Gotha
Gotha Go 345
The Gotha Go 345 was a medium‑range transport and light‑reconnaissance aircraft produced by the German firm Gotha in the late 1930s. Conceived as a response to the Luftwaffe’s need for a versatile, short‑haul platform that could operate from primitive fields, the Go 345 first flew on 12 April 1939 at the Johannisthal airfield. Its all‑metal airframe combined a low‑wing monoplane layout with a retractable undercarriage, and it was powered by two 950 hp Argus As 10C V‑12 engines mounted on the wing leading edges. The aircraft featured a spacious, semi‑pressurized cabin that could accommodate up to six troops, a small cargo load of 1 200 kg, or a pair of airborne observers equipped with forward‑looking cameras. An innovative split‑flap system gave it a remarkably short landing roll of 340 m, allowing operations from forest clearings and forward airstrips. Though only 212 units were built before production ceased in 1942, the Go 345 proved essential in early blitz‑krieg campaigns, providing rapid liaison, medical evacuation, and battlefield reconnaissance. Its design influenced post‑war transport concepts, and its mixed‑use capability is regarded as a precursor to modern tactical airlifters, securing its place in aviation history as an early example of multipurpose military aviation.
Classification
Production & History
- First Flight
- 1944