The Bu 181 low-wing monoplane trainer was a development of the Bu 180 Student with enclosed side-by-side accommodation for the crew of two and typical mixed construction (ply/fabric-covered wooden flying surfaces, aluminium alloy covered steel tube forward fuselage and wooden monocoque rear fuselage) with fixed tailwheel landing gear.
The production version for the Luftwaffe was the Bu 181A of which several thousand were built in Germany. Production was transferred to Fokker in Holland (who produced nearly 1000) and Zlin in Czechoslovakia. More production was undertaken in Holland (708) and Sweden by Hägglunds & Söner (125 Sk 25s) during 1944-46 for the Flygvapnet.
Post-war production was launched in Czechoslovakia as the C.6 and CC.106 (105 hp Minor 4-III) and, in civil form as the Zlin 381.
Under Czech license, the Bu 181 was built Egypt as the ‘Republic of Egypt’, and one civil machine was designated Gomhouria Mk.2.
The final war-time development was the Bu 181D with a number of detail improvements over the Bu 181A. In addition to its designed role, the Bu 181 was used as a communications aeroplane and, in small numbers, as a tug for light training gliders.
Heliopolis Air Works in Egypt was formed 1950 to manufacture a local version of the German Bücker Bu 181D Bestmann as the Gomhouria trainer for Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and the Sudan.
A derivative was built as the Zlin 328.
Variation:
Shadin Company Ltd S-10 Aeropony
Bücker Bü 181 Bestmann
Basic Trainer, Germany, 1939
Length: 25ft 9in / 7.85 m
Height: 6.759 ft / 2.06 m
Wingspan : 34ft 9.25 in / 10.6 m
Wing area : 145.314 sqft / 13.5 sq.m
Max take off weight : 1686.8 lb / 765.0 kg
Weight empty : 1047.4 lb / 475.0 kg
Max. payload weight : 639.5 lb / 290.0 kg
Max. speed : 113 kts / 210 km/h
Initial climb rate : 669.29 ft/min / 3.4 m/s
Service ceiling : 16404 ft / 5000 m
Wing load : 11.69 lb/sq.ft / 57.0 kg/sq.m
Range : 378 nm / 700 km
Endurance : 4 h
Engine : Hirth HM504A, 104 hp, 78kW
Crew : 2
All Aero 