Siebel Si 204
Encyclopedia
The Siebel
Si 204 was a small twin-engined transport and trainer aircraft developed during World War II
. It was based on the Fh 104
. Originally designed in response to a RLM development order for a small civil transport plane in 1938
, it was eventually produced for the Luftwaffe
.
. The development of this all-metal-plane was initiated in 1938. The contractor was, as usual, the RLM, but the development was conducted in close collaboration between Luft Hansa and Siebel in Halle. After the beginning of the war the plane was re-designed as a trainer aircraft with a full "stepless" glass cockpit, with no separate flat windscreen for the pilot (much as almost all German bomber aircraft of the time were being designed with), which seemed to be better for blind flying in the Si 204's case.
The first two prototypes only were delivered as passenger planes with the old cockpit. The maiden flight of the first prototype was before September 1940, possibly on 25 May 1940, that of the second prototype before February 1941
. The third prototype was re-designed as a trainer aircraft for blind flying. As a result of this, the maiden flight was not earlier than the end of 1941 or the beginning of 1942
.
At that time Siebel produced the Junkers Ju 88
under licence, and therefore only 15 prototypes were able to be built in Halle. As a result, SNCAN in France produced the passenger plane A-1 and the pre-series A-0 between April 1942
and November 1943
.
ČKD/BMM in the Czech Protectorate delivered the first blind flying trainer D-0 in January 1943 followed by the production of a further 44 D-0 pre-series planes. The D-1 series was begun in March 1943 by the Aero
company, also located in the Czech Protectorate, and by BMM in June or July 1943. In August 1943, SNCAN also delivered the first D-1.
The production of the D-3 was started in October 1944
by the Aero company. The D-3 had wooden wings and a tail plane made of wood and metal. In France, production of the D-1 was ended in August 1944 as a result of the Liberation. All in all 168 Si 204 were built by SNCAN. BMM produced the plane until October 1944 and then changed to the production of spare parts for the Si 204. The Aero company was scheduled to cease production of the D-1 in March 1945 after building 486 planes and then switch to D-3 only. The aircraft, however, was only built until January 1945 with 541 completed.
Therefore the total production was 1,216 including the prototypes.
Production figures of the Si 204 until 31 January 1945:
Sources: Files from Federal Archive/Military Archive Freiburg and from Lufthansa-Archive, Cologne
After the war, a production of Si 204 continued in Czechoslovakia and France. In Czechoslovakia Aero Vodochody
produced 179 Si 204D, developed into military trainer variants Aero C-3A and C-3B (the later for bombardier training), passenger variant C-103 and military transport variant Aero D-44 until 1949. In France SNCAC
, commonly known as Aérocentre, produced 240 transport NC-701 Martinets and a number (110?) of passenger NC-702 Martinets. The NC-701 was distinguished by three-blade propellers and was powered by 440 kW (590 hp) Renault 125-00 engines. The NC-702 had a modified nose.
The use of the Si 204 D was mainly in B- and C-Schools (advanced schools) and by FÜG 1 (delivery wing of the Luftwaffe), probably as a taxi plane for crews who had delivered other planes to fighting units. The utilization in blind flying schools was sporadic; for radio schools there is no evidence of use. The Si 204 A flew mainly with communications squadrons and flying services for senior officers, but also with schools.
In July 1944 five Si 204 were destined to be converted to night combat planes, but no further planes were allotted. They were probably intended for the pre-series Si 204 E-0. There is, however, no evidence that these planes were ever used in combat situations.
Luft Hansa received at least four Si 204: The first prototype, D-AEFR, was evaluated from March to May 1941 by Luft Hansa Prague. From spring 1942 to spring 1943 the second prototype, D-ASGU, was used on regular routes as a freight carrier.
An Si-204 was likely the last German aircraft shot down on the Western Front. At 8 PM on the evening of May 8, 1945, 2nd Lt. K.L. Smith of the 9th Air Force's 474th Fighter Group, flying a P-38 Lightning
, downed a Siebel three miles southeast of Rodach
, Bavaria
.
At the end of the war one Si 204 D remained in Berlin-Tempelhof (named “Rhein”). One flew to Enns in Austria, where it was captured by the Allies. 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.
Germany
Germany
Netherlands
Siebel
Siebel, originally Flugzeugbau Halle, was a German aircraft manufacturer founded in 1937 in Halle an der Saale. It was revived as Siebelwerke in 1948. In 1952, it merged with ATG to form Siebelwerke-ATG Gmbh...
Si 204 was a small twin-engined transport and trainer aircraft developed during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was based on the Fh 104
Siebel Fh 104
-Bibliography:*Smith, J.R. and Kay, Antony J. German Aircraft of the Second World War. London:Putnam, 1990. ISBN 85177 836 4....
. Originally designed in response to a RLM development order for a small civil transport plane in 1938
1938 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1938:- Events :* Imperial Airways inaugurates scheduled service from London to Montreal. Pan American World Airways is banned from British airports out of fears that more advanced U.S...
, it was eventually produced for the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
.
Development
The Si 204 was planned as a small passenger plane with 2 crew and 8 passengers for German airline Deutsche Luft HansaDeutsche Luft Hansa
Deutsche Luft Hansa A.G. was a German airline, serving as flag carrier of the country during the later years of the Weimar Republic and throughout the Third Reich.-1920s:Deutsche Luft Hansa was founded on 6 January 1926 in Berlin...
. The development of this all-metal-plane was initiated in 1938. The contractor was, as usual, the RLM, but the development was conducted in close collaboration between Luft Hansa and Siebel in Halle. After the beginning of the war the plane was re-designed as a trainer aircraft with a full "stepless" glass cockpit, with no separate flat windscreen for the pilot (much as almost all German bomber aircraft of the time were being designed with), which seemed to be better for blind flying in the Si 204's case.
The first two prototypes only were delivered as passenger planes with the old cockpit. The maiden flight of the first prototype was before September 1940, possibly on 25 May 1940, that of the second prototype before February 1941
1941 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1941:- Events :* Jackie Cochran became the first woman to fly a bomber across the Atlantic Ocean.* During the spring and summer, the Imperial Japanese Navys air arm conducts Operation 102, its second major bombing campaign against Chungking.* By early...
. The third prototype was re-designed as a trainer aircraft for blind flying. As a result of this, the maiden flight was not earlier than the end of 1941 or the beginning of 1942
1942 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1942:- Events :* The United States Coast Guard begins to use the national insignia for U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Marine Corps aircraft on its own aircraft for the first time. The practice has continued ever since.-January:* The U.S...
.
At that time Siebel produced the Junkers Ju 88
Junkers Ju 88
The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company through the services of two American aviation engineers in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early...
under licence, and therefore only 15 prototypes were able to be built in Halle. As a result, SNCAN in France produced the passenger plane A-1 and the pre-series A-0 between April 1942
1942 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1942:- Events :* The United States Coast Guard begins to use the national insignia for U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Marine Corps aircraft on its own aircraft for the first time. The practice has continued ever since.-January:* The U.S...
and November 1943
1943 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1943:-Events:* Watanabe Iron Works transfers its aircraft manufacturing business to a new subsidiary, the Kyushu Airplane Company Ltd.-January:...
.
ČKD/BMM in the Czech Protectorate delivered the first blind flying trainer D-0 in January 1943 followed by the production of a further 44 D-0 pre-series planes. The D-1 series was begun in March 1943 by the Aero
Aero Vodochody
Aero Vodochody is a Czech aircraft company, active from 1919, notable for producing the L-29 Delfin, L-39 Albatros, L-59 Super Albatros and the L-159 Alca....
company, also located in the Czech Protectorate, and by BMM in June or July 1943. In August 1943, SNCAN also delivered the first D-1.
The production of the D-3 was started in October 1944
1944 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1944:-January:* United States Coast Guard pilot Lieutenant, junior grade, Stewart Graham makes the first helicopter flight from a merchant ship in convoy in the North Atlantic Ocean...
by the Aero company. The D-3 had wooden wings and a tail plane made of wood and metal. In France, production of the D-1 was ended in August 1944 as a result of the Liberation. All in all 168 Si 204 were built by SNCAN. BMM produced the plane until October 1944 and then changed to the production of spare parts for the Si 204. The Aero company was scheduled to cease production of the D-1 in March 1945 after building 486 planes and then switch to D-3 only. The aircraft, however, was only built until January 1945 with 541 completed.
Therefore the total production was 1,216 including the prototypes.
Production figures of the Si 204 until 31 January 1945:
| Version | Siebel | SNCAN | BMM/ČKD | Aero | SUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prototypes | 15 | 15 | |||
| A-0 | 30 | 30 | |||
| A-1 | 85 | 85 | |||
| D-0 | 45 | 45 | |||
| D-1 | 53 | 447 | 477 | 977 | |
| D-3 | 64 | 64 | |||
| SUM | 15 | 168 | 492 | 541 | 1.216 |
Sources: Files from Federal Archive/Military Archive Freiburg and from Lufthansa-Archive, Cologne
After the war, a production of Si 204 continued in Czechoslovakia and France. In Czechoslovakia Aero Vodochody
Aero Vodochody
Aero Vodochody is a Czech aircraft company, active from 1919, notable for producing the L-29 Delfin, L-39 Albatros, L-59 Super Albatros and the L-159 Alca....
produced 179 Si 204D, developed into military trainer variants Aero C-3A and C-3B (the later for bombardier training), passenger variant C-103 and military transport variant Aero D-44 until 1949. In France SNCAC
SNCAC
SNCAC, the , sometimes known as ', was a French aircraft manufacturer created by the nationalisation of the Farman Aviation Works and Hanriot firms in 1936. It was liquidated after World War II, with assets distributed between other nationalised firms SNCAN, SNCASO, and SNECMA in 1949....
, commonly known as Aérocentre, produced 240 transport NC-701 Martinets and a number (110?) of passenger NC-702 Martinets. The NC-701 was distinguished by three-blade propellers and was powered by 440 kW (590 hp) Renault 125-00 engines. The NC-702 had a modified nose.
Operational history
In July 1944 five Si 204 were destined to be converted to night combat planes, but no further planes were allotted. They were probably intended for the pre-series Si 204 E-0. There is, however, no evidence that these planes were ever used in combat situations.
Luft Hansa received at least four Si 204: The first prototype, D-AEFR, was evaluated from March to May 1941 by Luft Hansa Prague. From spring 1942 to spring 1943 the second prototype, D-ASGU, was used on regular routes as a freight carrier.
An Si-204 was likely the last German aircraft shot down on the Western Front. At 8 PM on the evening of May 8, 1945, 2nd Lt. K.L. Smith of the 9th Air Force's 474th Fighter Group, flying a P-38 Lightning
P-38 Lightning
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft built by Lockheed. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament...
, downed a Siebel three miles southeast of Rodach
Rodach
Rodach may refer to several locations in southern Germany:*Rodach , a tributary of the Itz river*Rodach , a tributary of the Main river*Wilde Rodach, also a tributary of the Main river*Bad Rodach, a city in the district of Coburg, Bavaria...
, Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
.
At the end of the war one Si 204 D remained in Berlin-Tempelhof (named “Rhein”). One flew to Enns in Austria, where it was captured by the Allies. Captured Si 204s flew in a variety of roles in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, including with Aeroflot
Aeroflot
OJSC AeroflotRussian Airlines , commonly known as Aeroflot , is the flag carrier and largest airline of the Russian Federation, based on passengers carried per year...
and TsAGI
TsAGI
TsAGI is a transliteration of the Russian abbreviation for Центра́льный аэрогидродинами́ческий институ́т or "Tsentralniy Aerogidrodinamicheskiy Institut", the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute....
, but were all quickly phased out of service as local aircraft manufacturing was re-established.
Prototypes of the Si 204
| Version | Engine | Usage | First Flight | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| V1 | As 410 | Prototype passenger plane, Reg. D-AEFR | 25 May 1940? | Not mentioned in November 1942, scrapped? |
| V2 | As 410 | Prototype passenger plane, Reg. D-ASGU | Before February 1941 | 26.02.44 Crash Erprobungs-Stelle Rechlin |
| V3 | As 410 | Prototype Blind flying school plane | Before February 1942 | 01.06.42 Crash Erprobungs-Stelle Rechlin |
| V4 | As 411 | Prototype Blind flying school plane, Reg. KM+GB | Before November 1942 | |
| V5 | For stress testing | |||
| V6 | As 410 | Evaluation As 410 | December 1942 | |
| V7 | As 410 | Weather reconnaissance | ||
| V8 | As 410 | General flight evaluation | ||
| V9 | As 410 | General flight evaluation | 30.06.43 Crash School C-16 Burg | |
| V10 | As 410 | General flight evaluation | ||
| V11 | As 410 | General flight evaluation | ||
| V12 | As 410 | General flight evaluation | 13.03.44 Crash Erprobungs-Stelle Rechlin | |
| V13 | As 410 | General flight evaluation | ||
| V14 | As 411 | Prototype D-2 | ||
| V15 | As 411 | Evaluation As 411 |
Military Operators
- Czechoslovakian Air Force operated ex-Luftwaffe Si 204 as well as Aero C-3 built in Czechoslovakia post war.
- French Air ForceFrench Air ForceThe French Air Force , literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1933...
operated ex-Luftwaffe Si 204 as well as NC-701 built in France post war.
Germany
- Luftwaffe
- Polish Air ForcePolish Air ForceThe Polish Air Force is the military Air Force wing of the Polish Armed Forces. Until July 2004 it was officially known as Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej...
operated 6 NC-701 in 1949-1955 for aerial photography (received from LOT airlines)
- Soviet Air ForceSoviet Air ForceThe Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces...
operated several captured Si 204.
Civil Operators
- ČSACzech AirlinesCzech Airlines j.s.c. , trading as Czech Airlines , is the national airline of the Czech Republic and temporary in Slovakia with its head office on the grounds of Ruzyně Airport in Ruzyně, Prague...
(post-war - Aero C-103)
Germany
- Deutsche Luft HansaDeutsche Luft HansaDeutsche Luft Hansa A.G. was a German airline, serving as flag carrier of the country during the later years of the Weimar Republic and throughout the Third Reich.-1920s:Deutsche Luft Hansa was founded on 6 January 1926 in Berlin...
operated at least 4 aircraft.
- Polskie Linie Lotnicze LOTLOT Polish AirlinesPolskie Linie Lotnicze LOT S.A. , trading as LOT Polish Airlines, is the flag carrier of Poland. Based in Warsaw, LOT was established in 1929, making it one of the world's oldest airlines still in operation. Using a fleet of 55 aircraft, LOT operates a complex network to 60 destinations in Europe,...
operated in 1947-1948 six NC-701 bought in France, for aerial photography (markings: SP-LFA to LFF)
- Rikets Allmänna Kartverk operated five NC-701 bought in France between 1962-1970 for mapping photography .
- Aeroflot operated post war some captured Si 204 for transport duties.
Netherlands
- NLL Dutch National Aeronautical Laboratory operated a BMM built Si 204-D1 from 1946 till 1964. It was registered PH-NLL. See www.nlrmuseum.nl/pdf/nb18.pdf (in Dutch).