94030 DFS-230 with Argus As 014 pulse Jets

2 decal variants :

1. DFS-230, WL-VII-245, with Argus As 014 pulse Jets, Germany, Summer 1942

2. DFS-230, D-14-D44, with Argus As 014 pulse Jets, Germany 1942

 In the summer of 1942, two Argus As 014 pulsejet engines were mounted on the wings of a glider. The aircraft was flown by test pilot Erich Klöckner. Released after being towed into the air, it became the first aircraft powered by pulsejet engines. A fuel tank for automotive gasoline was installed in the fuselage behind the pilot, while smaller header tanks were located in the wing roots. As the pulsejet lacked a fuel pump, fuel was forced from the tank to the engine using compressed air; compressed air cylinders housed in the fuselage drove the gasoline through the lines and out into the wings. The engine could not be started simply by opening the fuel supply; it required an initial impulse, so a separate compressed air line ran to the front of the engine alongside the fuel line. To start the engine, the pilot released compressed air directly into the intake chamber, atomizing the fuel. A spark plug powered by the glider's onboard battery then ignited the mixture. Once the engine settled into its pulsating rhythm, the auxiliary compressed air and spark plug were cut off; the engine continued to operate autonomously, driven by ram air and the heat from the preceding explosion. However, the trials were soon halted due to severe vibrations and high temperatures. Ultimately, the extreme heat and intense vibrations transmitted to the airframe rendered the design unsuitable for operational use, and testing was discontinued.