One after the other: Messerschmitt Kr200

No, do not sweat aeroplan- "Spark". Half a century ago under the name Messerschmitt produced 2-seater 3-wheeled "tandem" - self-propelled vehicle Kr200. Reducing KR meant Kabinenroller - microcar; 2 wheels at the front, drive wheel - rear only. (And no differential).





Yes, 3-wheel Kr175 under the famous aviamarkoy appeared in 1953 - instead of "Messers» Bf109; inheritance losers. After the II World Germany permanently banned build planes, and Willy Messerschmitt'u had to retrain. Tellingly, the microcar equipped with a single-cylinder two-stroke engine (175 "cubes") by ... ME 262 jet fighter; hinged "puskach." In 1955 began production of advanced Kr200; he already was equipped with a motor 191 cc Fichtel & Sachs 200 AZL-R capacity of 10 hp The length of the machine - 2820 mm, width - 1220 height - 1200; base - 2030 mm. Microcar the equipped weighing 230 kg (!) By 8 inch (!) Was dispersed wheels 88 km / h; protected from the weather riders flip "lantern" of transparent plastic - or soft top.

Motorcycle wheel, mechanical (!), The drive brakes, 4-speed gearbox without "reverse" ... move back Kr200 still could; dinastarterom flywheel motor run ... in the opposite direction of rotation of the crankshaft. ("Dvuhtakty" almost indifferent to the direction of rotation). A masterpiece of design ideas. Kr200 well sold in Germany rose from the ruins: in the first year sold out 12 thousand. Sidecars. And in 1958 there was a 4-wheel tandem Tg500, known as Tiger. That these "tigers" had a chance to build V.Messershmittu ...

Tg500 received a 2-cylinder 493 cc "two-stroke" with a capacity of 19, 5 hp, with whom Tiger developed a speed of 122 km / h. Faster than many solid cars of the time, and the brakes "Tiger" has already equipped with hydraulically. Tg500 released until 1961, and Kr200 - until 1962. Total 1953 sold out about 50 thousand. "Messers» Kr and several hundred Tiger.

It is a sin to laugh. Think of a record-experimental "liter» VW, who 4 years ago made a run from Wolfsburg to Hamburg; He also built on a tandem scheme. And now, and others; in tandem have attractive qualities that do not allow to forget about the kind of arrangement. First of all - a small frontal area. The small "cross-section midsection" (as they say pilots), and hence less air resistance. Tandem notoriously high-speed and cost-effective 2-seater vehicle with seats side by side. Among other things, a narrow car park easier in the city center, and tax benefits are not excluded.

A Kr200 - well, purely fighter ... Is that never flew.