| Bo 209 Monsun | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Role | Civil utility aircraft |
| National origin | West Germany |
| Manufacturer | Bölkow MBB |
| First flight | 22 December 1967 (MHK-101) |
| Number built | 2 MHK-101 and 102 Bo 209 |
| Developed into | Mylius My-103 Mistral |
The MBB Bo 209 Monsun (originally the Bolkow MHK-101) is a two-seat light aircraft that was developed in West Germany in the late 1960s.
The Monsun was designed by three Bölkow engineers, led by Bölkow's technical director Dr Hermann Mylius, in their spare time with the intention of creating a more versatile aircraft than the Bölkow Bo 208, with design work beginning in 1965. The new aircraft, designated the MHK-101, was a low-wing monoplane of all-metal construction with a tricycle undercarriage, which had fixed mainwheels, with the option for the nosewheel to be fixed or retractable. While the MHK-101 used some components of the Bo-208, it had a larger and more comfortable cockpit, and an entirely new wing, which could be folded for towing and storage (the Bo 208 was a high-wing aircraft). [1] [2]
The first prototype MHK-101, powered by a 125 hp (93 kW) Lycoming O-235 engine driving a fixed-pitch propeller and with a retractable nosewheel, flew on 22 December 1967. [3] [4] In April 1969, Bölkow selected the MK-101 to replace the Bo 208 in production, with the type becoming the "Bölkow Bo 209 Monson". [1] A second prototype flew in May 1969. [5] That year, Messerschmitt-Bölkow merged with Messerschmitt-Bölkow to become Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm, with the aircraft becoming the MBB Bo 209. [6] The aircraft, which was offered with a variety of engines, a choice of fixed or variable pitch propellers and fixed or retractable nosewheels, entered production at MBB's Laupheim factory early in 1970 and received its type certificate on 9 April 1970. [3]
With this broad array of equipment options Bölkow displayed the aircraft at the Air Show in Hanover 1970: 57 orders of the new type were drawn in advance and commercial success of the project seemed secured.[ citation needed ] In March 1972, however, MBB stopped production of the Bo 209 in order to concentrate on the MBB Bo 105 helicopter. [7] , after production of 100 Bo 209s in addition to the two prototypes. [8] [9] Rights to the Bo 208 were purchased by Pneuma-Technik E. Ficht who planned to build the Monsun at Weiden, Bavaria, setting up Monson Gmbh in November 1973, but only two aircraft were built before production ended in June 1974. [10] A United States businessman invested in the model, secured funding, and started shipping factory equipment to Georgia. Before completion of the transition, the investor committed suicide after losses in stock market speculation. [11]
In the late 1990s Dr. Mylius's son, Albert Mylius, completed a totally revised version of his father's design under a new company, Mylius Flugzeugwerk GmbH & Co KG, based in Bitburg. Two models were produced: a single seat developed as a low cost aerobatic airplane (My-102), and the two-seat Mylius My-103 Mistral, which has some variations over the original Bo 209 design, like wider cockpit, better handling characteristics and improved overall performance (including aerobatic rating) with a more powerful 200 hp engine.
Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1971-72 [12]
General characteristics
Performance
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Bölkow was a West German aircraft manufacturer based in Stuttgart, Germany, and later Ottobrunn.
The Sequoia Falco is an Italian-designed lightweight 2-seater aerobatic aircraft.
The Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm Bo 105 is a light, twin-engine, multi-purpose helicopter developed by Bölkow of Ottobrunn, West Germany. It was the first light twin-engine helicopter in the world, and the first rotorcraft that could perform aerobatic maneuvers such as inverted loops. The Bo 105 features a revolutionary hingeless rotor system, a pioneering innovation in helicopters when it was introduced into service in 1970. Production of the Bo 105 began at the then-recently merged Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB).
The Fuji FA-200 Aero Subaru is a single-engine piston-powered monoplane built by Fuji Heavy Industries of Japan.
Saab MFI-15 Safari, also known as the Saab MFI-17 Supporter, is a propeller-powered basic trainer aircraft used by several air forces.
The Malmö Flygindustri MFI-9 Junior was a light aircraft produced in Sweden in the 1960s. The aircraft was also produced under licence as the Bölkow Bo 208.
The Piaggio P.166 is an Italian twin-engine pusher-type utility aircraft developed by Piaggio Aero. The aircraft model name was Portofino, and is also known as Albatross in South African military service.
The Bölkow Bo 207 was a four-seat light aircraft built in West Germany in the early 1960s, a development of the Klemm Kl 107 built during World War II.
The Klemm Kl 107 was a two-seat light aircraft developed in Germany in 1940. It was a conventional low-wing cantilever monoplane of wooden construction with fixed tailwheel undercarriage. Wartime production totalled only five prototypes and some 20 production machines before the Klemm factory was destroyed by Allied bombing. Following World War II and the lifting of aviation restrictions on Germany, production recommenced in 1955 with a modernised version, the Kl 107B, of which Klemm built a small series before selling all rights to the design to Bölkow. This firm further revised the design and built it as the Kl 107C before using it as the basis for their own Bo 207.
The SIAI-Marchetti S.205 is an Italian four-seat, single-engine, light airplane, manufactured by SIAI-Marchetti. The S.205 made its maiden flight in 1965. The Italian Air Force employs a version called S.208.
The MBB 223 Flamingo was a light aircraft developed in West Germany in the 1960s in response to a competition for a standard trainer for the country's aeroclubs. Designed by SIAT, it was a conventional low-wing monoplane with fixed tricycle undercarriage. The cockpit was enclosed by a large bubble canopy. SIAT had not undertaken much production of the type before the firm was acquired by MBB in 1970. Eventually, the new owners transferred production to CASA in Spain.
The Malmö MFI-10 Vipan was a four-seat light utility monoplane designed and built in Sweden by Malmö Flygindustri. Only three aircraft were built and the type did not enter quantity production.
The Wassmer WA-40 Super 4 Sancy is a French single-engined light aircraft of the 1960s and 70s. A single-engined low-winged monoplane with retractable nosewheel undercarriage, variants include the more powerful WA 4/21 Prestige and the WA-41 Baladou with a fixed undercarriage.
The Varga 2150 Kachina is an American all-metal, low-wing, fixed-gear, two-seat light aircraft fitted with a tricycle undercarriage.
The Robin R 3000 is a French single-engined light aircraft designed and built by Avions Robin, which entered production in the 1980s.
The Mylius family of aircraft were derived from the barn-built MHK-101 design, which later was adopted by MBB and became the Boelkow Bo-209 Monsun project. The Bo-209 was a full metal, low wing basic trainer with standard aerobatic capabilities, 150 hp O-320 or 160 hp IO-320 engine. The front wheel was retractable. Both wings were foldable, thus permitting to trailer the aircraft by a car on its own main wheels, nose wheel retracted and tail forward.
The Mylius My-103 Mistral is a German two-seat aerobatic trainer of utility aircraft produced by Mylius Flugzeugwerk of Bitburg.
The Turbay T-3A was an Argentine twin-engined seven-seater light transport of the 1960s. A single example was built, but no production followed.
The Uetz Pelikan is a Swiss four-seat cabin monoplane designed for amateur construction by Walter Uetz.
 | Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bölkow Bo 209 . |