Category Archives: Luftwaffe

Deutschland / Germany

Focke-Wulf Fw Ta 283 (Huma)

TYPE: Interceptor fighter. Project.

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: Two Pabst-Lorin ramjet engines, rated at 1.500 kp thrust each and one Walter HWK 109-509A liquid-fueled rocket engine, rated at 3.000 kp thrust

PERFORMANCE: 683 mph

COMMENT: In March, 1944, the team of Focke-Wulf worked on a design of a ramjet-powered fighter. The wings were mounted low on the fuselage and were swept back at 45 degrees. It had along, pointed nose and the cockpit was set back into the large vertical fin. The aircraft sat very low on a retractable nose wheel undercarriage and main wheels with extreme short track. The ramjets were located on the tips of the sharply swept tail planes. For take-off a Walter HWK rocket engine, located in the back fuselage was needed as well as to reach speed high enough to operate the ramjets. Ceiling of 36.000 ft should be reached within less than five minutes. Neither detailed design drawings nor models for wind tunnel testing are readied when the defeat of Germany stopped any further studies (Ref.: 16, 18).

Arado Ar E.583.5 (Planet, Resin)

TYPE: Heavy night- and all-weather fighter. Project

ACCOMMODATION: Crew of two

POWER PLANT: Two Heinkel-Hirth HeS 011 turbojet engines, rated at 1,300 kp thrust each

PERFORMANCE: 500 mph

COMMENT: The Arado Ar E. 583.5 project was a heavy night and all-weather fighter that was proposed to the “Entwicklungs-Hauptkommission (EHK, Main commission for development) on 15. March 1945. The design was a 35 degree delta-wing with twin fins and rudders located on the wing trailing edge. The two man crew was seated back-to-back in a pressurized cockpit. The two Heinkel-Hirth HeS 011 turbojets were located under the rear fuselage. Four MK 108 30mm cannon were mounted in the nose,  two upward-firing , oblique mounted MK 108 30mm cannon were located in mid fuselage, and two remotely controlled backwards firing MK 108 cannon in the tail. After the WW II construction drawings from Arado came to the US and influenced the design of the Chance Vought F7U Cutlass (Ref. 15, 16, 17).

Arado Ar E 583.06 (Planet, Resin)

TYPE: Heavy night and all-weather fighter and fighter-bomber. Project

ACCOMMODATION: Crew of three

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

PERFORMANCE: 466 mph

COMMENT: The Arado Ar E.583.06 was a design of a night and all-weather fighter, presented to the “Entwicklungs-Hauptkommission (EHK, Main commission for development) in March 1945. The layout was a more conventional counterpart to the radical delta-wing design Arado Ar E. 583.05 presented at the same time. Wings were swept-back at 35 degrees and two Heinkel-Hirth HeS 011 turbojet engines were placed under each wing. A crew of three men was seated in the pressurized cabin, which was fitted with ejection seats. The heavy armament consisted of four MK 108 30mm cannon mounted in the nose,  two upward-firing , oblique mounted MK 108 30mm cannon located in mid fuselage, and one remotely controlled backwards firing MK 108 cannon in the tail. The end of WW II stopped any further development (Ref. 15, 16, 17).

Heinkel He P.1079A (Planet, Resin)

TYPE: Night fighter. Project

ACCOMMODATION: Crew of two

POWER PLANT: Two Heinkel-Hirth HeS 011 turbojet engines, rated at 1,300 kp thrust each

PERFORMANCE: 590 mph

COMMENT:   In mid 1944 the Heinkel design office was working on a heavy night and bad weather fighter with two-turbojet engines, and two crew members under project number P.1079. Initially, two different designs A and B were studied. Project He P.1079A was designed as a night-fighter. The crew of two sat back-to-back in the cockpit which was located near the nose. The wings were swept back 35 degrees and were mounted mid-fuselage, with two Heinkel-Hirth HeS 011 turbojets located in the wing roots. A V-tail plane (butterfly tail plane) was provided and armament was to be four MK 108 30mm cannon. Project He 1079B, a night fighter, too, was closer to a flying wing layout, although there was a single, vertical fin which replaced the V-tail of the P.1079A. Furthermore, the wings were gull-shaped and were swept back at 45 degrees. No evidence has been found that any of both P.1079 projects were ever submitted to the RLM, but it is known that members of Heinkel construction bureau were working on these designs under U.S. supervision during the summer of 1945 (Ref.: 16).

Focke-Wulf Fw 3 x 1000 Bomber Projekt C (Unicraft, Resin)

TYPE: Fast medium bomber. Project

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: Two Heinkel-Hirth HeS 011 turbojet engines, rated at 1,300 kp thrust each

PERFORMANCE: 621 mph at 40,000 ft

COMMENT: In autumn 1944 the Focke-Wulf company proposed three different designs of fast bombers to meet the RLM’s “1000×1000×1000 Bomber” requirement. The request for proposals called for an aircraft with two turbojet engines and should be able to carry 1,000 kilograms (2,200 lb) of bombs over a distance of 1,000 kilometers (620 mi) with a speed of 1,000 kilometers per hour (620 mph). The third design (Projeckt C) was of conventional layout similar to the first design (Projekt A, while Projekt B was a flying wing design. Projekt C had wings and tail plane of parallel chord and the fuselage was deepened. The two Heinkel-Hirth HeS 011 turbojet engines were on underwing pylons to increase the mass-balance effect. They were also turned out of line to help enhance single engine controllability. The pilot was positioned in a forward cockpit, and one 1000 kg bomb (Hermann) could be carried. As with the other two other bomber projects the Focke-Wulf  Fw 1000x1000x1000 Bomber Projekt C remained on the drawing board (Ref.: 16).

Focke-Wulf Fw P.0310251-13/II (Planet, Resin)

TYPE: Night and all-weather fighter. Project

ACCOMMODATION: Crew of three

POWER PLANT: One Junkers Jumo 222C/D radial engine, rated at 3000 hp and two BMW 003A turbojet engines, rated at 800 kp thrust each

PERFORMANCE: 527 mph

COMMENT: In autumn 1944 the team of Focke-Wulf proposed a design of a mixed-propulsion aircraft as a night and all-weather fighter. Three different projects are planed with different piston engines. Project I with Daimler-Benz DB 603N in-line engine, rated at 2705 hp and driving four-bladed propeller, Project II with Junkers Jumo 222C/D four row radial engine, rated 3000 hp and driving five-bladed propeller (shown here), and Project III with Argus As 413 in-line engine, rated at 4000hp, driving four-bladed propeller. Additionally, the latter two projects featured a pair of BMW 003A turbojets slung under the wings. The mid-fuselage mounted engine drove the rear propeller by an extension shaft and air was fed via two intakes in the wing roots. The wings were swept back and a cruciform tail was fitted, the lower fin also helping to keep the propeller from striking the ground during take-off. A crew of three (pilot, navigator and radar operator) sat together in a pressurized cockpit covered by a bubble canopy. Flight times could be increased up to eight hours with the jet engines shut down and the rear engine operating at half throttle. The aircraft was heavily armed with four forward firing MK 108 30mm cannon in the nose and two upward-firing oblique MK 108 30mm cannon in mid fuselage. In addition, two 500 kg bombs could be carried at the outer wing stations. The defeat of Germany made further plans obsolete (Ref.: 16).

Messerschmitt Me 262A-2a Sturmvogel (Stormbird) (Matchbox) with SC 1000 high explosive bomb (Hermann) on Deichselschlepp (tow-bar) (Airmodel)

TYPE: Fighter bomber

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: Two Junkers Jumo 004B-1 turbojet engines, rated at 900 kp thrust each

PERFORMANCE: 530 mph at 9,800 ft

COMMENT: The fighter-bomber version of the Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe (Swallow) received the appellation Stormbird (Sturmvogel) to distinguish it from those aircraft completed purely as interceptors. It was Hitler’s explicit desire to use this aircraft as a fighter-bomber incomprehensible to the manufacturer. Deliveries of that subtype, now called Messerschmitt Me 262A-2a, began in July 1944. It differed from the Me 262A-1a interceptor fighter solely in having bomb fusing equipment and a pair of pylons side-by-side beneath the fuselage nose, forward of the undercarriage wells. These could be either of the ETC 504 type or of so-called “Wikingerschiff” (“Viking ships”) type, and proposed loads included a single SB 1000 bomb, or two SC 500 bombs, and derivate types, respectively. An unconventional approach was provided by a towed bomb, SC 1000 or SC 500 fitted with a wooden wing and towed by means of a 20-ft tube rigidly attached to the bomb. The tow-bar was attached beneath the tail by means of a swivel joint permitting horizontal and vertical motion, and the wires to detonate the explosive bolts, by which the bomb and its wing were separately jettisoned, passed through the tube. For take-off a two-wheel dolly was fitted to the bomb, this being jettisoned by means of an explosive bolt once aircraft and bomb were airborne. Additionally two Rheinmetall Borsig R 109-502 solid-fuel rockets were attached to the aircraft for assisted take-off. In early 1945 trials were done with the Me 262 V10. With the bomb on tow the speed of the Me 262 was reduced to some 320-330 mph. Furthermore, due to the high lift coefficient of the auxiliary wing the bomb began to porpoise, the motion was transmitted to the aircraft causing uncontrollable flight and the pilot was forced to bail out. Eventually it was concluded that the towed bomb concept was too hazardous and further tests were cancelled (Ref.: 7).

Horten/Gotha Go 229A-1 ( Ho IX V2) (Revell)

TYPE: Interceptor, Fighter

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: Two Junkers Jumo 004B Turbojet engine, rated at 900 kp thrust each

PERFORMANCE: 607 mph at 39,000 ft

COMMENT: The Horten Ho IX V2, RLM designation Ho 229 – often called Gotha Go 229 because of the identity of the chosen manufacturer of the aircraft – was a German prototype fighter/bomber designed by the Horten brothers and built by Gothaer Waggonfabrik late in WW II. It was the first pure flying wing powered by turbojet engines. The design based on the Ho IX V1, an unpowered glider built from the onset as a prototype for a turbojet powered fighter and as a trainer for the aircraft when in production. The Horten Ho IX V2, as the first turbojet powered aircraft was designated was of mixed construction, with the center pod made from welded steel tubing and wing spars built from wood. The wings were made from two thin, carbon-impregnated plywood panels glued together with a charcoal and sawdust mixture. The wing had a single main spar, penetrated by the turbojet engine inlets, and a secondary spar used for attaching the elevens. The aircraft utilized retractable tricycle landing gear, with the nose gear on the first two prototypes sourced from a Heinkel He 177‘s tailwheel system, with the third prototype using an He 177A main gear wheel rim and tire on its custom-designed nose gear strut work and wheel fork. A drogue slowed the aircraft upon landing. The pilot in a special pressure suit sat on a primitive ejection seat. The aircraft was originally designed for the BMW 003 jet engine, but that engine was not quite ready, and the Junkers Jumo 004 engine was substituted. The aircraft was found at Friedrichroda by US Forces and later shipped to the US (Ref.: 23).

Lippisch Li P.13b (Anigrand, Resin)

TYPE: Interceptor, fighter. Project.

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: One Kronach-Lorin coal burning ramjet, power output unknown

PERFORMANCE: 650 mph (estimated)

COMMENT: The Lippisch Li P.13b was a follow-on design from the Lippisch Li P.13a, and was also a ramjet fighter. Designed in December 1944, it featured Lippisch’s favorite wing plan, a delta design (sweepback was 60 degrees) with downturned wingtips. A double fin and rudder was chosen to provide steady flight, and the cockpit was moved forward for better pilot’s visibility, ahead of the delta wing’s apex. On each side of the cockpit on the wing’s leading edge were the air intakes which fed the ramjet. For take-off a liquid-fuel rocket driven trolley was used; additional rockets were necessary to accelerate the aircraft to speed for operating of ramjets. The main landing gear was a retractable landing skid, and the rear rested on the reinforced downturned wingtips. No armament was planned at this stage. Because of the fuel shortage in Germany at this stage in the war, an ingenious plan to use coal (or paraffin coated lignite dust) for fuel was to be tried. A centrally installed round or hexagonal heat-resistant ceramic combustion chamber was fitted in the interior of the wing, and was fillable from above. No tests were ever carried out with this design or with the unique power source and the project only stayed in stage of concept sketches on the drawing board (Ref.: 16).

Lippisch Li P.11 (Planet, Resin)

TYPE: Heavy fighter, fighter bomber. Project

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: Two Junkers Jumo 004B turbojet engines, rated at 1.100 kp each

PERFORMANCE: 646 mph

COMMENT: In the late summer of 1942, Lippisch’s team was working on the twin-jet bomber project under designation Lippisch Li P.11. When the RLM gave priority to the Horten Ho IX (Ho 229, Gotha Go 229), all work was stopped on the Li P.11. One year later, the RLM reissued an official contract with Prof. Lippisch to develop a “Very Fast Bomber” that was based on Lippisch’s earlier research. The project was renamed “Delta VI” upon completion of design work on an unpowered glider, which was to serve as the initial prototype. The RLM bestowed the highest priority on producing a fighter version and ordered to construct models, mock-ups, wind tunnel research, and made ready for production. By February 1944, design work for the proposed fighter, fighter-bomber and heavy fighter was nearly complete. The wing was swept back at 37 degrees, and the low wing loading promised a good climb capability and excellent maneuverability. Dr. Lippisch hoped to commence flight tests with the unpowered glider by April 1944, with the two Jumo 004B turbojet powered version to be flying by July 1944. The center section of the unpowered glider Delta VI was captured by American troops at Salzburg, this being the only part of the aircraft to be completed (Ref. 16, 23).