The slightly less well known

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Dornier Do 32

The Dornier Do 32E was a simple, collapsible one-man helicopter, designed for military use.

In the early 1960s, the German Army had an interest in a small helicopter for observation and communications duties that could be folded up compactly enough to be carried in a trailer pulled by a jeep. The Do 32, like several other light helicopters of the time such as the Fairey Ultra-light Helicopter and the Sud-Ouest Djinn, used rotor tip jets to drive the rotor blades. The advantage of tip drive is the absence of torque reaction, making a tail rotor unnecessary, saving weight and simplifying control of the aircraft. Dornier used a small gas turbine to drive a compressor, which fed air out through tubes in the rotors to the tips.

The Do 32 was structurally very simple, with a square section, tapering fuselage behind the pilot. The BMW 6012L turbine and compressor were placed on top of the fuselage, immediately behind the rotor pylon. Its exhaust impinged upon a large rectangular rudder, built to resist thermal stresses, for yaw control. The horizontal tailplane was swept. The pilot sat in front of the rotor pylon, on a simple seat. The control of the plane of the two-bladed rotor directly with a long curved hanging arm, and its pitch with a conventional collective pitch lever by his left side. The rudder pedals were almost straight out in front on a strut that also carried,some simple instruments. This member also formed part of the simple three-legged undercarriage, each strut ending with an unsprung foot.

The Do 32 first flew on 29 June 1962,and much flight testing was done with this aircraft and two further prototypes. The aircraft was also stowed in a trailer, transported, unfolded and flown. The heavy rotor could be spun up before takeoff with zero pitch, containing enough energy for a rapid initial vertical climb or jump start, autogyro fashion. All three were eventually lost in accidents with different causes. Though Dornier had hopes of large Army orders, none followed. Agricultural applications were considered, and there was a design project for the Do 32Z, a two-seat version with a bigger engine, but no more manned Do 32s flew.

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EWR VJ 101

The EWR VJ 101 was an experimental German jet fighter vertical takeoff/landing (VTOL) tiltjet aircraft.

In March 1960, the BMVg issued a development contract to MAN Turbo for a light single-spool turbojet engine, Rolls-Royce would serve as a major subcontractor on the project; the result of their collaborative efforts for the contract would be the Rolls-Royce/MAN Turbo RB153 turbofan engine.
The RB.153 engine was initially a scaled-up version of the earlier Rolls-Royce RB108 engine that had been developed for sustained supersonic flight; however, during early 1960, interest in the engine's further development as a suitable powerplant for a VTOL aircraft emerged.New models of the engine were developed to address the specific requirements of its new VTOL role, including the RB.153.17 and the RB.153.25 lift engine. During December 1961, as a result of changes in the BMVg's priorities for the envisioned VTOL, considerable engine changes were needed so development work on the RB.153 was effectively shelved in favour of the Rolls-Royce RB145 engine.

The BMVg decided to issue an order in late 1960 for two experimental aircraft to evaluate their ability in fulfilling the interceptor requirement.A pair of prototypes, known as the VJ 101 C, were developed; these were powered by the lighter RB145 turbojet engine, which was mounted in swivelling nacelles.
Development of the VJ 101 C would not be straightforward; a major problem was the changing requirements of the BMVg, who decided to switch the aircraft's role from interceptor to a more general fighter. The new proposal had merged the characteristics of earlier designs into a streamlined platform. The VJ 101 C bore similarities to the US Bell XF-109, both aircraft having a configuration of paired engines fitted within swivelling nacelles positioned at their wingtips. In addition to the wingtip engines, two further lift jets were installed within the fuselage, which functioned to supplement the main engines during hovering flight.

The VJ 101 C featured an electronic flight control system, widely known as a 'fly-by-wire' arrangement. Testing revealed the need for three-channel control systems to account for instances of hardover failures. Upon the switch to three-channel control systems, this enabled the system to be used through all flight ranges with thrust-vector control; the first such system to be developed.

A pair of prototypes were completed, known as the X-1 and X-2.The X-1 was to be outfitted with an arrangement of six RB145 engines: two mounted vertically in the fuselage for lift, and four within the swivelling nacelles, each of which being able to generate 2,750 lbf of thrust. The X-2 was to have the swivelling engines equipped with an afterburner, which would enable them to produce thrust of 3,840 lbf each.This was expected to enable the aircraft to attain its design speed of Mach 1.8.

On 10 April 1963, the X-1 made its first hovering flight,later on 20 September 1963, the first transition from hovering flight to horizontal flight took place. The X-1 was first publicly exhibited at the May 1964 Hannover Air Show. The VJ 101C X-1 flew a total of 40 aerodynamic flights, 24 hover flights and 14 full transitions. In the course of these tests, the sound barrier was broken for the first time by a vertical takeoff aircraft; however, on 14 September 1964, a defect in the autopilot caused the X-1 to crash, sustaining some damage as a result. On 29 July 1964, the VJ 101 C flew at Mach 1.04 without use of an afterburner.

On 12 June 1965, X-2,,made its first flight. On 22 October 1965, the X-2 performed a successful transition with a new autopilot system installed. The tests were subsequently continued with X-2, which in contrast to X-1 was fitted with afterburners. However, the project was cancelled in 1968. The proposed VJ 101 D Mach 2 interceptor was never completed. Today, VJ 101 C X-2 is on public display at the Deutsches Museum in Munich.

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Fieseler F2 Tiger

The Fieseler F2 Tiger was a German single-seat aerobatic biplane from the early 1930`s.

Gerhard Fieseler started his own company in 1930 at Kassel, Germany. Fieseler was a WW 1 German fighter ace with almost 20 kills to his credit, and became a world class competition aerobatic pilot. To compete in International competitions Fieseler designed and built the Fieseler F2 Tiger single-seat biplane, powered by a 450 hp Walter Pollux II air-cooled 9-cylinder radial.

The 1934 World Aerobatics Competition, held in Paris, was the first of its kind, and, despite two fatal accidents, the competition continued and Fieseler won, beating his nearest competitor, Michel Detroyat of France (who flew an M.S.225), by 23 points (645.2 to 622.9). Fieseler retired from the sport with his victory.
The F2 Tiger formed the basis for later aircraft, including the Fieseler F5. It was built by Fieseler's own aircraft company, Fieseler Flugzeugbau (later, Gerhard Fieseler Werke). The F2 served as an important forerunner of later German aircraft, and as a famous piece of inter-war aircraft design.


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Fieseler Fi 5

The Fieseler Fi 5 was a single-engined two-seat sportplane of the 1930s.

The F 5 was a low-wing tandem two-seat monoplane which retained the fabric-covered steel-tube fuselage of the earlier Fieseler F 4 but introduced a new two-spar cantilever wing. It had a fixed conventional landing gear with a tail-skid and the tandem open-cockpit were fitted with dual-controls. Behind the rear seat was a large luggage locker, the top decking at the rear could be removed to carry a spare propeller or skis.
The F5 was powered by the 80 hp Hirth HM 60 engine. It competed with the Klemm Kl 25, but with the F5's shorter wings and different handling that experienced pilots preferred, it became quite popular.In 1935 one aircraft Saureland was modified as a single-seat aerobatic aircraft for Lise Fastenrath with the front cockpit covered over. Around 30 of these popular aircraft were produced.

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Fieseler Fi 103R Reichenberg

The Fieseler Fi 103R, code-named Reichenberg, was a late-World War II German piloted version of the V-1 flying bomb.

The Leonidas Squadron, had been set up as a suicide squadron. Volunteers were required to sign a declaration which said, "I hereby voluntarily apply to be enrolled in the suicide group as part of a human glider-bomb. I fully understand that employment in this capacity will entail my own death." Initially, both the Messerschmitt Me 328 and the Fieseler Fi 103 (better known as the V-1 flying bomb) were considered as suitable aircraft, but the Fi 103 was passed over in favour of the Me 328 equipped with a 900 kilograms (2,000 lb) bomb.

Problems were experienced in converting the Me 328 and Heinrich Himmler wanted to cancel the project.The Fi 103 was reappraised and was adopted for the project as it seemed to offer the pilot a slim chance of surviving.The project was given the codename "Reichenberg" after the capital of the former Czechoslovakian territory.

The V-1 was transformed into the Reichenberg by adding a small, cramped cockpit at the point of the fuselage that was immediately ahead of the pulsejet's intake, where the standard V-1's compressed-air cylinders were fitted. The cockpit had basic flight instruments and a plywood bucket seat. The single-piece canopy incorporated an armoured front panel and opened to the side to allow entry. The two displaced compressed-air cylinders were replaced by a single one, fitted in the rear in the space which normally accommodated the V-1's autopilot. The wings were fitted with hardened edges to cut the cables of barrage balloons.

It was proposed that a He 111 bomber would carry either one or two Reichenbergs beneath its wings, releasing them close to the target. The pilots would then steer their aircraft towards the target, jettisoning the cockpit canopy shortly before impact and bailing out. It was estimated that the chances of a pilot surviving such a bailout were less than 1% due to the very close proximity of the pulsejet's intake to the cockpit.

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Fieseler Fi 167

The Fieseler Fi 167 was a 1930s German biplane torpedo and reconnaissance bomber designed for use from the Graf Zeppelin class aircraft carriers.

In early 1937, the German Ministry of Aviation issued a specification for a carrier-based torpedo bomber to operate from Germany's first aircraft carrier, the Graf Zeppelin.The specification was issued to two aircraft houses, Fieseler and Arado, and was for an all-metal biplane with a maximum speed of at least 186 mph, a range of at least 630 miles and capable both of torpedo and dive-bombing. By the summer of 1938 the Fiesler design proved to be superior to the Arado design, the Ar 195.

It first flew 12th Nov 1937 and exceeded all requirements, with excellent handling capabilities and could carry almost double the required weapons payload. Like the company's better known Fieseler Fi 156 Storch, the Fi 167 had surprising slow-speed capabilities; under the right conditions, the plane would be able to land almost vertically on a moving aircraft carrier. In case of an emergency landing at sea, the crew could jettison the landing gear, and airtight compartments in the lower wing would help the aircraft stay afloat for 20-30 mins.
Two prototypes (Fi 167 V1 and V2) were built, followed by twelve pre-production models (Fi 167 A-0) which had only slight modifications from the prototypes.

The aircraft was powered by an 1100hp Daimler-Benz DB 601B V-12 inverted liquid-cooled piston engine, which gave it a max speed of around 200mph,and was armed with 2x7.92mm machine guns, one fixed forward, and one in the rear cockpit on a flexible mounting.

When construction of the Graf Zeppelin was stopped in 1940, the completion of further aircraft was stopped and the completed aircraft were taken into Luftwaffe service in the evaluation/test unit, with nine Fi 167s going to the Netherlands for coastal trials.The Fi 167s returned to Germany in the summer of 1943. After which they were sold to Croatia, where The Fi 167's short-field landing and load-carrying abilities made it ideal for transporting ammunition and other supplies to Croatian Army garrisons, between their arrival in September 1944 and the end of the War.

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Flettner Fl 265

The Flettner Fl 265 was an experimental helicopter designed by Anton Flettner.

The FL 265 was developed in 1938 with the support of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine, and made it possible, for the first time, to transition from powered rotary-wing flight to autorotation and back again, making it the safest helicopter of its time. In contrast to the Fl 185, the Fl 265, believed to be the pioneering example of a synchropter, had two intermeshing rotors 12 m in diameter, powered by a 160 hp BMW-Bramo Sh 14 A radial engine in the nose of the fuselage, fitted with a fan to assist cooling. Six helicopters were constructed, but series production was curtailed in favour of the Flettner Fl 282.

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Focke-Achgelis Fa 223

The Focke-Achgelis Fa 223 Dragon was a helicopter developed by Germany during World War II.

It was powered by a single 1,010 hp Bramo 323 radial engine powered two three-bladed 11.9-metre (39 ft) rotors mounted on twin booms on either side of the 12.2-metre-long (40 ft) cylindrical fuselage. Although the Fa 223 is noted for being the first helicopter to attain production status, production of the helicopter was hampered by Allied bombing of the factory, and only 20 were built.
In September 1939 the first prototype, the V1, left the factory. Now nicknamed Drache ("Dragon") it had a fully enclosed cabin and load bay, with the Bramo engine mounted in the middle of the tubular-steel body.

Hovering tests showed problems and the V1 was not to fly until 1940. The engine proved too fragile when run at high speed for any duration, and was replaced with a sturdy 1,000 hp Bramo 323Q3 in the later prototypes to improve reliability and lifting capability.The biggest problem, however was the severe vibration caused by unbalanced driveshafts when the rotors moved out of phase.The V1's first untethered flight was on 3 August 1940, after over 100 hours of ground and tethered testing.On 5 February 1941, the V1 was lost in an accident following engine failure at low altitude. The second prototype (V2) was completed shortly after, featuring a fully glazed cockpit and a machine gun operated by the observer. It was destroyed in an Allied air raid.

Production of the Fa 223 began at the Focke-Achgelis factory in Delmenhorst in 1942. The site was attacked in June that year by an Allied air raid and destroyed along with the two surviving prototypes. Attempts were made to restore production but a new plant was set up at Laupheim in 1943.
Only seven machines had been constructed at Laupheim before an air raid halted production in July 1944, and wiped out the factory. At the time of the raid, the V18 prototype was ready for delivery, 13 Drachen were in assembly, plus enough components for a further 19. The Air Ministry decided that it was useless to pursue the project any further and after mountain rescue trials Focke was assigned to Messerschmitt's staff.Only weeks later, Focke received new orders,to return to the Focke-Achgelis company and to move the entire operation to Berlin Tempelhof Airport where flight testing was to be resumed, and a production line established to produce 400 helicopters per month.

At the end of WWII the US intended to ferry captured aircraft back to the US aboard a ship, but only had room for one of the captured Drachen. The RAF objected to plans to destroy the other, the V14, so Luftwaffe Pilot Helmut Gerstenhauer, with two observers, flew it across the English Channel from Cherbourg to RAF Beaulieu on 6 September 1945, the first crossing of the Channel by a helicopter. The V14 later made two test flights at RAF Beaulieu before being destroyed on 3 October, when a driveshaft failed.

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Focke-Wulf A 16

The Focke-Wulf A.16 was a German three/four passenger light transport monoplane from the mid 1920`s.

Focke and Wulf formed the Focke-Wulf company in 1924 and their first design was an all-wood three/four passenger airliner or light transport, the A.16, first flown by Georg Wulf on 23 June 1924. At least 20 aircraft were built.The A.16 was a high-wing cantilever monoplane of conventional configuration. The wing used a rather ungainly thick airfoil, and the pilot sat in an open cockpit above the wing, while the passengers were carried in the enclosed fuselage below. The tailskid undercarriage featured large wheels mounted on each side of the fuselage.
Early versions had 75hp engines, but later models had 100hp or 120 hp engines.

At least 20 aircraft were built; according to Airbus Industrie, Bremen, 23 were built. Airbus built a detailed full size mock up, which is on display at Bremen Airport.

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Focke-Wulf A 32 Bussard

The Focke-Wulf A 32 Bussard was a small airliner from the early 1930s.

It was developed rapidly at the request of NOBA when Messerschmitt was unable to deliver aircraft on schedule.It was a development of the A 20, but the A 32 had a revised fuselage with greater seating capacity, and an engine of over twice the power (310hp). The two examples operated by NOBA became part of Deutsche Luft Hansa's fleet in 1934.
The flight deck was enclosed on the A.32 and was incorporated into the fuselage below and ahead of the high-mounted thick wing. The passenger cabin was under and aft of the wing. The tailskid undercarriage featured a wider tread on the mainwheels, and those wheels were supported by struts running up to the wings' undersides. The nose-mounted piston engine was cooled by a radiator, mounted in the airstream on the belly of the fuselage.

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Focke-Wulf Fw 44 Stieglitz

The Focke-Wulf Fw 44 Stieglitz ("Goldfinch")  is a two-seat biplane from the 1930`s.

The Fw 44 was designed as a biplane with conventional layout and straight, untapered wings. Its two open cockpits were arranged in tandem, and both cockpits were equipped with flight controls and instruments. The Fw 44 had fixed tailwheel landing gear. It employed ailerons on both upper and lower wings. It did not use flaps. It was flown with a 125 hp Siemens-Halske Sh 14 radial engine.The first prototype flew in 1932,and after many tests and modifications to increase the plane's durability and aerodynamics, the final Fw 44 proved to have excellent airworthiness.

A second version of the Fw 44 was the Fw 44B, which had an Argus As 8 four-cylinder inverted inline air-cooled engine of 120 hp.The cowling for this engine gave the plane a more slender, aerodynamic nose.20 Fw 44s purchased by China were modified for combat missions, and participated in the early stage of the Second Sino-Japanese War until all were lost in action.The last series version was the Fw 44J, which was sold or built under license in several countries around the world. It was equipped with a seven-cylinder Siemens-Halske Sh 14 radial engine.

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Focke-Wulf Ta 152

The Focke-Wulf Ta 152 was a World War II German high-altitude fighter-interceptor.

The German Air Ministry requested designs from both Focke-Wulf and Messerschmitt for a high-altitude interceptor. Messerschmitt answered with the Bf 109H, and Focke-Wulf entered a range of designs; the Fw 190 Raffat-1 (Ra-1) fighter, the Ra-2 was a dedicated high altitude fighter, and the Ra-3 was a ground-attack aircraft.
These designs developed into the Fw 190 V20 (Ta 152A), V21 (Ta 152B) and V30 (Ta 152H) prototypes, all based on the 190D-9 but with varying degrees of improvement. The V20 used the same Jumo 213E engine as the Fw 190D-9, while the V21 used the DB 603E. Neither of these offered any significant improvement, and development of the Ta 152A and B was cancelled. The V21 airframe, was further modified as the V21/U1 and became the prototype for the Ta 152C.

The Ta 152's fuselage extended with wider-chord fixed vertical tail surfaces, and hydraulic controlled undercarriage and flaps.The modifications caused the center of gravity to shift  and for overall balance, the nose was also lengthened.The D-9 retained the 34.5 ft wingspan of the pre-war Fw 190 models, but this was slightly extended for the C model to 36 ft, and greatly extended for the H model to 47.4 ft, which gave it much better control at high altitudes at the cost of speed at lower altitudes.

The H model had heavy armament ,one 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108 Motorkanone cannon centered within the propeller hub and two 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons, synchronized to fire through the propeller, located in the wing roots.The C model was designed to operate at lower altitudes with the same armament plus two more MG 151/20 cannon synchronized as the additional autocannon for the C-model were mounted just ahead of the windscreen, and above the engine's upper rear crankcase. The Ta 152C could destroy the heaviest enemy bombers with a short burst but the added weight decreased speed and rate of turn.

By February 1945, all Ta 152 production had ceased. According to estimates, 44 Ta 152 H-0/V and 25 Ta 152 H-1 were built; total Ta 152 production is unknown

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Focke-Wulf Fw 187 Falke

The Focke-Wulf Fw 187 Falke  was a single/two crew high performance fighter aircraft developed in the late 1930s

The fuselage was made as small as possible, so small that there was no room on the instrument panel for the complete set of engine instruments, some of which were instead moved to the inside faces of the engine nacelles.The engine nacelles were relatively normal, including both the engine and the main landing gear storage, but the front-mounted radiators for the engines were retractable for high speed when less frontal area would be needed to get the same airflow.The mainwheels were fully retractable and faired and the design of the wing and tailplane required no struts or supports, in order to further reduce drag.

The first prototype, Fw 187 V1 (D-AANA), flew for the first time in late spring 1937.In testing it demonstrated a speed of 325 mph despite the use of the low-powered Jumo engines; 50 mph faster than the contemporary Jumo-powered Messerschmitt Bf 109B, despite having twice the range, more than twice the weight, and using two of the same engines. The inclusion of a second crew member altered the center of gravity which demanded the engine nacelles be modified to correct changes to handling characteristics. A new extended-length cockpit "framed" canopy was added, but due to the high line of the fuselage there was no easy way to include defensive rear-facing armament, relegating the second crew member to the role of radio operator.
The Luftwaffe, stated that without defensive armament the aircraft could not fulfill the Zerstörer role, and remained uninterested in the design. The three two-seat prototypes were returned to Focke-Wulf after testing at Rechlin.

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Fokker M.7

The Fokker M.7 was an observation aircraft of World War I.

Twenty aircraft, powered by 80 hp Oberursel U.0 rotary engines, were built, some of which were used by Kaiserliche Marine (Imperial German Navy) shore stations. It was a single-bay sesquiplane (biplane) of conventional configuration, with slightly staggered wings using wing warping for roll control, tandem open cockpits and Fokker's distinctive comma-shaped rudder.The aircraft was operated by the Austro-Hungarian forces under the designation Type B.I.

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Fokker E.II

The Fokker E.II was the second variant of the Eindecker single-seat monoplane fighter aircraft of World War I.

The E.II was a development of the Fokker E.I with the 100 hp Oberursel U.I 9-cylinder rotary engine, a close copy of the French Gnôme Monosoupape rotary of the same power output, in place of the E.I's 80 hp Oberursel U.0, but whereas the E.I was simply a M.5K with a 7.92 mm (.312 in) machine gun bolted to it, the E.II was designed with the weapon system integrated with its airframe.

The major difference between the types was a shorter wingspan on the E.II, intended to increase speed, but handling and climbing performance suffered. The type was therefore quickly superseded by the E.III. The E.II also had a larger fuel capacity of 90 litres to supply the Oberursel U.I's 54 litres/hour fuel consumption, as compared to the E.I's 69 litres capacity to feed its earlier U.0 rotary, which used 37 litres/hour of fuel. As with the M.5K/MG quintet of production prototype Eindeckers, the pilot was provided with a head support to help him resist the airstream when he had to raise his head to use the gun sights.

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Fokker D.I

The Fokker D.I ( M.18) was a development of the D.II fighter.

Similar to the D.II, the D.I was an unstaggered single-bay,equal-span biplane. The upper fuselage was initially parallel with the upper wing and was fitted with the 101 hp Mercedes D.I six-cylinder water-cooled engine.Control was achieved using wing-warping.To improve visibility, the center section was cut back and the wings were slightly staggered and the top wing raised slightly.
These improvements were retained, and the aircraft was ordered into production with an 119 hp Mercedes D.II inline engine and a single synchronized 7.92 mm (.312 in) lMG 08 machine gun. The Austro-Hungarian B.IIIs, retained the Mercedes D.I engine, and some were armed with a free-firing Schwarzlose MG M.07/12 machine gun mounted above the centre-section.

Deliveries began in July 1916 and 90 D.I fighters were delivered to the German Fliegertruppen and 17 B.III fighter trainers to the Austro-Hungarian Luftfahrttruppen, eight of which were license-built by the Magyar Általános Gépgyár (MAG) in Hungary.

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Fokker V.1

The Fokker V.1 was a small sesquiplane experimental fighter prototype built in 1916.

The Fokker V.1 principal innovation was its unbraced cantilever wings. These were built around a pair of wooden box-girders, the upper and lower members of which were built up from several thin strips of pine, with connecting webs of birch plywood. The entire wing was covered in plywood. The V.1 upper wing's smooth surface, thick airfoil and tapered planform gave it a remarkably modern appearance. The depth of spar needed for adequate strength necessitated a wing whose root thickness was around 20% of the chord, in contrast to a typical value of around 6% for aircraft of the period and 12 to 15% for modern aircraft of comparable performance.

Aiming for an aerodynamically clean aircraft, all control actuators were buried within the wing, so that there were no drag-creating control horns. The upper wing was mounted on a system of cabane struts consisting of a pair of tubular steel tripods between the fuselage and mainspar and a pair of steel struts connected to the aft spar, all basically similar to the cabane strut design. Since designer Reinhold Platz was using a novel and thick aerofoil, he was unsure about the correct incidence for the wing with respect to the fuselage. Lacking a wind tunnel, he therefore made it adjustable during flight.

The fuselage structure was the usual Fokker wire-braced rectangular section box girder made from welded steel tubes. This was then enclosed within circular wooden formers bearing longitudinal stringers and covered with fabric. The tail surfaces were all-moving, without a fixed fin or horizontal stabiliser. The aircraft was powered by a 100 hp Oberursel U.I rotary engine.
A second similar aircraft powered by a 120 hp Mercedes D.II was constructed, the Fokker V.2. The aircraft differed principally in having an increased wing area to compensate for the increased weight of the engine and Albatros D.III-outline shape open structure, fabric-covered conventional tail surfaces.

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Fokker D.VI

The Fokker D.VI was a German fighter aircraft built in limited numbers at the end of World War I.

In late 1917, Fokker-Flugzeugwerke built two biplane prototypes designated V.13. These aircraft combined a set of scaled-down D.VII wings with a fuselage and empennage similar to those of the earlier Dr.I. The first prototype used a 110 hp Oberursel Ur.II rotary engine, while the second had a 160 hp) Siemens-Halske Sh.III bi-rotary engine.The type was armed with a pair of 7.92 mm (.312 in) LMG 08/15 "Spandau" machine guns.
Fokker submitted both prototypes at the Adlershof fighter trials in late January 1918. Pilots found the V.13s to be maneuverable and easy to fly. Idflieg issued a production contract after the V.13s were judged to be the best rotary powered entries of the competition.

The new aircraft, designated D.VI, passed its (official type test) on 15 March 1918.The Idflieg authorized low level production pending availability of the more powerful Goebel Goe.III. Deliveries began in April and ended in August, after 59 aircraft had been completed. Seven aircraft were delivered to the Austro-Hungarian Air Service.In service, the D.VI was hindered by the low power of the 110hp engine.The lack of castor oil and the poor quality of "Voltol," an engine lubricant, severely reduced engine life and reliability.The D.VI remained in frontline service until September 1918, and continued to serve in training and home defense units until the Armistice.

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Fokker PW-5

The Fokker PW-5 (designated Fokker F VI by Fokker) was a Dutch fighter aircraft of the 1920s.

In 1921, the US Army Air Service evaluated the Fokker D.VIII parasol monoplane, and the D.VII biplane, both fighters handed over to it after the Armistice. It placed an order for two examples of a parasol monoplane fighter based on the design of the D.VIII, but powered by an American-built 300hp Hispano-Suiza V-8 engine, for evaluation.These aircraft, designated by Fokker as Fokker F VI, had plywood-covered wooden cantilever wings similar to those in the D.VIII, and a typical Fokker welded steel-tube fuselage. The forward fuselage was protected by armour plates, although the car-type radiator and the wing-mounted fuel tank had no armour protection. The aircraft had a fixed tailskid undercarriage, while it had no fixed fin, having a balanced rudder instead.

In 1921, the two test examples were delivered in 1921, although one crashed on 13 March 1922 after a wing failed. An order for a further 10 aircraft was placed, and delivered later in 1921, the aircraft being used as advanced trainers.

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Fokker F.III

The Fokker F.III was a single-engined high-winged monoplane aircraft produced in the 1920s.

The Fokker F.III was a development of the F.II. A widened cabin allowed all five passengers to sit inside; in the earlier aircraft, one passenger sat alongside the pilot in his exposed cockpit. The pilot now sat alongside the engine,they had a much better view than from the F.II. The view was further improved by a cut-out in the wing leading edge for the pilot's head, allowing his seat to be raised. The external wing struts of the F.II were removed, leaving a clean cantilever wing. The trapezoidal windows seen in the Grulich built F.IIs were standard on the F.III.
the F.III was initially powered by a readily available,185 hp BMW IIIa engine, but KLM re-engined theirs with the 230 hp Armstrong Siddeley Puma.

The F.III was first used by KLM when they reopened their Amsterdam-London seasonal service on 14 April 1921. Soon, F.IIIs were also flying on routes to Bremen, Brussels, Hamburg, and Paris. They proved to be very reliable aircraft. KLM received 14 F.IIIs from Fokker's German factory at Schwerin during 1921 and built two more itself from spares in the following year. This final pair used 359 hp Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII engines, with the pilot on the left.

Deutsche Aero Lloyd gained a licence to build F.IIIs as they had for F.IIs and the company, with its southern subsidiary built and operated 18 of these Fokker-Grulich F.IIIs. Most of these used BMW engines, typically the 249 hp BMW IV in preference to the 185 hp BMW IIIa. Some of these were re-engined with the 321 hp BMW Va, and were designated F.IIIc.
Later F.IIIs changed ownership frequently as airlines went bankrupt or merged. They were still flying commercially in Germany until about 1936.


Production of Fokker aircraft largely returned to the Netherlands after 1920, so any remaining Fokker aircraft will be listed as Dutch built.

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[Angry Turnip]

Glasflügel BS-1

The Glasflügel BS-1, sometimes called the Björn Stender BS-1, is a German, high-wing, single seat, T-tailed, FAI Open Class glider.

The prototype BS-1 was designed by Stender; the BS-1 was closely based on his earlier Akaflieg Braunschweig SB-6 Nixope, produced whilst he was still an undergraduate.
Two prototypes were built by him and his three assistants in 1962. During a test flight of one of the prototypes in 1963, the aircraft suffered an in-flight structural failure and Stender was killed.
Glasflügel then took over the project and re-engineered the design, based on their experience producing the Glasflügel H-301 Libelle. The company went on to build 18 production aircraft.

The BS-1 is built entirely from fiberglass and features an 18.0 m (59.1 ft) wing with flaps and dive brakes. For further glidepath control the BS-1 has a tail-mounted parachute. The landing gear is a retractable monowheel.The BS-1 was considered one of the first soaring "super ships" and was one of the most high-performing gliders of its time.

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[Angry Turnip]

Glasflügel 604

The Glasflügel 604 is a high-wing, T-tailed, single seat, FAI Open Class glider.

The 604 was intended as a test aircraft for a proposed two-seat glider that was never built. The prototype did so well in competition that a ten-aircraft production run was completed, resulting in a total of eleven 604s being completed.Due to the aircraft's huge size, including its 22.0 m (72.2 ft) three-piece wing, the aircraft picked up the nickname "the Jumbo". The wing centre section alone weighs 115 kg, making rigging it for flight requires a large crew.

For glidepath control the 604 has wing top-surface spoilers and a tail-mounted drag chute. The aircraft can carry 100 kg of water ballast. The landing gear is a retractable monowheel.In July 2011 five of the eleven 604s built were located in the United States and registered with the Federal Aviation Administration.

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[Angry Turnip]

Gotha G.I

The Gotha G.I was a heavy bomber used by the Luftstreitkräfte during World War I.

In mid-1914, Oskar Ursinus, began designing a large twin-engine seaplane of unconventional configuration.Most biplane designs have the fuselage attached to the lower wing, Ursinus had a snub-nosed fuselage attached to the upper wing, and twin engine nacelles mounted on the lower one. This arrangement was to allow the engines to be kept close together minimizing asymmetrical thrust in the event of an engine failure,and minimised the drag on the upper wing caused by turbulence from the fuselage.
Apart from the aerodynamic benefits claimed by Ursinus, the aircraft's layout provided excellent views for the three crewmen and broad fields of fire for the gunner.The design also matched the specifications that the Idflieg had issued in March that year for a "Type III" large military aircraft,and an order was submitted for the construction of a prototype.

It was powered by two 100 hp Mercedes D.I engines, and in keeping with the requirement, it was armed with a 7.92 mm (.312 in) machine gun in the nose and the engines and crew were protected by chrome-nickel armorplate.The prototype first flew on 30 January 1915 and was inspected by an Idflieg engineer on 20 February. The report confirmed that the aircraft conformed to the specification, he also noted that the aircraft was difficult to fly, lacked structural integrity, dangerous to the crew in the event of a crash landing, and very underpowered.Despite its problems, the FU was sent to the front, assigned to Feld Flieger Abteilung 28 reconnaissance unit early 1915.

Gothaer engineers simplified and refined the design,which was later known as the Gotha G.I or Gotha-Ursinus G.I. The first production aircraft was completed on 27 July 1915.These aircraft were powered by two 150 hp Benz Bz.III engines.Gothaer Waggonfabrik built 18 G.I aircraft in three batches of six before production ceased at the end of the year.The final batch was powered by 160 hp Mercedes D.III engines and featured an extra defensive machine gun and nearly double the armor of previous examples.

Records show only small numbers ever in service on the front at any one time (the most being six in December 1915[). The aircraft were being used for a variety of duties, including defensive patrols, reconnaissance, and only rarely for bombing.By the time it reached the front, the Gotha G.I was already an easy target for faster and more manoeuverable fighters.

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[Angry Turnip]

Gotha WD.7 / WD.8

The Gotha WD.7 was a reconnaissance floatplane from WW1.

The pusher WD.3 was rejected by the Imperial German Navy, Gotha turned to a new layout that would keep the aircraft's nose free for forward-firing weapons. The WD.7 development therefore, was a conventional biplane with twin 120 hp Mercedes D.11 engines mounted tractor-fashion on the leading edge of the lower wing. Eight examples were built for use as trainers for torpedo bombing.

During 1917, two of these aircraft were used for testing a 37 mm (1.46 in) autocannon built by DWM.
The same airframe was used to create the WD.8 reconnaissance floatplane, replacing the twin wing-mounted engines to a single 240 hp Maybach Mb.IVa in the nose.

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[Angry Turnip]

Gotha Go 150

The Gotha Go 150 was a light aircraft designed in the late 1930s.

In January 1937 Major Werner Junck, chief of the LC II, the technical wing of the Reichsluftfahrtministerium responsible for the development of new aircraft, informed various minor aircraft manufacturers that they would not get any contracts for the development of military aircraft. He advised them to concentrate in the development of a small twin-engined aircraft. As a result, Gothaer Waggonfabrik developed the Go 150, while the other companies produced their own take on the idea.

The Go150 was a twin-engined monoplane with an enclosed cockpit. It was designed by Albert Kalkert, and first flew in 1937. The results of this flight were good, and production began.
The aircraft was used to train both civilian and Luftwaffe pilots although only 12 were built. The Go 150 was powered by two Zündapp Z 9-092 4-cylinder inverted air-cooled in-line piston engines of around 54hp each.

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