Category Archives: Fighterbomber

Fighterbomber

Fighterbomber, Composite

Messerschmitt Me 328B V-1 (Huma Models) with Dornier Do 217E-4, (Airfix Models)

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TYPE: Pulsejet-powered fighter and fighter bomber

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: Two Argus As 014 pulsejet, rated at 300 kp thrust each

PERFORMANCE:  500 mph

COMMENT: The Messerschmitt Me 328 was a prototype pulsejet-powered fighter aircraft designed and produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Messerschmitt AG.
Work on what would become the Me 328 can be traced back to early 1941 and an approach by the German engine manufacturer Argus Motoren to the aircraft company Messerschmitt AG to inform the latter of its recent advances with pulsejet technology. While the projected 1,100 lb of thrust output was less than the 1,300 lb output projected for early turbojet engines, it was a far lighter engine at 180 lb versus 1,300 lb. Messerschmitt was suitably impressed, so that efforts to incorporate the Argus As 014 pulsejet engine into its aircraft designs was promptly initiated. Design work was centered around applying pulsejets to a small and cheap fighter and fighter-bomber aircraft . By May 1941, no less than 21 different designs had been drafted by the company’s project office, which had internally designated them as Messerschmitt Me P.1079.
Under project number Messerschmitt Me P. 1079/17, the Messerschmitt AG initiated a series of studies for e cheap, high-performance fighter that could also be used on low-level attack missions. The first variant of the Me P. 1079/17, which had in the meantime been accorded the RLM designation Messerschmitt Me 328, according to the RLM decision of March 1941, was handed over for further development and construction of the Me 328 by the Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug (DFS , German Research Institute for Sailplane Flight) in co-operation with the Jacobs-Schweyer Flugzeugbau of Darmstadt. The envisaged Me 328 was forecast to be several times cheaper than the cost of traditional German fighter aircraft, such as the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 or Messerschmitt Bf 109.
The Me 238 featured a wooden circular section and the fuel tank occupied the entire fuselage nose and two simular tanks were housed in the rear fuselage. A 15 mm armour bulkhed separated the cockpit from the foreward fuel compartment and 15 mm armor plate was mounted immediately ahead of the pilot, and some additional protection was furnished by a 80 mm armour-glass windscreen. Instrumentation was rudimentary, and the cockpit canopy hinged to starboard. Space did not permitt provision for an ejection seat, but the whole rear of the fuselage aft of the pilot could be jettisoned by means of explosive bolts to facilitated escape.
Various wing positions were investigated, ranging from close inboard to mid-span, and tests were made with power plants projecting well foreward of the wing leading edges, with the air intakes well aft at approximately one-third cord and the  ducts exhausting beneath the tailplane, and with air intakes immediately beneath the leading edges.
A twin pulsejet-engines arrangement was selected for greater flight performance, the engine configuration used also permitted the propulsion units to be easily interchanged. Each pulsejet could be individually controlled by the pilot, including a quick-stop function; gauges indicating fuel-flow, fuel capacity, and pressure were present alongside controls for power distribution and safety alongside standard apparatus.
Various methods of taking-off were proposed, ranging from a Mandelung KL 12 catapult and a Borsig-designed rocket propelled rail carriage, to a Lippisch-designed three-wheel take-off trolley which could be used in conjunction with a cable-type catapult or a tug aicraft.  For early experiments the Me 328 was mounted on a special rig above a Dornier Do 217E.
A retractable central skid was attached to the fuselage mainframes and was retracted and locked against the uderside oft he fuselage so that, although the bomb was carried by the skid, all loads were transferred to the main structure. The skid could only be extended after the bomb had been dropped.
Fighter aircraft version was the Me 328A and prototypes Me 328 V1 to V10 were planned, with first three built by DFS. Prototypes V1 and V2 were first flown in unpowered form as glider and later fitted with two Argus As 014 pulsejets.
Twenty prototypes Me 328B V1 to V20 ordered were built Jacobs-Schweyer Flugzeugbau, Darmstadt. Only the Me 328B V1 was completed, while Me 328B V2 was incomplete before war’s end.
During test flight the unpowered Me 328 glider showed good handling characteristics and satifying results. In contrast, the results of the Me 328 powered by a pair of As 014 pulsejets were disappointing The engines were fairly unsuitable, producing excessive resonance, asymetry, and noise.
Accordingly, the manned flight programme was suspended after only a few test flights.
But during 1944, moves were made to revive the Me 328 again, this time as a piloted flying bomb. Based on the Me 328B, the aircraft was fitted with a 2,000 lb bomb and according to some literatur  proposed as a suicide weapon. However, the aircraft was not developed with any such use being intended. So all further work on the Me 328 was stopped.  The RLM decided to increase all efforts on the development of the manned flying bomb Fieseler Fi 104R-4 Reichenberg (Ref.: 7, 24).

Dornier Do 217E-4

TYPE: Medium bomber, Composite aircraft
ACCOMMODATION: Crew of three
POWER PLANT: Two BMW 801C radial engines, rated at 1.380 hp each
PERFORMANCE:  320 mph at 17,060 ft
COMMENT: The Dornier Do 217 was a bomber used by the German Luftwaffe during World War II. It was a more powerful development of the Dornier Do 17, known as the Fliegender Bleistift (“flying pencil”). Designed in 1937–1938 as a heavy bomber but not meant to be capable of the longer-range missions envisioned for the larger Heinkel He 177, the Do 217 design was refined during 1939 and production began in late 1940. It entered service in early 1941 and by the beginning of 1942 was available in significant numbers.
The Dornier Do 217 had a much larger bomb load and a much greater range than the Do 17. In later variants, dive bombing and maritime strike capabilities using glide bombs were experimented with, considerable success being achieved. Early Do 217 variants were more powerful than the contemporary Heinkel He 111 and Junkers Ju 88, having a greater speed, range and bomb load. Owing to this it was called a heavy bomber rather than a medium bomber. The Do 217 served on all fronts in all roles. On the Eastern Front and Western Front it was used as a stategic bomber,torpedo bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. It was also used for tactical operations, either direct ground assault or anti-shipping strikes. The Do 217 was also converted to become a night fighter and saw considerable action in the Defence oft he III Reich campaign until late in the war.
Furthermore, the Dornier Do 215E as well as Dornier Do 217K were used as carrier aircraft for smaler, most experimental and sometimes called parasite aircraft, e. g. DFS 228V-1, DFS 228A-0, Lippisch  Li P.12 and Lippisch Li P.13A. Shown here is a Messerschmitt Me 328B V1 mounted on a Dornier Do 217E (Ref.: 24).

Fighter, Fighterbomber, Trainer, Liason

Focke-Wulf Fw 190S-5 (A-5/U1), MPM Models

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TYPE: Trainer, Liaison aircraft

ACCOMMODATION:  Crew of two

POWER PLANT:  One BMW 801D-2 radial engine, rated at 1.677 hp

PERFORMANCE: 405 mph at 19,420 ft

COMMENT: The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 was a German single-seat, single-engined, fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank at Focke Wulf in the late 1930s and widely used during World War II. Along with its well-known counterpart, the Messerschmitt Bf 109, the Fw 190 became the backbone of the Jagdwaffe (Fighter Force) of the Luftwaffe. The twin-row BMW 801 radial engine that powered most operational versions enabled the Fw 190 to lift larger loads than the Bf 109, allowing its use as a day fighter, fighter-bomber, ground-attack aircraft, and to a lesser degree, night fighter.
The Fw 190A started flying operationally over France in August 1941 and quickly proved superior in all but turn radius to the Supermarin e Spitfire Mk. V, the main front-line fighter of the Royal Air Force (RAF), particularly at low and medium altitudes. The Fw 190 maintained its superiority over Allied fighters until the late 1942 and early 1943 introduction of the improved Spitfire Mk. IX. In November/December 1942, the Fw 190 made its air combat debut on the Eastern Front, finding much success in fighter wings and specialised ground attack units (Schlachtgeschwader – Battle Wings or Strike Wings) from October 1943.
During 1943, work had begun on the design of a tandem two-seat fuselage to meet the Luftwaffe requirement of a conversion trainer for the re-training of former Junkers Ju 87 pilots. By October that year, the Schlachtgeschwader were converting from Ju 87 to the Fw 190 at a rate of a Gruppe (Wing) every three weeks, and although the anticipated problems did not arise, three Fw 190A-8 airframes were converted to two-seaters, the itension being that these should serve as pattern aircraft for foreward maintenance units to rebuilt existing aircraft as two-seaters under the designation Fw 190S (the „S“ suffix indicating Schulflugzeug (trainer aircraft)).
A second cockpit  was inserted immediately aft of the standart cockpit, this occupying the space previously taken by the radio and other equipment. The rear fuselage decking was rised, and the two cockpits covered by a continous canopy, the foreward cockpit  for the pupil being enclosed by a section higing to starboard, and the aft cockpit for the instructor being covered by a section slid rearward. Rudimentary dual controls and instrumentation were provided in the rear cockpit, and as Fw 190A-8/U1, the first of three conversions flew in January 1944. The conversion was applicable to any A-series airframe, but apart from the three Fw 190A-8/U1 two seaters only about 55 Fw 190S-5 and -8 (respectively derived from Fw 190A-5 and A-8) trainers were completed, and these were mostly used for high-speed liaison tasks (Ref.: 7, 24).

Fighter, Fighterbomber

Focke-Wulf Fw 190F-8 with Blohm & Voss Bv P. 246 Hailstone, (Airfix-Models)

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TYPE: Fighter, fighter-bomber

ACCOMMODATION:  Pilot only

POWER PLANT: One BMWD-2 air-cooled radial piston engine, rated at 1,440 hp at 18,700 ft

PERFORMANCE: 405 mph at 19,420 ft

COMMENT: The Focke-Wulf Fw 190, nicknamed Würger (Shrike) was a German single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank at Focke-Wulf in the late 1930s and widely used during World War II. Along with its well-known counterpart, the Messerschmitt Bf 109, the Fw 190 became the backbone of the Jagdwaffe (Fighter Force) of the Luftwaffe. The twin-row BMW 801 radial engine that powered most operational versions enabled the Fw 190 to lift larger loads than the Bf 109, allowing its use as a day fighter, fighter-bomber, ground-attack aircraft and to a lesser degree, night-fighter.
The Fw 190A started flying operationally over France in August 1941 and quickly proved superior in all but turn radius to the Supermarine Spitfire Mk.V, the main front-line fighter of the Royal Air Force (RAF), particularly at low and medium altitudes. The Fw 190 maintained its superiority over Allied fighters until the introduction of the improved Spitfire Mk.IX. In November/December 1942, the Fw 190 made its air combat debut on the Eastern Front, finding much success in fighter wings and specialised ground-attack units (Schlachtgeschwader, Battle Wings or Strike Wings) from October 1943.
The Fw 190 participated on every major combat front where the Luftwaffe operated after 1941, and did so with success in a variety of roles. The Fw 190 first tested combat on the Western Front in August 1941, where it proved superior to the Spitfire Mk V Spitfire. The Spitfire’s main advantage over the Fw 190, and the Bf 109 as well, was its superior turn radius. Beyond that, the Fw 190 outperformed the Spitfire Mk. V in most areas, such as roll rate, speed, acceleration, and dive performance. The addition of the Fw 190 to the Jagdwaffe allowed the Germans to fight off RAF attacks and achieve local air superiority over German skies until the summer of 1942, when the improved Spitfire Mk. IX was introduced.
The Fw 190 was well-liked by its pilots. Some of the Luftwaffe’s most successful fighter aces claimed many of their kills while flying it. The Fw 190 had greater firepower than the Bf 109 and, at low to medium altitude, superior manoeuvrability, in the opinion of German pilots who flew both fighters. It was regarded as one of the best fighter planes of World War II.
The Fw 190F groung-attack configuration was originally tested in a Fw 190 A-0/U4, starting in May 1942. The A-0 testbed aircraft was outfitted with centerline and wing-mounted bomb racks. The early testing results were quite good, and Focke-Wulf began engineering the attack version of the Fw 190. New armor was added to the bottom of the fuselage, protecting the fuel tanks and pilot, the engine cowling, and the landing gear mechanisms and outer wing mounted armament. This attack configuration with additional armor and an ETC 501 centerline bomb rack was officially designated Umrüst-Bausatz kit 3 (abbreviated as /U3). It was first used on the A-4, the 18 known A-4/U3 were later redesignated Fw 190 F-1. The Fw 190 F-2s were renamed Fw 190 A-5/U3s, of which 270 were built according to Focke-Wulf production logs and Ministry of Aviation acceptance reports.
The Fw 190 F-8 differed from the A-8 model in having a slightly modified injector on the compressor which allowed for increased performance at lower altitudes for several minutes. The F-8 was also fitted with the improved FuG 16 ZS radio unit, which provided much better communication with ground combat units. Armament of the Fw 190 F-8 was two 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon in the wing roots and two 13 mm (.51 in) MG 131 machine guns above the engine. In the Fw 190 F-8/R1 two ETC 50 bomb racks were installed under each wing, capable of holding one 50 kg bomb each. In 1945 the ETC 50 was replaced with the ETC 70, capable of holding 70 kg bombs. According to Ministry of Aviation acceptance reports, at least 3,400 F-8s were built, and probably several hundred more were built in December 1944 and from February to May 1945. Dozens of F-8s served as various testbeds for anti-tank armament, including the WGr.28 280 mm air-to-ground missile, probably based on the projectiles from the Nbw 41 (Nebelwerfer 41, Smoke mortar 41) heavy ground-barrage rocket system, and the 3.5 in Panzerschreck 2 rockets, Panzerblitz 1 and R4M rockets.
The Focke-Wulf Fw 190F-8 shown here was modified as a carrier for the Blohm & Voss Bv 246 glide bomb. Note vertical bars beneath wings exerting tension of Bv 246 wings to project bomb away from the aircraft on release (Ref.: 7, 24).

Blohm & Voss Bv 246 Hagelkorn

The Blohm & Voss Bv 246 Hagelkorn (Hailstone) was a guided glide bomb developed to bomb specific targets (bridges, ships, etc.).
This glider was designed by Richard Vogt, at first under the designation of Bv 226, which was later changed to its definitive designation Bv 246 on December 1943.
It was intended to be dropped from a Junkers Ju 88 or a Heinkel He 111 bomber, either of which could carry up to three of the weapons, and was to be dropped from a height of 23,000 ft at a speed of 340 mph, giving it a range of up to 130 mi. In a slight dive the Bv 246 could reach a speed of 560 mph. Also, experiments were done with a varity of other carrier planes, including the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 and and other projected aicraft such as the Blohm & Voss Bv 204.
The construction of the Bv 246 avoided the usual aircraft techniques and strategic materials, so it could be mass-produced. It had clean aerodynamics, with high aspect ratio wings that made possible a glide ratio of 25:1. The wings were made of magnesite cement, formed around a steel spar. It had a cruciform tail in an early version and a double vertical tail mounted on the sides of a wide horizontal stabilizer in a later version. It had a length of 11.6 ft and a wingspan of 21 ft. Its total weight was 1,610 lb, of which 959 lb was the explosive warhead.
Initial tests revealed that the basic design was workable, but that the weapon was very inaccurate and because of this it was rejected. However, work was restarted in 1943, with 11 different versions being planned, due to its simple and inexpensive construction, and the new development contract was awarded to the Karlshagen test centre. A series of tests was begun to improve the weapon’s accuracy, with air drops performed by KG 101 (Kampfgeschwader, Bomber Group). Despite unpromising results, the RLM (Reichsluftfahrtministerium, Ministry of Aviation nevertheless issued the order to commence mass production on December 1943. In February 1944 the contract was cancelled due to the success of the Fieseler Fi 103 V-1 flying bomb.
The weapon was revived a further time, in early 1945, as an early form of antiradiation weapon, using the Radieschen (Garen radish) passive seeker which was designed to home in on Allied radar transmitters. Around 1,000 units were produced but never used operationally (Ref.:24).

 

Fighter, Fighterbomber

Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-8/R-1, II/JG 1 (Revell Models)

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TYPE: Fighter, Fighterbomber

ACCOMMODATION:  Pilot only

POWER PLANT: One BMW 801D-2 air-cooled radial engine, rated at 1,677 hp

PERFORMANCE: 405 mph at 9,420 ft

COMMENT: The Focke-Wulf Fw 190, nicknamed Würger (Shrike) was a German single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank at Focke-Wulff Company in the late 1930s and widely used during World War II. Along with its well-known counterpart, the Messerschmitt Me 109, the Fw 190 became the backbone of the Jagdwaffe (Fighter Force) of the Luftwaffe. The twin-row BMW 801 radial engine that powered most operational versions enabled the Fw 190 to lift larger loads than the Me 109, allowing its use as a day fighter, fighter bomber, ground-attack aircraft and to a lesser degree, nught fighter.
The Fw 190A started flying operationally over France in August 1941 and quickly proved superior in all but turn radius to the Supermarine Spitfire Mk. V, the main front-line fighter of the Royal Air Force (RAF), particularly at low and medium altitudes. The 190 maintained its superiority over Allied fighters until the introduction of the improved Supermarine Spitfire Mk. IX. In November/December 1942, the Fw 190 made its air combat debut on the Eastern Front, finding much success in fighter wings and specialised ground attack units (Schlachtgeschwader – Battle Wings or Strike Wings) from October 1943.
The Fw 190A series’ performance decreased at high altitudes (usually 20,000 ft and above, which reduced its effectiveness as a high-altitude interceptor. From the Fw 190’s inception, there had been ongoing efforts to address this with a turbosuper-charged BMW 801 in the Focke-Wulf Fw 190B model, the much longer-nosed Focke-Wulf Fw 190C model with efforts to also turbocharge its chosen Daimler Benz DB 603 inverted V12 powerplant, and the similarly long-nosed Focke-Wulf  Fw 190D model with the Junkers Jumo 213. Problems with the turbocharger installations on the -B and -C subtypes meant only the D model entered service in September 1944. These high-altitude developments eventually led to the Focke-Wulf/Tank Ta 152, which was capable of extreme speeds at medium to high altitudes (469 mph at 44,300 ft. While these “long nose” Fw 190 variants and the Ta 152 derivative especially gave the Germans parity with Allied opponents, they arrived too late to affect the outcome of the war.
The Fw 190A-8 entered production in February 1944, powered either by the standard BMW 801 D-2 or the 801Q (also known as 801TU). The 801Q/TU, with the “T” signifying a Triebwerksanlage unitized powerplant installation, was a standard 801D with improved, thicker armour on the BMW-designed front annular cowling, which still incorporated the BMW-designed oil cooler, upgraded from 6 mm on earlier models to 10 mm. Changes introduced in the Fw 190 A-8 also included the C3-injection Erhöhte Notleistung emergency boost system to the fighter variant of the Fw 190 A (a similar system with less power had been fitted to some earlier Jabo variants of the 190 A), raising power to 1,950 hp for 10 minutes. The 10 minute emergency power may be used up to three times per mission with a 10 minute cooldown in “combat power” between each 10 minute use of emergency power.
The Focke-Wulf A-8/R-1 Zerstörer (Destroyer) had a quartette of underwing-mounted MG 151 cannon (Rüstsatz 1, Field conversion set), the standart twin fuselage mounted MG 131 and wing root-mounted MG 15.
Of the total of 23.823 Focke-Wulf Fw 190 built in all variants 6.655 aircraft were Fw 190A-8.
The Fw 190 was well-liked by its pilots. Some of the Luftwaffe’s most successful fighter aces claimed many of their kills while flying it. The Fw 190 had greater firepower than the Messerschmitt Me 109 and, at low to medium altitude, superior manoeuvrability, in the opinion of German pilots who flew both fighters. It was regarded as one of the best fighter planes of World War II .
The Focke Wulf Fw 190A-8/R-1 shown here belonged to the II. Gruppe (Wing) of JG 1 (Jagdgeschwader, Fighter Group) (Ref.: 24).

Fighter, Fighterbomber, Projects

Focke-Wulf Single-Seat Fighter with BMW P.8011 (My3dbase.com)

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TYPE: High-altitude Interceptor

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot in pressurized cockpit

POWER PLANT: One BMW P.8011 radial engine with two turbochargers, rated at 2.900 hp

PERFORMANCE: 451 mph in 26.215 ft

COMMENT: By the beginning of 1942, the Focke-Wulf Fw 190A was established in production and service, and most of the more serious shortcomings that has revealed themselves during the fighter’s gestation had been ironed out. A solution had still to be found out. However, the performance of the aircraft at high altitudes was inadequate. So one of the preproduction airframe was fitted with a nitrous oxide injection or GM 1 system for use above the rated altitude of the engine. The nitrous oxide, which was retained under pressure in liquid form in a tank aft of the cockpit, provided additional oxygen for the engine, but sometimes also acting as an antidetonant.
Flight testing proved disappointing. Effective combat altitude was boosted to some 26.000 ft, but insufficient nitrous oxide could be carried to increase power for more than brief periods, difficulties were experienced in lagging the pipelines, and the weight of the system, with its compressed air cylinders and heavily-lagged GM 1 tank, was almost as much as the total gun armament of the standard fighter.
Focke-Wulf was convinced that the desired performance could not be achieved with the BMW 801, and that the engine should be replaced by a liquid-cooled power plant. The design team with Prof. K. Tank favored the Daimler-Benz DB 603, but this engine was viewed with disfavor by the RLM, having been developed by Daimler-Benz without official sanction. Tank was informed that the improved performance now being sought should be achieved with developments of the BMW 801 air-cooled radial.
Meanwhile BMW was working on the BMW 802, a large air-cooled radial engine consistig of two rows of nine cylinders. It was essentially an 18-cylinder version of the 14-cylinder BMW 801. The BMW 802 emerged with an almost identical displacement to the American 18-cylinder Wright R-3350 Duplex Cyclone and somewhat larger than the British Bristol Centaurus. Although promising at first, development dragged on and the project was eventually cancelled.
Another idea to improve the performance was to bolt two BMW 801s back to back. Although seemingly a simple concept, the resulting, 83.5 litre displacement BMW 803 was in fact fantastically complicated. The power of the engine could only practically be used in extremely large propellers, or, as selected, a contra-rotating pair of propellers. This required a large gearbox on the front of the engine, which combined with the layout of the cylinders, left no room for airflow over the cylinders. This demanded the addition of liquid cooling.
Based on this concept of a twin-engine a further improvement led to the BMW P.8011. This engine was, able to produce 2.900 hp at take-off. The supercharger was replaced by two gas turbines enclosed in an aerodynamic engine cowling and driving two contra-rotating three-bladed propellers.
These engines were too heavy and powerful for the standard Focke-Wulf Fw 190 airframe. It was necessary to design a heavier airplane. The answer was a 125% scaled-up version of the Fw 190 with a wing of 42,7 ft span ad 371 sqft surface. The BMW P. 8011 was 38.7 ft long and the maximum weight was more than 11.900 lbs.
This new fighter was provided with an armored pressure cabin and used as high-altitude interceptor. Due to the war situation the project was cancelled in late 1944.
This monster fighter lacked any official designation and was only known as “Focke-Wulf Einsitzer mit BMW P.8011” (Focke-Wulf Single-seater with BMW P. 8011). By the end of 1944 in an article by General “Hap” Arnold, USAAF, published on 29 May 1944 in “Aviation News” refers it as Focke-Wulf Fw 290. But that is an error because the RLM Number “290” was given to the Junkers Ju 290 four-engine maritime control and transport aircraft (Ref.: 7, 24).

Fighter, Fighterbomber

Messerschmitt Me 509 (RS Models)

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TYPE: Fighter, Fighter bomber, Project

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: One Daimler-Benz DB 605B liquid-cooled engine, rated at 1,455 hp

PERFORMANCE: 470 mph (estimated)

COMMENT:  Although the Me 509 can trace its roots back to the Messerschmitt Me 309, very little information has survived. The aircraft was to be of an all-metal construction. A new fuselage was designed, with the pressurized cockpit being moved well forward near the nose.  The Daimler Benz 605B 12-cylinder engine was buried in the fuselage behind the cockpit, and drove a three-bladed, Me P 6 reversible-pitch propeller by an extension shaft which passed beneath the cockpit (similar to the US Bell P-39 Airacobra).  The wing was tapered and had rounded wingtips, and was mounted low on the fuselage.  Other Me 309 components were to be used, such as the tricycle landing gear, and the vertical tail assembly was similar to the one used for the Me 309 V1.  Armament was not decided upon for the 509, but it is thought that two MG 131 13mm machine guns and two MG 151 20mm cannon were to be used. Although there were advantages of better cockpit visibility and relocation of the engine weight from the nose gear. That was important, since the Me 309’s nose gear often collapsed. The Messerschmitt Me 509 design and development was stopped when the Me 309 program was ended in mid-1943.
In April 1945, the Japanese completed a very similar project, the Yokosuka R2Y Keiun. Although no firm evidence exists, it is possible that the Messerschmitt Me 309/509 information was licensed to the Japanese military, as were a number of other German designs (Messerschmitt Bf 109, Heinkel He 100, Messerschmitt Me 163, Messerschmitt Me 410, among others). (Ref.: 17).

Fighter, Fighterbomber

Arado Ar 240A-2, JG 5 Eismeergeschwader, (Revell Models)

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TYPE: Heavy fighter

ACCOMMODATION: Crew ot two

POWER PLANT: Two Daimler-Benz DB 601E liquid-cooled  engines, rated at 1,175 hp each

PERFORMANCE: 385 mph

COMMENT: The Arado Ar 240 was a German twin-engine, multi-role heavy fighter aircraft, developed for the Luftwaffe during WW II by Ardo Flugzeugwerke. Its first flight was in 1940, but problems with the design hampered development, and it remained only marginally stable throughout the prototype phase. The project was eventually cancelled, with the existing airframes used for a variety of test purposes.
The Ar 240 came about as the response to a 1938 request for a much more capable second-generation heavy fighter to replace the Messerschmitt Bf 110, which was becoming outdated. Both Arado and Messerschmitt responded. Messerschmitt’s response, the Me 210, was a totally new design, but thanks to Messerschmitt’s experience with the Zerstörer (“Destroyer”) concept, it would be able to enter service quickly. Arado’s design was considerably more ambitious for the smaller firm, a dream project of Arado’s chief designer, Walter Blume, since the mid-1930s. While it would take some time before deliveries of the Arado design could begin, the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM, German Aviation Ministry was nevertheless interested enough to order prototypes of both designs.
Prior to this point, Arado had invested heavily in several lines of basic research. One was the development of the “Arado travelling flap” which offered excellent low-speed lift performance. Another was ongoing work in the design and construction of pressurized cockpits, which dramatically lowered pilot fatigue for any flight above about 14,760 ft. Finally, they had also invested in a technically advanced remote-control defensive gun system, which they had been experimenting with for several years. The system used a gunsight located in the rear cockpit, operated by the navigator/gunner, which had optics on both the top and bottom of the aircraft, allowing aim in any direction. The gunsight was hydraulically connected to well-streamlined pancake-shaped, remotely-operated turrets on the top and bottom of the aircraft. For the Ar 240 design, the Arado engineers combined all this research into a single airframe.
For outright performance, they used as small a wing as reasonable, thereby lowering parasite drag (at the expense of greater lift-induced drag). Normally this would make the plane have “impossibly high” landing speeds, but this was offset by the use of a huge travelling flap and leading edge slats for high low-speed lift. When the flaps were extended, the upper portion of the ailerons would remain in place while the lower portion extended rearward, essentially increasing the wing area. A Jumo 222-powered Junkers Ju 288 prototype with ducted spinners, of a similar type to that intended for the Ar 240.
The Daimler-Benz DB 601 inline engines were conventionally installed and equipped with three-blade, fully adjustable propellers. The radiators were somewhat unusual however, quite similar to those fitted to the Junkers Ju 88 which pioneered them – but much more closely resembling the intended installation of the radiators intended for the junkers Ju 288, when powered by its intended multibank Junkers Jumo 222 liquid-cooled 24-cylinder engines – for both types, consisting of an annular block located in front of each engine, but with the Ar 240 partially covering each of them with an oversized, ducted flow-through propeller spinner forward of each radiator unit, with air entering through a large hole in the front of the spinner and exiting out of the cowl flaps, as the Jumo 222-powered Ju 288 design was intended to have. As with the Jumo inline-powered versions of the Ju 88, this made the plane look as if it were mounting a radial engine, and the Ar 240, like later Jumo inline-powered fighter aircraft from the Focke-Wulf firm (the Fw 190D, Ta 152 and twin-engined Ta 154) also benefitted from the simpler setup of an annular radiator just forward of the engine.
The fuel cells in the wings were provided with a newly developed self-sealing system that used thinner tank liners, allowing for more fuel storage. The liners could not be easily removed as they stuck to the outer surface of the tank, so in order to service them, the wing panelling had to be removable. This led to a complex system for providing skinning stiff enough to be handled in the field, complicating construction and driving up weight.
As with all German multi-use aircraft designs of the era, the aircraft was required to be a credible dive bomber. The thick wing panelling was not suitable for piercing for conventional dive brakes, so a “petal”-type brake was installed at the extreme rear of the fuselage — appearing much like what had been trialled with the Dornier Do 217 — which, unlike the Do 217’s vertically-opening “petals”, opened to the sides instead when activated. When closed the brake looked like a stinger, extending beyond the horizontal stabilizer and twin fins.
Finally, the cockpit was fully pressurized. This would not have been easy if the armament had to be hand-operated by the gunner, as it would have required the guns to penetrate the rear of the cockpit canopy. However, the remote control system allowed them to be located in turrets in the unpressurized rear of the fuselage.
All of this added weight, and combined with the small wing, led to a very highwing loding of 330 kg/m2, compared to an average of about a 100 for a single-seat fighter.
Technical specifications were first published in October 1938, followed by detailed plans later that year. In May 1939, the RLM ordered a batch of six prototypes. The first Ar 240 V1 prototype took to the air on 25 June 1940, and immediately proved to have poor handling in all axes, also tending to overheat during taxiing.
The handling was thought to be the result of the ailerons being too small, given the thick wing, so the second prototype was modified to have larger ones, as well as additional vertical fin area on the dive brakes to reduce yaw. In addition, small radiators were added to the landing gear legs to improve cooling at low speeds, when the gear would normally be opened. Ar 240 V2, first flew on 6 April 1941, and spent most of its life at the factory in an experimental role.
Ar 240 V3 followed, the first to be equipped with the FA 9 rear-firing armament system, developed jointly by Arado and DVL, armed with a 7.92 mm MG 81Z machine gun. Ar 240 V4 was the first to include an operational dive brake, and flew on 19 June 1941. Ar 240 V5 and the V6 followed in December and January, including the upgraded FA 13 system, using two 13 mm MG 131 machine gun in place of the MG 81Z for a considerable boost in firepower. Ar 240 V7 and V8 acted as prototypes for the planned Ar 240 B, which was to use two Daimler Benz DB 605As, while Ar 240 V9, V10, and V11, and V12 served as prototypes of the Ar 240 C.
The Ar 240’s excellent performance quickly led to the V3, V5 and V6 being stripped of their armament, including the defensive guns, and used as reconnaissance aircraft over England, where no other two-seater could venture by 1942. A number of pre-production Ar 240As served on the northern part oft he Eastern Front overflying Soviet military positions. In grand total 14 Arado Ar 240 were built (Ref.: 24).

Fighterbomber, Projects

Messerschmitt Zerstörer-Projekt, Ausführung II, (Destroyer-project, Scheme II), (Unicraft Models, Resin)

Gallery

TYPE: Destroyer, ground-attack aircraft

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: One turbojet-engine, type unknown

PERFORMANCE: No data available

COMMENT: After the end of “WW II, when the Allied occupied Germany they found a huge amount of secret project documents. Among these were several unconventional designs from the Messerschmitt Company e. g. the so called “Animal Names” types. These were a single-turbojet  midget fighter “Libelle”  (Dragonfly) and two designs of the “Wespe I” and „Wespe II“ (Wasp) light fighters, a twin-engine fighter“ Me P.1079/18 „Schwalbe“(Swallow),  a bomber-transporter “Wildgans” (Brant) and two versions of a heavy ground-attacker “Zerstörer –  Projekt I” and „Zerstörer – Projekt II“ (Destroyer I and II).
As far as these latter are concerned these projects appear to consist of studies from the period 1941/42. But very unusual for Messerschmitt project drawings is that none of the dotted-outline turbojets matched  with the contures of any turbojets that were under development by BMW, Daimler-Benz, Heinkel-Hirth, Junkers and Porsche nor do the thrust figures quoted for them correpond to the known turbojet variants in production or development at that time.
An other confusing fact is that the Zerstörer ProjektII had the air intakes in the wing rootes and the sole turbojet engine was located in the rear fuselage. But additionally there were two openings on both sides the fuselage and the wings leading edges. This could be interpreted that the Zerstörer project II was powered by two turbojet engines.
On the other hand the high T-tailplane leads to the assumption of a later design period 1944/45. Focke-Wulf employed the T-taiplane for the first time in 1945 in the design of the Tank Ta 183. Messerschmitt, Heinkel and other aircraft manufacturers followed hastingly, as too little was known of the related flying characteristics of this type of tail surface. After the war the Allied quickly recognized its advantage and adopted this design feature.
Finally, a further factor indicating that the Zerstörer-designes were of later vintage is that both designes had a nosewheel tricycle undercarriage – a design feature that was first introduced in the Messerschmitt Me 262. Also, the rearward reclining seat and flush canopy blending into the fuselage nose contures  were not features of high-speed aircraft designes oft he 1941/42 period.
In conclusion and perhaps more likely is the fact that these designs are more after war fantasy than reality. So this comment is in contrast to the comment, given with the Messerschmitt Zerstörer-Projekt, Ausführung I, (Destroyer-project, Scheme I) on that website.

(Ref.: Herwig, Dieter and Heinz Rode: Luftwaffe Secret Projects, Ground Attack & Special Purpose Aircraft. Midland Publishing, Hinckley, LE10 3EY, England)

Fighterbomber, Medium Bomber, Projects

Messerschmitt Me P.1101/28 (Resin, Frank Modellbau)

Gallery

TYPE: Fast bomber and destroyer

ACCOMMODATION: Crew of two (Pilot and radiooperator/navigator)

POWER PLANT: Two Heinkel-Hirth HeS 011 turbojet engines, rated at 1.300 kp thrust each

PERFORMANCE: 565 mph

COMMENT: This project study of 11. April 1945 (Little note: less than four weeks before the total collaps of the “Third Reich”!!!!) for a two seat “Schnellbomber” (fast bomber) and “Zerstörer” (destroyer) constituted a further development of the Messerschmitt Me P.1099, Me P.1100 and Me P.1101 series of proposals of 1944 on the basis of the original in service Messerschmitt Me 262.
Whereas the basic fuselage, spacious cockpit and tail surfaces of the mentioned follow-up proposals were retained, the two Heinkel-Hirth HeS 011 turbojets were relocated into the wing root to which the new wings having a leading edge sweep of almost 40 degrees were attached. An interesting feature of the design was that the mainwheels were to retract inwards to rest vertically in the fuselage between the fore and aft fuel tanks. Exactly how this was to be accomplished with the turbojets in the way is not clear from the documents. Although the final form of the fuselage nose portion had not been decided, the end of the war brought an early end of the project (Ref.: 16).

Fighterbomber

Dornier Do 335B-2 (Dragon Models)

Gallery

TYPE: Destoyer, Fighter-bomber

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: Two Daimler-Benz DB 603E-1 liquid-cooled engines, rated at 1,900 hp at 5,905 ft each

PERFORMANCE: 474 mph at 22,000 ft

COMMENT: The Dornier Do 335 „Pfeil“ (Arrow) was a German World-War II heavy fighter built by the Dornier company. The Pfeil’s performance was much better than other twin-engine designs due to its unique push-pull configuration and the lower aerodynamic drag of the in-line alignment of the two engines. It was Germany’s fastest piston-engined aircraft of World War II. The Luftwaffe was desperate to get the design into operational use, but delays in engine deliveries meant that only a handful were delivered before the war ended.
The first 10 Do 335A-0s were delivered for testing in May 1944. By late this year, the Do 335A-1 was on the production line. It was similar to the A-0 but with the uprated DB 603E-1 engines of some 1,800 hp take-off power rating apiece and two underwing hardpoints for additional bombs, drop tanks or guns. It had a maximum speed of 474 mph at 21 300 ft with MW 50 boost, or 426 mph without boost, and climbed to 26, 250 ft in under 15 minutes. Even with one engine out, it reached about 350 mph.
With the worsening of war situation development emphasis in the „Pfeil“ programme switched from the A-series fighter-bomber to the more heavily armed B-series „Zerstörer“ (Destroyer), and during the winter 1944-45 the first Do 335B prototypes were completetd at Oberpfaffenhofen. The initial B-series „Zerstörer“ were essentially similar to the Do 335A-1 apart from armament and the deletion of internal weapon bay, its space being utilized by a supplement fuel tank. The Do 335 V13 had a 15-mm MG 151 cannon in the forward fuselage replaced by 20-mm MG 151s, and was intended to serve as a prototype fort he Do 335B-1, and the Do 335 V14 had this armament supplemented by two 30-mm MK 103 cannon mounted just inboard oft he main undercarriage attachment points, this being the prototype fort he Do 335B-2.
These were destined to be the only B-series prototypes actually completed and flown, although six additional aircraft were under construction at Oberpfaffenhofen when further development was terminated. These were the Do 335 V15 and V16, respectively the second prototype oft he B-1 and B-2 models, the Do 335 V17 which was intended  as a prototype oft he  B-6 two-seat night and bad weather fighter similar to the Do 335 A-6 but posessing the same armament as that oft he B-1; The Do 335 V18 which was to have been the second prototype fort he Do 335B-6, and the  Do 335 V19 and V20 which would have been respectively  prototypes  for the Do 335B-3 and B-7 powered by DB 603LA engines with two stage superchargers, the former being a single-seater similar to the B-2 and the latter being a two-seater similar to the B-6 (Ref.: 7, 24).