The Focke-Achgelis Fa 223 Drache (English: Dragon) was a helicopter developed by Germany during World War II. A single 750-kilowatt (1,010 hp) Bramo 323 radial engine powered two three-bladed 11.9-metre (39 ft) rotors mounted on twin booms on either side of the 12.2-metre-long (40 ft) cylindrical fuselage. Although the Fa 223 is noted for being the first helicopter to attain production status, production of the helicopter was hampered by Allied bombing of the factory, and only 20 were built. The Fa 223 could cruise at 175 kilometres per hour (109 mph) with a top speed of 182 km/h (113 mph), and climb to an altitude of 7,100 m (23,300 ft). The Drache could transport cargo loads of over 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) at cruising speeds of 121 km/h (75 mph) and altitudes approaching 2,440 m (8,010 ft). Henrich Focke had been removed by the Nazi regime from the company he had co-founded in 1936. Though the ostensible reason was that he was "politically unreliable", the RLM decision to phase Focke-Wulf into the production program of the almost-ready Messerschmitt Bf 109 necessitated an influx of capital to fund the immediate expansion of the company's production capabilities. Focke-Wulf was reorganized into a limited company (G.m.b.H.) in June 1936. After Focke-Wulf formally signed a contract to produce the Bf 109C in November 1937, the American company International Telephone & Telegraph (ITT), through its German subsidiary C. Lorenz, bought a 28 percent share of Focke-Wulf in 1938, making it the controlling interest. However, the Air Ministry was so impressed by the Focke-Wulf Fw 61 helicopter that it suggested Focke establish a new company dedicated to helicopter development and issued him with a requirement for an improved design capable of carrying a 700 kg (1,500 lb) payload. Focke established the Focke-Achgelis company at Hoykenkamp on 27 April 1937 in partnership with pilot Gerd Achgelis, and began development work at Delmenhorst in 1938. They first produced an enlarged, six-occupant version of the Fw 61, designated Fa 226 Hornisse (Hornet), while contracting out development of the engine, transmission, and rotor hub to BMW's Berlin works. The Fa 226 was the world's first transport helicopter and was ordered by Lufthansa in 1938. The Fa 226 attracted the attention of the Air Ministry, who redesignated it Fa 223 in 1939 before the first prototype flew.[8] The Navy was also interested in the Hornisse and briefly considered it as a replacement for their Schnellboote. In September 1939 the first prototype, the V1, left the Delmenhorst factory. Now nicknamed Drache ("Dragon") it had a twin-rotor layout similar to the Fw 61, but had a fully enclosed cabin and load bay, with the single Bramo engine mounted in the middle of the tubular-steel body. Initial hovering tests showed problems and the V1 was not to fly until 1940. The engine initially specified, a BMW Bramo 323D proved too fragile when run at high speed for any length of time, and was replaced with a more robust 1,000 hp Bramo 323Q3 in the later prototypes to improve reliability and lifting capability. The biggest problem, however, was the severe vibration caused by unbalanced driveshafts when the rotors moved out of phase, and this could only be fixed by greater attention to detail on the part of BMW. For more details of development, operational history and variants, click here.
