Trisha Shetty (Editor)

Doblhoff WNF 342

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Top speed
  
48 km/h

First flight
  
1943

Doblhoff WNF 342 Doblhoff WNF342

Doblhoff wnf 342 v3 1944 helicopter partially restored footage


The Doblhoff/WNF 342 was the first helicopter to take off and land using Tip jets to drive the rotor.

Contents

Doblhoff WNF 342 wwwaviastarorgfotodoblhoffwnf342sgif

Development

Doblhoff WNF 342 Doblhoff Wnf 342 V4 HelicopterEvaluation by General Electric 1948

The WNF 342 was designed for a German Navy requirement for an observation platform for use from small ships and submarines.

Doblhoff WNF 342 Doblhoff WNF 342 helicopter development history photos technical

The conventional piston engine drove both a small propeller (to provide airflow across a rudder) and an air compressor to provide air (subsequently mixed with fuel) through the rotor head and hollow rotor blades to combustion chambers at the rotor tips. As a research helicopter it was a simple design to allow modification.

Variants

Doblhoff WNF 342 Doblhoff WNF 342 Wikipedia

V1/V2: The first helicopter was initially powered by a 60 horsepower (45 kW) engine (V1) and then a 90 horsepower (67 kW) engine (V2)—both by Walter Mikron. It first flew in 1943, and was captured with V4 at Zell am See.

V3: The second WNF 342 had a larger rotor and was destroyed during testing.

V4: The last unit produced was a two-seat variant with new collective and cyclic controls. After 25 flight hours it was captured by United States forces and on July 19, 1945, shipped to the US under Operation Lusty on the HMS Reaper (D82).[1]

Specifications (V4)

Data from Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2
  • Main rotor diameter: 10.00 m (32 ft 9¾ in)
  • Main rotor area: 78.54 m2 (845.42 ft2)
  • Empty weight: 430 kg (948 lb)
  • Gross weight: 640 kg (1,411 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × BMW-Bramo Sh.14A radial piston engine, 104 kW (140 hp)
  • Performance

  • Maximum speed: 48 km/h (30 mph)
  • References

    Doblhoff WNF 342 Wikipedia