Focke-Wulf Helicopters

Heinrich Focke was the owner of the Focke-Wulf company. Not only was he a brilliant businessman, but he was also a scientific pioneer of helicopters, and other aviation concepts. He also worked as a professor. Under a license he produced German versions of an early British Helicopter design, known as the La Cierva C-19 and C-30. After creating these, he designed his own model of a similar craft known as the Fw-61, which was the world’s first practical helicopter. In the 30’s when his helicopter premiered at the Deutschland Hall Stadium, while being flown by a renowned pilot Hanne Reitsch.

After his first successful prototype, Heinrich Focke went on to design the Fa-223, Fa-224, Fa-266, Fa-269, Fa-283, Fa-284, and Fa-336. However, only the Fa-223 would be produced. These were considered heavy-lift helicopters. Even for an early prototype, the Fa-223 set many records for its time, including having a top speed of 113 mph, and a max ceiling of 1,732 feet, in 1940. These crafts were used in the war for mountain troops, rescue attempts, and for aircraft crash recovery. There were also plans to mount machine guns in the nose and set up the craft to carry bombs as well. Unfortunately, the combat version of this aircraft was never built. If it did, the Fw-223 would have been the first helicopter attack.

After Heinrich Focke built his first helicopter, Focke went on to design the Fa 225, which was another helicopter, that was built using the same rotor system as a Fa-223 but was built using a fuselage of a DFS-230 glider. This machine was experimental, with a tail much more similar to a fix winged aircraft, rather than the type of classic helicopters have. However, it worked.

Another type of Helicopter that Focke developed was the Fa-330. This was a very simple helicopter, which was lightweight and capable of being deployed from U-boats. This helicopter would be stored in a waterproof container on top of the deck and then deployed to act as a spotter.

Later he would design the Fa-336, which was never built by the Germans, but captured designs were put together by France, after the War.

Heinrich Focke would use his experience in Helicopter building and testing to design other, more exotic vehicles.