Friedrichshafen FF.41

FF.41

Manufacturer: Flugzeugbau Friedrichshafen GmbH
First flight: 1917
Introduced: 1917
Primary users: Kaiserliche Marine Finnish Air Force Estonian Air Force
Number built: 9

The Friedrichshafen FF.41 was a large, German-built, three-seat, twin-engine amphibious reconnaissance aircraft designed by Flugzeugbau Friedrichshafen in 1917.

The aircraft was mainly used as a reconnaissance aircraft, but also as a bomber and as a mine-laying aircraft. A torpedo-carrying version, the FF.41AT, was also developed. It had a modified fuselage and a single vertical fin (in comparison to the basic model's three). Only five FF.41AT aircraft were manufactured.

Use in Finland

The Finnish Air Force purchased one FF.41AT aircraft from the Germans in Estonia on 26 November 1918, at the end of World War I. It was flown to Sortavala where it was repaired. In 1922, the torpedo-carrying fuselage was changed and the capability to carry torpedoes was removed. This aircraft was in use between 1918-23.

Operators

Estonia Estonian Air Force Finland Finnish Air Force German Empire

Specifications (FF.41)

Data from Thulinista Hornetiin

General characteristics

Crew: 3
Length: 13.70 m (44 ft 11 in)
Wingspan: 21.96 m (72 ft 0 in)
Height: 4.65 m (15 ft 3 in)
Wing area: 112.5 m² (1,210.5 ft²)
Max takeoff weight: 3,670 kg (7,340 lb)
Powerplant: 2x— Benz Bz.III 6-cylinder, water-cooled inline, 112 kW (150 hp) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 120 km/h (65 kn, 74 mph)
Endurance: 6 hours

Armament

1 x— 7.92 mm (.312 in) machine gun
Bombs
1 x— 700 kg (1,540 lb) torpedo

Sources

Timo Heinonen (1992). Thulinista Hornetiin - 75 vuotta Suomen ilmavoimien lentokoneita. Tikkakoski: Keski-Suomen ilmailumuseo. ISBN 9519568824.

Friedrichshafen FF.41 Pictures

More aircraft.

Source: WikiPedia