GERMAN ODDITY

GERMAN ODDITY

ABOVE RIGHT The genius — Richard Vogt joined Hamburger Flugzeugbau (a division of shipbuilding company Blohm und Voss) in 1933, having been poached from his position as chief engineer at the Kawasaki aircraft factory in Japan. RIGHT The bizarre plan view of the Ha 141 V2 after fi tting with the “half-tail”.

adopted for the Bv 141B, which

adopted for the Bv 141B, which was intended to improve the fi eld of fi re from this larger successor to the Ha 141. In addition, the aircraft was equipped with a second cockpit on the wingtip in order to test fl ight controls for the planned P.163 asymmetric high-speed bomber.

Decisions and revisions Although the project was a

experimental designation Ha 141 V2. In order to help Blohm und Voss

Decisions and revisions Although the project was a Blohm und Voss private venture, the fi rst prototype was given the military experimental designation Ha 141 V2. In order to help Blohm und Voss with the development costs of a prototype built at the company’s own risk, the second prototype still being built was to be designated the Ha 141 V1, receiving the Werknummer (WNr) 171. This meant that the fi rst prototype, with WNr 172, would be included within the funded series of prototypes. The revised version was intended to be shown to the RLM as the Ha 141-0, but it did not go into production.

nated the Ha 141 V1, receiving

As eventually completed, the V1 (registered as D-OTTO) was fi tted with a fuselage lengthened to 12·15m (39ft 10in)and with a slightly increased wingspan, to the defi nitive length of 15·45m (50ft 8in), increasing the wing area to 42·85m² (461ft²). The second prototype made its maiden fl ight in October 1938.

The prototype closest to production standard was the Ha 141 V3, WNr 359, registered as

18

BELOW A rare air-to-air photograph of one of the fi ve pre-production Bv 141B-0s, which were beefed up structurally to accommodate the more powerful BMW 801 engine.

801 engine.

RIGHT Another of the fi ve pre-production Bv 141B-0s, this one is Bv 141 V11. Although the B series, with its new BMW engine, did not show the same good characteristics of the A series, the type could have made quite an impact on the battlefi eld once the teething troubles had been ironed out. The Fw 189 won out, however.

D-OLGA, which was similar to the V1, but with numerous detail changes. It became the pattern aircraft for the combat-capable A-0 series. This machine, later coded BL+AA, had an all-up weight of 3,900kg (8,600lb), which was common to all pre-series aircraft.

The beginning of the end The fi ve pre-production models — Ha 141A-01 to A-05 — were constructed as V machines (V4 to V8) with WNrs 360–364. The Ha 141 V4 (A-01), D-OLLE, was shown to Hitler, along with the Ha 141 V1, at Rechlin on July 3, 1939. Richard Vogt’s trademark tubular wing spar performed superbly — as it had on previous Blohm und Voss designs. With a length of 9m (29ft 6in), the

length of 9m (29ft 6in), the

central spar passed through both the engine nacelle and cabin gondola.

central spar passed through both the engine nacelle and cabin gondola.

From January 1939 Vogt worked on a bigger and heavier version, powered by a 1,540 h.p. BMW 801, aiming for improved performance over the

From January 1939 Vogt worked on a bigger and heavier version, powered by a 1,540 h.p. BMW 801, aiming for improved performance over the

long-serving Hs 126 and Focke-Wulf’s competing Fw 189 design.

long-serving Hs 126 and Focke-Wulf’s competing Fw 189 design.

The prototype Bv 141, as the

The prototype Bv 141, as the revised aircraft was designated, was in fact the V9, as well as being the fi rst pre-production

A-01. Marked as NC+QZ, the machine showed great promise after having completed its fi rst fl ight on January 9, 1941.

When one becomes two Surprisingly, the Fw 189 won the production orders, its two engines being deemed a desirable security factor, despite the original Specifi cation stipulating a single engine. The RLM attempted to have 500 examples of the more powerful Bv 141 built, but plans were thwarted by Luftwaffe HQ, which found that the superior performance of the aircraft was undermined by the perceived disadvantage of a single engine. Another major factor, however, was the limited availability of the BMW 801 for the Bv 141 project, as these engines were urgently required for Focke-Wulf Fw 190s.

The Fw 189 was put into production and by September 30, 1942, some 602 examples had been delivered to front-line Luftwaffe units. In contrast, only 26 Ha/Bv 141s were built, none of which were included in the Luftwaffe’s inventory taken at the end of 1944.

The Bv 141 may have made quite an impact on the battlefi eld, with its unusual appearance and excellent fi eld of vision — but to what extent it would have outperformed the excellent Fw 189 we will never know.

AEROPLANE JUNE 2009