Fieseler Fi 97
The four-seat sports aircraft Fieseler Fi 97 was built in 1933/34, at the Fieseler Flugzeugbau GmbH in Kassel. It was one of three patterns that had given the Reich Air Ministry (RLM) end of 1933, especially for participating in the flight across Europe in 1934 ( Challenge International de Tourisme ) with five or six of them in order. The competitors were terminal with the Kl 36 and the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke in the Me- 108 (Note: really entered the plane was still under that name in the Aircraft role and been registered for the competition, but had soon afterwards in Bf 108 to be renamed ). Special emphasis was placed on high cruising speed, at the same time shortest possible takeoff and landing distances. The empty weight was limited to 560 kg.
Genesis
The beginnings of the project went back to the autumn of 1932. In the budget of the Reich Transport Ministry, a post for the further development of the aircraft from the competition in 1932 was already provided for the same in 1934. The resulting half a year later RLM led this intention continued, now but with substantially greater resources. But why Fiese Jewellers company, as he describes in his book, had received an order for two to three months later than the two competing firms, has not yet been clarified. In any case, his company stood for design, construction of five aircraft, their trials, and approval practically only seven months. The time still with difficulty fighting and pretty small company took the challenge and great opportunity to yet. Headed by Technical Director Erich Bachem, with Kurt Arnolt as chief engineer, and Dr. Ing Kurt Hohenems as aerodynamics, succeeded, but only with difficulty, the aircraft finish in time for the appointment. As requested by the RLM, even two different engines have been installed and tested, and two different wing shapes developed with highly effective buoyancy aids and examined. So far recognizable images, but was eventually the same version of the wings used in all five aircraft. After going all out on time they were ready for flying. The maiden flight with the first completed production aircraft made Gerhard Fieseler itself, as many of the subsequent test flights after the changes always necessary. But the intended as competition pilots pilots remained familiarization at the end very little time. Their later work performed was all the more impressive. Then transferred their aircraft to the starting point Warsaw. After a previous stopover in Poznan, where all German participants gathered, they met there a common.
The planes and their pilots
Competition number license plate motor pilots 17 D- IVIF HM 8 U Wolf Hirth 18 D- 17 A IBYR As Walter Bayer 19 D- 17 A IPUS As Hans Seidemann 21 D- IZUH HM 8 U Gerhard stroke 22 D- IDAH HM 8 U Dr. Georg Pasewaldt The competition
Warsaw was the venue because, according to the tender means the country had to align the competition, from which came the winner of the last comparison. On 28 August 1934, the participants had to be landed to 12 clock. The three German groups were, however, only of the Fi 97 all five were there, while two competitors per lacked an airplane. On the same day, the technical tests, such as checking compliance with the weight and equipment, assessment of convenience and arrangement of seats, length of Anklappens the surfaces and the rearmament as well as many other things that it's all been felt with point additions or deductions - started. Subsequently, high and low speed were determined and the length of the take-off and landing distances when starting or flying off on a cross- clamped at 8 m height and marked with pennants rope. In this test section of the German aircraft, the Fi 97 came out on top.
The subsequent haul flight took a total of around 9500 km over Germany, Belgium, France, Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Italy, Yugoslavia, Austria and Czechoslovakia returned to Warsaw, where the flight ended on September 14. The best German Seidemann landed with his fi 97 behind two poles in 3rd place All the other four Fieseler aircraft were in the squares 9 ( Dr. Pasewaldt ), 12 (Bayer ), 13 ( Hirth ) and 16 ( stroke ) well in target.
The three participating in the contest the German aircraft manufacturer should again as competitors stand a year later at the tender for a liaison aircraft for the Air Force over.
Technical Description
The four-seater low-wing monoplane with an enclosed cabin ( hood backwards push ) a body consisting of a welded tubular steel frame of rectangular cross section, which was associated with moldings in a circular shape and covered with fabric. Motor area and front were covered with easily removable light metal sheets.
The three-part structure consisted of a bolted to the fuselage center section made of welded steel pipes, where the highly swept, built entirely of wood outer wings were attached with a clear V -position. The positive connection of the above revealed two insertable through bolts, could be rotated by loosening the wing and applied to the rear side of the hull. As buoyancy aids apparently mechanically operated Handley - Page - Lachmann slats were at the leading edge in the aileron area attached while reaching at the trailing edge along the entire span, at Fieseler designated as rolling wing, backward and downward extension end flaps great depth in Fowlerart the wing surface and the profile curvature increased. They were guided in rails, which can be seen in the pictures well.
At the tail all constructions were represented. The fin, as part of the fuselage framework was built like this from welded steel tubes. The elevator made a made entirely of wood, tight against the fuselage and vertical tail fin and is adjustable in flight, together with an exported as a light metal frame elevator. Similarly, the rudder was constructed. All had fabric covering. The ailerons were each knocked out only up because of the arranged underneath flap, so that their effect was only weak.
The suspension with oil-damped long-stroke spring legs was particularly kept stable in order to withstand the expected very hard landings with a high rate of descent can. Then there was a hinged tail skid.
When driving two for this competition also newly designed engines were installed. Two of the planes had the hanging, air-cooled 6- cylinder Argus As 17 A with 225 hp, the other three also the air-cooled 8- cylinder Hirth HM 8 U with 250 hp. Despite the brief for them testing period occurred in any of them in the five Fi 97 a significant disruption to.