Focke-Wulf Fw 30

Focke-Wulf Fw 30 grasshopper
Original Cierva C.30
Type:	Experimental helicopter
Design country:	German Empire
Manufacturer:	Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau AG
First flight:	1933
Commissioning:	1934
Production time:	1934 to 1936
Number of pieces:	40

The Focke-Wulf Fw 30 "Heuschrecke" was a test gyroplane from Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau AG . This is a license build by Cierva C.30 .

history

After testing with the built also at Focke-Wulf in license autogyro Cierva C.19 the ordered Air Ministry (RLM) 1933 two pieces of the follow pattern C.30 in AVRoe . These were delivered in November 1934 and approved by Focke-Wulf as D – EKOM and D – EKOP. They were tested at the Rechlin E -stelle. Originally, Hamburger Flugzeugbau GmbH was supposed to build seven of this model as a pilot series , but this failed for financial reasons. This order also went to Focke-Wulf. During a field test with the army in July 1935, the D-EKOP broke, but was restored. During further testing for use on board ships at the E -stelle Travemünde, one of the two machines broke again. Nothing is known about the fate of the others. The Fw 30 were built by Focke-Wulf after the company had acquired the reproduction rights for them. Since the RLM had high hopes for the gyroplane as a liaison aircraft, an order for 36 aircraft was placed in December 1935, which a few months later was even increased to 40.

construction

The main difference between the Fw 30 and its predecessor was that it no longer had wings. It had a Siemens-Halske Sh 14 B radial engine with 140 HP (103 kW) that worked on a two-bladed wooden propeller . For the start, the three-bladed rotor , which is otherwise only kept rotating by the airflow, could be brought to the required speed for a short time by means of a disengageable shaft connection.

Technical specifications

Three-sided view Avro C30A (English labeling)

Parameter	Data
crew	2
length	6.00 m
Rotor Ø	11.28 m
height	3.38 m
Empty mass	554.5 kg
Takeoff mass	818.0 kg
engine	a 7-cylinder radial engine Siemens-Halske Sh 14 B
power	140 hp (103 kW)
Top speed	177 km / h
Cruising speed	153 km / h
Range	458 km

See also

• List of helicopter types

literature

• J. Richard Smith: C30 grasshopper. In: Focke-Wulf, an Aircraft Album. Ian Allan, London 1973, ISBN 0-7110-0425-0 .

Web links

Commons : Cierva C.30  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• luftarchiv.de
• bredow-web.de