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)
POWER PLANT: 2 × Wright R-3350-43 Duplex Cyclone engines, rated at 2,300 hp each
PERFORMANCE: 370 mph at 17,000 ft
COMMENT: The Beechcraft XA-38 Grizzly was a ground attack aircraft, fitted with a forward-firing 75 mm cannon with 20 rounds mounted in a fixed position on the nose to attack heavily armored targets such as tanks and bunkers. Additionally, there were two forward firing machine guns. Defensive armament consisted of remotely controlled ventral and dorsal turrets directed by periscope sights. The first prototype flew on 7 May 1944 and the aircraft proved satisfactory in all respects and better than expected. But after testing it became obvious it would not be ready for the projected invasion of Japan, and furthermore it used the same engines required by the Boeing B-29 Superfortress which had priority. So no orders were given and the XA-38 program was canceled after two prototypes had been completed. (Ref.: 23)
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)
TYPE: Heavy long-range bomber, in service as Assembly ship
ACCOMMODATION: Crew of four
POWER PLANT: 4 × Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp, rated at 1,200 hp each
PERFORMANCE: 290 mph at 18.482 ft
COMMENT: The Consolidated B-24 “Liberator” was a four-engine, heavy long-range bomber designed by the Consolidated Aircraft Company in the late 1930s. For that time it was a modern design compared with its main competitor, the better-known Boeing B-17 “Flying Fortress”. The first flight took place on December, 29th, 1939. The “Liberator” had a higher top speed, greater range, and a heavier bomb load than its rival. On the other hand the “Liberator” was more difficult to fly, with heavy control forces and poor formation-flying characteristics. Nevertheless, the B-24 provided excellent service in a variety of roles thanks to its large bomb load and long range and was used in the European as well as the Pacific campaign. When the production ended in 1945 more than 18.480 aircraft have been built, more than of all other bombers during WWII. (Ref.: 4)
The Consolidated B-24H Liberator shown here is an assembly (formation-) ship “The Spotted Ass Ape” of the 458th Bombardment Group (H), 8th USAAF, stationed at Horsham St Faith, England. (Ref.: 2)
NOTE: This aircraft is hand-painted direct onto the models surface, except the black dots. For these Polka (donut) dots I used Bishop precut tape shapes, solid donut pads, Bishop Graphics. Inc., Westlake Village, Ca 91359 U.S.A. These are self-adhesive, extreme thin, in black, and easy to apply. More work is required to red and yellow Polka dots. Here I used the solid donut pads from the same company, but in red. Unfortunately, these are transparent. So they need to be painted dot by dot before being applied.
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)
POWER PLANT: Pratt & Whitney R-4360-31 Wasp Major, rated at 3,000 hp each
PERFORMANCE: 450 mph
COMMENT: The Hughes XF-11 was designed as a long-range reconnaissance aircraft. Its design based on the Hughes D-2, a fighter and bomber project of early 1940, and resembled somewhat to the Lockheed P-38 Lightning but was much greater. So it had a tricycle landing-gear, two engines, twin boom and a pressurized central crew nacelle. In 1943 the USAAF ordered 100 F-11s, but only two examples were completed immediately after WWII. The first aircraft crashed in 1946 with Howard Hughes at the controls and the second prototype was completed and successfully flown in 1947. (Ref.: 23)
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.)
POWER PLANT: Two Bristol Hercules XVII, rated at 1,725 hp
PERFORMANCE: 305 mph at sea level, 320 mph at 10,000 ft
COMMENT: The Bristol Beaufighter T.F.Mk.X was an extremely successful fighter-bomber, both in service in Europe as well as in the Pacific area. The Japanese called it “Whispering death”. The suffix “T” stands for torpedo but nevertheless the aircraft was used for all combat duties. Its successor after WW II became the Bristol Brigand.
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.
POWER PLANT: Two Bristol Hercules XVII, rated at 1,735 hp each
PERFORMANCE: 320 mph at 10,000 ft
COMMENT: The Bristol Beaufighter T.F.Mk.X was the final major production variant and was mainly used as an anti-shipping attack aircraft. There were several important modifications introduced, in particular the A.I.Mk.VIII radar in a “timble” nose and a large dorsal fin for better longitudinal stability when flying with torpedoes. Among the total production of 5,562 Beaufighters been built 2,231 were T.F.Mk.X.
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