Copyright 2011 by Brandon Cope
Focke-Achgelis Fa 338 tilt-wing transport
The
Fa 247 was too expensive for what it offered
over the Fa 223 (p.W:MP76)
. A
larger vehicle was started in lated 1942 that, while costing twice as
much, was considerably more useful. It could carry 6.75 tons of cargo
internally or 32 passengers (40 in crowded conditions). While it was
a useful aircraft, it was also difficult to produce and only about
100 were built, 30 each of the cargo-carrying A-1 and passenger
carrying A-2, with 40 of the the multi-role A-3 being built (with
easy-to-remove seating).
Crew consists of a pilot, copilot and flight engineer. The Fa 338 uses 134 gallons of aviation fuel per hour.
Subassemblies: Gargantuan Helicopter Chassis with MMR
option +3, Heavy FB wings +3, 2xMedium TD engine pods +1, two rotors
+1, three fixed wheels +2
P&P: 2x1,492 kW aerial HP
gasoline engine w/2x1,492-kW tilt-wing transmission, 630 gallon
ultralight tanks [Body]
Occ: 3 CS Cargo: 163 Body.
Armor
Body: 2/2C
Wings/Pods: 2/3
Rotor: 3/10
Wheels: 3/5
Equipment
Body: medium range radio receiver and
transmitter, navigational instruments, 160 VSP cargo hold, 3 VSP
storage locker, three 2000-lb hardpoints.
Statistics
Size: 61'x122'x20' |
Payload: 9.1 tons |
Lwt: 17.6 tons |
Volume: 1,600 |
Maint.: 19 hours |
Price: $106,000 |
HT: 8
HP: 450 [body],
72 [each rotor], 225 [each wing], 360 [each pod], 30 [each wheel]
as Helicopter
aSpeed: 108 |
aAccel: 3 |
aDecel: 9 |
aMR: 2 |
aSR: 2 |
Stall: 0 mph |
as Plane
aSpeed: 312 |
aAccel: 6 |
aDecel: 8 |
aMR: 1.75 |
aSR: 2 |
Stall: 102 mph |
Design Notes
As helicopters tend to have too high a
speed under MVDS, aSpeed was reduced by 20%. Wing and engine pods
cost, weight and HP were divided by two.
One or two 300 liter (79 gallon) drop tanks are also often fitted to increase range, weighing 600 lbs each.
The tilt-wing was based on the tilt-rotor rules (p.VE34). The helicopter must use the multiple main rotors option (p.W:MP1) and the helicopter's cost, weight and volume are increased by 50%; the basic transmissions go into two pods, at each wingtip, with the extra going into the wings. The wings cannot mount weapons or fuel tanks, and their hardpoint capacity is halved. The aircraft must be traveling above stall speed to transition from plane and under 300 mph to transition to helicopter. Transitioning either way takes 4 seconds and the pilot is -5 to Dodge.
Variants:
The Fa 338A-2 carried 32 passengers. Stall is
93, aMR is 3/2.25 and aDecel is 12/9. Three MG 131's (Medium Aircraft
HMGs) with 500 rounds per gun can optionally be carried, but must be
fired by the passengers. One is located in each beam position and one
dorsal firing to the rear. Up to 3.2 tons of equipment can be slung
under the body.
One A-2 was modified as a secondary transport for Hitler, with seating for 10 passengers, additional armament and communications equipment.