Fieseler F 5
| Fieseler F 5, F 5 R | |
|---|---|
 Fieseler F5 R |
|
| Type: | School, sport and travel aircraft |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
February 1933 |
| Commissioning: |
1933 |
| Production time: |
1935 |
| Number of pieces: |
51 |
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The Fieseler F 5, F 5 R was developed, built and flown in as a two-seat school, sports and touring aircraft at Fieseler Flugzeugbau Kassel. The flight characteristics and handling of the machines were excellent. With this type of aircraft, which was built in large numbers, Gerhard Fieseler achieved the breakthrough and recognition as an entrepreneur in the German aviation industry.
history
With the Fieseler F 4 project, Fieseler had recognized that the requirements for a modern sports aircraft were right and wanted to use this to develop an aircraft that had not previously existed in this class. There was enormous pressure on Fieseler and his team. A lot of money had been spent on projects F 3 and F 4. The income from Fiesel aircraft construction could not compensate for this in any way. The former aircraft manufacturer Edmund Rumpler and Carl Clemens Bücker offered Gerhard Fieseler financial investments. However, he wanted to remain independent and so he had no choice but to earn more income through increased participation in flight demonstrations.
construction
On September 1, 1932, Dipl.-Ing. Kurt Arnold and his construction team did the work. The Fieseler F 5 was a cantilever low- wing aircraft with two open seats one behind the other. The wings had a strongly tapered trapezoidal outline. Their trailing edges were in a straight line while the leading edge of the wings were drawn back. This created a positive arrow . The wings were made of wood, each had two double T-bars and were planked with plywood up to the back bar. In order to ensure the wing profile , the ribs in the front spar area were arranged at a distance of only 12.5 cm. The ailerons were attached to the outside of the wing trailing edges , while the take-off and landing flaps were inside . For road transport and for space-saving storage of the F 5, the wings could be folded onto the fuselage. The connection of the wings to the wing center piece integrated into the fuselage was made by means of conical bolts and quick-release fasteners and was easy to handle. The cantilever struts were attached directly to the main spar on the outside of the wing center section. As a result, the chassis, which consisted only of two teardrop-shaped struts with the running wheels, was outside the propeller jet and had a sufficiently large track width. In order to prevent overturning even on soft terrain and sudden strong braking, the chassis was moved far enough in front of the center of gravity. The landing gear was built according to the regulations of the German Research Institute for Aviation (DVL) and could withstand the toughest conditions. Landing shocks were absorbed by pressure rubber washers and the recoil by oil shock absorbers. The spring travel was ample at 18 cm. There was a sprung spur at the stern.
The fuselage was welded from high-quality steel pipes in a triangular bond. The engine front section was secured against the hull by a fire bulkhead, and the fuel tank was attached directly behind this bulkhead. The guest seat was located behind this tank and the driver's seat behind it. Both seats were comfortably furnished and there were pockets for cards and small luggage next to them. The luggage compartment was behind the driver's seat. The normal stick control was on ball bearings. The rudder was operated by ropes and bumpers.
The horizontal stabilizer consisted of a fin that could be trimmed from the driver's seat and was made of wood with a plywood skin. This fin was aimed at the lower edge of the fuselage and braced with the rudder fin. All oars had wooden frames covered with fabric. The Hirth motor HM 60 with 60 hp was chosen as the drive .
Flight characteristics
In February 1933 the first model was flown in by Gerhard Fieseler. He was enthusiastic about the flight characteristics of the F 5 despite the weak engine. The controllability of the aircraft on the ground was surprisingly good, even with strong crosswinds and tailwinds and without the aid of the wheel brakes. The aircraft took off and landed very easily due to the great longitudinal stability. The maneuverability was characterized by the strong trapezoidal shape of the wings and the masses concentrated around the center of gravity. The tax pressures were low. Involuntary spin was impossible under normal circumstances. Deliberate spin was ended by simply letting go of the control stick. A looping was possible from a horizontal flight at maximum speed without loss of height, all other aerobatic maneuvers were easy to perform and without any effort. The machine was fully suitable for aerobatics. Fieseler decided to install the more powerful "Hirth motor HM 60 R" with 80 HP in the aircraft for the start of series production. After some changes and improvements had been incorporated into a second sample, he started with the new engine and was now satisfied. During the DVL acceptance test, the acceptance pilots only made positive statements. Other pilots who were also able to fly this prototype confirmed the excellent flight characteristics of the machine. At the end of June 1933, this aircraft went into series production as the Fieseler F 5 R.
Launch
In the meantime, word got around among interested parties that Fieseler Flugzeugbau Kassel had developed a machine that was far superior to comparable aircraft in terms of flight performance, flight characteristics, external shape and equipment. Within a very short time, 25 orders for the F 5 R were received, for which the required down payment was made without any security. In this way it was possible to meet the high financial requirements associated with the start of a really generous production. The plant in Kassel- Ihringshausen was redesigned for series production. Due to the massive expansion of the workforce and the introduction of multi-shift work , eight aircraft were able to take part in this competition within seven weeks of the flight to Germany in August 1933. Due to the great demand, Gerhard Fieseler decided in autumn 1933 to finally relocate the factory to the former German works in Kassel- Bettenhausen, and so the airport was also closer. Deliveries therefore increased significantly in 1934. A total of 51 machines were built and sold.
Fieseler Flugzeugbau Kassel had achieved the breakthrough with the Fieseler F 5 R and was accepted into the "Reich Association of the German Aviation Industry (RDLI)". The company was now on solid financial footing thanks to the proceeds from aircraft construction and the income from Gerhard Fieseler's aerobatics.
Technical data of the Fieseler F 5 R
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | 1 |
| Passengers | 1 |
| length | 6.60 m |
| span | 10.00 m |
| Width in the folded state of the surfaces | 2.70 m |
| height | 2.30 m |
| Wing area | 13.60 m² |
| payload | 265 kg |
| Preparation mass | 395 kg |
| Takeoff mass | 660 kg |
| Cruising speed | 175 km / h |
| Top speed | 200 km / h |
| Landing speed | 60 km / h |
| Service ceiling | 4200 m |
| Range | approx. 1000 km |
| Engine | Hirth HM 60 R with 80 HP (59 kW) |
See also
literature
- Gerhard Fieseler: My path in the sky. The builder of the Fieseler Storch and the V 1 tells his life . Bertelsmann Verlag, Munich 1979, ISBN 3-570-01192-5 (autobiography).
- Fieseler magazine. Born 1938, ZDB -ID 1293906-7 .
- Technical data from documents from Fieseler Flugzeugbau Kassel.
- Schneider Helmut: Airplane type book. Joachim Beyer Verlag, Hollfeld 1984, ISBN 3-88805-051-0 .
- Heinz J. Nowarra : The German Air Armament 1933-1945. Bernard & Graefe, Koblenz 1993, ISBN 3-7637-5464-4 .
