Gotha Go 145

Gotha · Nazi Germany · first flew 1934 · light aircraft

The Gotha Go 145 was a German biplane primary trainer that became the standard elementary training aircraft of the Luftwaffe through World War II. Later in the war it was repurposed for low-level night harassment missions on the Eastern Front.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, straight
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	8.7 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Standard Luftwaffe biplane primary trainer of WWII
Open tandem cockpits with wire-braced biplane wings
Used for night harassment bombing on Eastern Front

Conventional biplane with single inline engine, tandem open cockpits, wire bracing, and fixed undercarriage — one of the most numerous German trainers of the war.

Specifications

The Gotha Go 145 has a length of 8.7 m (29 ft).
It has a wingspan of 9 m (30 ft).
Its maximum speed is 212 km/h (132 mph).
Typical crew: 2.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

First flown in 1934, the Go 145 was selected as the primary trainer for the rapidly expanding Luftwaffe and was produced in large numbers (over 1,100 built). By the later stages of World War II, surplus Go 145s were used in the 'Störkampfstaffel' (harassment squadrons) on the Eastern Front, flying nuisance raids against Soviet positions at night. The type remained in use until the end of the war.

Variants

The Go 145A was the standard trainer; the Go 145C was a seaplane trainer variant; the Go 145B was a single-seat acrobatic version.

Where you'll see it

Served the Luftwaffe from 1935 as primary trainer and from 1942-45 also as a harassment bomber on the Eastern Front; also used by Spain post-war.

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