Bücker Bü 181

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Bü 181 Bestmann

One of 125 Swedish-built Bücker Bü 181
Type	Single-seat advanced trainer
Manufacturer	Bücker
Maiden flight	February 1939
Primary users	Luftwaffe Czechoslovakia Egypt Sweden Switzerland

The Bü 181 Bestmann is a two seater, single engine trainer aircraft built by Bücker-Flugzeugbau GmbH company in Johannisthal, Berlin and extensively used by the Lutwaffe in World war II.

1 Development
2 Production
3 Service
4 Description
5 Specifications
6 References
7 External links
8 Related content

[edit] Development

The prototype Bu181 (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 State Air Ministry (RLM) the Bu181 was nominated to be the standard primary trainer for the Luftwaffe. Series production of the Bu181 commenced in 1940/41. The types were designated A to D with only slight variations between each and could be powered either by the Hirth 500A or 504 Engine.

[edit] Production

The Bucker factory at Rangsdorf built most of the Bu181’s but because of demand was forced to license 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 181A and the slightly modified Bü 181D was begun by Fokker in Amsterdam in 1942 and its total wartime production was 708 aircraft. Between 1943 and 1945, AB Haeggland and Soner in Sweden built 125 Bü 181’s with the Hirth 500A engine with the Swedish military designation being SK 25. Just prior to the German withdrawal from Czechoslovakia, production of the Bü 181D was initiated in the Zlin plant at Otrokovice, and production continued after the war, as the was C.6 and C.106 for the Czechoslovak Air Force and Zlin Z.281 and Z.381 in various versions for civil use.

During the 1950s when the Heliopolis Aircraft Works of Egypt acquired a Czechoslovak licence to produce the Bestmann in versions similar to the Zlin Z.381 with 105 hp Walter-Minor engine. It was produced for the Egyptian Air Force as the Gomhouria ("Republic") and subsequent versions were supplied to other Arab air forces.

All in all, 3,400 aircraft were built although only a handful survive today.

[edit] Service

Although built as a primary trainer for the Luftwaffe, the type also performed other duties such as communication, glider towing and even transporting Panzerfaust weapons. (a rocket projectile with a hollow-charge warhead used as a infantry weapon against tanks.)

[edit] Description

The Bü 181 Bestmann is powered by a 105 hp four cylinder Hirth HM 504A piston engine. The Bü 181 B aircraft is a single-engine low wing monoplane with fixed undercarriage, air-cooled 4-cylinder HM 500 A engine, split flap, twin controls and two adjustable seats arranged side-by-side. The cabin section of the fuselage is of a tubular steel frame construction whereas the rear of the fuselage has a wooden shell. The wing assembly and tail unit are also of wooden shell construction. All the rudders, elevators and ailerons have wooden ribs and are covered in fabric.

The aircraft is designed for training flights, pleasure trips and aerobatics. Its strength corresponds to Stress Group 5 with a limited load (single occupancy) and Stress Group 4 fully laden.