Messerschmitt M 18

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The Bayerische Flugzeugwerke M 18 (BFW M 18), (later known as Messerschmitt M 18) was an airliner, produced in Germany in the late 1920s.

M 18
An Armstrong-Siddeley Lynx-powered M-18d of Ad Astra Aero in Switzerland
Role Airliner
National origin Germany
Manufacturer Messerschmitt / Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW)
Designer Willy Messerschmitt
First flight 1926
Primary user Nordbayerische Verkehrsflug
Number built ca 24

Design and development

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Designed at the request of Theodor Croneiss to supply his new airline venture which was to become Nordbayerische Verkehrsflug (NOBA),[1] it was a conventional high-wing cantilever monoplane with fixed tailskid undercarriage. The prototype was built of wood, although production examples would have a metal structure.[2] The design was praised in its day for the cleanness of its aerodynamics, lightness of construction, and economy of operation[3][4]

Operational history

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An M 18 in flight

The first M 18 to enter service with NOBA was provided by Messerschmitt in exchange for a 49% share of the new company, and on 26 July it began commercial flights.[5] NOBA's early successes enabled the company to place orders for additional examples of an improved model, the M 18b. It would eventually purchase twelve of these,[1] but manufacturing them would exceed the capacity of Messerschmitt's own small firm, leading to a merger with Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW) in 1927. Following NOBA's reorganisation into DEVAG in 1931, a small number of a further-improved version, designated M 18d, were ordered, but the type was soon superseded by the similar but larger Messerschmitt M 20.[2]

Variants

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M 18a
three-seat production version with 60 kW (80 hp) Siemens-Halske Sh 11 engine (two built)
M 18b
 
Messerschmitt M.18b photo from Les Ailes December 15, 1927
three/four-seat production version with 82 kW (110 hp) Siemens-Halske Sh 12 engine (12 built)
M 18c
photographic survey version with 164 kW (220 hp) Armstrong Siddeley Lynx engine (two or three built)
M 18d
enlarged six/seven/eight-passenger version, produced with a variety of engines, including the 164 kW (220 hp) Armstrong Siddely Lynx, 112 kW (150 hp) Walter Mars and 240 kW (320 hp) Wright Whirlwind. (eight built)

Operators

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  Switzerland

Specifications (M 18d)

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Messerschmitt M.18b 3-view drawing from Les Ailes December 15, 1927

Data from Messerschmitt: an aircraft album,[6] Flugzeug-Typenbuch 1936[7]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Capacity: 7 passengers
  • Length: 9.4 m (30 ft 10 in)
  • Wingspan: 15.8 m (51 ft 10 in)
  • Height: 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in)
  • Wing area: 24.8 m2 (267 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 890 kg (1,962 lb)
  • Gross weight: 1,760 kg (3,880 lb)
  • Fuel capacity: main tank:240 L (63 US gal; 53 imp gal); oil tank:20 L (5.3 US gal; 4.4 imp gal)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Wright R-975 Whirlwind 9-cyl. air-cooled radial piston engine, 240 kW (320 hp)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 212 km/h (132 mph, 114 kn)
  • Cruise speed: 180 km/h (110 mph, 97 kn) * Landing Speed: 90 km/h (56 mph; 49 kn)
  • Range: 630 km (390 mi, 340 nmi)
  • Endurance: 3.8 hours
  • Service ceiling: 5,300 m (17,400 ft)
  • Rate of climb: 3.1 m/s (610 ft/min)
  • Time to altitude: 1,000 m (3,281 ft) in 7 minutes
  • Wing loading: 75 kg/m2 (15 lb/sq ft)
  • Power/mass: 0.126 kW/kg (0.077 hp/lb)

Notes

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  1. ^ a b Szigeti, Marton (July 1998). "Messerschmitt History: Civil Projects". Flug Revue: 74. Archived from the original on 2008-11-20. Retrieved 2008-10-24.
  2. ^ a b The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft. London: Aerospace Publishing. p. 494.
  3. ^ "1928 Berlin Aero Show". Flight: 919–92. 18 October 1928. Retrieved 2008-10-24.
  4. ^ Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 651.
  5. ^ Mulder, Rob. "Nordbayerischer Verkehrsflug GmbH - NOBA (1926-1931)". europeanairlines.no. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 2008-10-24.
  6. ^ Smith, [by] J. Richard (1971). Messerschmitt: an aircraft album. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0224-X.
  7. ^ Schneider, Helmut (1936). Flugzeug-Typenbuch 1936 (in German) (1936 ed.). Leipzig: Herm. Beyer Verlag. p. 12.