DFS Aircraft List

[hesham]

Hi,

The Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug (German for 'German Research Institute
for Sailplane Flight' / 'German Institute for Glider Research'), or DFS, was formed in 1933
to centralise all gliding activity in Germany, under the directorship of Professor Walter
Georgii. It was formed by the nationalization of the Rhön-Rossitten Gesellschaft (RRG)
at Darmstadt.

I will talk about its series, and un-standard one,for DFS,we can say,

Model-6,Model-12,25,32,38,39,40,42,49,54,56,108,193,194,203,228,230,240,301,331,332
346,360,446,463,464,466,468,470,478,486,582,611,1068 & SC1000.

 

[Apophenia]

We can save some time here.

There was no 'DFS 240' - that was a typo for DFS 230. Likewise, there was no 'DFS 478' - that was a typo for the claimed DFS 468.

And there was certainly no 'DFS SC.1000' (sic). SC 1000 was the Luftwaffe's standard 1,000 kg bomb. That March 1944 DFS ramjet-powered carrier aircraft concept may (or may not) have been given a designation ... but it wouldn't have been 'DFS SC.1000'.

Dan Sharp clarified this for you back in Dec 2018. He posted drawings of this design with the title-block simply saying Jabo mit Lorinantrieb.
-- https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/various-dfs-projects.17130/page-2#post-341886

The 'DFS 1068' is easiest to explain. That was actually the DFS P 1068 - for Projekt 1068:

DFS P 1068 - (Project) 194? large, 4-jet aircraft (civil?) concept
- DFS P 1068: 4 x Junkers Jumo 004 or Heinkel HeS-011 engines*
-- * + 1 x Walter HWK 109-509D high-altitude booster rocket
- DFS P 1068 V1: 1st prototype; intended to have straight wings
- DFS P 1068 V2: 2nd prototype; 25° swept wings; no booster
-- Claimed built by Wrede, Freilassing; destroyed in an air raid

There are a few other dubious numbers but I've included in my list (below)

______________________________________________________________

Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug

DFS Mo (Modell) - Non-RLM Internal Designations

DFS Mo 6 - 1936 anti-aircraft target drone glider prototypes

DFS Mo 09 - 1936 aerodynamic testbed for Flakzielgerät
- DFS Mo 09: FZG testbed leading to the Gerät Mo 12

DFS Mo 12 - 1937 Flakzielgerät anti-aircraft target drone
- DFS Mo 12: Produced by DFS partner Argus as the As 292

DFS Mo 25 - (Project) 193? twin-boomed assault glider (??)

DFS Mo 32 - (??)

DFS Mo 38 - 1936 forward-swept wing Quo Vadis glider
- DFS Mo 38: Experimental glider;* proved structurally weak
- DFS Mo 38: Frame tail boom (motor-glider?); span 14.00 m

DFS RLM Designations - 108 and 109 Series

Note: Many online sources list endless 'DFS 108' types as if they were designation (not RLM code for gliders and sailplanes). Here I have listed RLM 109 category types as 'DFS', leaving 108 category types as '108'.

108 14 - RLM designation for 1938 SG.38 Schulgleiter

108 30 - RLM designation for 1935 Kranich II sailplane

DFS 39 - 1935 'Delta IVc' tailless delta research a/c; x 1
- DFS 39: Lippisch-design; Fieseler F 3 deriv.; 2-seat; fixed u/c
- DFS 39: 1 x 84 hp Pobjoy R 7-cyl. radial tractor; span 9.60 m
- DFS 39: (Project) Rocket-powered; dropped for DFS 40/DFS 194

DFS 40 - 1938 'Delta V' tailless delta research a/c; x 1
- DFS 40: Lippisch-designed Fieseler F 3 deriv.; 2-seater; fixed u/c
- DFS 40: 1 x 120 hp Argus As 8 4-cyl. pusher; span 12.00 m

DFS 42 - 1942 forward-swept wing Kormoran glider; x 1
- DFS 42: Experimental glider; proved structurally weak
- DFS 42: Frame tail boom (motor-glider?); span 14.00 m
-- Unsure if designation should be DFS 108 42 Kormoran

108 49 - RLM desig. for 1932 Schneider/DFS Grunau Baby II

108 51 - RLM desig. for 1935 Jacobs/DFS Rhönsperber sailplane

108 53 - RLM desig. for 1936 DFS Habicht acrobatic sailplane

DFS 54 - (Project) Experimental single-seat pressurized sailplane
- DFS 54: Intended to test planned high-altitude escape system
- DFS 54: Eclipsed by rocket-powered DFS 228 recce prototype

DFS 56 - (??)

108 60 - RLM designation for 1937 Jacobs/DFS Reiher sailplane

108 68 - RLM designation for 1938 Jacobs/DFS Weihe sailplane

108 70 - RLM desig. for 1939 Jacobs/DFS Olympia Meise sailplane

DFS 193 - (Project) 1937 small tailless delta research aircraft
- DFS 193: 'Delta' series; constr. begun but not completed

DFS 194 - 1938-1941 tailless delta research a/c prototype; x 1
- DFS 194: (Project) 1938 pusher-prop tailless delta research a/c
-- https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/various-dfs-projects.17130/page-2#post-289216
- DFS 194: (Project) Airframe completed March 1938; not flown
- DFS 194: 1940 rocket-propelled tailless delta research a/c; x 1
- DFS 194: Orig. airframe mod. to accept a liquid-fuelled rocket
- DFS 194: 1 x 882 lbf Walter R I-203 rocket motor; span 10.40 m

DFS 203 - (Project) Zwilling DFS 230 heavy military assault glider
- DFS 203: 2 x conjoined DFS 230 fuselages; troop & cargo carrier
- DFS 203: No major advantage over DFS 230; project cancelled
-- https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/dfs-203-and-dfs-332-twin-fuselage-gliders.21095/

DFS 228 - High-altitude rocket-powered recce a/c prototype; x 2*
-- Better described as a rocket-assisted reconnaissance sailplane
- DFS 228: Effectively a rocket-powered development of DFS 54
- DFS 228: 1 x 3,637 lbf Walter HWK 509D rocket;** span 17.56 m
-- * 2nd prototype was destroyed by Allied bombing in May 1945
-- ** Rocket motor never installed; 40 x unpowered flights made
-- https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/dfs-228.9629/

DFS 230 - 1937 military assault glider; mixed constr'n; x 1,600+
- DFS 230 : High-wing/strut-braced, skid-landed transport glider
-- DFS 230A-1: Initial prod'n assault glider; carried 7 x troops
-- DFS 230A-2: Dual-control training variant of the DFS 230A-1
-- DFS 230B-1: Improved; braking chute; optional 1 x MG 34 mg
-- DFS 230B-2: Dual-control training variant of the DFS 230B-1
-- DFS 230C-1: Late prod'n; nose braking rocket on DFS 230B-1
-- DFS 230D-1: aka V6; DFS 230C-1 w/ impr. braking rocket; x 1
-- DFS 230F-1: aka V7; complete, double-sized redesigning; x 1
-- DFS 230F-1: Concept skirting a ban on DFS 230 replacements
-- DFS 230F-1: Stammkennzeichen DV+AV; carried 15 x troops
-- DFS 230(?): 1943 conv. of DFS 230A-1 to a low-winged config.
-- DFS 230(?): (Project) DFS 230A-1 fitted with twin float gear
-- DFS 230(?): (Project) Fitted w/ Argus pulsejet booster engines

DFS 301 - (Project) Poss. related to DFS 346; no details (??)
-- Some sources claim designation for Samolet 346-P

DFS 331 - 1940 large cargo glider type; Hans Jacobs design; x 1
- DFS 331: Conventional fuselage layout; twin fins and rudders
- DFS 331: 1 x 7.92 mm MG 15 mg for self-defence; span 21.60 m
-- Flugkapitän Hanna Reitsch test-flew prototype; 30 Sept 1940
- DFS 331: Lost competition to the twin-boomed Gotha Go 242

DFS 332 - Twin-fuselaged research a/c to test wing profile; x 2
- DFS 332: Twin cockpits; constant-chord centre wing section
- DFS 332: 2 x 1,433 lbf Walter 109-509A-1;* span 14.98 m
-- * Walter HWK R II-203 liquid-fuel bipropellant rocket
-- https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/dfs-203-and-dfs-332-twin-fuselage-gliders.21095/

DFS 346 - (Project) Transonic research/reconnaissance a/c
- DFS 346: Parallel development to straight-winged DFS 228
- DFS 346: Swept wings of metal construction (unlike DFS 228)
-- Recovered airframes completed by OKB-2 in the Soviet Union
-- Samolet 346-P: 1947 unpowered glider trials variant
-- Samolet 346-1: aka 346-I; 1948 powered trials variant
-- Samolet 346-2: 1950 346-1 rebuild after a hard landing
-- Samolet 346-3: 1951; claimed to break sound barrier
-- Samolet 346-3: 2 x Walter HWK 109-510s; span 9.00 m

DFS 360 - (Project) 1945 claimed 'disc' Mistel bomb component
- DFS 360: 6 x 1,100 lbf Argus 109-044 pulsejets; span (??) m
-- Dubbed Berserker (according to a rather dubious source)

DFS 446 - (Project) 194?; Poss. related to DFS 346; no details (??)

DFS 463 - (??) claimed DFS designation; no evidence

DFS 464 - (Project) Carrier aircraft for DFS 360 Mistel bomb

DFS 466 - (??) claimed DFS designation; little evidence
- DFS 466: Designation listed in dubious April 1954 CIA document
-- Samolet 466: 1950 OKB-2 glider design based on DFS work
-- Samolet 466: Similar to Samolet 468; work stopped 1951

DFS 468 - (??) claimed DFS designation; no evidence

DFS 478 - (??)

DFS 486 - (??) claimed DFS designation; little evidence
- DFS 486: Designation listed in dubious April 1954 CIA document
-- Samolet 486: 1950 OKB-2 glider design based on DFS work
-- Samolet 486: Similar to Samolet 466; work stopped 1951

DFS 582 - (Project) High-altitude research jet motor-glider
- DFS 582: 1 x 3,000 lbf P&WC JT12-A6 jet; span 30.00 m
- DFS 582: Begun 1960; 2 x prototypes planned, not built*
-- Prototype later begun as VFW P.58 (but never finished)
-- https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/dfs-582.2091/

DFS 611 - (Project) 2-seat meteorological research aircraft
- DFS 611: Orig. FFM 611; motor-glider with folding props
- DFS 611: 1 x 100 hp Continental O-200-A; span 17.00 m
-- https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/question-about-dfs-611.10656/

 

[hesham]

Amazing work my dear Apophenia,

and I can add;

DFS E32 was a sailplane

DFS 56 was a sailplane

DFS 446,463,468 & 478 with 378,please see,

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/soviet-dfs-okb-2-projects-346-derivatives-468-478-486-and-more.4171/#post-276863

 

[Stargazer]

Great work as usual, Apophenia, thanks. However...

DFS 468 - (??) claimed DFS designation; no evidence

I disagree. There is at least this image from an unidentified Polish magazine, captioned as showing the DFS 468 project.

 

[Stargazer]

A few images of DFS types that I couldn't find in your list:

• "DFS DVL-2" (possibly just the number of the drawing)
• "DFS Jacht 71" (possibly just the serial number, certainly in your list under a different name)
• "DFS Projekt-X", a derivative of the DFS 39
• A modified Kranich II with prone pilot
• "DFS Robbe" (probably in your list under a different name)
• "DFS Seeadler" (probably in your list under a different name)
• "DFS long-range bomber"
• A DFS model in Me 262 configuration
• DFS 582 Turbine-powered research glider

If you've already covered these and I couldn't find them, please forgive my mistake!

 

[Apophenia]

I disagree. There is at least this image from an unidentified Polish magazine, captioned as showing the DFS 468 project.

I did see that image but the accompanying text is all about other projects. Another reference is that April 1954 CIA document but the analyst(s) interchange 486 with 468.

Other info on the 'DFS 468' seems to originate with Rob Arndt. ;P

 

[Apophenia]

A few images of DFS types that I couldn't find in your list: ...

I haven't tried to cover every DFS design - just the Mo and RLM designations mentioned by hesham in the opening post.

Apologies on the DFS 582 ... I had mis-listed is as the 'DFS 528'

 

[Apophenia]

and I can add;

DFS E32 was a sailplane

DFS 56 was a sailplane

DFS 446,463,468 & 478 with 378,please see,

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/soviet-dfs-okb-2-projects-346-derivatives-468-478-486-and-more.4171/#post-276863

DFS 446 is included in my list. DFS 463, 468, and 478 are also noted (mainly as garbled info springing from that April 1954 CIA report on Soviet developments).

I have seen mention of the E32 but can't be sure if this is different from the DFS Mo 32.

Do you have a reference for this 'DFS 56' sailplane? The RLM number 108-56 was assigned to the 1935 Dittmar Condor II.

 

[hesham]

DFS 446 is included in my list. DFS 463, 468, and 478 are also noted (mainly as garbled info springing from that April 1954 CIA report on Soviet developments).

I have seen mention of the E32 but can't be sure if this is different from the DFS Mo 32.

Do you have a reference for this 'DFS 56' sailplane? The RLM number 108-56 was assigned to the 1935 Dittmar Condor II.

OK my dear Apophenia,

and in my files,the DFS 56 was a sailplane,and the Osprey's book.

 

[Apophenia]

and in my files,the DFS 56 was a sailplane,and the Osprey's book.

Your clipping (from Osprey?) is addressing postwar Soviet developments and has successful avoided any temptation to append 'DFS' suffixes to every number. We should do the same.

On 'DFS 56', the issue is both designation form and scant evidence.

We know that RLM 108-56 was the Condor II designed by Heini Dittmar. And we know that DFS constructed a number of Condor IIs (and IIIs). So there is a connection between DFS and 108-56. But I have yet to find any connection between Dittmar - as a designer - and DFS.

Of course, Dittmar worked at DFS as a test pilot (eg: flying the DFS 40 and DFS 194). And he had previously flown DFS products (eg: the DFS-built Fafnir 2 'Sao Paulo'). But there is a bit of a warning built into that last example. Even while images show that 'Sao Paulo' had "RRG Fafnir 2" painted right onto its airframe, it is still often referred to as a 'DFS Fafnir 2'.

So, is it possible that the designation 'DFS 108-56' was applied (rightly or wrongly) to the Condor II? Sure. Can we prove that this was the case? No. And, until this can be proven - ideally with primary sources - I suggest that we approach this possibility with caution.

Circumstantial evidence might be found in the known connections between designers and DFS designations. DFS chief designer, Hans Jacobs, designed the 108-51 Rhönsperber series; the 108-53 Habicht series; and the 108-68 Weihe; amongst many others. You will see the latter listed as a 'DFS 108-68' but it will still be attributed to Jacobs Schweyer (after the designer and key manufacturer Flugzeubau Schweyer). How such attributions are arrived at is a matter of preference ... and conjecture (as a form of lumpers vs splitted debate).

I have no problem with listings like Jacobs Rhönsperber, Schweyer Rhönsperber, and/or DFS Rhönsperber. However, to measure of academic quality, our desires to complete designation lists should not be allowed to skew snippets of available information from secondary source into dubious 'evidence'.

 

[klem]

Yefim Gordon in "Soviet Rocket Fighters" also cites the 470 interceptor.

 

[robunos]

Regarding the prone pilot Kranich, I came across an article in 'Lotnictwo_z_Szachownica_2008-04, '29'. Unfortunately, as I don't read Polish, I can't tell you what's in the article. However, here is said article, the pages attached as images . . .



cheers,
Robin.