DFS 230

DFS 230A-1
Luftwaffe soldiers loading the DFS 230 in preparation for deployment.
Role	Troop glider
Manufacturer	DFS
Designer	Hans Jacobs
First flight	1937
Introduction	1938
Primary user	Luftwaffe

DFS 230-A at Luftwaffenmuseum der Bundeswehr

The DFS 230 was a German transport glider operated by the Luftwaffe in World War II. It was developed in 1933 by the Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug (DFS - "German Research Institute for Sailplane Flight") with Hans Jacobs as the head designer. The glider was the German inspiration for the British Hotspur glider and was intended for paratrooper assault operations.

The glider could carry 9 soldiers with equipment or a payload of about 1,200 kg. They were used in the landings at Fort Eben-Emael and Crete, as well as in North Africa and in the rescue of Benito Mussolini and for supplying the defenders of Festung Budapest, until February 12, 1945.

Variants

• DFS 230 A-1 - Initial production version
• DFS 230 A-2 - A-1 with dual-controls
• DFS 230 B-1 - Braking parachute added, able to carry defensive armament (MG 34 machine gun)
• DFS 230 B-2 - B-1 with dual-controls
• DFS 230 C-1 - Late production version; B-1 with nose braking rockets
• DFS 230 D-1 - C-1 with improved nose braking rocket design, one prototype (DFS 230 V6)
• DFS 230 F-1 - larger version with capacity for 15 soldiers, one prototype (DFS 230 V7, DV+AV)

Specifications (DFS 230)

General characteristics

• Crew: one, pilot
• Capacity: 9 equipped troops + 270 kg
• Payload: 1,240 kg (2,728 lb)
• Length: 11.3 m (37 ft 0 in)
• Wingspan: 21.1 m (69 ft 1 in)
• Height: 2.8 m (9 ft 4 in)
• Wing area: 38.1 m² (410 ft²)
• Empty weight: 770 kg (1,700 lb)
• Loaded weight: 2,040 kg (4,500 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 2,100 kg (4,630 lb)
• * Typical Tow : Junkers Ju 52/3m

Performance

• Maximum speed: 161 km/h at 300 m (100 mph at 1,000 ft)
• Wing loading: 53.5 kg/m² (11 lb/ft²)
• Free glide sink rate : 1.2 m/s (240 ft/min)
• Best glide ratio : 18

See also

Related development

• Gotha Go 242
  

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Waco CG-4A
• General Aircraft Hotspur
• Airspeed Horsa
• Slingsby Hengist
• Gribovski G-11
• Antonov A-7
  

Related lists

• List of military aircraft of Germany
• List of World War II military aircraft of Germany
• List of gliders
  

External links

• http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/LRG/dfs230.html
• http://www.luftarchiv.de/flugzeuge/dfs/dfs230.htm