BILL McBRIDE COLLECTION
No. 12461. Erla Me 5a (D-2585 c/n 1)
Source unknown

Erla Me 5a

07/31/2014. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "Early in 1933, Nester and Breitfeld A.G., of Erla, began to build light aeroplanes to the design of Ing. Franz Xaver Mehr, and on September 16 of that year the name of the firm was changed to Eisen- und Flugzeugwerke Erla G.m.b.H. The firm was initially concentrating on the production of sturdy light aircraft, cheap to buy and fly. In 1935 Erla started license production of military types, hence production of the light aircraft was soon suspended after only 25 Me 5a aircraft had been built.

By April 1945 Erla's military production had reached 11,337 aircraft, including 24 Arado Ar 65s, 76 Arado Ar 68s, 80 Heinkel
He 51
s, 106 Gotha Go 145s, and no less than 11,051 copies of various versions of the Messerschmitt Bf 109. Furthermore parts for many other types were built, including the Messerschmitt Bf 110, Focke-Wulf Ta 152, Heinkel He 162, Gotha Go 242 and other cargo gliders."

Type: Single-seat light aircraft for touring, sport or aerobatics.
Wings: Low-wing cantilever monoplane. Wings tapered in chord and thickness to rounded ends, attached at dihedral angle to center section built into fuselage. Could be quickly detached and fastened alongside fuselage. Two spars. Diagonal plywood covering, except for fabric over trailing edge. Unbalanced ailerons.
Fuselage: Wooden box construction. Plywood covering.
Tail unit: Cantilever monoplane. Adjustable and removable tail plane on top of fuselage in front of fin. Wooden construction. Fixed surfaces covered with plywood. Control surfaces horn-balanced and covered with fabric.
Landing gear: Divided. Each unit a tubular steel Vee attached to bottom longeron with axle hinged to center line of fuselage underside. springing by low pressure tires. Sprung and tracking tail-skid.
Power plant: A 20 hp D.K.W. two-cylinder two-stroke liquid-cooled engine with 2.55 to 1 reduction gearing. Flexible mounting. Radiator immediately behind airscrew, shutters controllable from cockpit. Hand starting. 9.25 gal (35 l) aluminum fuel tank.
Accommodation: Open cockpit with single seat. Provision for parachute.

Created July 31, 2014