Bucker Bu 181 Bestmann

     The Bu 181 was a two-seat trainer used by the Luftwaffe beginning in 1939.  It featured side-by-side seating for the teacher and student, with a large baggage compartment behind the cabin.  The seats accommodated parachutes for the crew.

     The Bu 181 burns 4.35 gallons of aviation fuel per hour at routine usage.  A full load of fuel costs $6.

 

Bucker Bu 181A Bestmann

Subassemblies: Recon Fighter chassis +2; Recon Fighter wings; 3 fixed wheels +0.

Powertrain:  87-kW HP gasoline engine with 87-kW prop and 30-gallon fuel tank [Body].

Occ.:  2 CS Body

Cargo:  3.4 Body

 

Armor             F         RL           B           T           U

Body:           2/2W   2/2W      2/2W     2/2W     2/2W

Wings:         1/2C     1/2C       1/2C      1/2C      1/2C

Wheels:         2/3       2/3          2/3         2/3        2/3

 

Equipment:

Body:  Medium radio transmitter and receiver, navigation instruments, backup driver.

 

Statistics:

Size:  26'x35'x7'      Payload:  0.3 tons       Lwt.:  0.83 tons

Volume:  96          Maint.:  166 hours        Cost:  $1,443

HT:  7.    HPs:  15 Body, 25 each Wing, 2 each Wheel.

aSpeed:  134     aAccel:  3     aDecel:  11   aMR:  3    aSR:  1

Stall Speed: 46 mph.  Take-Off Run: 265 yards.  Landing Run: 212 yards.

gSpeed:  164     gAccel:  8     gDecel:  10   gMR:  0.5    gSR:  2

Ground Pressure: High.  1/6 Off-Road Speed.

 

Design Notes:

     Historical wing area was 145 sf.  The fuel capacity was based on the historical disposable load minus crew weight; this made design payload and historical payload identical.  Design loaded weight was increased 3% to the historical.  Design aSpeed was 123 mph.  Performance calculations were based on historical values for wing area and loaded weight.

 

Variants:

     The Bu 181D was a later production version with minor differences.

     The Sk 25 was the Swedish-built version.  708 built.

     After the war, the plane was produced in Czechoslovakia as the Zlin Z-281 and Z-381 (for civilian use) and the C.6 and C.106 (for military use).

 

From the Aerodrome for GURPS

© 2008 by Jim Antonicic