A Focke Achgelis Fa 223
The Focke Achgelis Fa 223 Drache (Kite) was a transport helicopter used by Germany during World War II.
Description[]
The Fa 223 had a crew of four men and was powered by an air-cooled Bramo 323D engine capable of propelling the Fa 223 at speeds of up to 176 km/h with a cruising speed of 121 km/h. [N 1]The Fa 223 also had two rotors with three rotor blades each. Since the Fa 223 was only a transport helicopter, its armament consisted solely of an MG 15 mounted in its nose.[1][2]The rotor diameter of the Fa 223 was 12 meters while the total length of the aircraft was 12.2 meters. The total weight was about 4,300 kg fully loaded and about 3,100 kg unloaded. The rotors were placed on two supports that were mounted on each side of the main fuselage.
The maximum range of the aircraft was about 700 km while the service ceiling was 4,800 meters.[3] The Fa 223 had good reliability and had surprisingly good statistics for its time.
History[]
The Fa 223 began life as the Fa 266 Hornisse (Hornet), an enlarged six seat development of the Focke Achgelis Fa 61 intended for service with Deutsche Lufthansa. Completed in late 1939 (as the Fa 266), the type underwent 100 hours of ground running and tethered hovering tests. The designation was changed to Fa 223 before the first free (untethered) flight in August 1940.[4]
Notes[]
- ↑ This was also the limit in normal use.
References[]
- ↑ http://warbirdsresourcegroup.org/LRG/fa223.html
- ↑ Gunston, Bill - Military Helicopters. 1981. Page 54
- ↑ http://www.wehrmacht-history.com/luftwaffe/helicopters/focke-achgelis-fa-223-helicopter.htm
- ↑ Kay, Antony L and J R Smith. German Aircraft of the Second World War. Putnam Aeronautical Books. 2002. ISBN 0 85177 920 4 Page 289.