Valmet Tuuli
| Valmet Tuuli | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Type: | Trainer aircraft |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: |
Valmet |
| First flight: |
September 26, 1951 |
The Valmet Tuuli ( Wind ) was a trainer aircraft of the Finnish Air Force . It was developed by the Finnish state aircraft construction company Valtion lentokonetehdas (VL). The last version, Tuuli III, was completely redeveloped and is therefore very different from the previous versions.
development
The construction work under the direction of Martii Vainio began in February 1941. The aircraft was a two-seat training aircraft in low- wing design. In August 1942, the Air Force gave the order to build a prototype, the Tuuli I. The design and construction continued until the spring of 1944. At this point, however, the priority at Valtion Lentokonetehdas was to repair aircraft from the front line. The Tuuli I was therefore never completed.
In 1944 VL became part of the company Valtion metallitehtaita ( Valmet ). the Tuuli prototype thus became Valmet's first aircraft. The company wanted to convert arms production, which at that time had to pay reparations to the Soviet Union , into a productive and profitable branch of the company. For example, the artillery factories were converted into paper mills. The heads of aircraft manufacturing became professors at the Helsinki University of Technology and directors of the VTT (Valtion Teknillinen Tutkimuskeskus) Technical Research Center . Aircraft construction in Finland slowly came to a standstill and the quality of the aircraft still being built deteriorated.
Construction of the Tuuli II prototype began in September 1945 and was headed by Torolf Eklund . In autumn 1948 the prototype was ready. After that, however, development came to a standstill for a few years. The Air Force financed the prototype and, if it met their expectations, promised a serial order. The requirements had changed and there was a demand for an airplane with seats next to each other. The first flight of the Tuuli II took place on September 26, 1951. Due to the low wing loading, the cornering characteristics were poor - this was a serious problem from the military's point of view. The aircraft was destroyed in an aircraft accident on October 26, 1951, after the control stick broke off due to a missing rivet.
A third prototype, the Tuuli III , was designed for a training aircraft from 1957 to 1959 following a renewed tender by the air force. There they decided against the Tuuli III and the Swedish Saab 91 Safir , which was significantly cheaper. The Tuuli III was initially the last military aircraft developed in Finland until the Valmet L-70 Vinka was developed in the 1970s.
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data Valmet Tuuli II |
|---|---|
| crew | 2 |
| length | 7.86 m |
| span | 10.5 m |
| height | 2.2 m |
| Max. Takeoff mass | 1050 kg |
| Top speed | 190 km / h |
| Engine | a Siemens-Halske Sh 14A with 112 kW (152 HP) power |
See also
literature
- Heinonen, Timo: Thulinista Hornetiin - 75 vuotta Suomen ilmavoimien lentokoneita . Ed .: Keski-Suomen ilmailumuseo. 1992, ISBN 951-95688-2-4 .
Web links
- Valmet Tuuli III. Finnish Aviation Museum , accessed March 4, 2016 (Finnish).