Pack 1 contains drawings for V14, V20, V21 and V23
The Flettner Fl 282 Kolibri (“Hummingbird”) is a single-seat open cockpit inter-meshing rotor helicopter, or synchropter, produced by Anton Flettner of Germany. According to Yves Le Bec, the Flettner Fl 282 was the world’s first series production helicopter.
Intended roles of Fl 282 included ferrying items between ships and reconnaissance. However, as the war progressed, the Luftwaffe began considering converting the Fl 282 for battlefield use. Until this time the craft had been flown by a single pilot, but now a position for an observer was added at the very rear of the craft, resulting in the B-2 version. During the Battle of the Bulge a formation of five of these aircraft conducted the world’s first helicopter strike against armour. Operating low over the Ardennes Forest they destroyed two American tanks at a loss of two of their own, one to a British Spitfire, the other to ground fire. Later the B-2 proved a useful artillery spotting aircraft and an observation unit was established in 1945 comprising three Fl 282 and three Fa 223 helicopters.
Good handling in bad weather led the German Air Ministry to issue a contract in 1944 to BMW to produce 1,000 units. However, the company’s Munich plant was destroyed by Allied bombing raids after producing just 24 machines.
Towards the end of World War II most of the surviving Fl 282s were stationed at Rangsdorf, in their role as artillery spotters, but gradually fell victim to Soviet fighters and anti-aircraft fire.
Specifications
General characteristics
Crew: 1
Length: 6.56 m (21 ft 6 in)
Height: 2.2 m (7 ft 3 in)
Empty weight: 760 kg (1,676 lb)
Max take-off weight: 1,000 kg (2,205 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Bramo Sh.14A 7-cyl. air-cooled radial piston engine, 119 kW (160 hp)
Main rotor diameter: 2× 11.96 m (39 ft 3 in)
Main rotor area: 224.69 m2 (2,418.5 sq ft)
Performance
Maximum speed: 150 km/h (93 mph; 81 kn) at sea level
Range: 170 km (106 mi; 92 nmi)
Service ceiling: 3,300 m (10,827 ft)
Hover ceiling: 300 m (984 ft)
Rate of climb: 1.52 m/s (299 ft/min)
Rotor loading: 8.84 kg/m2 (1.81 lb/sqft)
