TYPE: Long-range fighter, Fighter bomber
ACCOMMODATION: Crew of two
POWER PLANT: Two Bristol Hercules Mk XVII, rated at 1,700 hp
PERFORMANCE: 315 mph at 10,000 ft
COMMENT: The success of the Bristol Beaufighter was based on a variety of roles the aircrafts were used for: Long-range fighter, night fighter, strike aircraft, and torpedo bomber. Production ended in 1945 after 5.564 Beaufighters had been built.
TYPE: Long-range torpedo bomber and anti-shipping aircraft
ACCOMMODATION: Crew of three
POWER PLANT: Two Bristol “Centaurus” 57 radial engines, rated at 2,470 hp each
PERFORMANCE: 358 mph at 16,000 ft
COMMENT: As an alternative to the highly successful Bristol “Beaufighter” in the role of torpedo bomber the Bristol “Brigand” was selected by the UK Air Ministry based on the applicable requirements. The first four prototypes were ordered I April 1943 and the first flight took place on December 1944. Series production began with the use of various components from its predecessor, the Bristol “Beaufighter”, although the first eleven torpedo versions of the “Brigand” TF. Mk.I were not delivered until 1946. However, in 1946 offensive planes were no longer required and the “Brigands” were returned to their native factory and redeveloped into new light and fast bombers, known as “Brigand” B.1. A total of 147 “Brigands” were produced, including prototypes and production ended in spring 1949. The Bristol “Brigand” was the last fighter plane to use a piston drive (Ref.: Valom).
TYPE: Long-range night fighter, Fighter bomber
ACCOMMODATION: Crew of two
POWER PLANT: Two Bristol Hercules VI, rated at 1,600 hp
PERFORMANCE: 320 mph at 10,000 ft
COMMENT: In the late 30’s the British Air Ministry placed an order to the Bristol Aeroplane Company to develop a long-range heavy fighter, parallel to the Westland “Whirlwind” cannon armed twin-engine fighter. The company proposed a design on the basis of the earlier Bristol “Beaufort”torpedo bomber. First production models of the “Beaufighter”were night fighters, followed by fighter bombers and later as a torpedo bombers. This aircraft shown here is a night fighter variant “Beaufighter”Mk VIF, equipped with an A.I. Mk. IV radar.
Type: Long-range escort fighter
Accommodation: Pilot only
Power Plant: One × Allison V-3420-23 liquid-cooled engine, rated at 2,885 hp driving three-blade contra-rotating propellers
Performance: 433 mph at 20,000
Comment: The disappointing results of the test program with the General Motors/Fisher XP-75 “Eagle” led to a complete re-design of the aircraft. Furthermore, in mid-1943, the need for long-range escort fighters became more urgent than fast climbing interceptors so a decision was made to order six more XP-75 airplanes modified for the long-range role. At this time, an order for 2,500 production aircraft was also let, but with the stipulation that if the first production version P-75A was not satisfactory the complete order might be canceled.
At the time, General Motors was busy in several projects towards the war effort, including the mass production of several different aircraft types, among them the Grumman TBM “Avenger”. Redesigns of the P-75A “Eagle” were introduced including a new outer wing section from the North American P-51 “Mustang”, a modified tail assembly, new “bubble” canopy, and a V-3420-23 engine that corrected most of the deficiencies by the time the first P-75A “Eagles” entered flight test in September 1944.
By this time, the Army Air Forces decided to limit the number of combat aircraft types in production and not enter into large-scale production of new types that might not be available before the war ended. As the twin-engine Lockheed P-38 “Lightning” and North American P-51 “Mustang” demonstrated excellent long-range capabilities the production run of the P-75A “Eagle” was substantially terminated on October 1944. Although the “Eagle” was given extensive media coverage prior to its first flight, being trumpeted as a “wonder plane”, it was decided to use the six completed production aircraft for experimental work and development of the V-3420 engine. As a result of these events, the P-75A did not complete formal performance trials due to termination of the production contract. Ultimately, only eight XP-75s and six P-75As were built (Ref. 24).
Type: High-altitude interceptor fighter
Accommodation: Pilot only
Power Plant: One × Allison V-3420-19 liquid-cooled engine, rated at 2,600 hp, driving three-blade contra-rotating propellers
Performance: 433 mph at 20,000
Comment: The General Motors/Fisher XP-75 “Eagle” was a fighter aircraft designed by the Fisher Body Division of General Motors. Development started in September 1942 in response to USAAF requirement for a fighter possessing an extremely high rate of climb, using the most powerful liquid-cooled engine then available, the Allison V-3420.
In October 1942, the contract for two prototypes was signed. The design concept was to use the outer wing panels from the Curtiss P-40 “Warhawk”, the tail assembly from the Douglas A-24 (SBD) “Dauntless”, and the undercarriage from the Vought F4U-1 “Corsair” in a general layout much as in the Bell P-39 “Airacobra” with the engine located amidships with the propeller driven through an extension shaft.
In mid-1943, the need for long-range escort fighters became more urgent than fast climbing interceptors so a decision was made to order six more XP-75 airplanes modified for the long-range role. At this time, an order for 2,500 production aircraft was also let, but with the stipulation that if the first P-75A was not satisfactory the complete order might be canceled.
Powered by a V-3420-19 24-cylinder engine rated at 2,600 hp driving co-axial contra-rotating propellers, the XP-75 flew for the first time on 17 November 1943. The second XP-75 flew shortly thereafter, with all six long-range XP-75s entering the test program by the spring 1944. The test program brought up numerous teething problems, including miscalculation of the fighter’s center of mass, failure of the engine to produce its expected power, inadequate engine cooling, high aileron forces at high speed, and poor spin characteristics. These failures led to a complete redesign of the aircraft to a long-range escort fighter with the unchanged designation P-75 “Eagle” (Ref. 24).
TYPE: Heavy fighter, medium bomber. Project.
ACCOMMODATION: Pilot and observer
POWER PLANT: Four Heinkel/Hirth HeS 011 turbojet engines, rated at 1,300 kp each
PERFORMANCE: 565 mph
COMMENT: The Heinkel He 343 was a four-engine jet bomber project by Heinkel Aircraft Company in the last years of WW II. In 1944 a total of 20 of these aircraft were ordered. For shortening the development time and for re-use of existing parts, its general design was envisioned along the lines of an enlarged Arado Ar 234 “Blitz” (“Lightning”). For a choice of engines, the Junkers Jumo 004 and the Heinkel HeS 011 were planned. The DFS (Deutsche Forschungsinstitut für Segelflug), (German Research Institute for Gliding Flight) was involved in the project and created the project known as P.1068. By the end of 1944, work was nearly finished by the Heinkel engineers, with parts for the He 343 prototype aircraft either under construction or in a finished state, when the order was cancelled due to the “Jägernotprogramm (Emergency Fighter Program). Four versions were planned: the He 343A-1 bomber, the He 343A-2 reconnaissance aircraft, and the He 343A-3 and He 343B-1 Zerstörer (“Destroyer”) heavy fighters.
The Heinkel He 343B-1 differed from the He 343A-1 bomber version especially in the tail unit. Instead of the two fixed rear firing guns in the fuselage rear, a FHL 151Z remote controlled turret was installed in the extreme rear fuselage. This necessitated a tail redesign to a twin fin and rudder set up. A rear facing periscope in the cockpit was used to aim the FHL 151Z turret, which was armed with two MG 151 20mm cannon. The twin tail would have made for extended flight testing, plus would have added additional weight and drag (Ref.: 17, 24).
TYPE: Night and All-weather Interceptor
ACCOMMODATION: Crew of four
POWER PLANT: Two BMW 801TJ, rated at 1,410 h.p. at 40,300 ft each
PERFORMANCE: 362 m.p.h. at 40,300 ft
COMMENT: With the Ju 388J-1V4 the FuG 220 “Lichtenstein SN-2” radar with “Hirschgeweih” aerial array was replaced by FuG 218 “Neptun” with a pointed wooden nose cone enclosing much of the “Morgenstern”-type antennae. Also, the FuG 350 “Naxos Z” was built into the “Morgenstern” compartment to receive H2S emissions. A “schräge Musik” arrangement of two 20-mm MG 151 cannon was introduced in the aft fuselage. These weapons fired obliquely upward at an angle of 70° from the horizontal.
TYPE: High-altitude bomber
ACCOMMODATION: Crew of three
POWER PLANT: Two BMW 801TJ engines, rated at 1,410 h.p. at 40,300 ft each
PERFORMANCE: 370 m.ph. at 40,300 ft
COMMENT: As the Ju 388L-1 the bomber variant Ju 388K-1 was fitted with a wooden ventral panner and it was intended to install the FA 15 tail barbette for defence. But neither the prototype Ju 388 V3 nor the 10 pre-production Ju 399K-0 bombers were equipped with the tail barbette. It was intended to replace the BMW 801TJ engines by BMW 801TM engines with ratings of 1,820 h.p. at 33,400 ft. Apart from e few sorties by the Ju 388L-1 reconnaissance model, the Ju 388 failed to see combat
TYPE: High Altitude Night and Bad-weather Fighter
ACCOMMODATION: Crew of four
POWER PLANT: Two BMW 801TJ rated at 1,890 h.p. at 9,840 ft each
PERFORMANCE: 362 m.p.h. at 40,300 ft
COMMENT: This prototype was converted from a Ju 188T and carried a FuG 220 “Lichtenstein SN-2” radar with “Hirschgeweih” (Stag’s Antlers) aerial array and an assymetrically mounted “Waffentropfen” (Weapon Drops) under portside mid-fuselage. This held two forward-firing 20-mm MG 151 cannons and two 30-mm MK 108 cannons. A remotely-controlled twin-gun tail barbette with MG 131Z cannons was aimed by means of a PVE 11 double periscopic sight. The code name “Störtebecker” is a reminiscent of a legendary German pirate of the 14th century
