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Aviation History
1943
1943 - 2256.PDF
FLIGHT Sixty-sixth of the Latest Recognition Series Aircraft Types and MESSERSCHMITT Me 323 STARTING life as the Me 321 glider transport, ot whichit is a development, the Messerschmitt Me 323 six-engined transport is certainly one of the most in- teresting aircraft of the present war. Designed to carryabout 100 troops or 20,000 lb. in freight for moderate distances, it can accommodate as many as 130 fully armedand equipped men or 26,000 lb. .by cutting down its range to comparatively short distances, and its top speedhas been variously estimated at from 150 to 170 m.p.h. Cruising speed is probably just over 100 m.p.h. withfull load and the range about 700 miles. Certainly the queerest thing about this monster is itsten-wheeled undercarriage comprising six main wheels and four smaller front wheels which only touch the groundduring landing, or when loading and unloading operations bring weight to bear on the nose. This, by the way, issplit vertically, each half being hinged to swing open side- ways to admit such bulky articles as small motor lorriesand 88 mm. flak guns—typical loads known to have been carried to Tunisia. The high strut-braced wing has a wide, flat centre- section of sufficient cross-section at the roots to house aflight engineer's cabin on each side in the leading-edge, while within the main spar, on the port side ot the fuselage,is the radio-operator's cabin. This main spar is of steel tube construction, but most of the ribs are of wood. Theflat centre-section is entirely covered with plywood, but the tapered outer panels, set at a dihedral angle, are ply-wood covered back to the main spar and fabric covered aft of it. The fuselage has its main structure in. largediameter welded steel tubes, but the freight floor is carried on massive girders. Fabric covering over wooden stringersconform to a rectangular section throughout its length. The six French-built Gnome-Rhone 14N air-cooled radial .-engines are fully supercharged and have a maximum output*^ each of 950 h.p. at 12,200ft., giving a total of 5,700 h.p.The power-loading is, therefore, very high and, together with a high D/L ratio, is responsible for the aircraft'smediocre performance. Provision is made, in fact, for rocket-assisted take-off, and quick-release towing attach-ments were found on at least one Me 323 abandoned in Tunisia. TEN WHEELED UNDERCARRIACE TALL DIHEDRAL FROM WIDE FLAT CENTRE SECTION SLAB-SIDED FUSELACE Span Length Height Wing DIMENSIONS 181 ft. 93ft. 6in. 24ft area ,. .. 2 700 sq. ft iff
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