant would be based upon. Armament wise, the official project blueprints show two 7.92x57mm Mauser MG 17 machine guns mounted on top the engine cowl. What appears to be a 20x82mm Mauser MG 151/20 cannon would be installed in the engine hub and would fire out through the propellers. It is unknown what wing armament (if any) the Fw 190 mit DB 609 would have had.
Due to the rather short-lived and conceptual nature of the Fw 190 mit DB 609, not many of the plane’s specifications are unknown. Performance estimations do not appear to be available, nor are aircraft dimensions.
Operators
Nazi Germany – The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 mit DB 609 was intended to be a successor to the Fw 190. However, development was dropped due to various problems with the design and engine.
Gallery
Artist Concept of the Fw 109 with the DB 609 Engine [Ed Jackson]A retouched blueprint of the Fw 190 mit DB 609. [Heinz J. Nowarra]Credits
Primary Sources
Fw 190 mit DB 609 (Drawing. No. 10 10 05-203). (1942). Bremen: Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau AG.
Nazi Germany (1942)
Amphibious Multipurpose Transport – 1 Incomplete Mockup Built
The 1:10 model of the Ar 233. [Dan Sharp]The Arado Ar 233 was an amphibious passenger transport seaplane designed in 1942, a time when it seemed Germany would soon complete its conquest of Europe and conclude the Second World War. Intended for civilian use after the war, the development of the Ar 233 was cancelled due to the deteriorating war situation for Germany in 1944. As the project was deemed low priority, much of the Ar 233’s advanced design work was done in the German Military Administration in France by the Société Industrielle Pour l’Aéronautique (SIPA) aircraft firm located within the Northern German administrative zone. The Ar 233 never materialized, but an incomplete mockup was constructed along with a 1:10 scale model. The incomplete mockup, along with blueprints and notes, were captured by the Free French Forces shortly after the Liberation of France. However, the Ar 233 was not further developed by the French, unlike quite a few of the German aircraft projects undertaken and captured in France. Relatively unknown and often overlooked, the Ar 233 is an interesting obscure project to provide an alternate-history post-war Germany with a suitable transport plane.
History
A cutaway drawing of the Ar 233 in its passenger configuration. [Dan Sharp]The first couple years of the Second World War appeared to have been going firmly in favor of Germany. Most of Western Europe had been conquered by then, and the Wehrmacht was making steady progress in its advance eastwards to conquer the Soviet Union. Despite recently declaring war on the United States, a distant economic powerhouse, Germany still seemed confident in its path to triumph. This feeling was prominent amongst the Germans throughout the initial years of the war. As such, some aircraft firms began to make preparations for post-war German civil aviation early in 1940, in accordance with a request made by the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM / Ministry of Aviation). A few examples of aircraft designed for future German civil use are the Focke-Wulf Fw 206 and Blohm & Voss BV 144. The Arado firm was not exempt from partaking in civil aircraft design and responded with a two engine float plane design.
Designed as a passenger transport, the project began around August within the Arado firm bearing the designation “E 430”. Two variants were originally envisioned, a Bramo 323 R2 powered seaplane model capable of transporting ten passengers and a smaller Argus Ar 204 powered amphibian floatplane (capable of operating from land and water) able to transport eight passengers. According to the RLM, the project officially began in October 1942, but this was likely when it was submitted or approved to the RLM. Work on the project most certainly began in August due to the amount of preliminary steps required. This is further backed up by interviews with former French aircraft designers. As the German mainland’s industry was mostly reserved for military production, the industry of occupied France (German Military Administration in France) seemed like an acceptable place to offload this low priority project. As such, the Arado firm made arrangements for the German-controlled French Société Industrielle Pour l’Aéronautique (SIPA) aircraft firm to assist in the design and production of the E 430. The SIPA firm was founded by Émile Dewoitine in 1938 after his previous firm Constructions Aéronautiques Émile Dewoitine was nationalized. It would appear that, between October and December of 1942, the E 430 project gained the designation Ar 233.
In addition to the update in nomenclature, the smaller As 204 powered E 430 “Amphibium” was cancelled in favor of the ten passenger seaplane. However, the amphibious characteristic of the former was integrated into the Ar 233. Soon after, the French SIPA firm began work on producing a full-scale mockup. The SIPA factory in Île de la Jatte, Neuilly-Sur-Seine, West of Paris, was responsible for the the mockup while the other office at 27/29 Rue Dupont (also in Neuilly-Sur-Seine) and the Dewoitine Design office in 11 Rue de Pillet-Will in Paris were responsible for other work. By Christmas Eve of 1942, it would appear that a large portion of the mockup was completed as the Arado firm released a brochure advertising the Ar 233 which featured images of the mockup. The brochure made mention of four projected Ar 233 variants which included the original passenger airliner, a flying ambulance, a private luxury touring aircraft, and a cargo transport. The French effort in the design work and mockup construction went unrecognized, as all French involvement in the project were omitted from the brochure. However, close examination of a few photos in the brochure shows some of the equipment labelled in German and French.
A wind tunnel model of the Ar 233. The bulge beneath the wing is a extendable float. [Dan Sharp]Further on, it would appear that a 1:10 scale model of the Ar 233 was constructed along with a set of propellers. They were tested separately until May 1943 apparently, when they were paired together and sent to the Nationaal Luchtvaart Laboratorium (NLL / National Aviation Laboratory) facility in Amsterdam, Occupied Netherlands. Other than this model, not much more work appeared to have been done on the Ar 233. This was likely due to the disaster at Stalingrad, when the German 6th Army suffered a catastrophic defeat, and Germany’s ensuing effort to focus on their military industry. Nonetheless, the project remained stagnant for the remainder of 1943 and was finally cancelled in 1944 in favor of military aircraft. When the Allied forces and Free French Forces liberated France, it seems that the mockup and quite a lot of notes and design prints were captured. It does not appear that the French furthered the Ar 233 project after the war unlike quite a lot of the other German projects conducted in France, such as the Heinkel He 274 bomber or Blohm & Voss BV 144 airliner.
A rear view of the Ar 233 mockup which shows the port side entrance hatch. [Dan Sharp]In the end, the ill-fated Ar 233 did not progress beyond the mockup and wind tunnel testing stage, although the project was meant to be a capable amphibious seaplane which could operate in all weathers including the extremes in the North Pole and the Tropical regions. The aircraft also had the luxury of being operable from both land and sea. This also would allow the aircraft to operate in underdeveloped regions which did not have adequate airfields. It also would have made emergency landings safer as calm water surfaces would allow for less dangerous landings compared to rough land terrain.
Design
The incomplete Ar 233 mockup in the workshop of the French firm SIPA, near the outskirts of Paris. [Dan Sharp]The Ar 233 was an amphibious seaplane intended to be powered by two 9-cylinder air-cooled Bramo 323 MA radial engines producing 968 hp each. Each engine would be driven by a three blade propeller which would be started electrically via an onboard generator. The generator would also power the onboard radio systems (FuG X P, FuG 101 and FuBl II F) and a fan to provide ventilation. The Ar 233’s crew consisted of a pilot and a radio operator, though a co-pilot could join the crew. The Ar 233 had four variants which would have the passenger capacity vary. For ease of transport, the Ar 233 was designed so that it could be taken apart and transported via the railroad system.
A rear view of the Ar 233 mockup’s cockpit which shows the pilot and copilot’s seat. Note the hatch in the middle which gives access to the forward passenger luggage compartment. [Dan Sharp]The pilot’s compartment consisted of three seats for a pilot, a co-pilot or passenger and a radio operator. An extra set of controls could be installed for a co-pilot in longer range flights or to train pilots. The cockpit could be accessed via a ladder that folded to the underside of the wing. The side windows in the cockpit could be opened by sliding them forward, while the forward windows could be dropped forward to the bow section. An emergency manual pump was located next to the co-pilot’s seat that could be used to remove water. Visibility from the cockpit appears to be inadequate due to the lack of downwards visibility. Rear visibility also seems to be lacking.
The fuselage of the Ar 233 was a ship-hull shaped in order to allow floating on water surfaces. The fuselage was divided into several sections which, in order from front to end, were the nose wheel compartment, forward baggage compartment, pilot’s cockpit, landing gear hatch, passenger compartment, rear baggage compartment and a washroom fitted with a toilet. Lighting in the passenger compartment was provided by ceiling lights which were powered by a generator. Two air ventilation fans were also provided, with one above the entrance and the other in the land gear shaft. The left side of the fuselage had a door which allowed passengers to enter. The entrance door opened both upwards and downwards, with the latter being able to act as a platform. An emergency exit was provided on both sides, as the middle window in the fuselage could open. The tail of the Ar 233 was designed so that it curved upwards in order to protect the control surfaces by preventing unnecessary contact with the water.
A three-view drawing of the Ar 233 along with it’s basic dimensions. [Dan Sharp]In the passenger airliner configuration, the aircraft could carry eight passengers and two crew members. The seats provided in the passenger compartment were fitted with armrests, side tables, seatbelts, lamps and small luggage nets. The luxury touring configuration only allowed four seats (including the pilot). It would also have had two extra 400 L fuel tanks near the wing edge to extend the range. The cargo transport configuration would carry no passengers and had all seats in the passenger compartment removed for cargo. Any cargo would be loaded through hatches on the fuselage side and would have equipment to secure cargo in flight. In the ambulance configuration, beds could be fitted in the passenger compartment for the wounded.
There would be two wheeled landing gears which would be extendable from the side of the hull for land-based operations. Each one of these wheel measured at 39.96 x 14.96 in / 1,015 x 380 mm. These landing gears, when retracted, remained above the waterline and were hydraulically operated. The nose wheel (width measured at 33.74 x 12.79 in / 875 x 325 mm) sat at the front of the aircraft and could retract into a watertight compartment that could expel excess water with compressed air. If needed, a crewmember could climb above the nose compartment and lift the lid on top to perform maintenance. It was also provided with a locking mechanism. Additionally, the nose wheel’s suspension strength allowed it to perform takeoff and landings at altitudes up to 4,900 ft / 1,500 m.
The Ar 233 was designed so that it could be transported via rail. This blueprint drawing shows the transport configuration. [Dan Sharp]The “V” shaped gull wings that sat on top of the fuselage provided a suitable platform for the engines and propellers, as it allowed them to be mounted at a safe distance from the water. Just behind the engine cowls were a set of hydraulically extended floats for assistance with landing on water. The fuel tanks for the engines were located in the wing leading edge in three “densely riveted” containers. These fuel tanks would be refilled by climbing on top of the cockpit via an access ladder. In addition, hydraulically operated flaps were provided to aid the Ar 233 in landing. These flaps were designed to yield in rough water conditions to reduce damage.
In terms of excess equipment, the Ar 233 could carry a fog horn, rubber dinghy, boat hook, towing gear, ropes, detachable sun canopy, emergency food and water, emergency tools, both ground and sea anchors and various other materials.
Variants
E 430 (Bramo 323 R2) – Original design concept which saw a dedicated seaplane powered by two Bramo 323 R2 radial engines and capable of transporting ten people. This design was further developed by incorporating the amphibious characteristic of the E 430 “Amphibium”. This design was later improved upon and bore the designation Ar 233.
E 430 Amphibium (Argus Ar 402) – Original design concept developed beside the E 430 which saw a scaled down variant powered by Argus Ar 402 engines and capable of carrying eight passengers. This variant could be operated from land and water due to it’s amphibious characteristics. This variant was cancelled but its amphibious design was carried onto the E 430.
Ar 233 (Commercial Airliner) – Commercial airliner design based on the original E 430 design which would be capable of carrying ten people. A pilot and radio operator were part of the crew which allowed for eight passengers. In addition, a co-pilot could be in the crew at the expense of a passenger. Two baggage compartments (located in the hull in front of the cockpit but behind the nose wheel and behind the passenger compartment) and a toilet compartment (located behind the rear baggage compartment) were provided for the passengers. Powered by two 9-cylinder air-cooled Bramo 323 MA radial engines.
Ar 233 (Luxury Touring Aircraft) – Luxury touring variant intended for sightseeing in remote areas. This variant featured four seats (including the pilot). This variant had the choice of carrying two extra fuel tanks at 400 L each in the outer wings. The envisioned range was 1,120 mi / 1,800 km. This variant also had the choice of implementing an additional set of controls for a co-pilot. It is not known if this variant would retain the two baggage compartments and toilet. Powered by two 9-cylinder air-cooled Bramo 323 MA radial engines.
Ar 233 (Cargo Transport) – Cargo transport variant which saw the removal of the passenger compartment equipment for cargo. The aircraft in this configuration appeared to been capable of carrying up to 2,200 lb / 1,000 kg of cargo. The cargo would be loaded from doors on the side of the fuselage with equipment provided to secure the cargo. The two baggage compartments and toilet were definitely removed for space. Powered by two 9-cylinder air-cooled Bramo 323 MA radial engines.
Ar 233 (Flying Ambulance) – Flying ambulance variant which envisioned the possibility of placing four beds in the passenger compartment either for the wounded or for the passengers. This variant was mentioned as the E 430 Flying Ambulance in the Ar 233 brochure, which shows the variant still maintained the original designation. It is not known if this variant would retain the two baggage compartments and toilet. Powered by two 9-cylinder air-cooled Bramo 323 MA radial engines.
Operators
Nazi Germany – The German Arado design firm was the original designer and intended to develop the Ar 233 for use with Lufthansa, the Luftwaffe and other organizations. The project was cancelled in 1944 after Allied forces liberated France.
German Military Administration in France – The SIPA firm under German control was responsible for partially designing and building the Ar 233. All three of SIPA’s facilities appeared to have been working on the project.
Free France – The Free French Forces captured the intact Ar 233 mockup as well as notes and drawings after the Liberation of France, but they did not continue development of the project and presumably scrapped the mockup.
Arado Ar 233 (Commercial Airliner)
Wingspan
77 ft 9.07 in / 23.70 m
Length
68 ft 5.65 in / 20.87 m
Height
21 ft 5.87 in / 6.55 m
Wing Area
807.29 ft² / 75.00 m²
Engine
2x 9-cylinder air-cooled Bramo 323 MA radial engine (986 hp / 735 kW)
Propeller
2x electrically started three-blade propeller
Propeller Diameter
11 ft 5.79 in / 3.50 m
Wheel Width
34.45 x 12.79 in / 875 x 325 mm – Nose Wheel
39.96 x 14.96 in / 1,015 x 380 mm – Fuselage Wheels
Arado Ar 233 – Artist Conception of the Military VersionArado Ar 233 – Artist Conception of the Passenger Version
A blueprint sketch showing how the main landing gear operated. [Dan Sharp]The radio operator’s position which is located behind the cockpit. All the equipment mockups are labeled in French and German. [Dan Sharp]A blueprint sketch showing extension of the forward nose. [Dan Sharp]A blueprint sketch showing the fuel tank arrangement of the Ar 233. [Dan Sharp]Inside view of the incomplete tail section of the mockup. [Dan Sharp]The nose section of the Ar 233 mockup. A tow ring is visible at the tip of the aircraft while two labels above it shows where the landing lights would be positioned. [Dan Sharp]A closeup of the cockpit is shown. The seats are removed and the forward baggage compartment can be seen. [Dan Sharp]A partial view of the Ar 233 mockup’s passenger compartment which shows two very comfortable looking seats. [Dan Sharp]A blueprint sketch shows the wing floats extended. [Dan Sharp]Credits
File No. IV-7 & V-16 Aircraft – Paris Zone (CIOS, Rep. Item No. 25). (1945).
Wasser-Land-Flugzeug Ar 233. (1942). Arado Flugzeugwerke.
Nazi Germany (1938)
