Gotha Go 244

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Gotha Go 244 was a transport aircraft used by the Luftwaffe during World War II.

A Gotha Go 244 on the ground
A Gotha Go 244 on the ground

Contents

[edit] Development

The Go 244 was the powered version of the Gotha Go 242 transport glider.

After the fall of France, the German army came across large stockpiles of the Gnome-Rhône 14M radial engines, rated at 700 takeoff horsepower. It was decided to use these engines to modify Go 242 gliders; the modification also added a tricycle undercarriage. They hoped that by doing this they would be able to increase the performance as well as operational versatility, but the Gnome engines proved to be underpowered.

After the invasion of Russia in June 1941, the Germans captured large stockpiles of Shvetsov M-25A radial engines, rated at 700 - 800 takeoff horsepower, depending on model, but they proved to be just as underpowered as the French engines. The A series of the Go 244 were prototypes and some were powered by BMW 132 radial engines, rated at 960 takeoff horsepower. The B series was the main production model. 43 were built as full production models and 133 were converted from Go 242B. Plans were also created for single-engined variants with a nose-mounted Argus A 10C or Junkers Jumo 211.[1]

[edit] Operational history

The first examples of the Go 244 were delivered to operational units in Greece and Crete in March 1942. Some were also assigned to transport Geschwader in North Africa and the Eastern Front but on the former front they proved vulnerable to anti-aircraft fire and were withdrawn, being replaced by Junkers Ju 52 or Messerschmitt Me 323 aircraft.[1]

[edit] Variants

  • Go 244A-1 - prototype, using the BMW 132 radial engine
  • Go 244B-1 - production version, with fixed landing gear
  • Go 244B-2 - B-1 with improved landing gear including a larger semi-retractable nose wheel
  • Go 242B-3 - paratroop-carrying version of B-1 with double rear doors
  • Go 244B-4 - paratroop-carrying version of B-2 with doors of B-3 and landing gear of B-2
  • Go 244B-5 - training version with dual controls

[edit] Specifications (Go 244B-2)

General characteristics

  • Crew: one or two pilots
  • Capacity: up to 23 troops or freight
  • Length: 15.80 m (51 ft 10 in)
  • Wingspan: 24.50 m (80 ft 5 in)
  • Height: 4.60 m (15 ft 1 in)
  • Wing area: 64.4 m² (693 ft²)
  • Empty weight: 5,225 kg (11,517 lb)
  • Loaded weight: kg (lb)
  • Useful load: kg (lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 7,800 kg (17,196 lb)
  • Powerplant: × , () each
  • Aspect ratio: 16:1

Performance

Armament

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b Bishop, Chris; Roger Ford (2002). The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II. Sterling, p. 408. ISBN 1586637622. 

[edit] See also

Related development Go 242
Comparable aircraft Fairchild C 82 packet
Related lists

v • d • e
Lists relating to aviation
General
Military
Accidents/incidents
Records
v • d • e
Aircraft produced by Gothaer Waggonfabrik

Company designations pre-1918
LD.1 • LD.2 • LD.3 • LD.4 • LD.5 • LD.6 • LD.7

LE.1 • LE.2 • LE.3

WD.1 • WD.2 • WD.3 • WD.4 • WD.5 • WD.7 • WD.8 • WD.9 • WD.11 • WD.12 • WD.13 • WD.14 • WD.15 • WD.20 • WD.22 • WD.27


Idflieg designations 1914-1918
G.I • G.II • G.III • G.IV • G.V • G.VI • G.VII • G.VIII • G.IX • G.X


Reichsluftfahrtministerium designations 1933-1945
Go 145 • Go 146 • Go 147 • Go 149 • Go 150 • Go 229 • Go 241 • Go 242 • Go 244 • Go 345 • Ka 430
v • d • e
Reich Air Ministry aircraft designations
1
to 99

B 9 • Do 10 • Do 11 • Wn 11 • Do 12 • Do 13 • Do 14 • Do 15 • Wn 15 • Do 16 • Wn 16 • Do 17 • Do 18 • Do 19 • Do 20 • Do 22 • Do 23 • Do 24 • Kl 25 • Do 26 • Kl 26 • M 27 • Do 29 • Kl 31 • Kl 32 • W 33 • L 33 • W 34 • Kl 35 • Kl 36 • HD 37 • HD 38 • G 38 • DFS 39 • BV 40 • DFS 40 • A 40 • Fw 42 • He 42 • A 43 • HD 43 • Fw 44 • He 45 • He 46 • Ju 46 • Fw 47 • He 47 • K 47 • A 48 • He 49 • Ju 49 • He 50 • A 50 • He 51 • K 51 • Ju 52 • K 53 • NR 54 • Fw 55 • NR 55 • Fw 56 • Fw 57 • Fw 58 • He 58 • He 59 • He 60 • Ju 60 • Fw 61 • He 61 • Fw 62 • He 62 • He 63 • Ar 64 • He 64 • Ar 65 • He 65 • Ar 66 • He 66 • Ar 67 • Ar 68 • Ar 69 • He 70 • He 71 • He 72 • He 74 • Ar 76 • Ar 77 • Ar 79 • Ar 80 • Ar 81 • Ju 85 • Ju 86 • Ju 87 • Ju 88 • Ju 89 • Ju 90 • Ar 95 • Ar 96 • Fi 97 • Fi 98 • Fi 99
100 to 199

He 100 • Al 101 • Al 102 • Al 103 • Fi 103 • Fh 104 • Kl 105 • Kl 106 • Kl 107 • Bf 108 • Bf 109 • Bf 110 • He 111 • He 112 • He 113 • He 114 • He 115 • He 116 • Hs 117 • He 118 • He 119 • He 120 • Hs 121 • Hs 122 • Hs 123 • Hs 124 • Hs 125 • Hs 126 • Hs 127 • Hs 128 • Hs 129 • Hs 130 • Bü 131 • Hs 132 • Bü 133 • Bü 134 • Ha 135 • Ha 136 • Hü 136 • Ha 137 • BV 138 • Ha 139 • Ha 140 • BV 141 • BV 142 • BV 143 • BV 144 • Go 145 • Go 146 • Go 147 • Ju 147 • Go 149 • Go 150 • Kl 151 • Ta 152 • Kl 152 • Ta 153 • Ta 154 • BV 155 • Fi 156 • Fi 157 • Fi 158 • Fw 159 • Ju 160 • Bf 161 • He 162 • Bf 162 • Bf 163 • Me 163 • Me 164 • Fi 166 • FK 166 • Fi 167 • Fi 168 • He 170 • He 172 • He 176 • He 177 • He 178 • Bü 180 • Bü 181 • Bü 182 • Ta 183 • Fl 184 • Fl 185 • Fw 186 • Ju 186 • Fw 187 • Ju 187 • Ju 188 • Fw 189 • Fw 190 • Fw 191 • Ao 192 • DFS 193 • DFS 194 • Ar 195 • Ar 196 • Ar 197 • Ar 198 • Ar 199
200 to 299

Fw 200 • Si 201 • Si 202 • DFS 203 • Si 204 • Fw 206 • Me 208 • Me 209 • Me 209-II • Me 210 • Hü 211 • Do 212 • Do 214 • Do 215 • Do 216 • Do 217 • Hs 217 • He 219 • He 220 • BV 222 • Fa 223 • Fa 224 • Ao 225 • Fa 225 • BV 226 • Ho 226 • Fg 227 • DFS 228 • Ho 229 • DFS 230 • Ar 231 • Ar 232 • Ar 233 • Ar 234 • Do 235 • BV 237 • BV 238 • Fw 238 • Ar 239 • Ar 240 • Go 241 • Go 242 • Go 244 • BV 246 • Ju 248 • BV 250 • Fw 250 • Ho 250 • Ho 251 • Ho 252 • Ju 252 • Fi 253 • Ho 253 • Ta 254 • Ho 254 • Fi 256 • Sk 257 • Fw 261 • Me 261 • Me 262 • Me 263 • Me 264 • Fl 265 • Me 265 • Fa 266 • Ho 267 • Ju 268 • Fa 269 • He 270 • We 271 • Fw 272 • He 274 • He 275 • He 277 • He 278 • He 280 • Fl 282 • Fa 283 • Ta 283 • Fa 284 • Fl 285 • Ju 286 • Ju 287 • Ju 288 • Ju 290 • Me 290 • As 292 • Hs 293 • Hs 294 • Hs 295 • Ar 296 • Hs 296 • Hs 297 • Hs 298
300–

Fw 300 • Me 309 • Me 310 • Do 317 • Do 318 • He 319 • Me 321 • Ju 322 • Me 323 • Me 328 • Me 329 • Fa 330 • DFS 331 • DFS 332 • Fi 333 • Me 334 • Do 335 • Fa 336 • Fl 339 • Ar 340 • Wn 342 • He 343 • Rk 344 • So 344 • Go 345 • DFS 346 • Rk 347 • Ba 349 • Ju 352 • Me 362 • Me 364 • Ju 388 • Ju 390 • Fw 391 • Ar 396 • Ta 400 • Me 409 • Me 410 • Do 417 • He 419 • ZMe 423 • Ar 430 • Ka 430 • Ar 432 • Do 435 • Ar 440 • Ju 452 • Me 462 • Ju 488 • Fw 491 • Me 509 • Me 510 • He 519 • ZSO 523 • Ar 532 • Do 535 • Me 609 • Ar 632 • Do 635