IVL A.22 Hansa is a Finnish copy of the German Hansa-Brandenburg W.33 maritime patrol floatplane. It was built by Ilmailuvoimien lentokonetehdas (Aircraft Factory of the Air Force, IVL or I.V.L.) from 1922 to 1926. 120 were built: 118 for the Finnish Air Force and two for the Latvian Air Force. It was the first aircraft to be built in series in Finland.
Development[]
In May 1921 Finland bought a manufacturing license for the Hansa-Brandenburg W.33. Some parts, such as the placement of the bombs, were redesigned in Finland, and the W.33's 245 hp Maybach engine was switched for a 300hp Fiat A.12bis engine. The modifications were thought to be extensive enough to justify the new designation IVL A.22.
The first IVL A.22 made its first flight on 4 November 1922, and service deliveries began the next year. From the 61th example onwards the Hansas were initially stored after completion, since the FAF had enough in service. Production was meant to end in 1925 after 78 examples, but was continued until July 1926 to keep the factory running.
Two Hansas were delivered to the Latvian Air Force in 1926.
The Hansa has the distinctions of being the first aircraft built in series in Finland, the second-most produced (the most produced until 1970s) "Finnish" aircraft, and the first to be exported.
Use[]
The Hansas were extensively used in the 1920s, being equipped with skis during winter. One of their duties was to hunt for smugglers during the Prohibition era (1919-1932). The type's final flight is presumed to have taken place in an air show on 3 August 1935, although the last aircraft were not removed from FAF inventory until 1936.
The Hansas logged some 35,000 flying hours with 20 fatal accidents and 42 fatalities.
Surviving example[]
- Only one A.22 survives: the second example built, coded IL-2. It is on display at the Finnish Aviation Museum in Vantaa.
Specifications[]
- Crew: 2 or 3
- Length: 11.1 m (36 ft 5 in)
- Wingspan: 15.85 m (52 ft 0 in)
- Height: 3.37 m (11 ft 1 in)
- Wing area: 44 m2 (470 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 1,470 kg (3,241 lb)
- Gross weight: 2,100 kg (4,630 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Fiat A.12bis six-cylinder liquid-cooled in-line engine, 221 kW (296 hp), two-bladed fixed pitch propeller
- Maximum speed: 170 km/h (110 mph, 92 kn)
- Cruise speed: 150 km/h (93 mph, 81 kn)
- Range: 525 km (326 mi, 283 nmi)
- Time to altitude: 3,000 m (9,800 ft) in 22 minutes
- Wing loading: 47.7 kg/m2 (9.8 lb/sq ft)
- Power/mass: 0.1067 kW/kg (0.0649 hp/lb)
- Armament: 4x 10 kg (22 lb) bombs