Fighter, Fighterbomber

Nakajima Ki-43-II-Otsu ‘Hayabusa’ (‘Peregrine Falcon’, ‘Oscar’) of Headquaters Chutai, 77th Hiko Sentai (Hasegawa)

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TYPE: Fighter, fighter bomber

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: One Nakajima Ha.115 radial engine, rated at 1,130 hp

PERFORMANCE: 320 mph at 19,680 ft

COMMENT: The Nakajima Ki-43 ‘Hayabusa’was a single-engine land-based tactical fighter used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force in WW II. It was light and easy to fly and became legendary for its combat performance in East Asia in the early years of the war. It could outmaneuver any opponent, but did not have armor or self-sealing tanks, and its armament was poor until its final version, which was produced as late as 1945. Allied pilots often reported that the nimble Ki-43s were difficult targets but burned easily or broke apart with few hits. In spite of its drawbacks, the Ki-43 shot down more Allied aircraft than any other Japanese fighter and almost all the JAAF’s aces achieved most of their kills in it. Prototypes for the Nakajima Ki-43-II flew in February 1942. The Ha-25 engine was upgraded with the 2-stage supercharger, thus becoming the more powerful Nakajima Ha-115 engine, which was installed in a longer-chord cowling. The new engine turned a three-bladed propeller. The wing structure, which had suffered failures in the Ki-43-I, was strengthened and equipped with racks for drop tanks or bombs. The Ki-43-II was also fitted with 13 mm armor plate for the pilot’s head and back, and the aircraft’s fuel tanks were coated in rubber to form a crude self-sealing tank. Nakajima commenced production of the Ki-43-II at its Ota factory in November 1942. Production was also started at the Tachikawa Hikoki KK and the 1st Army Air Arsenal (Tachikawa Dai-Ichi Rikugun Kokusho), also at Tachikawa. Although Tachikawa Hikoki successfully managed to enter into large-scale production of the Ki-43, the 1st Army Air Arsenal was less successful – hampered by a shortage of skilled workers, it was ordered to stop production after 49 Ki-43s were built. Nakajima eventually ceased production in mid-1944 in favor of the Nakajima Ki-84 ‘Hayate’, but the Tachikawa Hikoki continued to produce the Ki-43. Total production amounted to 5,919 aircraft. Many of these were used during the last months of the war for kamikaze missions against the American fleet (Ref.: 24).

Fighter

Messerschmitt Me 262 V9 (VI + AD) (Revell + parts from Unicraft)

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TYPE: High speed experimental aircraft

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: Two Junkers Jumo 004B-2 turbojet engines, rated at 900 kp each

PERFORMANCE: 624 mph

COMMENT: The Messerschmitt Me 262 V9 was the 9th prototype and had nearly the same airframe as the Me 262A. It was completed in January 1944, it’s primary task being high speed trials up to the fighter’s Mach limitation. During the course of these various aerodynamic improvements were introduced. The leading edge of the inner wing as well as of the vertical tail was increased to 45 degree, the leading edge of the horizontal tail was swept back to 40 degree, a shallow, low-drag cockpit canopy was installed, and the muzzles were faired over. The highest speed attained by this experimental aircraft being 624 mph which was clocked at Leipheim on July 1944 (Ref.:  7).

Fighter

Gloster ‘Meteor’ Mk. I (MPM)

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TYPE: Interceptor fighter

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: Two Rolls Royce ‘Wellent’ 1 turbojet engines, rated at 771 kp each

PERFORMANCE: 410 mph at 30,000 ft

COMMENT: Early in 1940, Gloster Aircraft’s design team was entrusted with the design of a single-seat interceptor fighter to specification F9/40, the first specification ever prepared in Britain for an operational turbojet aircraft. Gloster had some experience in handling the turbojet engine as a new power unit for aircraft: The Gloster E.28/39 ‘Pioneer’ was the first jet-powered aircraft to fly in Britain.  Now, the result of the new design, the ‘Meteor’, was the first jet aircraft to enter squadron service with the RAF, and the only Allied jet aircraft to see operational service during World War II. A conventional twin-engine layout was adopted for the new fighter and on February 1941, and the Ministry of Aircraft production placed an order for twelve prototypes. In the event, only eight of the prototypes were completed, the first of these commencing taxiing trials on July 1942, powered by low thrust delivering non-flying Rover W.2B turbojets. Difficulties with the more powerful Power Jets W.2/500 resulted in the installation of RoverB.23 engines and the first flight of the ‘Meteor’ was made on July, 1943. A variety of other engines were tested in the prototypes until the first twenty ‘Meteor I’ were delivered to the RAF and on August 1944 one of these scored the first confirmed victory by a British jet fighter when a V-1 missile was destroyed by tipping it over with its wing and thus causing it to crash. And although in service at the ending stage of WW II the Gloster ‘Meteor” was never encountered in the air with the German Messerschmitt Me 262 ‘Schwalbe’ (Ref.: 12).

Fighter

Messerschmitt Me 262A-1a ‘Schwalbe’ (Swallow) with Wfr. Gr. 21, III/JG 7

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TYPE: Interceptor, fighter

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

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

PERFORMANCE: 540 mph at 19,700 ft

COMMENT: The Messerschmitt Me 262, nicknamed ‘Schwalbe’ (‘Swallow’) was the world’s first operational turbojet engine powered fighter aircraft. Design work started in late 1938 when deliveries the first brand new BMW and Junkers turbojet engines were expected. Immediately, Messerschmitt began design studies on a fighter project under the designation Messerschmitt Me P.1065. The RLM ordered to build a mock-up and the evaluation expected promising results. Delayed production of turbojet engines led to the installation of a Junkers Jumo 210 G piston engine into the first aircraft, now officially designated Messerschmitt Me 262 V1. In spring 1940  first BMW P.3302 turbojets were available (prototypes of the later BMW 003 jet engines) and – installed additionally to the piston engine – the first flight was made on March 1942. Because the BMW engines were not operationally at all the Me 262 V-3 was equipped with two Junkers Jumo 004 turbojet engines and made the first pure jet flight in July 1942. All flight tests were promising and production order for the new fighter was placed. One of the most advanced aviation designs in operational use during World War II, the Me 262 was used in a variety of roles, including light bomber, fighter bomber, reconnaissance, and night fighter. The Me 262 was faster, and more heavily-armed than any Allied fighter, including the first British turbojet-powered fighter Gloster ‘Meteor’. But permanent engine problems and top-level interference kept the aircraft from operational status with the Luftwaffe until mid-1944. In total about 1,400 Me 262s were produced when the WW II ended. Primary production version was the Messerschmitt Me 262A-1a, usable as both fighter and fighter-bomber. The aircraft shown here belonged to the III./JG 7 (Third Group / Fighter Squadron 7) and has two Wfr.Gr. 21 (‘Werfer-Granate’, Rocket propelled shell) on bomb racks (Ref.: 20, 24).

Fighter, Projects

Messerschmitt Me P. 1106/III (Huma)

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TYPE: Interceptor, Project.

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: One Heinkel-Hirth HeS 011 turbojet engine, rated at 1,300 kp thrust

PERFORMANCE: 617 mph

COMMENT: At the end of 1944, when the construction drawings of the Messerschmitt Me P. 1101 were completed, and in the light of the critical situation of Germany it became obvious that the production of that new fighter was too complicated and too expensive. Messerschmitt’s design bureau began work on a less advanced design that should be an intended improvement to the Messerschmitt Me P.  1101. This Messerschmitt Me P. 1106 based on the Me P. 1101 but went through several redesigns. The first version (Me P. 1106/I) had a short fuselage and a T-tail plane with cockpit faired into the vertical stabilizer, similar to the Lippisch Li P. 13a. The second (Me P. 1106/II) design had a short fuselage, too, the tail plane of butterfly style and the cockpit far aft. A third and final design (Me P. 1106/III) had a longer and slim fuselage with a V-tail plane and the cockpit moved slightly forward. In all designs the wings were swept back at 40 degrees. The planned power plant was a Heinkel HeS 011turbojet engine, and armament was to be two 30 mm MK 108 cannon. Since the cockpit had poor visibility and calculated performance had not been improved compared to the Me P. 1101, the Messerschmitt Me P. 1106/III project was abandoned (Ref.: 17, 22).

Fighter-Torpedobomber, Torpedobomber

Grumman TBF-1C “Avenger”, VC-58, USS CVE 21 “Block Island I” (Airfix, Parts scratch built)

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TYPE: Carrier-borne torpedo bomber

ACCOMMODATION: Crew of three

POWER PLANT: One Wright R-2600-20 Cyclone radial engine, rated at 1,900 hp

PERFORMANCE: 275 mph

COMMENT: The Grumman TBF “Avenger” was an American torpedo bomber developed initially for the United States Nay and the Marine Corps. The “Avenger” entered U.S. service in 1942, and first saw action during the Battle of Midway. Despite the loss of five of the six “Avengers” on its combat debut, it survived in service to become one of the outstanding torpedo bombers of World War II. The Douglas TBD “Devastator”, the U.S. Navy’s main torpedo bomber introduced in 1935, was obsolete by 1939. Bids were accepted from several companies, but Grumman’s TBF design was selected as the replacement for the TBD and in April 1940 two prototypes were ordered by the Navy. The first prototype was called the XTBF-1. It was first flown on 7 August 1941. Although one of the first two prototypes crashed near, rapid production continued. The TBF-1 “Avenger” was the heaviest single-engined aircraft of World War II, and only the USAAF’s P-47 “Thunderbolt” came close to equalling it in maximum loaded weight among all single-engined fighters, being only some 181 kg lighter than the TBF, by the end of World War II. The Avenger was the first design to feature a new “compound angle” wing-folding mechanism created by Grumman, intended to maximize storage space on an aircraft carrier; the Grumman F4F-4 “Wildcat” and later variants received a similar folding wing and the Grumman F6F “Hellcat” employed this mechanism as well. There were three crew members: pilot, turret gunner and radioman/bombardier/ventral gunner. In total, 9,839 Avengers and including special-purpose versions are built, such as TBF-1C for reconnaissance, TBF-1E with radar, TBF-1J for bad-weather flying, TBF-1L with searchlight in the bomb-bay and post-war development TBM-3W with APS-20 radar in a large ventral radome. Many “Avengers” saw action with other national air and naval aviation services around the world. (Ref.: 23, 24).

Nightfighter, Projects

Blohm & Voss Bv P.215 (Frank-Airmodel, Resin)

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TYPE: Night fighter. Project

ACCOMMODATION: Crew of three

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

PERFORMANCE: 541 mph

COMMENT:  A specification for a night fighter was issued by the RLM in late January 1944. Preliminary requirements postulated a top speed of 560 mph, an endurance of four hours, an internally mounted FuG 240 or FuG 244 radar, and an armament consisting of four cannon. Dr. Richard Vogt, chief engineer of Blohm & Voss Company, who designed the Blohm & Voss Bv P.212 jet fighter, contender of the “Jägernotprogramm” (Fighter emergency program), immediately began work of an larger aircraft to meet the specification issued for the new night fighter. On the basis of the Bv P.212 he designed the new aircraft, officially designated Blohm & Voss Bv P.215. The fuselage was short with an air intake in the nose leading the flow directly to the turbojet engines mounted in the rear fuselage. The wings featured a 30 degree swept back and 6 degrees of dihedral. The outer wing tips angled down at 23 degrees, and assisted stability and control. There were two small vertical fins and rudders located on the trailing edge of the wing, where the outer wing tips angled down. The nose landing gear was taken from a Heinkel He 219 “Uhu” and retracted to the rear, and the two main wheels retracted forwards into the fuselage. A pressurized cockpit held the three man crew seated on ejection seats. The defensive armament consisted on a remote controlled, rear-facing FHL 151 turret and two MG 151/20 cannon. Two bombs, SC 250 or SC 500 could be carried in a belly recess. On February 1945, the specifications for the future night fighter were upgraded, which none of the competitor’s designs were able to achieve. Although the Blohm & Voss Bv P.215 would have had good performance characteristics, it did not reach the new specifications either. Criticism concerned the short time of flight, stall at high speeds, caused by the short and thick fuselage, and uncertainty due to the unusual control units. Nevertheless, in March 1945, the design was chosen for further development. With the collapse of Nazi Germany any further work on that novel aircraft were stopped (Ref.: 17, 22).

Reconnaissance, Observation

Edo OSE-1, (Frank Airmodel, Vacu formed)

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TYPE: Shipboard scout floatplane

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: One Ranger V-770-8 air-cooled piston engine, rated at 550 hp, driving two-bladed propeller

PERFORMANCE: 198 mph

COMMENT: The Edo OSE was a 1940s American single-seat multi-role floatplane designed and manufactured by the Edo Aircraft Corporation. The Edo Aircraft Corporation was an established company that produced seaplane floats. In 1946, Edo designed its first aircraft, the Edo OSE. Two prototype aircraft designated XOSE-1 were built and flown in 1946. The XOSE-1 was a single-seat low-wing cantilever monoplane with a single float and fixed wingtip stabilizing floats. The wings could be folded for shipboard storage. The aircraft was designed for a variety of roles including observation and anti-submarine patrols. Unusually, it was designed to carry a rescue cell on the underwing hard points, which would be capable of carrying a single person when used for air-sea rescue. Eight production aircraft XOSE-1 were built to a United States Navy order but none were accepted into service. A two-seat training conversion was carried out as the XTE-1, but production TE-2 aircraft were cancelled (Ref.: 24).

Fighter, Projects

Focke-Wulf Ta 183V-1 “Huckebein” (Revell)

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TYPE: Fighter, project

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: One Junkers Jumo 004B turbojet engine, rated at 950 kp thrust or one Heinkel-Hirth HeS 011 turbojet engine, rated at 1,300 kp thrust

PERFORMANCE: 598 mph at 25,800 ft (with HeS 011 turbojet)

COMMENT:  In early 1944, the RLM (Reichsluftfahrtministerium, Reich Air Ministry) became aware of Allied jet developments, and were particularly concerned that they might have to face the Gloster Meteor  over the continent. In response, they instituted the Jägernotprogramm (Fighter emergency program) which took effect on July 3, 1944, ending production of most bomber and multi-role aircraft in favour of fighters, especially jet fighters. Additionally, they accelerated the development of experimental designs that would guarantee a performance edge over the Allied designs, designs that would replace the first German jet fighters, the Messerschmitt Me 262  and Heinkel He 162. Focke-Wulf Company proposed its design Focke-Wulf Ta 183 Huckebein, powered by the advanced Heinkel-Hirth HeS 011 turbojet, although the first prototypes were to be powered by the Junkers Jumo 004B. The wings of the new design were swept back at 40° and were mounted in the mid-fuselage position. The wings appear to be mounted very far forward compared with most designs, a side-effect of attempting to keep the center of pressure (CoP) of the wing as a whole as close to the middle of the fuselage as possible. The original design used a T-tail, with a notably long vertical stabilizer and a seemingly undersized horizontal stabilizer. The vertical tail was swept back at 60°, and the horizontal tail was swept back and slightly dihedralled. Many problems beset the project, work therefore concentrated on the much less problematical Focke-Wulf Projekt VII “Flitzer”. However, when the RLM eventually rejected that design and in late 1944 the Focke Wulf Ta 183 Huckebein was again brought to the fore. Detailed blue-prints were readied in beginning of 1945 and construction of several prototypes began immediately. The first flight of the aircraft was scheduled for May 1945, but none aircraft was completed by 8 April 1945, when British troops captured the Focke-Wulf facilities.
The name “Huckebein” is a reference to a trouble-making raven (Hans Huckebein, der Unglücksrabe) from an illustrated story in 1867 by famous cartoonist Wilhelm Busch. (Ref.:24).

Fighter, Fighterbomber

Miles M.39B Libulella (LF-Models, Resin)

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TYPE: Experimental tandem wing aircraft

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: Two de Havilland Gipsy Major IC inline piston engine, rated at 140 hp each

PERFORMANCE: 102 mph

COMMENT: In 1941 the Air Ministry issued specification B.11/41 calling for a fast bomber operating from aircraft carriers. Beside high speed and bomb load main requirement was a lay out of the aircraft to give the pilot the best view possible for landing on aircraft carriers. Miles proposed a tandem wing experimental aircraft based on its M.39 design. To prove the concept Miles designed and built a 5/8th scale version, the M.39B Libulella which flew for the first time on July 1943. Flight evaluation showed no “undesirable handling” characteristics and its design coincided with interest by the authorities in unorthodox designs for large aircraft. The rear wing was higher than the forward one to avoid downwash and give ground clearance for the propellers. The M39B design had inboard flaps and outboard ailerons on the rear wing and the front wing had an auxiliary aerofoil/flap/elevator device, which could vary the wing area without changing lift coefficient. Miles continued testing, generating more flight data and submitted an improved M.39 design in early 1944. Meanwhile, the sole M.39B passed to the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough in 1944, where it was damaged and repaired after two accidents, only to be broken up with the full-sized bomber project’s cancellation (Ref.: 24).