Gotha Go 244

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

Contents

1 Development
2 Operational history
3 Variants

3.1 Go 244A
3.2 Go 244B

4 Specifications (Go 244B-2)

4.1 General characteristics
4.2 Performance
4.3 Armament

5 Related content

Development

The Go 244 was the powered version of the Gotha Go 242. After the fall of France, the German army came across large stockpiles of the Gnome-Rhone 14M radial engines. It was decided to put these engines to good use by attaching them to the Go 242. They hoped that by doing this they would be able to increase the performance as well as operational versitility. But the engines proved to be underpowered. After the invasion of Russia in June 1941, the germans captured large stockpiles of the Shvetsov M-25A radial engines. But they proved to be just as underpowered as the French engines. The A series of the Go 244 were just prototypes and some were even powered by a BMW 132 radial engines. The B series would be the main production model. 43 were built as full production models and 133 were converted from Go 242B.

Operational history

The first production units enter Luftwaffe service in May 1942. It came in several variants and was well armed for a powered glider. This model was used almost exclusivly on the Eastern Front.

Variants

Go 244A

Go 244A-1 - prototype, used the BMW 132 radial engine

Go 244B

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

Specifications (Go 244B-2)

General characteristics

Type: medium transport
Crew: one or two pilots
Capacity: up to 23 troops or freight
Length: 15.80 m (51 ft 10.08 in)
Wingspan: 24.50 m (80 ft 5 in)
Height: 4.60 m (15 ft 1 in)
Wing area: 64.4 m² (693 ft²)
Aspect ratio: 16:1
Empty: 5,225 kg (11,517 lb)
Loaded: kg ( lb)
Maximum takeoff: 7,800 kg (17,196 lb)

Performance

Maximum speed: 290 km/h (180 mph)
Cruising speed: max 270 km/h (168 mph) at 3,900 m (12,795 ft)
Climb: to 5,000 m/min (16,405 ft/min) in 18 min 30 sec
Service ceiling: 7,650 m (25,100 ft); typical range 740 km (460 miles)

Armament

4x 7.92 mm MG 15 machine guns