Blohm & Voss BV 141
| Blohm & Voss BV 141 | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Type: | Reconnaissance plane |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
February 25, 1938 |
| Number of pieces: |
26th |
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The Blohm & Voss BV 141 was a reconnaissance aircraft made by the German manufacturer Blohm & Voss , which at the time the aircraft was created was still under the name Hamburger Flugzeugbau . That is why the original name was Ha 141. It was particularly known for its asymmetrical structure.
history
In 1937 the Reich Aviation Ministry issued a requirement for a single-engine reconnaissance aircraft that should offer the crew of two to three men the best possible view on all sides and equally good defense. Arado submitted his design Arado Ar 198 , which was not accepted by the Technical Office. As an alternative, Focke-Wulf designed the twin-engine Focke-Wulf Fw 189 , while Wehrwirtschaftsführer Richard Vogt , chief designer of Blohm & Voss-Flugzeugwerke, constructed the entire aircraft asymmetrically on the basis of his patents from 1935 by keeping the crew in a very narrow one Fuselage on the wing to the right of the engine and tail unit mounts. In the course of development, this cabin was considerably widened and generously glazed, so that the requirement for the best possible view was largely met. Otherwise the Ha 141 was a normal all-metal low-wing aircraft with a landing gear that could be retracted into the wing and a tail wheel that only half disappeared in the tail unit, which when retracted could serve as an emergency spur.
The first prototype (Wnr. 172, registration D-ORJE) took off on its maiden flight with chief pilot Helmut Wasa Rodig on February 25, 1938 . The aircraft flew with the type designation Ha 141-0, but was renamed BV 141 V2 a short time later for accounting reasons.
The prototypes and aircraft of the A pre-series were equipped with a BMW-132 engine and a horizontal stabilizer that was symmetrical in relation to the tail unit support.
The head of the Technical Office, Major General Ernst Udet , convinced himself of the good flight characteristics in April 1938 and was enthusiastic about the aircraft. He made sure that the aircraft manufacturer now received a development contract. So two more test aircraft could be built, the V1 designated D-OTTO (Wnr. 171) and V3, D-OLGA (Wnr. 359). Considerable changes had already been made to both of them compared to the first aircraft. The crew cabin largely corresponded to the later final design. The wingspan of the third aircraft had been increased. The V3 was followed by another five pre-production aircraft of the A-0 series, all of which still have V numbers (up to V8) and Wnr. 360 to 364 received. Since they were all only finished after the introduction of the trunk license plates, they no longer received civil license plates. The V3 has also been renamed BL + AA. The V4, D-OLLE, was tested in Rechlin until 1941 and had already been given a master license plate. The V5 to V8 now received the following license plates from BL + AB to BL + AE. Evidence of the aircraft must be submitted to the E-points and to the Grossenhain reconnaissance school . Nothing is known about their later whereabouts.
Experience with the first aircraft led to a completely new design from January 1939, which was given the designation BV 141 B. The drive was now provided by the much more powerful BMW 801 , with which the performance improved considerably. The horizontal stabilizer that had already been tested on the V2 was now asymmetrical. Of this version, 18 more were built and used like the previous A-planes. Individuals also came to the front lines. The Reich Aviation Ministry had meanwhile decided to use the Fw 189 as a reconnaissance aircraft.
In the spring of 1941, the German Research Institute for Glider Flight (DFS) carried out internal unofficial test flights with various test models from the BV 141 in Rechlin . She commissioned u. a. one of their best test pilots, Erich Klöckner , with the company. Like other pilots, Klöckner was also impressed by the machine's excellent flight characteristics. He even carried out rollover , which BV 141 handled without any problems. The power of the engines as well as problems with the hydraulics, which could not be eliminated during the entire test, were criticized. Due to hydraulic problems on the landing gear, test sample 4 even crashed. There were further difficulties with the ailerons and the motor. But these could be remedied. Shelling tests with the two rigid MG 17 were made on test sample 12 . It was found that the barrels of these weapons were too short and that toxic powder fumes could penetrate the pulpit. Since the Fw 189 had already taken over the role of the Bv 141 after the tests were completed, the machines were "used up" by training associations and as test vehicles for various tasks. Since almost all of these missions took place in the east, the rumor of an operation on the eastern front persisted. At least three machines were still around at the end of the war. Allied troops confiscated two already damaged BV 141s (including GK + GH) at the Wenzendorf plant of Blohm & Voss in May 1945 .
Well-known models
| designation | Serial number |
Aircraft registration / later master registration |
|---|---|---|
| Test sample | ||
| BV 141 (V1) | 141-00-0171 | D-OTTO / GL + AG |
| BV 141 (V2) | 141-00-0172 | D-ORJE / PC + BA |
| BV 141 (V3) | 141-00-0359 | D-OLGA / BL + AA |
| Pre-series BV 141 A-0 | ||
| BV 141 A-01 (V4) | 01010360 | D-OLLE / GL + AH |
| BV 141 A-02 (V5) | 01010361 | BL + AB |
| BV 141 A-03 (V6) | 01010362 | BL + AC |
| BV 141 A-04 (V7) | 01010363 | BL + AD |
| BV 141 A-05 (V8) | 01010364 | BL + AE |
| Pre-series BV 141 B-0 | ||
| BV 141 B-01 (V9) | 0210001 | NC + QZ |
| BV 141 B-02 (V10) | 0210002 | NC + RA |
| BV 141 B-03 (V11) | 0210003 | NC + RB |
| BV 141 B-04 (V12) | 0210004 | NC + RC |
| BV 141 B-05 (V13) | 0210005 | NC + RD |
| BV 141 B-06 (V14) | 0210006 | NC + RE |
| BV 141 B-07 (V15) | 0210007 | NC + RF |
| BV 141 B-08 (V16) | 0210008 | NC + RG |
| BV 141 B-09 (V17) | 0210009 | NC + RH |
| BV 141 B-010 (V18) | 0210010 | NC + RI |
| BV 141 B-1 | ||
| BV 141 B-1 | 0210011 | GK + GA |
| 0210012 | GK + GB | |
| 0210013 | GK + GC | |
| 0210014 | GK + GD | |
| 0210015 | GK + GE | |
| 0210016 | GK + GF | |
| 0210017 | GK + GG | |
| 0210018 | GK + GH | |
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data (BV 141 B) |
|---|---|
| crew | 3 |
| length | 13.95 m |
| span | 17.46 m |
| height | 3.60 m |
| Wing area | 53 m² |
| Wing extension | 5.8 |
| Empty mass | 4700 kg |
| Max. Takeoff mass | 6100 kg |
| drive | 1 × BMW 801 A with 1,560 PS (1,147 kW) takeoff power |
| Top speed | 438 km / h at 5000 m |
| Range | 1900 km |
| Service ceiling | 10,000 m |
| initial rate of climb |
570 m / min |
| Armament | 2 x MG 17 + 2 x MG 15 ; additional 4 × 50 kg bombs under the wing |
literature
- Horst Lommel: DFS secret projects: From altitude reconnaissance to space glider 1935–1945 . Motorbuch, Stuttgart 2000, ISBN 3-613-02072-6 .
- Jet & Prop magazine 5/03 to 3/04, article Lars Kambeck
