Heinkel He P. 1080 (Frank-Airmodel, Resin)

TYPE: Interceptor, fighter. Project

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: Two Lorin-Pabst ramjet engines, rated at 4375 kp thrust each

PERFORMANCE: 621 mph

COMMENT: Heinkel designed this ramjet-powered fighter after receiving ramjet data from DFS near the end of WWII. Two 900 mm (2′ 11.5″) diameter Lorin-Rohr ramjets were mounted on each side of the fuselage with their outer surfaces faired into the wing, so that the large surface area of the ramjets were exposed to the airstream for cooling purposes. To save design time, the swept-back wing with the elevon controls were based on those of the He P.1078, but a single orthodox fin and rudder was used instead of wingtip anhedral. The cockpit was located in the forward section of the fuselage, along with a radar unit and two MK 108 30mm cannon. The fuel tanks were located in the rear of the fuselage. Take-off power was accomplished with the aid of four solid-fuel rockets of 1000 kp of thrust each. An undercarriage trolley that could be jettisoned was used for take-off. The aircraft landed on an extendable skid. Like the other Heinkel projects He P. 1078 and He P.1079, the Heinkel He P.1080 was never submitted to the RLM. It is known that members of Heinkel construction bureau were working on these designs under U.S. supervision after WW II during the summer of 1945 (Ref.: 17, 19).