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Bücker Bü 181

Bücker Bü 181

The Bestmann was a two-seater, single-engine aerobatic monoplane aircraft built by Bücker Flugzeugbau GmbH in Rangsdorf, near Berlin and extensively used by the Luftwaffe in World War II.

Bü 181 Bestmann
D-EKYF, a Swedish-built Sk 25 (Bücker Bü 181 B-1)
Roletrainer
ManufacturerBücker
First flightFebruary 1939
Primary usersLuftwaffe
Czechoslovakia
Egypt
Sweden
Switzerland
Number built3,400
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Development

The Bücker Bü 181 was named Bestmann after a German maritime term designating a member of the deck crew on coastal or fishing vessels. The prototype Bü 181 (D-ERBV) made its maiden flight in February 1939 with Chief Pilot Arthur Benitz at the controls. After thorough works and official flight testing by the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM) the Bü 181 was nominated to be the standard primary trainer for the Luftwaffe. Series production of the Bü 181 commenced in 1940. The production types were designated B to C with only slight variations between each, and could be powered by the Hirth HM 500 A or B.[1]

Description

Flight instruments of a Gomhouria 181 Mk6

Flight instruments of a Gomhouria 181 Mk6

Egyptian Air Force Gomhouria Mk.6 285 at Gilze-Rijen airbase, the Netherlands

Egyptian Air Force Gomhouria Mk.6 285 at Gilze-Rijen airbase, the Netherlands

The Bü 181 aircraft was a single-engine low-wing monoplane with fixed undercarriage, split flap, twin controls and two adjustable seats arranged side-by-side. The cabin section of the fuselage was of a tubular steel frame construction whereas the rear of the fuselage had a wooden shell. The wing assembly and tail unit were also of wooden shell construction. All the rudders, elevators and ailerons had wooden ribs and are covered in fabric. The flaps were metallic on the B types and wood on the C types. The Bü 181 Bestmann was powered by a 105 hp four-cylinder Hirth HM 500A or B piston engine. The aircraft was designed for training flights, pleasure trips and aerobatics. Its strength corresponded to Stress Group 5 with a limited load (single occupancy) and Stress Group 4 fully laden

Production

The Bücker factory at Rangsdorf built most of the Bü 181's, but because of demand was forced to license the design to the Fokker Company in the Netherlands, who subsequently built 373 of the type for the Luftwaffe all of which were delivered by the end of 1943. Production of both the Bü 181B and the slightly modified Bü 181C was begun by Fokker in Amsterdam in 1942 and its total wartime production was 708 aircraft.

The Bü 181 was also built by Zliner Flugzeugwerke AG plant at Zlin, in the Bohemia & Moravia Protectorate and after the German withdrawal the production continued after the war in the same Zlin works, now denominated as the C.6 and C.106 for the Czechoslovak Air Force and as the Zlín Z.281 and Z.381 in various versions for civil use. 783 aircraft were built. Between 1943 and 1945, Hägglund & Söner AB in Sweden built 120 Bü 181's under license with the Swedish military designation Sk 25.

During the 1950s the Heliopolis Aircraft Works of Egypt acquired a Czechoslovakian licence to produce the Zlín Z-381 with a 105 hp Walter-Minor engine. It was produced for the Egyptian Air Force as the Heliopolis Gomhouria (meaning "Republic") and subsequent versions were supplied to other Arab air forces. At least 300 Gomhourias were built.[1] In all, 3,400 aircraft were built but only a handful survives today.

Service

Although built primarily as a trainer for the Luftwaffe, the type also performed other duties such as courier & liaison. From March 1945 an order was issued to concentrate all the available Bü 181s to be converted either to the "tank busting" role carrying four Panzerfaust anti-tank grenade launchers from wing-mounted launchers (C-3 subtype), with the launchers mounted on short pylons around halfway out from the wing roots, one below and one above the wing panel on each side anchoring the launchers' firing tubes near their forward ends, with the launchers remotely fired from the cockpit,[2] or to the night harassment role carrying three 50 kg bombs (B-3 subtype), most likely inspired by the Soviet female nocturnal Nochnye Vedmy units' campaigns from 1942 to V-E Day. These units saw very limited use in the final days of the war due to the war situation. However, some missions were carried out, achieving moderate success but at the price of severe losses.[3] One restored Bestmann on the tank buster configuration is on display at the Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin.

Test pilot and sister-in-law of Claus von Stauffenberg Melitta Schenk Gräfin von Stauffenberg[4] was flying a Bücker Bü 181 when she was shot down and fatally wounded in 1945.[5]

Variants

[6] The Bü 181 evolved very little during the war, the differences between the B type and the C types were minimal, the most important being the increased autonomy of the C types. The main difference between the B-1 & C-1 and the B-2 and C-2 sub-types was the presence of pitot heating and position & cabin lights while the B-2 and C-2 types lacked any electrical system.

Bu 181V Prototype.

Bü 181 B-0 Pre-production series with Hirth HM 504 A-2 engine

Bü 181 B-1 With Hirth HM 500 A engine

Bü 181 B-2 As B-1 but no electrics

Bü 181 B-3 (Schlachtflugzeug): Night harassment version made from converted B-1s and C-1s carrying improved instrumentation, Revi gunsights and three ETC 50 bomb racks. Bomb loads; either three SC50 or three SD50 or three SD70 or three AB70 droppable clusters. Max. Bomb load 210 kg.

Bü 181 C-1 Increased range and Hirth HM 500B engine.

Bü 181 C-2 As C-1 but no electrics

Bü 181 C-3 (Panzerjäger): B-2 or C-2 subtypes modified for the antitank role carrying four wing mounted Panzerfaust 100 single-use antitank grenade launchers in pairs, two on each wing.[7].

Post war license built & developments

Zlín Z.181Two-seat primary trainer aircraft. Czech production version of the Bu 181, built by Zlín inCzechoslovakiaafter the war.
Zlín Z.281Two-seat primary trainer aircraft, powered by a Toma 4 piston engine.
Zlín Z.381Two-seat primary trainer aircraft, powered by a 105 hp (78 kW) Walter Minor piston engine. Czech Air Force designation C-106.
Gomhouria Mk 1Two-seat primary trainer aircraft, powered by a Walter Minor piston engine. Egyptian production version of the Zlín 381, built under licence inEgyptby the Heliopolis Aircraft Works.[8]
Gomhouria Mk 2Two-seat primary trainer aircraft, powered by a 145 hp (108 kW) Continental C-145 piston engine.[8]Gomhouria Mk 3As Mk. 2, but with improved undercarriage.[8]
Gomhouria Mk 4Increased fuel capacity.[8]
Gomhouria Mk 5Similar to Mk 1, powered by Walter Minor, but with different engine mounting.[8]
Gomhouria Mk 6Continental O-300engine.[8]
Sk 25Swedish Air Force designation of the license-built Bestmann.

Surviving aircraft

Of the over 4,000 Bü 181s originally built, only about 10 examples remain. One restored example of a Gomhouria 181 MK6 in Luftwaffe markings, registration G-TPWX, is known to be airworthy and in flying condition and can regularly be seen airborne over the Welland Valley in South Leicestershire, UK, usually with a chase plane. However a good number of license-built Sk 25s fly still today, as well as some Zlin examples and an increasing number of Egyptian Gomhouria.

Cinema

A Bücker Bü 181 'Bestmann' was used in the movie The Great Escape. It was flown in the movie by James Garner with Donald Pleasence as his passenger.

Military operators

  • Algerian Air Force – Gomhouria

  • Bulgarian Air Force

  • Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia

  • Czechoslovak Air Force – Post War

  • Czechoslovakian National Security Guard – Post War

  • Egyptian Air Force – 150 Gomhouria[9]

  • Luftwaffe

  • Hungarian Air Force – Postwar.

  • Royal Jordanian Air Force – Gomhouria

  • Libyan Air Force (1951-2011) – Gomhouia

  • – Postwar.

  • Slovak Air Force (1939–45)

  • Royal Romanian Air Force

  • Sudanese Air Force – Gomhouia

  • Swedish Air Force

  • Swiss Air Force – 1 + 6 Bü-181B-1 from German Luftwaffe landed and were interned in 1944.

  • SFR Yugoslav Air Force – Postwar

Specifications

Data from The Concise Guide to Axis Aircraft of World War II [10]

General characteristics

  • Crew: Two

  • Length: 7.85 m (25.7 ft)

  • Wingspan: 10.6 m (34.71 ft)

  • Height: 2.05 m (6.7 ft)

  • Wing area: 13.5 m² (145.3 ft²)

  • Empty weight: 480 kg (1,058 lb)

  • Max. takeoff weight: 750 kg (1,653 lb)

  • Powerplant: 1 × Hirth HM 500A or B 4-cyl. inverted air-cooled in-line piston engine, 78 kW (105 hp)

Performance

  • Never exceed speed: 440 km/h (273 mph, 238 kts)

  • Maximum speed: 116 knots (134 mph, 215 km/h) at sea level

  • Cruise speed: 105 knots (121 mph, 195 km/h)

  • Range: 800 km (497 mi, 432 nm)

  • Service ceiling: 5,000 m (16,405 ft)

See also

Related development

  • Saab 91 Safir

Related lists

  • List of military aircraft of Germany

References

[1]
Citation Linkopenlibrary.orgThe few B-0 pre-series subtypes built carried still the old Hirth HM 504 engine
Sep 30, 2019, 8:07 AM
[2]
Citation Linkwww.youtube.comMark Felton (March 23, 2019). Last Ditch German Tank Busters 1945 (YouTube) (YouTube). Mark Felton Productions. Event occurs at 2:15 to 3:00. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
Sep 30, 2019, 8:07 AM
[3]
Citation Linkopenlibrary.orgChristian Möller: Das letzte Aufgebot der deutschen Luftwaffe Helios Verlag 2010 ISBN 978-3-86933-030-3
Sep 30, 2019, 8:07 AM
[4]
Citation Linkwww.ctie.monash.edu.auurl=http://www.ctie.monash.edu.au/hargrave/schiller.html
Sep 30, 2019, 8:07 AM
[5]
Citation Linkopenlibrary.orginfo taken from book by Gerhard Bracke, "Melitta Gräfin Stauffenberg, das Leben einer Fliegerin'
Sep 30, 2019, 8:07 AM
[6]
Citation Linkopenlibrary.orgBased on the Bü 181 B & C parts list of April 1944 and other primary sources
Sep 30, 2019, 8:07 AM
[7]
Citation Linkforum.keypublishing.comA photo of what might be a Bü 181C-3, with the Panzerfausts mounted one-above, one-below on a wing panel
Sep 30, 2019, 8:07 AM
[8]
Citation Linkopenlibrary.orgTaylor 1965, p.29.
Sep 30, 2019, 8:07 AM
[9]
Citation Linkarmstrade.sipri.org"Trade Registers". Armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved 2013-06-20.
Sep 30, 2019, 8:07 AM
[10]
Citation Linkopenlibrary.orgMondey 1996, p.30.
Sep 30, 2019, 8:07 AM
[11]
Citation Linkweb.archive.orgAviation Fans
Sep 30, 2019, 8:07 AM
[12]
Citation Linkwww.net-maquettes.com"Net-Maquettes" Bücker Bestmann walk around
Sep 30, 2019, 8:07 AM
[13]
Citation Linkwww.youtube.comAccount of Bü 181s used as Panzerknacker tankbusters, armed with Panzerfaust anti-tank grenade launchers
Sep 30, 2019, 8:07 AM
[14]
Citation Linkwww.youtube.comLast Ditch German Tank Busters 1945
Sep 30, 2019, 8:07 AM
[15]
Citation Linkwww.ctie.monash.edu.auhttp://www.ctie.monash.edu.au/hargrave/schiller.html
Sep 30, 2019, 8:07 AM
[16]
Citation Linkforum.keypublishing.comA photo of what might be a Bü 181C-3, with the Panzerfausts mounted one-above, one-below on a wing panel
Sep 30, 2019, 8:07 AM
[17]
Citation Linkarmstrade.sipri.org"Trade Registers"
Sep 30, 2019, 8:07 AM
[18]
Citation Linkweb.archive.orgAviation Fans
Sep 30, 2019, 8:07 AM
[19]
Citation Linkwww.net-maquettes.com"Net-Maquettes" Bücker Bestmann walk around
Sep 30, 2019, 8:07 AM
[20]
Citation Linkwww.youtube.comAccount of Bü 181s used as Panzerknacker tankbusters, armed with Panzerfaust anti-tank grenade launchers
Sep 30, 2019, 8:07 AM