Göppingen Gö 8

Gö 8
Role Scale research flying boat glider
National origin Germany
Manufacturer Schempp-Hirth
Designer Wolf Hirth and Ulrich Hütter
First flight ?
Status unknown
Number built 1

The Göppingen Gö 8 was a 1/5 scale model of the Dornier Do 214, a large projected trans-atlantic long-range flying boat, designed by Dornier Werke GmbH in Germany during World War II. The Gö 8 was used primarily to validate the hydro-dynamic and aerodynamic properties of the Do 214.

Design and development

The Gö 8 was designed and built by Wolf Hirth and Ulrich Hütter / Schempp-Hirth at Göppingen. Construction was primarily of wood, with smooth surfaces, replicating the planing surfaces in scale. A retractable tailwheel undercarriage was installed in the hull. The pilot sat under a long greenhouse canopy which followed the profiles of the proposed Do 214, giving good visibility. Accommodation for a flight test engineer was provided in the hull behind the pilot.[1]

Operational history

The Gö 8 flight trials were undertaken at Oberpfaffenhofen, with hydrodynamic testing on Bodensee, towed by a motorboat. Further aerodynamic testing was carried out at the Göttingen aeronautical research laboratory.[1]

Specifications (Gö 8)

Data from Die deutschen Flugboote : Flugboote, Amphibien-Flugboote u. Projekte von 1909 bis zur Gegenwart[1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1-2 (pilot and optional flight test engineer)
  • Length: 10.32 m (33 ft 10 in)
  • Wingspan: 12 m (39 ft 4 in)

Performance

References

  1. ^ a b c Gütschow, Fred (1978). Die deutschen Flugboote : Flugboote, Amphibien-Flugboote u. Projekte von 1909 bis zur Gegenwart (in German) (1. Aufl ed.). Stuttgart: Motorbuch-Verlag. p. 178. ISBN 3879435650.