Germany's Gotha Go 242 transport
Gotha Go 244 transport

Photos
Design
Prototype
Production
Variants
Usage
Specifications

Photos

Gotha Go 242 transport:

Gotha Go 244B-1 transport:

Design

The Gotha Go 242 was originally designed by Albert Kalkert.¹

With the fall of France in 1940, the Gnome-Rhône 14M radial engines became available for use by the Germans.¹ These were installed on the Go 242 and became the Go 244.¹ Some Go 244s had the BMW 132Z (660 HP) or Shvetsov M-25A (750 HP) engine installed instead.¹

Fuselage

The fuselage was made from steel tubing and covered with fabric.²

Wings

The wings and tail were made from wood.²

Prototype

The prototype glider first flew in early 1941.^1,2

The Go 244 prototype first flew in late 1941.²

Production

Go 242: 1,528²
Go 244: 43²
- 133 converted from Go 242s^1,2

Variants

Go 242A: Production aircraft.¹
Go 242A-1: Had altered tail surfaces and booms.²
Go 242A-2: Assault glider.² Had hinged tail section.²
Go 242B: Had a nose wheel.¹
Go 242B-1: Had fixed nosewheel.²
Go 242B-2: Oleo landing gear.²
Go 242B-3: Paratroop model.²
Go 242B-4: Paratroop model.²
Go 242B-5: Dual control trainer.²
Go 242C-1: Planing hull to be able to land on water.² Was to be used in attack on British Home Fleet at Scapa Flow.²
Go 244B: Had two Gnome-Rhône 14M engines installed in the Go 242B.¹ Had a fixed landing gear.¹
Go 244B-1:
Go 244B-2:
Go 244B-3:
Go 244B-4:
Go 244B-5:

Usage

Germany and Romania used the Gotha Go 242.²

The Go 242 was widely used by the Luftwaffe from 1942 to 1945.¹ It was primarily used in the Balkans, Eastern Front, Sicily, and North Africa.^1,2

First Deliveries

The KGrzbV 104, based in Greece, and KGrzbV 106, based in Crete, received the Go 244s in March 1942.¹

Withdrawn

When Allied fighters easily shot down the Go244s, they were withdrawn from service in November 1942 and sent to paratroop training schools.¹

Specifications

	Gotha Go 242²	Gotha Go 242A-2²	Gotha Go 244²	Gotha Go 244B-2¹
Type	Transport glider²		Transport²	Transport¹
Crew	2²
Passengers	23²
Engine (Type)	None²		2: Gnome-Rhône 14M²	2: Gnome-Rhône 14M piston¹
Cylinders			Radial 14²	Radial 14¹
Cooling
HP			740 each²	700 each¹
Propeller blades			3 each²
Dimensions
Span	80' 4.5"² 24.5 m²			80' 4.5"¹ 24.5 m¹
Length	51' 10"² 15.8 m²			51' 10"¹ 15.8 m¹
Height	14' 4"² 4.37 m²		15' 5"² 4.7 m²	15' 5"¹ 4.7 m¹
Wing area				693.22 ft² ¹ 64.4 m² ¹
Weight
Empty		7,055 lb² 3,200 kg²		11,243 lb^1,2 5,100 kg^1,2
Loaded		15,653 lb² 7,100 kg²		17,196 lb^1,2 7,800 kg^1,2
Performance
Speed				180 mph¹ 290 kph¹
Speed @ 10,000' / 3,048 m				180 mph² 290 kph²
Cruising speed				155 mph² 249 kph²
Normal towing speed	130 mph² 209 kph²
Maximum towing speed	149 mph² 240 kph²
Climb				886'/minute² 270 m/minute²
Service ceiling				24,605'¹, 25,100'² 7,500 m¹, 7,650 m²
Range				373 miles¹, 435 miles² 600 km¹, 700 km²
Armament	4 or 6 7.9 mm MG²