MBB HFB 320 Hansa

Designed by Hamburger Flugzeugbau GmbH before its merger with Messerschmitt-Bolkow, the HFB 320 Hansa twin-jet executive transport/ feederliner is of distinctive configuration. To avoid compromising cabin volume, its cantilever mid-set wings have 15° of forward sweep, which means that the main spar passes through the fuselage to the rear of the passenger cabin. Other features of its configuration include wingtip fuel tanks, a T-tail unit with all-swept surfaces, retractable tricycle landing gear, and two podded turbojet engines, mounted one on each side of the rear fuselage. The prototype was flown for the first time on 21 April 1964, and the first production Hansa on 2 February 1966. The first 15 Hansas had 1294kg thrust General Electric CJ610-1 engines, the next 20 the 1340kg thrust CJ610-5, and subsequent aircraft the more powerful CJ610-9. Finding itself in a highly competitive market, MBB endeavoured to attract military sales in such roles as casualty evacuation, liaison, light freighting, navigation training, radio and radar reconnaissance, and VIP transportation; it attracted only one military customer, the West German Luftwaffe. This service received 14 out of 45 Hansas that were built, and they continue in use in an ECM training role and for VIP transport.

3-View

A three-view drawing (1140 x 1869)