Udet U 1

Design and development

In the summer of 1921, a new aviation company was formed using the WWI German flying ace, Ernst Udet's name. William Pohl from Milwaukee, Henry Hans Herrmann and Erich Scheuermann joined to company to fund the aircraft before wartime treaty restrictions were lifted on aircraft production with the intent of building an inexpensive aircraft for the American market. The builders produced and flew the U 1 five months before the formation of the Udet Flugzeubau GmbH company.

The design was a single seat low wing, open cockpit monoplane with conventional landing gear. The aircraft was large enough to accommodate two passengers, but did not have enough power for more than one person. The company fell into mismanagement, later becoming part of Bayerische Flugzeugwerke, later known as Messerschmitt.

Variants

Udet U 1

Initial variant, as described. One produced.

Udet U 2

Two seat production variant with Haacke HFM-2a flat-twin. Four produced.

Udet U 4

30 kW (40 hp) Siemens-Halske Sh 4 five cylinder radial powered.

Udet U 6

62 kW (83 hp) Siemens-Halske Sh 5 radial powered with rounded rudder. Seven built.

Udet U 10

30 kW (40 hp) Siemens-Halske Sh 4 five cylinder radial powered. 10.5 m (34 ft) wingspan.

Udet U 10a

Floatplane variant

Aircraft on display

German Museum of Technology - 1924 U 10

Specifications (U 1)

General characteristics

Crew: 1

Length: 5.33 m (17 ft 6 in)

Wingspan: 8.9 m (29 ft 2 in)

Height: 1.7 m (5 ft 7 in)

Wing area: 8 m² (86 sq ft)

Gross weight: 200 kg (441 lb)

Powerplant: 1 × Haacke HFM-2 air-cooled two-cylinder, horizontally opposed piston engine, 16 kW (22 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 180 km/h (112 mph; 97 kn)

Endurance: 2.5 hr