VL Kotka
| VL Kotka | |
|---|---|
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| Type: | Maritime patrol |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
September 30, 1930 |
| Number of pieces: |
6th |
VL E.30 Kotka was a two-seater Finnish double-decker from 1930 . It was manufactured by the state aircraft factory Valtion lentokonetehdas (VL). The aircraft was used as a maritime reconnaissance aircraft by the Finnish Air Force from November 1930. It should replace the outdated Blackburn Ripon there .
History and construction
The prototype, equipped with an air-cooled Bristol Jupiter IV-9-cylinder engine with an output of 420 hp, first flew on 30th September 1930 and was used as Kotka I called. From June 1931, serial production of the Kotka II began , which was only slightly modified compared to the prototype. The first series machine was equipped with the same engine as the prototype. The second and fourth series machines initially received the 575 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1690 -B Hornet, but were converted from March 1934 to the equally powerful Wright R-1820 -E Cyclone, with which the third and fifth series machines came directly from the factory were equipped. The five copies remained, the last of which was in service until 1945 . This model had a modern feature for the time in the form of extendable slats in the outer wing area of the upper wing, which improved control around the longitudinal axis in slow flight and thus delayed stall.
The aircraft were in use both in the Winter War 1939/40 and in the Continuation War 1941–1944. Some of the machines were also equipped with double floats.
Museum plane
A Kotka II (No.4, KA-147) still exists today as a fuselage fragment in the Päijät-Häme Aviation Museum on the Lahti-Vesivehmaa airfield (EFLA) .
Versions
- VL Kotka I.
- Prototype, 1 built
- VL Kotka II
- Series production, 5 built
Military use
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data VL Kotka II |
|---|---|
| crew | 2 |
| length | 9.70 m (land version) / 10.25 m (with floats) |
| span | 12.70 m |
| height | 3.55 m (land version) / 3.80 m (with floats) |
| Wing area | 50 m² |
| Empty mass | 1390 kg / 1580 kg (with floats) |
| Max. Takeoff mass | 2380 kg / 2520 kg (with floats) |
| Cruising speed | 185 km / h |
| Top speed | 225 km / h |
| Service ceiling | 3000 m |
| Range | 650 km (with swimmers) |
| Engines | 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1690-B with 423 kW (575 PS) |
| Armament | 1 × 7.7 mm Vickers rigid 2 × 7.7 mm Lewis rear movable (alternatively 1 L-33/36-MG movable) |
literature
- Jukka Raunio: Valtion Lentokonetehtaan historia. Osa 1: Pioneerivuodet 1921-1932. Forssan Kirjapaino Oy, Forssa, 2005. ISBN 951-96866-6-5 .
Web links
- Aviastar.org (en)