Gotha Go 244

The Gotha Go 244 was a German twin‑engine transport aircraft developed during World War II as a powered version of the Gotha Go 242 glider. Designed by Gothaer Waggonfabrik, the first prototype flew in early 1942 and entered limited service with the Luftwaffe later that year. The Go 244 retained the high‑wing, twin‑boom layout of its glider predecessor, but added two radial engines—initially 750 hp Gnome‑Röder M‑105E, later replaced by 1 200 hp BMW 801—mounted on the inner wings. This configuration gave the aircraft a maximum speed of about 300 km/h, a range of 1 200 km, and the ability to carry up to 1 800 kg of cargo or 22 troops. Its robust wooden‑frame construction and large cargo doors made it suitable for rough‑field operations and paratroop drops. Although the Go 244 saw action on the Eastern Front, the North African campaign, and in supply missions to the island of Crete, its performance was hampered by reliability problems and susceptibility to enemy fighters. Nevertheless, the Go 244 demonstrated the potential of converting gliders into powered transports, influencing later designs such as the Ju 46 and post‑war cargo aircraft concepts. Only about 150 units were built before production ceased in 1944, marking the Go 244 as a transitional experiment that paved the way for cargo aircraft development.

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