Rohrbach Roland
Ro VIII Roland | |
---|---|
Role | Airliner |
National origin | Germany |
Manufacturer | Rohrbach |
Designer | Adolf Rohrbach
|
First flight | 1926 |
Primary user | Deutsche Luft Hansa |
Number built | 18 |
The Rohrbach Ro VIII Roland was an
Design and development
In 1926 Deutsche Luft Hansa purchased the prototype Roland, followed by five production examples over that year and the next.[4] The production machines were built with open flight decks, although they were later enclosed, as on the prototype.[4] These were put to work servicing a route between Berlin and London via Hanover and Amsterdam.[4] In July 1927 the Roland held the world endurance record for a payload of 1,000 kg with a flight of 14 hours 23 minutes,[4] and the world distance record for a payload of 2,000 kg of 1,750 km (1,090 mi).[5] At different times, the Roland held 22 world records.[6]
In 1928, Luft Hansa replaced three of its Rolands with new machines of slightly different design. Designated Ro VIIIa, these had a fuselage that was stretched by 30 cm (1 ft) and were powered by the more powerful
In 1929, Rohrbach produced nine examples of a substantially updated Roland for Luft Hansa.
During his 1932 election campaign,
Popular culture
The Spanish amusement park Tibidabo in Barcelona got a real-size replica of that plane, painted red. It is the most famous ride in the park, opened on September 23, 1928, sometimes referred to as "the first flight simulator in the world", and called "L'avió" (Catalan for "the plane").
Variants
Data from:German Aviation 1919 - 1945[9]
- Ro VIII Roland I
- Initial version powered by three 250 PS (246.58 hp; 183.87 kW) BMW IV 6-cylinder in-line water-cooled engines.
- Ro VIIIa Roland Ia
- Three aircraft purchased by Deutsche Luft Hansa, with a 0.30 m (1 ft) fuselage stretch, powered by three 360 PS (355.08 hp; 264.78 kW) BMW V 6-cylinder in-line water-cooled engines.
- Ro VIII Roland II
- A significantly up-graded version for Deutsche Luft Hansa, with revised cockpit and re-designed wing, powered by three BMW V engines; nine built.
Specifications (Ro VIIIa Roland Ia)
Data from Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1928[10]
General characteristics
- Crew: 3 (2 pilots + 1 engineer)
- Capacity: 10 passengers
- Length: 16.4 m (53 ft 10 in)
- Wingspan: 26 m (85 ft 4 in)
- Wing area: 88 m2 (950 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 4,900 kg (10,803 lb)
- Gross weight: 7,400 kg (16,314 lb)
- Powerplant: 3 × BMW Vasix-cylinder in-line water-cooled piston engines 240 kW (320 hp) - 270 kW (360 hp) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 204 km/h (127 mph, 110 kn)
- Cruise speed: 165 km/h (103 mph, 89 kn)
- Landing speed: 106 km/h (66 mph; 57 kn)
- Range: 875 km (544 mi, 472 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 4,200 m (13,800 ft)
- Time to altitude: 1,000 m (3,300 ft) in 5.5 minutes; 2,000 m (6,600 ft) in 13 minutes
- Wing loading: 84 kg/m2 (17 lb/sq ft)
- Power/mass: 0.0973 kW/kg (0.0592 hp/lb)
References
- ISBN 0-7106-0710-5.
- ^ a b c The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft. London: Aerospace Publishing. p. 2816.
- ISBN 0-907408-36-2.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Munson 1982, p.138
- ^ "World's Records in Aviation". Flight: 247. 20 March 1931. Retrieved 2009-01-31.
- ^ a b "The Rohrbach 'Roland II'". Flight: 434. 23 May 1929. Retrieved 2009-01-31.
- ^ Johnson, Robert Craig (December 1998). "Planting the Dragon's Teeth". Chandelle. 3 (3). Retrieved 2009-01-31.
- ISBN 978-0306809477.
- ^ "Rohrbach Ro VIII Roland I and Roland II". histaviation.com. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
- ^ Grey, C.G., ed. (1928). Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1928. London: Sampson Low, Marston & company, ltd. pp. 145c–146c.