Siebel Si 204

Infobox Aircraft
name = Si 204



caption = Siebel Si 204, Aviation Museum Prague Kbely
type = Light transport/trainer
national origin = Germany
manufacturer = Siebel
designer =
first flight =
introduction =
retired =
status =
primary user = Luftwaffe
more users = Czechoslovakia
France
produced =
number built =
program cost =
unit cost =
developed from = Siebel Fh 104
variants with their own articles =

The Siebel Si 204 was a small twin-engined transport and trainer aircraft developed during World War II. It was based on the Fh 104. Originally designed in response to a RLM development order for a small civil transport plane in 1938, it was eventually produced for the Luftwaffe.

Development

The Si 204 was planned as a small passenger plane with 2 crew and 8 passengers for German Lufthansa. The development of this all-metal-plane was initiated in 1938. The contractor was, as usual, the RLM, but the development was conducted in close collaboration between Lufthansa and Siebel in Halle. After the beginning of the war the plane was re-designed as a trainer aircraft with a full glass cockpit for blind flying.

The first two prototypes only were delivered as passenger planes with the old cockpit. The maiden flight of the first prototype was before September 1940, possibly on 25 May 1940, that of the second prototype before February 1941. The third prototype was re-designed as a trainer aircraft for blind flying. As a result of this, the maiden flight was not earlier than the end of 1941 or the beginning of 1942.

At that time Siebel produced the Junkers Ju 88 under licence, and therefore only 15 prototypes were able to be built in Halle. As a result, SNCAN in France produced the passenger plane A-1 and the pre-series A-0 between April 1942 and November 1943.ČKD/BMM in the Czech Protectorate delivered the first blind flying trainer D-0 in January 1943 followed by the production of a further 44 D-0 pre-series planes. The D-1 series was begun in March 1943 by the Aero company, also located in the Czech Protectorate, and by BMM in June or July 1943. In August 1943, SNCAN also delivered the first D-1.

The production of the D-3 was started in October 1944 by the Aero company. The D-3 had wooden wings and a tail plane made of wood and metal. In France, production of the D-1 was ended in August 1944 as a result of the Liberation. All in all 168 Si 204 were built by SNCAN. BMM produced the plane until October 1944 and then changed to the production of spare parts for the Si 204. The Aero company was scheduled to cease production of the D-1 in March 1945 after building 486 planes and then switch to D-3 only. The aircraft, however, was only built until January 1945 with 541 completed.Therefore the total production was 1,216 including the prototypes.

Production figures of the Si 204 until 31 January 1945:Sources: Files from Federal Archive/Military Archive Freiburg and from Lufthansa-Archive, Cologne

After the war, a production of Si 204 continued in Czechoslovakia and France. Aero Vodochody produced 179 Si 204D, developed into military trainer variants Aero C-3A and C-3B (the later for bombardier training), passenger variant C-103 and military transport variant Aero D-44, until 1949. SNCAC in France produced 240 of transport NC-701 Martinet, and a number (100?) of passenger NC-702 Martinet [ [http://www.aviafrance.com/constructeur.php?ID_CONSTRUCTEUR=1141 Aviafrance.com] ] . NC-701 was distinguished by three-blade propellers.

Operational history

The use of the Si 204 D was mainly in B- and C-Schools (advanced schools) and by FÜG 1 (delivery wing of the Luftwaffe), probably as a taxi plane for crews who had delivered other planes to fighting units. The utilization in blind flying schools was sporadic; for radio schools there is no evidence of use. The Si 204 A flew mainly with communications squadrons and flying services for senior officers, but also with schools.

In July 1944 five Si 204 were destined to be converted to night combat planes, but no further planes were allotted. They were probably intended for the pre-series Si 204 E-0. There is, however, no evidence that these planes were ever used in combat situations.

Lufthansa received at least four Si 204: The first prototype, D-AEFR, was evaluated from March to May 1941 by Lufthansa Prague. From spring 1942 to spring 1943 the second prototype, D-ASGU, was used on regular routes as a freight carrier. At the end of the war one Si 204 D remained in Berlin-Tempelhof (named “Rhein”). One flew to Enns in Austria, where it was captured by the Allies.

After the war, captured Si 204s flew in a variety of roles in the Soviet Union, including with Aeroflot and TsAGI, but were all quickly phased out of service as local aircraft manufacturing was re-established.

Prototypes of the Si 204

Operators

Military Operators

;CZS
* Czechoslovakian Air Force operated ex-Luftwaffe Si 204 as well as Aero C-3 built in Czechoslovakia post war.;FRA
* French Air Force operated ex-Luftwaffe Si 204 as well as NC-701 built in France post war.;flag|Germany|Nazi
* Luftwaffe;POL
* Polish Air Force operated 6 NC-701 in 1949-1955 for aerial photography (received from LOT airlines)Jońca 1985] ;USSR
* Soviet Air Force operated several captured Si 204.;SWE
* Swedish Air Force operated NC-701 bought in France.

Civil Operators

;CZS
* ČSA (post-war - Aero C-103);flag|Germany|Nazi
* Deutsche Lufthansa operated at least 4 aircraft.;POL
* Polskie Linie Lotnicze LOT operated in 1947-1948 six NC-701 bought in France, for aerial photography (markings: SP-LFA to LFF);USSR
* Aeroflot operated post war some captured Si 204 for transport duties.

pecifications (Si 204)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
ref=
crew=one or two pilots
capacity= up to 8 passengers or up to 1,650 kg (3,638 lb) cargo
payload main=
payload alt=
length main= 13.00 m
length alt= 42 ft 8 in
span main= 21.33 m
span alt= 70 ft 0 in
height main= 4.25 m
height alt= 14 ft 0 in
area main= 46 m²
area alt= 495 ft²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 3,950 kg
empty weight alt= 8,709 lb
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 5,600 kg
max takeoff weight alt= 12,348 lb
more general=
engine (prop)= Argus 411 A1
type of prop=
number of props=2
power main= 441 kW
power alt= 592 hp
power original=
max speed main=364 km/h
max speed alt= 228 mph
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main= 1,400 km
range alt=875 miles
ceiling main= 6,400 m
ceiling alt= 20,992 ft
climb rate main= 360 m/min
climb rate alt= 1,181 ft/min
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
armament=
avionics=

ee also

aircontent
related=
Siebel Fh 104
similar aircraft=

lists=

see also=

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Franzke, Manfred. "Siebel Fh.104/Si.204 varianten". Ilterissen, Gernmany: Flugzeug Publikations GmbH, 1997.
* Griehl, Manfred. "The Luftwaffe Profile Series No. 11: Siebel Fh 104/Si 204 and its variants". Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publications, 1998. ISBN 0-76430-566-2.
* Jońca, Adam. "Samoloty linii lotniczych 1945-1956" Warszawa, Poland: WKiŁ, 1985. ISBN 83-206-0529-0.
*Smith, J.R. and Kay, Antony J. "German Aircraft of the Second World War". London:Putnam, 1990. ISBN 85177 836 4.

External links

* [http://aircraftwalkaround.hobbyvista.com/siebel/siebel.htm Siebel 204 Walk around]