Thank you Wayne
As far as the autogiro towed by a U Boat as a reconasance tool is concerned the bird was named Fa 330 Bachstelze.
technical datas:
Lenght 4.47 m
high 1.67 m
rotor dimension 7.30 m
weight 75 kg
take off wight ( a pilot + a parachute) 175 kg
speed 35-80 km/h
In 1941 RLM ordered a special construction for U-Boots.A small firm called Focke-Achgelis started designing the machine in 1941 and testing of prototypes the next year.The first tests were taken in Chalais-Meudon near Paris with a big wind-tunnel then on an airfirld and then in the sea.The navel tests began in May of 1942 in Travemunde base and then from wooden deck installed on a support ship "Graif" in Baltic Sea.These test were continued on the support cruiser "Move" near Kolobrzeg (Kolberg) Poland.The results were very good but the first tests in taking off from a submarine were taken at the begining of 1943.There were mounted three hermetic containers of a pipe shape ( 0.60 in diameter and 3.5m of lenght).There was a dismounted autogiro in two pipes kept and the 300m long tow in the third one.Because the construction of Bechstelze was very easy the 5-7 sailor team could assemble the bird and get ready in seven minutes.The autogiro was taking off from a small platform at the rear part of the U-Boot quarter-deck with 25-30 km/h of the Fa 330 rotor.The rotor was pulling into its rotation with a string and had to get 100 RPM.Then The submarine speeded up to get the rotor speed of 40kn/h and its rotary 140-150 RPM.It let the autogiro take off and climbing to 200-220m of altitude.The recco range could be up to 53 km then.
Unfortunately a pilot of Fa330 was a kind of a suicidal mission.When the U-boot was in a danger and had to dive the tow was cut off simply and the pilot had to try to save himself but the emergency procedure was quite complex.Having some of luck he could be on time on the submarine deck before its diving.Else he had to stay in the sea water as long as one of fighting ships would find some time to take him.
The mass production was taken at Wesser-Flugzeugbau factory near Brema.It was planned to achieve a production of ten autogiros in a month.
Total number of assembled Fa 330 is estimated on 100 or 200 machines (different sources).But there were not more than 50 birds used as a equipment of U-Boots.Mainly these submarines were of mark IX or IXD.
Concerning the operational using of these birds there is almost lack of information.The U-boot crews used them unwillingly.Its bigger reconnaissance range profit was minor to the flights and the submarine safety.That's way these crews used them at areas (mostly Indian Ocean)where there was not any threat from RAF Coastal Command aircraft.
Supposedly, some of the bird that operated with U-Boots from bases at Malaya peninsula were lent to Japanese pilots in return small scout flying boats.
As I know there is one of the Fa330 exhibited in Musee de l'Air ,Le Bourget in Paris.If you will use Google you can find some pics of the bird and infos about this autogiro.
About the flying sourcers I know nothing.
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