Gotha Go 244

The Gotha Go 244 was a transport <a href="/facts/Aircraft/EhC4mBep">aircraft</a> designed and produced by the <a href="/facts/Nazi_Germany/8kRbqRpo">German</a> aircraft manufacturer <a href="/facts/Gothaer_Waggonfabrik/tILzdq1I">Gotha</a>. It was operated by the <a href="/facts/Luftwaffe/k7PAsBlo">Luftwaffe</a> during the <a href="/facts/Second_World_War/2efV5L1U">Second World War</a>. It was the powered version of the <a href="/facts/Gotha_Go_242/wKKybW2t">Gotha Go 242</a> <a href="/facts/Military_glider/fhlJ2oog">military glider</a> transport.
While studies into a powered model of the Go 242 had commenced relatively early in the glider's development, one of the major factors in what would become the Go 244 was the German's capturing of a large quantity of <a href="/facts/Gnome-Rh%C3%B4ne_14M/rUq5bwbT">Gnome-Rhône 14M</a> <a href="/facts/Radial_engine/tS0ljlb7">radial engines</a> following the <a href="/facts/Armistice_of_22_June_1940/1GNDckPm">fall of France</a> in June 1940. A total of three prototypes were created by modifying Go 242s; these were fitted with various engines, such as the <a href="/facts/BMW_132/o2smkSFV">BMW 132</a> and the <a href="/facts/Shvetsov_M-25/XhN0x964">Shvetsov M-25</a> A engines. Despite the unimpressive performance of the Gnome engines, <a href="/facts/Luftwaffe/k7PAsBlo">Luftwaffe</a> officials were keen to make use of existing inventory, thus the majority of production standard Go 244s were powered by this engine.
The first Go 244s were delivered to operational units based in <a href="/facts/Crete/VSqxTU9u">Crete</a>, <a href="/facts/Greece/lqHw8bTB">Greece</a> in March 1942; the type would also see action in both <a href="/facts/North_Africa_Campaign/nDYFvCVF">North Africa</a> and the <a href="/facts/Eastern_Front_(World_War_II)/W05zyTMj">Eastern Front</a>. Far less Go 244s were constructed in comparison to the Go 242, which officials ultimately decided to focus their production capacity upon instead. Some figures, such as <a href="/facts/Generalfeldmarschall/IYEvNyD5">Generalfeldmarschall</a> <a href="/facts/Erhard_Milch/MAEq4NCQ">Erhard Milch</a>, criticised the aircraft as being defective, lacking sufficient range, and operationally limited. A mixture of <a href="/facts/Junkers_Ju_52/G6uYWu2j">Junkers Ju 52</a> or <a href="/facts/Messerschmitt_Me_323/Dqfwa6tg">Messerschmitt Me 323</a> transport aircraft supplemented and eventually replaced the Go 244 in Luftwaffe service.

Gotha Go 244 open-in-new

Gotha Go 244