VL Kotka

VL Kotka on Tikkakoski airport in March 1940.

VL E.30 Kotka, KA-147, in Vesivehma in 2006

VL Kotka ("Eagle") was a Finnish two-seat, biplane maritime patrol aircraft, designed and built by the Valtion lentokonetehdas or VL ("State Aircraft Factory"). It was meant as a cheaper replacement (compared to the Blackburn Ripon) for the outdated IVL A.22 Hansas that were in service with the Finnish Air Force.^[1]

The prototype made its first flight on September 30, 1930. In 1931, the State Aircraft Factory began production of a series of five aircraft. These were used as liaison aircraft until 1944.^[2]

One aircraft (KA-147) is on display at the Päijät-Häme Aviation Museum.^[3]

Versions

VL E.30 Kotka - prototype (KA-144) and three of the production aircraft (KA-145 – KA-148).
VL E.31 Kotka - the last, more modified series production aircraft (KA-149).

Operators

Finland

Finnish Air Force.

Specifications (KA-147, land aircraft)

Data from ^[4]

General characteristics

Crew: Two
Length: 10.25 m (33 ft 8 in)
Wingspan: 12.70 m (41 ft 8 in)
Height: 3.80 m (12 ft 6 in)
Wing area: 50.0 m² (538 ft²)
Empty weight: 1,380 kg (3,042 lb)
Loaded weight: 2,380 kg (5,250 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Wright R-1820-E Cyclone radial engine, 429 kW (575 hp)
Propellers: Hamilton Standard DWG No 35 B2-2^[2] propeller

Performance

Maximum speed: 225 km/h (140 mph)
Range: 650 km (400 miles)
Service ceiling: 5,600 m (18,400 ft)

Armament

Guns:
- 7.7 mm Vickers machine gun on left side of the fuselage (500 rounds)
- 2 × 7.7 mm Lewis machine guns in the observer's cockpit (8 × 97 rounds)
Bombs: 3 × 100 kg or 6 × 50 kg bombs under the fuselage

References

Citations

↑ "Ilmavoimien käyttämät konetyypit 1930-luku" (PDF). puolustusvoimat.fi (in Finnish). Suomen puolustusvoimat. p. 3. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
1 2 Raunio 2005: pp. 154–159
↑ "VL E.30 Kotka II". lahdenilmasilta.fi (in Finnish). Lahden Ilmasilta. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
↑ Keskinen, Stenman, Niska: pp. 48-49

Raunio, Jukka (2005). Valtion Lentokonetehtaan historia. Osa 1: Pioneerivuodet 1921–1932 (in Finnish). Forssan Kirjapaino Oy, Forssa. ISBN 951-96866-6-5.
Keskinen, Kalevi, Niska, Klaus & Stenman, Kari (1995). Suomen ilmavoimien historia 15 - Meritoimintakoneet (in Finnish). Tampere: Apali Oy. ISBN 952-5026-03-5.

External links

Media related to Valtion Lentokonetehdas aircraft at Wikimedia Commons

Valtion lentokonetehdas aircraft
Ilmailuvoimien Lentokonetehdas	IVL A.22 Hansa IVL C.24 IVL C.VI.25 Caudron C.60 IVL D.26 Haukka IVL K.1 Kurki
Valtion Lentokonetehdas	Koolhoven FK.31 VL D.27 Haukka VL Sääski VL E.30 Kotka VL F.30 Paarma VL Tuisku VL Viima VL Pyry VL Myrsky VL Humu VL Pyörremyrsky
Valmet	Valmet Vihuri Valmet Tuuli Valmet L-70 Vinka Valmet L-80 Turbo-Vinha Valmet PIK-23 Towmaster Valmet L-90TP Redigo

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