Category Archives: Fighter

Fighter

Fighter

Heinkel He 162A-2 “Spatz” (“Sparrow”), Stabsstaffel JG 1 (Revell)

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TYPE: Interceptor fighter

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: One BMW 003E-1 turbojet, rated at 800 kp

PERFORMANCE: 521 mph at 19,690 ft

COMMENT: The so-called “Volksjäger (Peoples Fighter) project was started on September 8th, 1944 when the basic project requirements were issued by the Technisches Amt des RLM (Technical Office of the State Ministry of Aviation) and the Jägerstab (Fighter Staff) to several aircraft companies as Arado, Blohm & Voss, Fieseler, Focke-Wulf, Heinkel, Messerschmitt, and Junkers. It was envisaged a simple, inexpensive fighter, suitable for quantity production from easy-available materials by semi-skilled and unskilled labour. The Volksjäger was to be powered by a single BMW 003 “Sturm” (“Storm”) turbojet and had to be ready for mass production by January 1st, 1945.
Messerschmitt had refused to submit any proposal and nearly all other designs – e. g. Arado E 580, Junkers EF 123 – were found unsuitable. Only Blohm & Voss’s project Bv P.211 being adjudged the best of those submitted. On September 19th, a further conference was held at which all proposals were reviewed. This time the Siebel Aircraft Company took part instead of Messerschmitt. Again it was decided that the Blohm & Voss contender, the Bv P.211, was superior in every respect to all other contenders. But after misunderstandings and disputes it was decided that the Heinkel design He P.1073 was best suited for the future Volksjäger. Immediately construction of the P.1073 began, work on detailed drawings in parallel. In October 1944 the design was redesignated as He 162, code name “Spatz” (“Sparrow”). Orders were given for immediate quantity production with an output of 1,000 aircraft monthly. Within 90 days the He 162 was conceived, designed, built and flown. The first unit to train on the He 162 was the I Gruppe/JG 1. Only 320 He 162 were built before the end of the hostilities, 800 more had reached advanced stages of assembly. There are no veritable reports that the He 162 was involved in combat. (Ref.: 7)

Fighter, Projects

Arado Ar TEW 16/43-15 (Unicraft, Resin)

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TYPE: Interceptor, fighter. Project

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: One Heinkel He S 011 turbo-jet engine, rated at 1,300 kp, plus one Walter HWK 509A-2 liquid rocket engine, rated at 1,700kp

PERFORMANCE: 920 mph at 18,800 ft,  with rocket, 572 mph at 6.160 ft, jet engine only

COMMENT: In mid 1943, the Arado Aircraft Company draw up some studies into the future development of high speed fighters. Among the designs was an interceptor aircraft with a combination of both turbo-jet as well as rocket engine. This project, the Arado Ar TEW 16/43-15, had a single Heinkel He S 011 turbo-jet engine developing 1,300 kp of thrust, mounted atop the fuselage immediately behind the cockpit. To improve the climb rate and performance, a Walter HWK 509A bi-fuel rocket engine was also placed within the rear fuselage. The wings were swept back at 25 degrees, and because of the jet engine’s placement, a twin fin and rudder arrangement was provided. In order to achieve as much space as possible for fuel tanks a special landing gear arrangement was proposed. This was designed by the DVL (Deutsche Versuchsanstalt für Luftfahrt, German Aviation Experimental Establishment). The main wheels were provided with small spherical tires of 12.5 inch in diameter, and were placed in tandem, thus the space needed when retracted was minimal. The nose and main wheels retracted forwards. The cockpit was located in the nose of the fuselage and guaranteed good front view, but vision to the rear was very poor due to the engine and air intake position. Due to these expected problems – same as with another Arado project, the Arado E. 580,  further work on this design was cancelled. (Ref.: 16; 18) 

Fighter, Projects

Junkers EF 123 (Unicraft, Resin)

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TYPE: Interceptor, fighter. Project

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: One BMW 003A-1 turbo-jet engine, rated at 800 kp

PERFORMANCE: 550 mph (estimated)

COMMENT: In September 1944 the Junkers Flugzeugwerke (Junkers aircraft company) submitted a design EF 123 for the Volksjäger competition (People’s Fighter Project). Little is known about the design, only a photo of a model survived. The wings were similar to the Heinkel He 162 “Spatz”. Because the jet engine was placed below the fuselage a “normal” tailplane was provided. The RLM rejected the Junkers EF 123 in favour to the Heinkel He 162 and further work on the design was cancelled. (Ref.: 19; 21)

Fighter, Projects

Arado E 580 (Airmodel, Resin)

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TYPE: Interceptor, fighter

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: One BMW 003A-1 turbo-jet engine, rated at 800 kp

PERFORMANCE: 470 mph (estimated)

COMMENT: This Arado design dates back to an early 1943s project of a small turbo-jet engine powered ground attack aircraft. In late 1944 this design was revised and submitted for the Volksjäger (Peoples Fighter) competition. The Ar E.580 had an unswept wing that was mounted low on the fuselage. The tail unit had twin fins and rudders. A single BMW 003A-1 jet engine was positioned above the fuselage with the air intake close to the cockpit partially obstructed by the bulged canopy. A tricycle landing-gear was provided. The winner of the competition was the Heinkel He 162 “Spatz” (“Sparrow”). So the Arado project was cancelled. (Ref.: 17)

Fighter, Projects

Skoda-Kauba SK P.14-02 (Unknown, Resin)

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TYPE: Interceptor, Fighter. Project.

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only, in prone position

POWER PLANT: One Saenger-Lorin ram-jet

PERFORMANCE:  500 mph at 30,000 ft (estimated)

COMMENT: A similar interceptor project by Eugen Sänger from the Škoda-Kauba company was the Sk P.14-02. Compared to the Sk P.14-01 the design was smaller, had a shortened fuselage and the wings set in a more forward position. As its predecessor the Škoda-Kauba Sk P.14-02 took-off an a slightly lighter three-wheeled trolley, assisted by four Schmidding 109-533 solid-fuel rockets. Additionally the acceleration was needed to reach the speed where the ram-jet would work. The aircraft was landed on a retractable skid. Performance data were similar to the Sk P.14-01. None of the projected aircraft to fly on ramjet power were completed. (Ref.: 20)

Fighter, Projects

Škoda-Kauba Sk P.14 (RS Models, Resin)

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TYPE: Interceptor-fighter. Project.

ACCOMMODATION:Pilot only, in prone position

POWER PLANT: One Sänger-Lorin ramjet, rated at 1,350 kp at 33,000 ft

PERFORMANCE: 545 mph at 33,000 ft, (estimated)

COMMENT: Škoda-Kauba Sk P.14-01 was a ramjet-powered fighter project for the Luftwaffe. It was designed by Eugen Sänger and a team of 80 Czech and 40 German engineers of the Škoda-Kauba industries in the occupied Czech Republic towards the end of WWII. The ramjet had a diameter of 1.5 m and a length of 9.5 m, the massive engine and its tubular air-intake duct formed most of the fuselage structure. The aircraft was flown by a pilot in prone position. For take-off the aircraft was hoisted on a three-wheel trolley and in order to bring the ramjet to a speed where it would work, the trolley was accelerated by means of by two Walter HKW 109-500, rated at 500 kp each.  Additional four Schmidding 109-533 solid fuel rockets could be attached to the aircraft with 1,000 kp thrust each for 12 seconds. The aircraft was landed on a retractable skid. The ramjet was fed by carbon dust or heavy oil. (Ref.: 20)

Fighter

Messerschmitt Me 109G-6, II/7.JG (Revell)

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TYPE: Interceptor, Fighter

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: One Daimler-Benz DB 605AM, rated at 1,475 hp

PERFORMANCE: 380 mph at 13,120 ft

COMMENT: In the first half of the 1930’s Willy Messerschmitt, chief designer of the Bayrische Flugzeugwerke (BFW, Bavarian Aircraft Company) conceived several aircrafts that were trendsetting at that time: The Bf 108 Taifun, a sports and touring aircraft, the Bf 109 as a single-engine interceptor, and the Bf 110, a twin-engine heavy fighter. With begin of WWII the little BFW Company increased dramatically due to many orders given by the RLM (Reichsluftfahrtministerium, State Ministry of Aviation). So the BFM Company was reconstructed and renamed  Messerschmitt AG. By that erroneously the three aircraft were called Me 108, Me 109, and Me 110, respectively. And so did the Luftwaffe pilots as well as the allied opponents. The Me 109 was designed as an interceptor but later models were developed to fulfill multiple tasks, serving as fighter, bomber escorts, fighter-bomber, ground attack aircraft, night-fighter, reconnaissance aircraft, and even carrier-borne fighter. The Me 109 was in service from beginning of WWII until the dawn of the jet age at the end of the war. During that time the Me 109 was the backbone of the Luftwaffe (Fighter force), from end of 1941 supplemented by the Focke Wulf Fw 190. In total 33.984 Me 109 have been built in a great variety of subtypes: Me 109B, Me 109D, Me 109 E, Me 109F, Me 109G, Me 109H, and Me 109K. But even from theses subtypes many different variants were built. (Ref. 7.)

Fighter, Fighterbomber

Focke Wulf Fw 190A-8, unknown unit 1945 (Airfix)

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TYPE: Fighter, fighter-bomber, close-support aircraft

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: One BMW 801D-2 radial engine, rated at 1,700 hp

PERFORMANCE: 408 mph at 19, 400 ft

COMMENT: The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 “Würger” (Shrike) was a single-seat, single-engine fighter designed in the late 1930s. Production started in 1940, first flying operations began in autumn 1941. Along with its well-known counterpart, the Messerschmitt Me 109 the Fw 190 became the backbone of the German Fighter Force (Jagdwaffe). The more powerful BMW 801 radial engine – the Messerschmitt Me 109 was powered by an inline Daimler-Benz DB 605, rated at 1,450 hp)  – enabled the Fw 190 to lift larger loads than the Bf 109. So the Fw 190 was widely used as a day fighter, fighter-bomber, ground-attack aircraft and even as night-fighter and trainer. Production ended with WWII, a total of 19,500 aircraft been built in a variety of subtypes: Fw 190A-1 to A9, Fw 190B, Fw 190C, Fw 190D, Fw 190F und G, Fw 190S. Also the Fw 190 was used as test-plane for different engines, weapons etc.

 

Fighter, Fighterbomber, Projects

Messerschmitt Me P.1092/5 (Unicraft, Resin)

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TYPE: Interceptor, Fighter, Fighter bomber. Project.+

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: One Junkers Jumo 004C turbo jet, rated at 1,015 kp

PERFORMANCE: 567 mph at 19,700 ft (estimated)

COMMENT: The Messerschmitt Me P.1092/5 was the final design of all Me P.1092 projects. The layout was similar to the Me P.1092/3 and Me P.1092/4 as far as wings, tail compartment, air intake, undercarriage and turbo engine are concerned. Also the calculated performance remained equivalent. Solely the cockpit was moved back above the wings to give more space for armament in the fuselages nose. All the different Me P.1092 projects remained on drawing board. However, the designs influenced later projects such as Messerschmitt Me P.1106 and Me P.1101, respectively.

Fighter, Fighterbomber, Projects

Messerschmitt Me P.1092/4 (Unicraft, Resin)

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TYPE: Interceptor, Fighter, Fighter bomber. Project.

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: Junkers Jumo 004C turbojet, rated at 1,015 kp

PERFORMANCE: 567 mph at 19,700 ft (estimated)

COMMENT: The design of the Messerschmitt Me P.1092/4 was very similar to the Messerschmitt Me P.1092/3 except the cockpit that was placed to the forward fuselage. This layout allowed the pilot a much better field of vision. Air intake, wings and tail unit as well as power unit remained unchanged.