Focke-Achgelis Fa 330 Explained

The Focke-Achgelis Fa 330 Bachstelze (English: [[Wagtail]]) was a type of rotary-wing kite, known as a rotor kite. They were towed behind German U-boats during World War II to allow a lookout to see further. About 200 were built by Weser Flugzeugbau.

Development

Because of their low profile in the water, submarines could not see more than a few miles over the ocean. To solve this, the German admiralty considered a number of different options, including a folding seaplane (Arado Ar 231). In the end, they chose the Fa 330, a simple, single-seat autogyro kite with a three-bladed rotor.

The Fa 330 could be deployed to the deck of the submarine by two people and was tethered to the U-boat by a 150m (490feet) cable.[1] The airflow on the rotors as the boat motored along on the surface would spin them up. The kite would then be deployed behind the U-boat with its observer-pilot aboard, raising him approximately 120 meters above the surface and allowing him to see much farther — about 25nmi, compared to the 5nmi visible from the conning tower of the U-boat. If the U-boat captain were forced to abandon it on the surface, the tether would be released and the Fa 330 would descend slowly to the water.

When not in use, the Fa 330 was stowed in two watertight compartments aft of the conning tower. In calm weather and sea, the assembly and disassembly steps could each be completed in approximately four minutes. In heavier weather, recovering (winching the Fa 330 back to the deck), dismantling, and stowing the Fa 330 took approximately 20 minutes and was a difficult operation.

Focke-Achgelis proposed a powered version of the Fa 330, the Fa 336, but the design never made it to the hardware phase.[2]

Operational history

As Allied air cover in other theatres of the war was considered too much of a threat, only U-boats operating in the far southern parts of the Atlantic, the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden used the Fa 330. Despite its advantages, the use of the Fa 330 resulted in only a single sinking when used one to spot, intercept and sink the Greek steamer Efthalia Mari on 6 August 1943.[3]

The Allies came into possession of an Fa 330 in May 1944 when they captured the intact.[4] After the war, the British government did successful experiments towing Fa 330s behind ships and jeeps, but the development of the helicopter quickly occupied the attention of the military.

U-boats that deployed Fa 330 kites included at least U-177,, and U-852. Otto Giese wrote, "Our boat was rigged with a Bachstelze. This was a small, single, piloted helicopter attached to a 150 metre long steel cable and lifted into the air by the speed of the boat while the cable was gradually reeled out. From his position aloft, the pilot had a 360-degree view and could report any vessels."[5]

Legacy and influence

The Fa 330 directly inspired Igor Bensen's interest in small autogyros which culminated in the Bensen B-8 and other modern autogyros.

In February 2013, Aviation Week and Space Technology reported that L-3 Communications was testing its Valkyrie, an unpowered, tethered autogyro that weighs 210lb, which is intended to serve as a cheap alternative to a shipborne helicopter. Valkyrie is designed to hover as high as 5000abbr=offNaNabbr=off but is envisioned to operate typically at 500to, offering a 28to field of view. L-3 stated that naval vessels could easily be retrofitted with this system.[6]

Surviving aircraft

Denmark

France

Germany

United Kingdom

United States

See also

Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Ford. Roger. Germany's Secret Weapons of World War II. 2013. Amber Books. London, United Kingdom. 9781909160569. 224.
  2. Web site: Focke-Achgelis Fa 336.
  3. Web site: Efthalia Mari (Steam merchant) - Ships hit by U-boats - uboat.net. Helgason. Guðmundur. German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. 26 August 2011.
  4. https://web.archive.org/web/20080104161307/http://www.nasm.si.edu/research/aero/aircraft/focke_achgelis.htm Focke-Achgelis Fa 330A-1 "Bachstelze"
  5. Giese, O., 1994, Shooting the War, Annapolis: United States Naval Institute,
  6. Osborne, Tony, "The autogyro returns," Aviation Week and space Technology, February 25, 2013, p.26
  7. Web site: 100032 at Egeskov Castle Jun 2014. EuroDemobbed. 1 October 2016. June 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20161003115650/http://www.eurodemobbed.org.uk/image_view.php?a=32355&s=100032.jpg. 3 October 2016. dead.
  8. Web site: Focke-Achgelis Fa 330-A-0 Bachstelze. Musée Air & Espace. 1 October 2016. fr.
  9. Web site: Focke-Achgelis Fa 330 "Bachstelze", 1942. Deutsches Museum. 1 October 2016. 5 June 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170605080432/http://www.deutsches-museum.de/en/collections/transport/aeronautics/helicopters/bachstelze. dead.
  10. Web site: Munich - Deutsches Museum, Germany. EuroDemobbed. 1 October 2016.
  11. Web site: Flugzeuge und Flugkörper in der Luftfahrtausstellung des Deutschen Technikmuseums. Stiftung Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin. 1 October 2016. de. December 2015.
  12. Web site: Berlin - Deutsches Technikmuseum, Germany. EuroDemobbed. 1 October 2016.
  13. Web site: Gyrocopters. Hubschrauber Museum. 1 October 2016. 30 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190730123439/http://www.hubschraubermuseum.de/exponate/tragschrauber/?lang=en. dead.
  14. Web site: Aircraft Database. LPH2O. LPH2O.com. 1 October 2016. 2 October 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161002190248/http://www.lph2o.com/library/databases/aircraft-database/list/25?limitstart25=1411610. dead.
  15. Web site: Focke Achgelis Fa-330. Imperial War Museums. IWM. 1 October 2016.
  16. Web site: Wilberg. Thomas. Focke Achgelis FA 330 Bachstelze. The Virtual Aviation Museum. Thomas Wilberg. 1 October 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20090403053636/http://www.luftfahrtmuseum.com/htmi/ite/fa330.htm. 3 April 2009. dead.
  17. Web site: Focke Achgelis FA330. Royal Air Force Museum. Trustees of the Royal Air Force Museum. 1 October 2016.
  18. Web site: An Fa-330 at Wroughton. Robroy. 1 October 2016. July 2004.
  19. Web site: Focke Achgelis FA330A-1 (100545). Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Museum. Fleet Air Arm Museum. 1 October 2016.
  20. Web site: Matthews. Trevor. EXHIBITS. LASHENDEN AIR WARFARE MUSEUM. Lashenden Air Warfare Museum. 1 October 2016.
  21. Web site: Focke-Achgelis Fa 330A-1 Bachstelze (Water Wagtail). Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. 1 October 2016. 2 October 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161002202203/https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/focke-achgelis-fa-330a-1-bachstelze-water-wagtail. dead.
  22. Web site: Focke-Achgelis Fa 330 Sandpiper. National Museum of the US Air Force. 1 October 2016. 16 April 2015.
  23. Web site: AIRCRAFT, DRONES AND MISSILES AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE U.S. AIR FORCE. National Museum of the US Air Force. 1 October 2016. June 2016.

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