Gotha Go 241

Gotha Go 241
Role	Tourism plane
National origin	Germany
Manufacturer	Gothaer Waggonfabrik
First flight	1940
Number built	1

The Gotha Go 241 was a low-wing transport twin-engine aircraft manufactured by the German company Gothaer Waggonfabrik in the early forties and intended for the general aviation market.

Development

At the beginning of the forties, Gotha decided to develop a tourism aircraft based on the positive experience of the previous two-seater Go 150. The new model, which according to the designation Reichsluftfahrtministerium was assigned the acronym Go 241, was intended for the civil market and offered greater internal capacity, elevated to four places, even if it reiterated the general approach of Go 150.

Compared to its predecessor in the design phase, all dimensions were increased, with a more powerful engine, a pair of air cooled BMW Bramo Sh 14 A radials with 160 PS (118 kW), and a double-drift tailed tail. The wing, mounted low, was fitted with a pair of intrados hypersubs to facilitate maneuvers during landing.

The prototype was taken to the air for the first time in 1940 with good results, given that it was decided to start mass production, but given the need to give priority to aeronautical production for war purposes, the project was shelved. The only exemplar made was destroyed following the Allied bombing carried out on Gotha in November 1944.

Specifications

Data from

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Capacity: 5 passengers
• Length: 9.02 m (29 ft 7 in)
• Wingspan: 14.50 m (47 ft 7 in)
• Height: 2.52 m (8 ft 3 in)
• Wing area: 17.50 m² (188.4 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 535 kg (1,179 lb)
• Gross weight: 850 kg (1,874 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 1,036 kg (2,284 lb)
• Powerplant: 2 × Hirth HM 506A inline engine, 120 kW (160 hp) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 275 km/h (171 mph; 148 kn)
• Range: 800 km (497 mi; 432 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 5,000 m (16,404 ft)