TYPE: Carrier-based fighter-bomber
ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only
POWER PLANT: Pratt 6 Whitney R-2800-18W Double Wasp, rated at 2,100 h.p.
PERFORMANCE: 390 m.p.h. at 24,000 ft
TYPE: Carrier-based fighter, fighter-bomber
ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only
POWER PLANT: Pratt & Whitney R-2800-18W Double Wasp, rated at 2,100 h.p.
PERFORMANCE: 446 m.p.h. at 26,200 ft
TYPE: Carrier-based fighter
ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only
POWER PLANT: Pratt & Whitney R-2000 Double Wasp, rated at 2,000 h.p.
PERFORMANCE: 417 m.p.h. at 19,900 ft
TYPE: Carrier-based fighter
ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only
POWER PLANT: Pratt & Whitney R-2800-8 Double Wasp, rated at 2,000 hp
PERFORMANCE: 446 m.p.h. at 26,200ft
TYPE: Land and Carrier-based night fighter
ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only
POWER PLANT: Pratt & Whitney R-2800-8 Double Wasp, rated at 2,000 h.p.
PERFORMANCE: 417 m.p.h. at 19,900 ft
COMMENT: This night and bad-weather version of the F4U-1 was equipped with a AN/APS-6 radar in a fairing on the outer starboard wing. About 32 F4U-1s were modified as F4U-2N night fighters
TYPE: Interceptor fighter. Project
ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only
POWER PLANT: Walter HKW 109-509 A-2 liquid fueled rocket engine, rated at 1,700kp
PERFORMANCE: 621 mph
COMMENT: Although nicknamed “Volksjäger” (“peoples fighter”), this project was not proposed for the RLM “Volksjäger” competition from September 1944. This design was possibly submitted for the “Miniaturjäger” (Miniature fighter) competition of the RLM.
TYPE: Carrier-based fighter
ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only
POWER PLANT: Pratt & Whitney R-2800-18W Double Wasp, rated at 2,100 h.p.
FOR TEST: Aero products contraprops
PERFORMANCE: 425 m.p.h. at 28,000 ft
TYPE: Interceptor. Project
ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only
POWER PLANT: One Walter HKW 109-509A, rated at 1.700 kp
PERFORMANCE: Not available
COMMENT:The Sombold 344 “Schußjäger” (Shoot Fighter) was a rocket powered aircraft designed in 1943/44. It was originally intended as a parasite escort fighter, but its original design was changed in January 1944. The second version of the aircraft retained the two MG machine guns, but its front section was an ejectable explosive nose with stabilizing fins filled with 400 kg of explosives. The pilot sat in the cockpit near the tail which was in the back section. The plane would have been released from a mother plane upon reaching combat altitude. Then it would ignite its single rocket engine and dive towards the enemy bomber fleet at a 45 degree angle. Shortly before contact it would release its explosive nose, equipped with a proximity fuze into the center of the combat box formation in a way that it would damage as many bombers as possible. Then it would try to get away with the remaining fuel in its rocket engine and finally land on its fixed skid. A 1/5 scale model for aerodynamic tests existed when the works on the So 344 were abandoned in early 1945 (Ref.: 23).
TYPE: Interceptor, fighter. Project.
ACCOMODATION: Pilot only
POWER PLANT: Two Lorin ramjet engines, rated at 1.500 kp each (estimated) plus one Walther WHK 109-509A liquid-fueled rocket engine, rated at 1.700 kp
PERFORMANCE: 680 mph in 36090 ft (estimated)
COMMENT: Very little is known about this project, which was designed around the same time as the Focke-Wulf Fw Ta 238. The “Super Lorin” featured sharply swept back wings which were mounted mid-fuselage. There were two ramjets mounted at the tips of the swept back tail plane, this was thought to minimize airflow disturbance. Since ramjets do not begin to operate until a speed of approximately 150 mph is reached, Schmidding solid- fueled or Walter WHK 109 liquid-fueled rockets were proposed to accelerate the aircraft until the ramjets could begin operating. The landing gear was to be a tricycle arrangement, and armament would have been two MK 108 30mm cannon. The aircraft shown here is fitted with two Ruhstahl/Kramer X-4 guided missiles. (Ref.: 16).
