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Aviation History
1940
1940 - 0469.PDF
FEBRUARY 15. 194a T4- GERMANY'S LATEST By H. F. KING With acknowledgment ID in- formation contained in the "Jahrbuch der Lafifahrt," transmitted by " Intwavia " Some Startling Designs, for the "Luftwaffe" : Inspiration from Holland and France?: A Ship-Plane for the Carrier "Graf Zeppelin". Athe Brussels Aero Show last year the writer ran intoa friend from Amsterdam who probably has as deepa knowledge of aeronautics in general as anyone in the Netherlands. "There are Fokker Gis in service with the German Air Force," he confided; he knew some- one who had seen them. Now., we were aware that tht Czech Avia concern had built a reconnaissance machine on almost identical lines, and we knew that the Focke Wulf Company was experimenting with a <; twin-hulled " single-engined fighter, which facts could hardly be dis- sociated with the news. To-day we are in a position to state definitely that (1) there is a German reconnaissance machine—the Focke- Wulf Fw 189—apparently based on an Avia type (which was in turn, inspired by the Fokker Gi), and (2) that there is a Focke-Wulf single-engined single-seater pusher fighter similar, not so much to the Fokker D.23 as has been stated, but to the French Hanriot H-110 built in 1932-33. According to Interavia's transcription from the Jahr- buch der Lujtfahrt, the Focke-Wulf Fw 189 is classed as a short-range reconnaissance aircraft, ground-attack machine, and radio and blind-flying trainer. It carries a crew of three to five men. It is arranged as a twin- engined cantilever low-wing monoplane with two tail The Focke-Wuli FW 189 (top) appearsto have an interesting ancestry, possibly having been inspired by theCzech Avia machine shown below it. This in turn bears a strong similarityto the Dutch Fokker Gi as shown on the left. booms The wing is of high aspect ratio and is in three sections; construc- tion is of all-metal stressed-skin type. There are three spars in the centre section (the main and rear spar pass- ing through the fuselage), a down- ward-hinging leading-edge section, and three-spar outer panels. Electrically operated split flaps extend across the centre section and beneath the fuselage . and are fitted on the outer panels up to the ailerons. An all metal monocoque structure, the fuselage is gener- ously supplied with transparent panels, in keeping with the present German '' clear-vision.'' policy. It is stated that the "individual construction elements of the nacelle- fuselage are screwed together." The tail is carried on two interchangeable booms of oval section and all-metal monocoque construction; these are virtually continuations of the engine nacelles. The fins and tailplane are of stressed-skin construction, and '..he movable surfaces are of light-metal construction, fabric- covered and aerodynamically and statically balanced. The phrase '' two-side operation of the elevator; separate opera- tion of the two rudders," is interesting. The trimming tabs, which also serve as aerodynamic balances, are elec- trically controlled. Of single-strut type, the undercarriage retracts rearwards into the engine nacelles. The tail wheel is the fully caster- ing type and is hydraulically retracted into the tailplane. The engines are said to be two air-cooled twelve-cylinder inverted-vees driving variable-pitch airscrews. One recalls that the Czech Avia machine was powered with two Walter Sagittas of about 500 h.p. each, though the possibility of, 450 h.p. Argus As 410s or 400 h.p. Hirth H.M.512AS in the Focke Wulf must not be overlooked. Armament comprises two fixed free-firing machine-guns
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