ISBN 1-903223-24-5
224 pages

Author's Preface and Acknowledgements; Foreword; photos; tables; diagrams; line drawings; sidebars; Glossary; Index

Appendices: Camouflage and markings; Major prototypes; Survivors; Specifications and performance statistics

   Classic—originally an independent publisher, but now an imprint of Ian Allan—has over the last few years published some excellent books about aircraft and airpower in World War II. Even with such a stellar track record, this might be the best book yet from Classic. Steve Coates demonstrates from the beginning that not only does he have a firm grasp of his topic, but he also knows how to transmit that knowledge to the reader in a clear and interesting manner. As with all Classic books, the main narrative is heavily supported by photos and diagrams and line drawings and ample sidebars covering personalities, locales, events, etc. Coates, however, is careful not to allow all the supporting material to overwhelm the main thread of his history. In sum, all this makes Helicopters of the Third Reich a remarkably readable and informative examination of an obscure and fascinating subject, with the result that this book should be a strong contender when our Top Ten voting rolls around at the end of the year.
   Coates begins his book with an introduction on "Principles of Rotary-Winged Flight" which surveys the earliest developments in the field, explains the difference between helicopters and autogyros (the latter being basically an aircraft—fuselage, engine, propellers and all—to which rotors have been added), and defines some key terms.
   The first chapter discusses the ground-breaking autogyros built by Juan de la Cierva in England. After demonstrations in Germany, the German Air Ministry ordered two in 1934 for evaluation purposes. Coates describes some of the testing, but confesses the data remains sketchy.

   It is disappointing that no definitive documentation survives detailing the final fate of either of the C.30s. It seems, however, that one of these machines may have taken part in unsuccessful tests at E-Stelle Travemunde, which apparently commenced on 10 November 1936 to determine the type's suitability for carrier-borne operations. These tests proved unsuccessful due to erratic flying characteristics exhibited during gusting conditions, compounded by a poor forward view during landing. Apparently the machine crashed sometime during 1937 following an error upon take-off but no further information has surfaced.

   Almost twenty photos accompany the first chapter as well as reproductions of documents and a sidebar about the Air Ministry's testing and acceptance airfield. Along with the footnotes, this treatment is typical of every chapter in the book.
   More than anything else, the C.30 discussed in the first chapter provided the impetus for further research and development. Professor Henrich Focke of Focke-Wulf, after evaluating Cierva's autogyro, concluded (unlike the Spanish designer) that the helicopter represented a better approach to rotary-winged flight. Even after being ousted from Focke-Wulf, Focke continued to experiment with helicopter designs, and a prototype of the Fw 61 was ordered for evaluation in 1935. Testing took place in 1935 and 1936. Along with a second prototype, the Fw 61 smashed all existing helicopter flight records in 1937. Other flights and demonstrations included Hanna Reitsch as pilot, and Coates retells some amusing anecdotes about her experiences.
   Parallel with Professor Focke's Fw 61, Focke-Wulf produced a number of Fw 30 autogyros licensed from Cierva and the firm also designed the Fw 186 autogyro.

   The maiden flight of the Fw 186 VI D-ISTQ (W.Nr. 1971) was made by Wohlberg, who had undertaken the acceptance flights on the Fw C 30s completed at Bremen. It has previously been stated elsewhere that the first flight of the Fw 186 VI was to have been made by Paul Bauer, who was unfortunately killed on 14 May 1938 whilst flying the Fw 187 VI and that the first flight took place on 27 July 1938. This date apparently came from a payment docket. However, doubt has been cast on this date by Flugkapitan Hans Sander, to whom responsibility for the test programme passed. Sander distinctly recalls piloting the Fw 186 V1 with Bauer on its last-ever flight. Wohlberg has supported him in this assertion. Unfortunately, both gentlemen lost their Flugbucher covering this period during the Second World War and with the wartime destruction of much official Focke-Wulf documentation, it must be considered unlikely that the complete story will ever emerge.

   Competing designs came from Anton Flettner, notably the Fl 265 which by 1939 was considered superior to the Fw 61 and underwent additional testing with the German armed forces, including trials with the cruiser Koln in 1941. Coates covers other pioneering work by Walter Rieseler (whose RI was demoed for Ernst Udet in 1936, but Rieseler died the following year), Alois Riedl, R. Schmidt, G. Kirchberg, and the WNF 342 of Friedrich von Doblhoff. All these designs, however, turned out to be dead-ends, and the programs were eventually scrapped, although Coates points out that Germany captured more than a dozen LeO C30's—French licensed version of Cierva's autogyro—during the invasion of France in 1940.
   Work nevertheless continued with newer designs. With his new firm, Focke Achgelis, Professor Focke next received from the Air Ministry a contract to produce prototypes of a much larger helicopter—envisioned for anti-submarine warfare, recovery tasks, air-sea rescue, and freight transport—designated Fa 223.

   In designing the Fa 223, the side-by-side layout established with the Fw 61 was followed. The main differences would be the size of the new helicopter, its fuselage design and the design of the rotor heads. Whilst the helicopter was based upon an initial design project proposal, the Fa E 6 (Entwurf 6 or Design 6), Focke discarded this design in favour of a slightly modified version, known as the E 7. The engine, a modified 1,000 hp Bramo 323 D2, redesignated the BMW 3013, was mounted mid-fuselage to afford the pilot and crew plenty of room and a good all-round view. The flight deck featured glazed panelling angled forward to facilitate downward vision.
   Tubular steel outriggers extended from the fuselage to support the two rotor heads. Power to the rotors was transmitted via a multiplate clutch to the main gear connected by a long transmission shaft to the reduction gear in the rotor head. The rotor blades consisted of wooden ribs attached to a high-tensile steel tube with solid ash leading- and trailing-edge members. The covering was a mixture of plywood and fabric. In later models a plastic covering would be applied to the leading edges as protection against rain damage.
   The control column was used to give longitudinal control by cyclic pitch change of the rotor blades, with lateral control by differential collective pitch change. The rudder pedals provided yaw control by means of differential cyclic blade pitch change, the control effect being increased by use of the rudder during forward flight.
   The collective pitch lever had two positions, one for powered setting and one for autorotation. Additionally, an automatic device adjusted the tailplane and altered the blade pitch from the powered setting to the autorotation setting in the event of a transmission failure. Once disengaged, the pitch setting was not reversible in flight. Apart from pitch adjustments for altitude control, the rotors are best regarded as having had a fixed pitch; thus progressive engine throttle was required during a climb to maintain a constant rotor speed. This demanded great expertise on the part of the pilot, particularly at low speeds near the ground. Following delayed delivery of the modified engine from BMW, the Fa 223 VI D-OCEB (W.Nr. 2230001) was rolled out in August 1939. In order to thoroughly test all of its functions, at least 100 hours of tethered tests were planned. To assist with these tests, BMW put Ing. Richard Kurz at the disposal of Focke Achgelis. Under his guidance, a series of ground tests began on 20 October 1939 and continued until the autumn of 1940.

   On 15 October 1940, the Fa 223 successfully transported an anti-tank gun fifty meters using a load-carrying cable. In December the helicopter transported a Kubelwagen in the same manner. However, on 5 February 1941 the Fa 223 program was grounded following a fatal accident during advanced testing.
   A variety of other helicopter designs were produced in the meantime by Focke Achgelis and Flettner, notably the Fl 282 which underwent extensive testing at sea, including landing on a platform on the stern of moving ships. The helicopter was quickly recognized for its superior ability to spot and track submerged submarines.
   As to submarines, one of the most interesting designs was the Fa 330 Bachstelz (water wagtail). Towed behind a surfaced U-boat, the tethered Bachstelz offered much improved vision for locating enemy ships. Of course, the Bachstelz pilot was extremely vulnerable if the U-boat had to dive because of enemy aircraft, so the usefulness of the wagtail proved mostly limited to remote areas such as the Indian Ocean. (See, for example, U-Boat Far from Home by David Stevens for more about the Bachstelz in use with U-862.) Coates devotes two strong chapters to the development and operations of the Fa 330.

   Despite the bombardment of the Hoykenkamp factory on 3-4 June 1942 and the subsequent transfer of main production facilities to Laupheim, series production of the Fa 330 began at Hoykenkamp and remained there until the end of the war under the supervision of Obering. Bruno Korper. The first 20 prototypes effectively constituted the Fa 330 A-0 pre-production series machines. All remaining machines were built to Fa 330 A-l specifications.
   Under LP 223-1 of 15 April 1943, the RLM increased its order to 160 machines. This was then increased to 488 by an unnumbered modification dated 15 August. Of this number, it was intended that 215 were to be built by Focke Achgelis with the remainder subcontracted. However, it appears no steps were taken to arrange this and shortly afterwards, on 1 December, this figure was scaled down to 250 machines under LP 225-1.

   Outside of the specialized Bachstelz, it became apparent that the Fa 223 and Fl 282 were the leading helicopter designs. In November 1942 OKH placed an order for 50 Fa 223's and 60 Fl 282's with plans to eventually order 1000 helicopters. Not everything went according to plan. Allied bombing of the Focke Achgelis facility disrupted development and production and forced a move to a more secure location. The Fa 223 V11 prototype was not ready until February 1943, at which time it still required considerable testing. The testing process was not perfect.

   On 20 March 1943 Bode, together with Kurz as his passenger, set out to transfer the Fa 223 V11 to Berlin-Staaken, for an overhaul at the facility Focke Achgelis had established at BMW's Spandau factory. After refuelling at Erfurt, they flew against a strong headwind, cruising at 135 km/h (84 mph). Southwest of Berlin, near the village of Emstal, they were given an unpleasant shock. Bode recalled: "We suddenly heard a noise like a siren and found ourselves in a steep dive with the helicopter out of control. Kurz had fallen asleep and suddenly awoke. I shouted to him 'Raus!' He unfastened his safety belt and slid towards the entry door. Half out, he turned back towards me and questioned 'Raus?' My reply was a sharp 'Raus!' at which he baled out. I wanted to make sure that he had baled out safely before following but at exactly that moment, the transition into autorotation took place, so I tried to save our precious helicopter. I decreased speed slowly until I had reached 110 km/h (68 mph) and was able to land safely in a field.
   "As soon as I got out of the helicopter, I looked skyward for a sign of Kurz but could see nothing. I later ran into him dragging his parachute, folded in a ball. He had landed in a fir tree and had some difficulty getting down. He was furious with me, thinking that I had somehow tricked him into jumping!"

   Other accidents were not so benign. On 4 December 1943, the Fa 223 V12 crashed due to failure of a blade control rod, killing the pilot and his passenger. In May 1944 the Fa 223 V11 model on a mission to recover a downed Do 217 crashed due to pilot error. In April the Fl 282 V17 crashed while landing on a platform due to pilot error. On 12 November 1944 the Fl 282 V19 crashed during a test flight. By then, however, Germany's helicopter programs were already moribund. At a conference in February 1944, Field Marshal Erhard Milch ordered all helicopter programs cancelled. Although the Fa 223 project consumed few resources in building and testing prototypes, all its engineers, technicians, and skilled workers were to be transferred to the Me 262 project. Milch further ordered that the Focke Achgelis company should be broken up. In the event, FA was absorbed by Weser Flugzeubau in March. Thanks to political connections, Flettner's company barely managed to survive Milch's axe, but helicopter development in Germany essentially came to a halt.
   Soon enough the war ended. Other than the Bachstelz, Germany's technological lead in helicopter development never translated into practical application with the armed forces. Despite multiple prototypes, extensive testing, and overly optimistic plans for ordering full production, the promise of the helicopter was never delivered. Coates closes his book by tracking the fate of individual machines as they variously escaped from the advancing Soviets, were destroyed to prevent capture, or fell into the hands of the Allies. Assorted helicopters—and some technical personnel—were taken to boost post-war Allied rotary-winged programs. A pitiful handful of survivors, almost all Fa 330s, remain in museums in England, Germany, France, and the US.
   This brief synopsis can't do justice to all the material Coates presents. While he frankly acknowledges the lack of documentation available in some areas, for even the most obscure rotary-wing designs the author has brought together all the information available. When it comes to Germany's autogyros and helicopters, probably no other English-language book offers such a complete narrative, so many rare photos, such excellent scale drawings, or so many detailed specifications. The sidebars also offer great reading. Here's a sample:

The Fighter Has Little Chance against the Helicopter

   The RLM considered it worthwhile investigating the vulnerability of the Fl 282 and Fa 223 to fighter attack and arranged a mock combat to take place at Schweidnitz on 22 June between Fuisting in an Fl 282 and Lt. Dieter Eisenlohr of Ekdo 25 in an Fw 190. A robot camera was installed in the wing of the Fw 190 with the shutter release connected to the firing button. The combat was scheduled to last 20 minutes. During the first ten minutes, combat had to take place at above 100 m (330 ft). For the final ten minutes Fuisting was advised that he could do as he wished.
   Flettner's stressman, Gerhard Siegel, was present: "The Fw 190 pilot tried very hard and made the steepest possible turns. Fuisting only made slight evasive movements, 50 m (165 ft) up, down or sideways so that he was in the Fw 190's sights for a few short moments. During the second part of the contest, our good old Fl 282 simply vanished from the fighter, partly hidden between the trees as Fuisting showed his mastery of nap-of-the-earth flying."
   Eisenlohr's recollection of events is similar: "Compared to say the B-17, the Fl 282 seemed a small target but at altitude it was clearly visible against the blue sky. Above 100 m (330 ft), I could partly compensate for Fuisting's evasive movements but during the second part of our combat, I had great difficulty spotting him in the meadows and forests around Schweidnitz. I twice spotted the Fl 282's rotating blades and Plexiglas cabin and had to make a tight 180-degree turn to try and get it in my gunsight."
   The June 1944 Monatsbericht (Monthly Report) of E-Stelle Travemunde noted: "At present the evaluation of the film and the pilot reports have not yet arrived. At heights above 100 m the fighter was able to get the helicopter in its sights briefly. Near the ground, especially in difficult terrain, the fighter has little chance against a helicopter."
   The susceptibility of the Fl 282 to gunfire was investigated at around this time. The probability of hitting a quickly rotating blade was considered lower than a fixed-wing and was proven in trials with an unmanned cable-rigged Fl 282. In spite of several hits in its rotor blades, the Fl 282 was not downed.
   On 6 July, Lt. Eisenlohr also flew his Fw 190 in a rather more successful mock combat against Carl Bode in the Fa 223 V17. Eight 'combats' were held in an area some 3 sq km (2 sq mls) between Hurbel and Zillishausen. The much larger Fa 223 also proved difficult for the fast-moving fighter to attack but was located on six occasions out of eight: "The Fa 223 of course offered a larger target but the experience gained two weeks earlier also, undoubtedly, contributed to my improved success."
   In Bode's opinion: "Without a doubt the Fl 282 offered better all-round visibility to a pilot in attempting to avoid a fighter attack. Whilst visibility in the Fa 223 was good, I could only really see forwards, sideways and above to a degree with, of course, no rearward view. When the Fw 190 approached in view, I could easily avoid it by hiding in the woods as he flew overhead, unable to easily change direction. To improve my rearward view I could have taken two mechanics as crew but that, to my mind, would have proven little. To be truthful, I regarded this exercise as another unwelcome interruption to my test programme."

   This is a terrific book, both for general WWII enthusiasts and for readers who specialize in helicopters or airpower. Specialists will appreciate the technical details, drawings, and specifications. Non-specialists will enjoy the overall story of helicopter development and the numerous anecdotes. Everyone will learn something new. Highly recommended.
   As a postscript, here's one very minor suggestion for improvement. In this book as in many others from Classic, the chapter titles tend to be exclamatory quotations from those involved in the events. For example, some of the chapter titles here include "We Were Lucky Bastards," "You Can't Impress Me with That," and "So Do a Few Hops." The titles are very catchy, but reveal little or nothing about the contents of the chapter. At least in the table of contents, guys, do us a favor and add a sub-title that gives us a clue about what the chapter covers!
   Available from online booksellers, local bookshops, or directly from Classic (an imprint of Ian Allan Publishing) and its distributors.
   Thanks to Specialty Press (the US distributor) for providing this review copy.