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Go 244
Go 244
General information
Type	Military transport monoplane
National origin	Germany
Manufacturer	Gotha
History
Manufactured	174
First flight	1940s
Developed from	Gotha Go 242

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

Development

The Go 244 was the powered version of the Gotha Go 242 military glider transport. Studies for powered versions of the Go 242 began early in the design of the glider, with one early proposal being for modification to allow a single Argus As 10C engine to be temporarily attached to the nose of the glider to allow recovery back to base after use. This idea was rejected, but the alternative of a permanently powered twin-engined version was taken forward.^[2]

Three Go 242s were modified as prototypes of the powered Go 244, fitted with varying surplus radial engines. The first prototype, the Go 244 V1 was powered by two 660 hp (490 kW) BMW 132, while the second prototype had 700 hp (520 kW) Gnome-Rhône 14Ms — and the third 750 hp (560 kW) Shvetsov M-25 A engines, with this model of Shvetsov OKB engine design being essentially a Soviet-built Wright Cyclone American-based nine-cylinder radial. Although only the third prototype offered adequate engine out performance, the Luftwaffe had large stocks of captured Gnome engines, so this was chosen as the basis for the production conversion — usually fitted in counter-rotating pairs in production — although a few more aircraft were fitted with the BMW and Shvetsov engines.^[3]^[4]

The B series was the main production model, being based on the Go 242B with a wheeled tricycle undercarriage and with fuel and oil carried in the tailbooms.^[5] 133 were converted from existing Go 242 Bs,^[6] while a further 41 Go 244 transport aircraft were built using new air frames, before production reverted to the Go 242 glider version.^[7] Plans were also created for single-engined variants with a nose-mounted Argus As 10C or Junkers Jumo 211.^[8]

Operational history

The first examples of the Go 244 were delivered to operational units in Greece, based in 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in North Africa and the Eastern Front but on the former front they proved vulnerable to anti-aircraft fire and were withdrawn after only a few months limited service,^[9] being replaced by Junkers Ju 52 or Messerschmitt Me 323 aircraft.^[8]

Variants

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

Specifications (Go 244 B-1)

Data from Gotha's Twin-Boom Troopers^[10]

General characteristics

Crew: 1 or 2 pilots
Capacity: up to 23 troops or freight
Length: 15.8 m (51 ft 10 in)
Wingspan: 24.5 m (80 ft 5 in)
Height: 4.7 m (15 ft 5 in)
Wing area: 64.4 m² (693 sq ft)
Empty weight: 5,100 kg (11,244 lb)
Gross weight: 7,800 kg (17,196 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Gnome-Rhône 14M-04 14-cyl two-row air-cooled radial piston engine (rh rotation), 520 kW (700 hp)
Powerplant: 1 × Gnome-Rhône 14M-05 14-cyl two-row air-cooled radial piston engine (lh rotation), 520 kW (700 hp)
Propellers: 3-bladed variable-pitch propellers (lh & rh rotation)

Performance

Maximum speed: 290 km/h (180 mph, 160 kn) at 3,000 m (9,800 ft)
Range: 600 km (370 mi, 320 nmi)
Ferry range: 740 km (460 mi, 400 nmi)
Service ceiling: 7,500 m (24,600 ft)
Time to altitude: 1,000 m (3,300 ft) in 3 minutes

Armament

Guns: 3× 7.92 mm (0.312 in) MG 15 or MG 81 machine guns

Notes

^ *Chant, Chris (1999). Aircraft of World War II. London: Brown Books. p. 147. ISBN 189788446X.
^ Air International December 1989, p. 291.
^ Air International December 1989, pp. 291–2.
^ Smith and Kay 1972, p.219.
^ Air International December 1989, p. 292.
^ Ford, Roger (2013). Germany's Secret Weapons of World War II. London: Amber Books. ISBN 9781909160569.
^ Air International December 1989, p. 309.
^ ^a ^b Bishop, Chris; Roger Ford (2002). The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II. Sterling. p. 408. ISBN 1-58663-762-2.
^ Munson 1978, p. 69.
^ Air International December 1989, pp. 288.

Bibliography

"Gotha's Twin-Boom Troopers". Air International. 37 (6): 286–292, 309. December 1989.
Metzmacher, Andreas (2021). Gotha Aircraft 1913-1954: From the London Bomber to the Flying Wing Jet Fighter. Brimscombe, Stroud: Fonthill. ISBN 978-1-78155-706-8.
Munson, Kenneth (1978). German Aircraft Of World War 2 in colour. Poole, Dorsett, UK: Blandford Press. ISBN 0-7137-0860-3.
Smith, J. R.; Kay, Antony L. (1972). German Aircraft of the Second World War. London: Putnam. ISBN 0370000242.