The Gothaer Waggonfabrik was a formerly meaning metal building firm in Gotha, which built among other things airplanes and streetcar cars.

History

1883-1918

The roots of the Gothaer Waggonfabrik are appropriate for 1883 in a lock-making created of the fitter and later manufacturer Fritz Bothmann. 1892 occur the buyer Louis luck the company, which calls itself now Fritz Bothmann & luck engine works & Carussellbau institute. An emphasis of the company is at the beginning of the building of roundabouts, then however the production of railway trucks, above all trucks. In the broad public the company becomes one admits by the production of streetcar car, which begins 1898 and until 1913 a number of items reached of 57. In this year the company is converted into a corporation with the new name Gothaer Waggonfabrik before times Fritz Bothmann & luck AG. After further seven years the firm founders separate 1905. 1910 then renaming takes place in Gothaer Waggonfabrik AG.

Aircraft construction

After 1913 the needs of the German army at airplanes grows, an aircraft construction department is created. As the first product a reproduction appears to the Rumpler pigeon under the designation LE 1. With the 1912 created own development department in rapid consequence own development steps are carried out. The next type of aircraft is under the designation LE 2 the Gotha pigeon, which flies 1914 over English channel to Dover. In and double-deckers for school purposes as well as Seeflugzeuge belong at first to the product range. For the testing of the Seeflugzeuge its own department in Rostock is developed. Starting from 1915 the large airplanes Gotha G I as well as the models Gotha G II to G V, designed by the employee technical designer Burkhard, are built. The twin-engine bombers from the Residenzstadt of the native Englishman duke Carl Eduard will carry by their employments against England as The GOTHAS (the GOTHAS) notoriously and for renaming the king sex Coburg and Gotha governing in Great Britain to Windsor. The bomber aircraft Gotha G V has a bomb load of 1000 kg with a range of 840 km. More efficient advancements of the technical designer the Gotha G VII and Gotha G VIII (built in licenced production with Schuckert) reach a number of items of 355 to end of war 1918. From 1913 to 1918 the number that rises employing in the aircraft construction of 130 to 1250. In accordance with Versailler contract must be stopped and dismantled 1920 the airplane manufacturing.

As code LE-Landeindecker LD-Landdoppeldecker G-Grossflugzeug and WD-Wasserdoppeldecker were used.

1919-1945

The production of the twenties of the last century exists trucks, streetcar cars (between 1923 and 1944 altogether 152 pieces) in addition, motor coaches and 1921 become the company by purchase of the vehicle works iron oh also autoproducer. Removed Berlin Tempelhof by the fusion with the Cyklon of automobile works AG, will this division, however already 1928 must the two works again be sold, in order to turn an inability to pay away. The vehicle factory iron oh is sold to the Bavarian engines of works AG, which puts thereby its foundation-stone in automobile production. In the building of railroad cars among other things 1929 cars for the series CII of the underground Berlin are supplied. Starting from 1931 the Gothaer Waggonfabrik AG belongs by the majority to the mechanical engineering company Orenstein & ouple AG in Berlin, which takes over also the-sourly the Waggonfabrik AG.

Aircraft construction

After plans of Kalkert 1933 in Gotha in the course of armament begin again the aircraft construction. The enterprise increasingly licensees and ancillary industry of other manufacturers (Heinkel He 45, Messerschmitt BF 110), in addition, a set of self-constructions is developed.

One of the first developments is the double-decker Gotha Go 145, a single-engine training and exercise joining things, to a large extent in timber construction method provided, an important beginner school machine of the Air Force, which is also manufactured over 10.000 pieces. The Go 146, a twin-engine travel and courier airplane is built starting from 1935 in small number of items.

Model machines, which are built in some copies, as well as are the Gotha Go 147, a single-engine, tailless airplane, the Go 149, a single-engine cab single-seater, the Gotha Go 150, a twin-engine and two-seat sport and passenger aircraft, the 1939 with 8048 m a recognized elevator record set up the Go 241, a twin-engine and viersitziges sport and passenger aircraft.

After beginning of war 1939 in Gotha transport gliders are developed in particular and manufactured. Dipl. - engineer Kalkert designs the transport glider Gotha Go 242. This is manufactured in the three series A to C, which differ mainly in the chassis, with approximately 1500 copies. The shoulder-wing monoplanes, to a large extent in timber construction method provided, can transport 23 fully equipped soldiers beside two men crew. The Gotha Go 244 is a variant of the Go 242 with two engines, by which however only 42 machines are built. Further developments with model machines are the transport gliders Gotha Go 345 and Gotha Ka 430.

1415 forced laborers become in 2. World war in the factory employs. In the year 1944 the work by an air raid to approximately 80 per cent destroyed, nevertheless begins in Friedrichroda with end of war the pilot lot manufacturing of the revolutionary only wing jet fighter Ho 229 (Ho IX) of the brothers strongholds.

Remark: Indicated production numbers originate from different sources and can differ therefore.

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