About Aircraft

When the Airplane Carrier Fleet for the Kriegsmarine (German Navy) was conceived, even unusual ideas for useful Carrier Planes were considered. One of the ideas pondered was to utilize autogiros on board the carriers.One autogiro project would have been a combination of an existing fighter airfame and appropriate rotors. The airframe to be used would have been a Messerschmitt Me 109 E-4. The rotors would have to be coupled to the plane's main Daimler Benz engine (DB 601 A).

 

This combination was have enabled the Me 109 to benefit fom the very short take-off and landing capabilities of an autogiro and to retain the fighter's armament. The inherent maneuverabilty of the autogiro would have made it hard to shoot down for enemy fighters.Major draw-backs would have been the considerably reduced top speed of an autogiro due to the drag of the rotor blades, the cramped cockpit and the diminshed visibility for the pilot due to the drive shaft of the rotor, traversing through the cockpit.

 

Therefore the project was dropped quietly.

Pilot & Markings

"What if" JG 231, North Atlantic, Graf Zeppelin

1/72 Airfix Kit • Bird Models conversion.
Scratch build details and antenna.
Painted and weathered by airbrush and oil colours