Germany's Gotha Go 242 transport^1,2
Gotha Go 244 transport^1,2

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Withdrawn

When Allied fighters easily shot down the Go244s, they were withdrawn from service in November 1942 and sent to paratroop training schools.¹

	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 lb1,2 5,100 kg1,2
Loaded		15,653 lb2 7,100 kg2		17,196 lb1,2 7,800 kg1,2
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

Sources:

1. Fighting Aircraft of World War II, Editor: Karen Leverington, 1995
2. Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998

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