Udet-Flugzeugbau GmbH

[Apophenia]

Udet-Flugzeugbau GmbH, München-Ramersdorf

Famous WWI fighter ace and stunt pilot Ernst Udet lent his name to this company but the aircraft were designed by Ing. Hans Henry Herrmann. Udet left the firm in the spring 1925. In 1926 financially-strapped Udet-Flugzeugbau was converted into a into a joint-stock company by the Bavarian government. This new company was rebranded as the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW).

Udet-Flugzeugbau 'U' Designations

Udet U 1 - 1922 single-seat low-wing light a/c, x 1
- U 1: 1 x 30/32 hp Haacke HFM 2 HO2, span 8.90 m
-- http://www.histaviation.com/Udet_U_1.html
-- https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1922/1922 - 0393.html
-- https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1922/1922 - 0394.html
-- 3v: http://www.airwar.ru/image/idop/law1/u1/u1-1.gif

Udet U 2 - 1923 2-seat low-wing light a/c, x 4*
- U 2: 1 x 35 hp Haacke HFM 2 HO2, span 8.90 m
-- U 2 basically a 2-seat variant of U 1 airframe
-- * German Aviation 1919-1945 lists 9 x reg.
-- https://histaviation.com/udet_u2.html
-- 3v: https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1923/1923 - 0122.html

Udet U 3 - 192? single-seat low-wing light a/c, x 1*
- U 3: 1 x Siemens Sh 4 5-cyl radial, span (??) m
-- * Some sources say U 3 remained unbuilt project
-- * Others say 2-seater; see reply
-- https://histaviation.com/udet_u3.html

Udet U 4 - 1923 single-seat low-wing light a/c; x 1 (?)
- U 4: 1 x Siemens Sh 4 5-cyl radial; span (??) m
-- More powerful development of the Udet U 2
-- https://histaviation.com/udet_u4.html

Udet U 5 - 1923 3-seat parasol cabin monoplane
- U 5: 1 x 70 hp Siemens Sh 6 7-cyl; span 12.00 m
-- https://histaviation.com/images/wwb_img7239.jpg
-- https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1923/1923 - 0709.html
-- 3v: https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1923/1923 - 0710.html

Udet U 6 - 1923 2-seat* low-wing light a/c, x 3
- U 6: 1 x 55/60 hp Siemens Halske Sh 4 5-cyl; span 9.60 m
-- * At least one U 6 modified as a single-seater
-- The 3 x U 6 built were D-487, D-325, and D-330
--https://histaviation.com/udet_u6.html

Udet U 7 - 1924 'Kolibri' single-seat parasol light a/c
- U 7: 1 x 17 hp Douglas or 30 hp ABC Scorpion HO2
-- * Alternative was 1 x 35 hp (750 cc) Douglas HO2
-- U 7: Wood constr., ply-covered fuselage; aka Udet U.VII
-- https://histaviation.com/udet_u7.html
-- https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1924/1924 - 0467.html
-- 3v: https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1925/1925 - 0325.html

Udet U 8 - 1924 'Limousine' parasol-wing cabin monoplane
- U 8: 1 x 100 hp Siemens or Bristol Lucifer; span 12.00 m
-- https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1925/1925 - 0326.html
-- 3v: https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1923/1923 - 0710.html

Udet U 9 - (Project) 1925 amphibious flying boat
- U 9: 1 x 100 hp Siemens-Halske Sh 11 7-cyl. radial

Udet U 10 - 1924 2-seat light sport monoplane, x 10
- U 10 : 1 x 60 hp Siemens & Halske Sh 4; span 10.60 m
- U 10a: Float variant; 1 x 80 hp Siemens & Halske Sh 11
-- 3v: https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1925/1925 - 0325.html

Udet U 11 - 1925 'Kondor' 3+8 transport a/c, span 22.00 m
- U 11: High-wing monoplane, 4 x 100 hp Sh 12 pushers
-- Metal fuselage, wooden wings, open cockpits; x 1
-- Operated by Aero Lloyd (DLH), c/n 243, D-828
-- https://histaviation.com/udet_u11.html

Udet U 12 'Flamingo' - 1925 2-seat basic trainer biplane
- U 12a: 1 x 80 hp Siemens-Halske Sh 11; span 9.96 m
- U 12a Spezial (Special): Aerobatic variant of U 12
- U 12b: Aerobatic vers.; bench-type tabs above ailerons
- U 12b Spezial (Special) Siemens-Halske Sh 12
-- http://1000aircraftphotos.com/Contributions/MasonDavid/4385.htm
- U 12c: Advanced trainer variant; reduced wing area
- U 12d: Aerobatic vers. with Siemens-Halske Sh 12 radial
- U 12e: Advanced trainer vers. with Siemens-Halske Sh 12
- U 12H: Austrian Fliegerwerft Thalerhof-built U 12a*
-- * Standard U 12a, U 12H designation for Holz (Wood)
- U 12S: Fliegerwerft Thalerhof version; revised constr.**
-- ** Steel-tube fuselage constr., U 12S for Stahl (Steel)
- U 12S: aka U 12Ö for Österreich (Austria)
- U 12W: (Wasser) Twin float variant; Sh 12 9-cyl. radial
- Hungária series: KRG/Manfred Weiss-built vers. of U 12a
-- Hungária I, 'II, 'III, 'IV, and Hungária V variants
- Latvian prod'n, 10 x U 12b by A.S. Christine Backman*
-- * 1930, 1 x conv. to 145 hp Walter Mars 14 I-SR (#77)

Udet U 13 'Bayern' - 1926 2-seat biplane floatplane,* x 1
- U 13 'Bayern': 1 x 600 hp BMW VI V12, span 15.00 m
-- * Built for Deutschen Seeflug-Wettbewerb competition
-- http://www.airwar.ru/image/idop/other1/u13/u13-3.jpg
-- http://www.histaviation.com/udet_u13.html

Udet U 14 - (Project) 1926 'Mexico' twin-engined multi-purpose biplane
- U 14: Nightfighter/recce aircraft; led to similar BFW M 22 of 1929*
-- * To satisfy RWM ** requirement (code-name 'Najaku'); late 1929
-- ** Reichswehrministerium (Weimar's Reich War Ministry)

Udet U 15 - (??) speculative designation
Udet U 16 - (??) speculative designation

Udet U 17 - (Project) Improved 2-seat U 12 biplane trainer; span 7.00 m

Udet-Flugzeugbau Unknown Designations

Udet Pinguin - no details

Udet Alpensegler - 1927 high-winged experimental glider; span (??)
-- Alpensegler translates as Alpine Swift (Apus melba)
-- http://www.bildarchivaustria.at/Bildarchiv/FLU/16/B1201829T1886984.jpg
-- http://www.j2mcl-planeurs.net/dbj2mcl/planeurs-machines/planeur-fiche_0int.php?code=3869
___________________________________

 

[hesham]

Amazing work my dear,

and its projects is mentioned here.

http://www.gbv.de/dms/tib-ub-hannover/766124584.pdf

 

[Maveric]

From Hesham´s PDF, the U.17 and the "Pinguin" are not the same. I believe two different Projects.

 

[Apophenia]

From Hesham´s PDF, the U.17 and the "Pinguin" are not the same. I believe two different Projects.

Well spotted Maveric! Another source has the same contents listing: "Udet U 17, 'Pinguin' und weitere Projekte" ... that comma making all the difference

http://d-nb.info/1042690650/04

 

[richard]

Source :http://www.gbv.de/dms/tib-ub-hannover/766124584.pdf

About the U 14 "Mexico" : Project for a nightfighter and recco two engined biplane (1926) It became later , in 1929 , the very similar BFW M 22 .

http://www.fliegerweb.com/de/lexicon/Geschichte/BFW++M+22-436


About the U 17 : Improved U 12 Flamingo . Two seater , Span 7,00 m ; Length 5,55 m .

 

[hesham]

Amazing Info my dear Richard,many thanks.

 

[Apophenia]

Thanks Richard ... great stuff!

Am I correct in assuming that the U 17 was an unbuilt project?

 

[richard]

Thanks Richard ... great stuff!

Am I correct in assuming that the U 17 was an unbuilt project?

Yes , only a project .

 

[richard B]

Udet U 2 - 1923 2-seat low-wing light a/c, x 4*
- U 2: 1 x 35 hp Haacke HFM 2 HO2, span 8.90 m
-- U 2 basically a 2-seat version of the U 2
-- * German Aviation 1919-1945 lists 9 x reg.
-- http://www.histaviation.com/udet_u2.html
-- 3v: https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1923/1923 - 0122.html

Udet U 3 - 192? single-seat low-wing light a/c, x 1*
- U 3: 1 x Siemens Sh 4 5-cyl radial, span ?? m
-- * D-203, poss. a U 4 rebuilt as single-seater**
-- ** Other sources say U3 remained unbuilt project
-- http://www.histarmar.com.ar/AVIACION/SAEAvCivil/38.jpg (right)

Udet U 4 - 1923 2-seat low-wing light a/c, x
- U 4: 1 x Siemens Sh 4 5-cyl radial, span ?? m
-- More powerful development of the Udet U 2
-- http://www.histaviation.com/udet_u3.html

I am trying to understand the U 2 , U 3 and U 4 designations .

At first , I think they are no two-seater , but single seater only .

http://histaviation.com/udet_u2.html

The U.2 is said to have a 35 hp Haacke engine flat twin , the U.3 and U.4 a 55hp Siemens radial .
(On the German register , NO U.3 , 9 X U.2 and one U.4 (Bäumer Aero))

For some sources Udet went to Argentina with an U.2 and a U.3 , for other with an U.2 and U.4 :



Anyway , again an U2 with the Haacke and an U3 or U4 with a radial Siemens
Later , the Siemens one (race Nr 18 later 22) was modified , and identified as a U.4 :

http://histaviation.com/udet_u3.html

http://histaviation.com/udet_u4.html

I think
-Bruno Lange is right when he says "U 3 was a project only"
-Udet went in Argentina with an U2 and an U4 , later modified in Argentina when Udet returned in Germany

What do you think about that , my dear Watson ?

 

[Jjr]

the U-2 was a single seater with a twin Haacke, the U-3 was a two seater project with Haacke also mentioned with Siemens (its possible that first projected with the Haacke and later planned the Siemens?), the U-4 a single seater like the U-2 but with a Siemens engine.

 

[Apophenia]

the U-2 was a single seater with a twin Haacke, the U-3 was a two seater project with Haacke also mentioned with Siemens (its possible that first projected with the Haacke and later planned the Siemens?), the U-4 a single seater like the U-2 but with a Siemens engine.

Thanks. Do you have a source for this?

I see that I had garbled the U 3 and U 4 features (which has now been corrected and the links are updated).

Published drawings of the U 2 clearly show a tandem 2-seater (although such drawings are often accompanied by photos of the single-seat U 1). Images purported to be of the Udet U 3 show a radial-engined single-seater - in other words, a U 1 analogue other than the 5-cylinder Siemens engine.

Other sources agree with your statement that the U 3 may have been an unbuilt project (albeit with no mention of a 2-seater). So, it is possible that, over time, an unbuilt U 3 project has been conflated/confused with the built U 4 (D-203).

 

[Maveric]

Udet U.2, sports aircraft with 25.5 kW (35 hp) Haacke engine. Improved U.1, only a few built, D-234 to D-241.
Udet U.3, two-seater, with Sh.4, remained a design.
Udet U.4, a sports aircraft powered by the Siemens Sh.4. Single-seat, similar to the U.2, e.g., the D-203. Udet participated in the Wilbur Cup in Buenos Aires in August 1923 with the U.2 and U.4.

Source: Bruno Lange - Typenhandbuch der deutschen Luftfahrttechnik)

 

[Maveric]

https://histaviation.com/udet_u3.html

According to the statement in Lange's book, the supposed U.3 is a U.4 and the U.3 remains a project.

 

[hesham]

But in a book about Udet,that U-3 was built ?.

 

[Apophenia]

But in a book about Udet,that U-3 was built ?.

Yes, that has been part of the confusion. Some sources even identify D-203 as the U 3 (whereas, of course, that was the U 4).

 

[Jjr]

Thanks. Do you have a source for this?

I see that I had garbled the U 3 and U 4 features (which has now been corrected and the links are updated).

Published drawings of the U 2 clearly show a tandem 2-seater (although such drawings are often accompanied by photos of the single-seat U 1). Images purported to be of the Udet U 3 show a radial-engined single-seater - in other words, a U 1 analogue other than the 5-cylinder Siemens engine.

Other sources agree with your statement that the U 3 may have been an unbuilt project (albeit with no mention of a 2-seater). So, it is possible that, over time, an unbuilt U 3 project has been conflated/confused with the built U 4 (D-203).

There is no source for this, but you have to take some conclusions. In Illustrierte Flug-Woche 5. Jahrgang 1923 is an article concerning the Udet Two-seater. With the welknown two-seater drawing, but the pictures shown a smaller cockpit than the drawing. This is one of the type with serial D-234 - 241, known as the U-2.
The two-seater was in length 5,53 m, but the one with the smaller cockpit (I calculated) about 5,33.
My conclusion is that the 5.33 m was the U-2 and the two-seater (just what Bruno Lange mentioned) U-3, project only.
The U-4 was about 5,41 m length with (maybe) some differences.
I am not finished with the inquiring concerning both types.

 

[richard B]

#14 : Is the "22" the (or a?) modified U4 ?