Siebel Si 204

The Siebel Si 204 was a small twin-engined transport aircraft developed for the during World War II. It was based on the Fh 104. Originally designed in response to a Lufthansa order in 1939, it was eventually produced for the Luftwaffe.

Development

A clean, low-wing monoplane of all-metal construction, the Si 204 was a modern aircraft at the time of its first flight in May 1941, and the Luftwaffe's first interest in it was as a twin-engine trainer to replace the Focke-Wulf Fw 58. The aircraft was fitted with a glazed nose to allow navigators and bombardiers to be trained alongside pilots and ordered into production. However, the Siebel factory was being used to manufacture Junkers Ju 88s and had no capacity available for another type. Production was therefore allocated to aircraft factories in occupied territories. In France, SNCAC manufactured 150 examples of the Si 204A and Si 204D as the NC 702 and NC 700 respectively. In Czechoslovakia, Aero built it as the C-3 and C-103 (although sometimes confused, the Aero A.204 was a completely unrelated and indigenously-developed aircraft of similar configuration) and other production was undertaken by Praga and Walter. Late in the war, with material shortages looming, Siebel prepared to construct a batch of aircraft that replaced some of the structure with wood, but these were not completed by the end of the war.

Up to 1945, 1,175 examples were built, with licence production by SNCAC and Aero continuing for some years after the war. Post-war SNCAC versions are known as the NC 701 Martinet

Operational history

Si 204s undertook a variety of training, transport, liaison, and air ambulance roles. Some were converted "in the field" to carry turrets that could be used for gunnery training (a dedicated armed version never entered mass production) and others to carry the FuG 217 and FuG 218 radars. It is also possible that some prototype Si 204Es were used as night bombers in Belarus.

After the war, captured Si 204s flew in a variety of roles in the Soviet Union, including with Aeroflot and TsAGI, but were all quickly phased out of service as local aircraft manufacturing was re-established.

General Characteristics

• Crew: one or two pilots
• Capacity: up to 8 passengers or up to 1,650 kg (3,638 lb) cargo
• Length: 13.00 m (42 ft 8 in)
• Wingspan: 21.33 m (70 ft 0 in)
• Height: 4.25 m (14 ft 0 in)
• Wing area: 46 m² (495 ft²)
• Empty: 3,950 kg (8,709 lb)
• Loaded: kg ( lb)
• Maximum takeoff: 5,600 kg (12,348 lb)
• Powerplant: 2x Si 201 -

Si 202 - DFS 203 - Si 204 - Fw 206 - Me 208 - List of Aircraft | Aircraft Manufacturers | Aircraft Engines | Aircraft Engine Manufacturers
Airlines | Air Forces | Aircraft Weapons | Missiles | Years in Aviation |}