WARPLANES OF THE LUFTWAFFE | COMBAT AIRCRAFT OF HITLER’S UFTWAFFE 1939-19: EDITED BY DAVID DONALDWARPLANES OF THE LUFTWAFFE EDITED BY DAVID DONALDCONTENTS ARADO AR 68 ARADO AR 95, ARADO AR 196 Aravo Ar 232 Arapo Ar 234 Burz ARapo Ar 240 Bacuem Ba 349 NaTTeR BLOHM UND Voss BV 138 Boum UND Voss Ha 139 Boum UND Voss BV 141 BLouM UND Voss BV 142 BLoHM UND Voss BV 222 WiKING BLoHM UND Voss BV 238 DFS 230 Dornier Do 17/215 Dornier Do 18 Dorner Do 24 Dornier Do 26 Dornier Do 217 Dorner Do 335 Pret FIESELER Fr 103 FIESELER Fi 156 STORCH FIESELER Fi 167 FLETTNER Fr 282 KOLIBRI FOCKE-ACHGELIS Fa 223 DRACHE FOCKE-WULF Fw 56 STOssER Fockr-WuLr Fw 58 WrIHE Fockr-WuLr Fw 187 Focke-WuLF Fw 189 Unu Focke-WuLr Fw 190/Ta 152 FockE-WUuLF Fw 200 Connor Fockr-WUuLF TA 154 Moskito. Gorna Go 145 Gorna Go 229 (HorTEN Ho IX) Gora Go 242/244 HEINKEL HE 46 HEINKEL HE 50 HEINKEL HE 51 HEINKEL HE 59 HEINKEL HE 60 HEINKEL HE 100 HeINKEL He 111 HeINKEL HE 114 Hetnket He 115 HEINKEL HE 162 SALAMANDER HeINKEL He 177 GREIF HEINKEL He 219 Unu HeInkeL He 274/277 HeINKEL He 280 Henscuet Hs 123 HENSCHEL Hs 126 Henscuet Hs 129 Henscuet Hs 130 JUNKERs Ju 52 JuNKERS Ju 86 JuNKERs Ju 87 JUNKERs Ju 88 JuNKERs Ju 188 Junkers Ju 252 JuNKERs Ju 287 JuNKERs Ju 290 JunKeERs Ju 352 HERKULES JuNKERs Ju 388 Messerscumitt Br 109 Messerscumirr Br 110 MESSERSCHMITT Mr 163 KOMET MESSERSCHMITT ME 261 MESSERSCHMITT Mr 262 SCHWALBE MESSERSCHMITT Mr 321/323 Messerscumitt Me 410 INDEX 96 96 97 97 98 98 107 108 113 120 128 135 135 136 138 140 147 148 156 158 168 180 188 188 189 195 195 196 210 222 229 229 238 245 252Arado Ar 68 Development of the Arado Ar G8, which was to be the last biplane fighter to enter flont-line service with the Luftwatle, fol lowed on from the sole At 67, Reaching contemporary stan, dards of aerodynamic efficiency the airceate had an ovalescction of steel tube construc tion, with metal panels covering the rear decking. and forward sec~ tions. The single-bay wings were fof wood, with plywood and fib- nic covering, The distinctive fn which was to be without exception in subsequent ned Arado designs, was untroduced on the At 6S which alo featured sparted land= “The prototype Ar 68a slew for the first time in 1934, pow cred by a BMW Vid 12-cynder Vee engine which provided a maximum continuo oupit of 410 kW (330) hp Lisappoinung ible in the Ar 68b second procoeype Which was powered by a super charged. 435-kW _(610-hp) Junkets Jumo 210 t2-eykinder tnverted-Vee engine, which both ed forward vision from the cockpit and provided full power at higher Thrice protorypes followed Tnnital deliveries were made of the BMW VI-powered Ar 68F1 ia to the Luftwaffe im the lite sur mer of ‘nnn 3 TG 134" “Horse Wessel powered Ar 68E-1 followed in During the winter of 1989-40, few Ar 6BF-1s were used inthe night Raghting role by 10. (Nachi)/dagdgeschwader 3 'Pik As! This aircraft armies the wing's famous ace of spades badge. the spring of 1937, his variant being able co catry six small bombs on an undenfasclage rack By the outbreak ot World War Il Ar 68 hhad been relegated to advanced with th Jagahegerschulen (fighter pilot sche they operated for However, a few Ar INFs were serving ss might-ight ces with IL/G 2 and 3.1G along the French border, while 10. (Nachtjaed)/JG 33 bad Ar sts at Heilbronn {quickly ro-equipped during ssuater of 1939-30) Specification Weights: erty 1840 9 4.057 Dimensions: spar 1 00" 36, ‘Armament: No tne forward teng Arado Ar 95 Dypl Ing Waker Blume designed the Arado Ar 95 in 1935 for ser vice in the coastal patrol, reco raaisance and light atack roles, A two-seat twin-float seaplane, # was of all-metal construction, with parallel-chord wings which were attached to centee=seetions of unequal chord and thickness. This unusual feature was intend ed to provide easier access to the cockpits from the lower sing: which was thicker and of chord, and improved upward visibility was t0 result from the thinner and nactower upper surface, The single-step floats were strut-briced to the fuselage and wing centre-section The twin cockpits were enclosed by a diding canopy, the rear end lete open to pertait the us ofa 7.92-min (0.31-in) machine- fn, supplement 4, Staffel’ Seeaufhlarunasaruppe 125 was the main Ar operating {i ing the pe tong the alte coast In support of the German advance through Estonia Sind Latvia This aircraft isarmed ‘ith $C 50 bombs. forwatd-firing weapon mounted in the upper fselage Tn 1937 the frst prororype was own, powered by an 636-kW s8ichp) BMW. 152De 9-cyhn- ddr engine. The second was fitted with the 515-kW (690-bp) Junkers Jumo 210 12-cylinder fengine. and both machines were evaluated compecitively with evo prototypes of the Focke-Wulf Fw. 62 single-floae seaplane Although the BMW-powcred version was adjudged worthy of farther development, and a batch of six protatype and pee tion atcraft served a trial with the Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War the Ar 95 was not immediately adopted for German mnlitary use Undated, Ando offered the oduc- riod dlosign for export as the Ae 98W flougplane, ordered by Turkey m 1938, and ae the Ae 95L with fixed, spatted landing gear, which was the subject oF a Chilean onder The latter was fulfilled poor to the beginning of Word War Il, but the frustrated Turkish’ aircraft were instead diverted to the Luftwatte under the designation Ar 958A, hassance work tially on costal recon They were int assigned 19 3./Secauf- Llirungseruppe 125 operating an the Baltic, and in 194) partiei- pated in operations off the coast OF Latvia and Estonia. The Cat then opetated in the Gulf of Finland, and were reassigned to SAGr 127, The Ar 195 wis an rinsuccessfil attempt to provide ‘Avado Ar 954-1 of 2/SAGr 125, Baltic Sea, summer 1941 carers tomedo bomber ad pattolaireratt Specification Performances "50°"Arado Ar 196 Ithough ic excrted only a minor influence on World War I the Arado Ar 196A. was nevertheless an important type Possessed of quite a useful performance, and remarkably heavi- Wy amed — eypically with wo cannon and thr Served all round the coastal areas of Hitler's Europe and was also the Standard aircraft the C rity the biggest batleships (Bismark and Tipts) carrying four each, The fine shipboard aircraft ofthe resurrected Getman navy was the Heinkel He 60, a conventional biplane. All such aircraft had to be steed for eatspule launching, possibly while the ship was « pitching in a heavy sea nd For subsequent recovery by crane afer alghting on the open ocean, posably with severe waves, The main Purpose was short-range reconmaisance, but coastal patrol, rescue of owned aircrew and even local close support of ground forces (or example in anti-partisin operations) were all to becom secondary dies By 1936 it was cle Heinkel was invited to produc proved to have extremely nd to be deficient in othet 1 ication of the He 114 fiesh specification and se Wolf company could offer a conventional biplanc that the He 60 was becoming outdated uc the resulting He 114 in about October 1936 to issue f Arado Fligreugwerke or the Focke= etter product. Focke-Wu 12, but the Arado offering 2 low-mouned win monoplane, with (uprising! The Kriegsmarine and Feichslufifahetminisceriuim agreed that the aircraft should be powered by a BMW 132K nine-cylinder radial engine of 716 KW (960 hp) (virtually the same as the engine of th He 114), Ie was further stipulated that prototypes had to be produced With twin floats and with a single central loat and small stabilising quickly submitted was judged to be the more floats under the wingsips, The two tvs drawings and costings and the Ar 19% attictive. Two prototypes of the Fwy 62 were ordered as an insuran but four were ordered of the Arado, With works numbers 2589-25 he fist two (AF 196 VA and V2) were Acseries siccraft with evil as, while V3 and V4 were che Beseries niachines with a central float. All were registered as civil aircraft (respectively D-IEHK, THQI TERE and OVMB promerary A pair of Arado Ar 1968-35 0f 2/SAGr 128 fying from their B ‘during the late summer of 1983. Ar 1-equipped Seeaulhia ‘gruppen operated inthe Mediterranean, Norway and on the Front The Ar 196A3 was the most numerous ofthe aircraft's subtypes, ‘and incorporated a number of structural improvenvents, Is espects the prototypes were interim aircrafe. Theie swore 637-kW (880-hp) BMW. 132De type, driving a Schw bladed propeller. As originally buile the firs aircraft had twin exhaust pipes which were led round under che left side of the foselage. Lat the standard arrangement was twin shorter pipes discharging equally to left and right of the ventral centreline. The covling fitted the eng. tightly, with blisters over the valve gear, and cooling was controll by traling-cde ils. Overall the ai lie irodifcation, the only visible change between the first two prototypes hinged uit needed ver In many ways the ‘eyes of the Kriegsmarine, the Arado Ar 196 had Superb water and fight handling characteristics. During its early career its heavy armament made it the seaurge of lumbering enemy maritime patrols, although this was steadhly reversed as the sar progressed.Arado Ar 196 being elimination of the balance hor at the top of the rudder ani slight inerease in fin area, The VI was also later fitted with the three- blided VDM constant-speed propeller that was made standard. Very small mod to the Hoats, the water rudders being modified. Thus V2 and V3 were similar apart from ehe latter's d arrangement. V4, however, was fitted with more streamlined ing tloats, wich a simpler arrangement of struts. It ako was the frst Ar 196 t0 be fitted with armament, comprising a 20-mim MG FF can: nom drum. which left a blister i the undersc mm MG 17 machine-gun in the right side of the forward fiselage with its muzzle fring through the forward ring of the engine cowl (at about “8 o'clock’ seen from the front), and a small container on the underside of each outer wing, just outboard of the cannon, for a single SC 50 (50-kg/110-Ib) bomb, The four seapkines were carefully evaluated at Travertinde in 1937-38, but it proved difficult to decide which was the preferred float arrangement, The central float was considered preferable in oper ations from choppy water, but the stabilising floats of the could easly dip into the ses during take-off, resulting in pron asymmetric drag and causing tricky problems. In the event, though a further B-series prototype was buil (he V3, D-IPDB), it was decided to standardise on the twin-ffoat arrangement and this was used on the 1) Ar 196A-0 pre-production aircraft which were delivered from thy Wamemande factory from November 1938. n each wing, fed fiom a 6 lus a single Conventional design Seructurally the Ar 196 was conventional to the point of bein traditional. While the wing was a two-spar allemetal stressedeskin omponent, the fuschige was constructed arot of welded stcel tubes with light formers and stingers support which was light alloy from the engine firewall to the rear cockpit and fabric from thenc The tail was a stresied-skin structure but with the movable surfaces covered with fabric, The floats were Alclad light alloy. Fucl was carried in two 300-litre (66-Imp tanks, one in each float, with the fe up the fonwar ntter also incorporated prote ga ladder mda strong fiamework pipes passin with which the erew or Up to the jne or cockpit. Each wing carried slotted laps and Flettner tabbed ailerons, and was arranged to fold to the rear, undersurfice outermost, about a skewed hinge very close to the root. Folding the wings neces sitated disconnecting the wing/float bracing struts The erew comprised 4 pilot and an ol normally faced ose together, A c erver/gunner. The la and a there was no fuselage tank the seats were tinuous glazed canopy the cockpits, th pilot having a section sliding to th observer 3 sliding Portion which originally could d. In the produc tion versions the rear cockpit could not be totally enclosed, but wind defleccors avoided any discomfort and the definitive arrangement made it easier to aim the rear armament, which in the initial Ar The fist and second prototypes ofthe Ar 196 had conventional twin oats, while the third, fourth and fifth prototypes (for the B:serfes) had ain ain loa an the cantein wih stajlsing outs under he Wings. The unarmed second alreraftis shown here undergoing 9 atapult launch ee This view of the prototype Ar 196 shows the twin-loat layout that became the standard. Th hoon balance onthe rudder was discarded for the V2, which was simfar apart from this and changes tothe water Ides: Both airraft flew inthe summer of 1937, 196A-1 version comprised a single 7.92-mun MG with seven 75-round siddle-tpe magazines, The forwsard-fr nent was omitted, the two SC 50 bombs were retained. The hanged for the definitive BMW 132K, driving a Schware three= bladed propeller with no spinner. A great deal of operational equip= ment was added in the production A~ catapult spook (the structure being locally strengthened), large smoke canisters in the floats, and abo emergency rations, extra ammunition and fares in the af pare of the Rats From the start the Ar 196 was extremely popular. Its performance was adequate, handling was superb both on the water and the view from the cockpits very good. fspite the low-mounted wing Deliveries of the first 20) of the A-1 version started in June 1958. All this batch were assigned to Bordlliegerstaffel 1/196 and 5/196 first t0 go te the eatapule of the pocket battleship Adnisal Graf Spee. This sailed for the south Atlantic tn mid-August 1939, and on 13 December of that ye I three (much less powerful) cruisers of the Royal Navy. Captain one of the 2 being mounted Lings which off perhaps should have launched his brand-new seaplane have ditected the fire of his 28-cm (I1-in) guns, while he steamed out of range of the British cruisers, Instead he closed with the British vessels, soon suffering erippling damage. As hick The Ar 19€ VS (illustrated) and Vs tested the single main float Arrangement Although this and the twin float arrangement had many Sdvantages, the overall water handling ofthe twin system was deemed {fo be mare imaortan than the choppy water handling characteristics of the’ single.‘o Arado Ar 1964-3 of 161 Eshadra, Royal Bulgarian airforce This unit flew the Arado for Black Sea trols from the base at fama between Tate 112 and he summer of 1948 Bleast one Bulgarian ‘AIW6AS survives in the country’s airforce museum The only other fxport customer was Romania. fe it, the very first salvo from the British ships struck the Gio) Spe's catapult and destroyed the At 196A-1 that might have turned the table Subsequently, additional seaplanes replaced the He 60 ia shor tits aswell a6 aboard all the Keiegsmarine’s major surfice warships The very severe winter of 1939-40 delayed Aight testing from War nemniinde, but the 20 A-Is were followed from November 1939 by the Ar 196A-2 version. This was intended for a wider spectrum of duties than shipboard reconnaissance. Operating from shore bases svas expected to range over the North Sea and Baltic looking for Bisping ro haras and hostile airerat vo. destroy, and it was fitted ith the forward-finng armament. The MG 17 was installed im the righ side of the nose, as in the V4 protorype, and ewo MG FF cannon were ako fitted, imtalled in an improved way which left the wing Undenurfice undisturbed, the ammunition drum causing only 2 mod: ce blister in the top of the wing, The pilot could elect to we the MG. 17 only. Though they were not expected to be sed very much, the anion ako gave the pilot a fecling of moral superionty, wish the Knowledge that the Atado could probably shoot down any hostile srcaft it was likely to encoumter over the open ocean — {Ar 195s were active over most European waters, fiom Norway tothe Above: Ar 196A-18 were delivered forthe shipbomme patrol mission, 20 of Mediterranean. This Ar 964-3 belonged to 4. Bordfiegergruppe 196 ‘hich were followed by the Ar 196A-2 (ilustrated). Intended for the operational in the Adriatic 1943. The aircraft often scouted ahead for coastal patrol mission, these were fhe frst arcraf to feature the Warshis, spotting targets at long range and warning of danger. {forware-firing armament for nuisance ateacks against vessels.Arado Ar 196 Inevitably the empty and gros weights kept rising, but the Ar 196 940 never became sluggish or difficule co handle. In delivered 98, this total including the fest few o Sesignated Ar 196A-4, This replaced the A-1 aboard the warships differing in having the forward-firing armament and also the addition al FuG 162 radio. A further change was that the Schware propeller was replaced by VM pattera with a spinner, a8 fitted t0 the modi Fied V1 protorype. The V4 was also slightly stronger, for harsh sh board use. On 26 May 1941 the great batleship Bismarck launched her Ar 196A=45 in at ay the RAF Coas Command € for the bateleship as ‘eed, and the *Cat’ called pling Bismarck’s steering May) impt to destroy or drive it raced for a home p up Swordfish torpedo aircraft wh gear, sealed che ship's fa (On the other hand wo A-2 Kiistenfliegergruppe recently occupied Aalborg is Denmark, spotted a British submarine, HMS Seal, which had been damaged by a mine in the Kattegat. Unable to dive, the British sab tmarine had go lie helplessly on the surface while an A 1 Gainther Mebrens attacked with cannon and ewo bombs. Whe second A-2 joined in the submarine surrendered, Mebr and took on board the submatine's commanding officer, taking him back to Aalborg Definitive A-3 variant Production in 1941 comprised 97 Ar 196s, almost all bei the definitive Ar 196A-3 sub-type, which incorpor structural changes and additions t nipment, Production in 1942 coualled 94 A-3s, and between July 1942 and March 1943 a further 23 were delivered from SNCA du Sud-Ouest at Boy St Nazaire). The parent factory delivered 83 seaplanes in 1943, neasly all being of the final main production model, the Ar 196A-8. This 1 MG SIZ ition, with automatic mas balance and-no fewer than air of belts. The MG 81 fired at 1,800 Other changes included the FuG he FuG 16Z. radios. C nientation was improved and there were other minor changes In summer 1943 the Fokker works at Amsterdam was b build the A-S vers 69 by eermination in A\ They did not s 2 flown by hada much more effective rear armament, comprising wands in a continio rounds per minute per gu and later the FuG 14} gh in 10 1944 1, producing Bordfiegerstaffe 1/196 and 5,196 were the two units responsible for providing aireraff for naval vessels, based intially t Wilhelmshaven and ‘Kiel Hottenau. This aueraftis seen on board the Prinz Eugen heavy cruiser. The Ar 196 was designed fo meet a requirement to replace floatplanes board large ships ofthe Kriegsmarine. Here one ofthe prototypes is {ested aboard a ship. in operation the aircraft was catapulted nto the ait Tor take-off, and hotsted back on board the ship after a sortie.Right An Aracto Ar 1964-3 of {(Bordfiegersaffe! 196, operating in tne Loften sland during February 1944 Half ofthe unt (15 aieraft) had ansfered to Stavanger from Wilhelm shaven during August 1967, witha further three areraft operating Sulanomously as the Kette Arado, 1Bordfvege tafe! 195 returned to Germanyin 94am anand ofall upne strength 38 Bordfigergruppe ie uith thre StatenArado Ar 196Arado Ar 196 Arado Ar 196A-5 2./SAGr 125 Eastern Mediterranean 1943 iSite ido Sudost.Arado Ar 196 These colourful national markings help to identify this Arado Ar 196A 3.8 an aircraft of the Romanian Excadrila 102, Flotite de hidroaviatie. This unit operated from Odessa in late 1843 under the Aufidarungsfobrer Schwarzes Meer West. The Ar 1964 was also operated by Romania's Escadrila 101, Flotila de hidroaviatie. The Ar 1965 were Usually escorted by Romanian fighters; usually the IAR 80s of the #6th fighter squadron. At Wameminde production was terminated in. March 19:4 after the delivery of the total production of and five prototypes. 2 of the A-5 version, bringin S541, including the 10 Ax Almost all this Considerable total operated from shore bases, mainly with Seeaufklirungsgruppen, often in units partly equipped with the BV 138 fiving-boat. Two of the chief units were gruppen of SAGr 125, based first in the Baltic and later from Constanza tor operations over the Blick Sea, and SAGr 126 bs for operations over the eastem Mediterranean and Balkans. Other tunits included SAGr 128, which operated over the western part of the all versions f ‘on Crete and other locations Channel and the Bay of Biscay, and SAGr 131 which operated off the west coast of Norway until the autumn of 1944, Further Ar 196 sea planes flew over the Black Sea with the 101st and 102nd coastal reconnaissance squadrons of the Royal Romanian air force, 38 well 38 the [6Ist coastal squadron of the Bulgarian air force, Most of these operations ceased by the late summer of 1944 as a result of the west ‘ward movement of the Easter batlefront. Tn 1940-41 Arado ako built 4 small number of Ar 196B-0 se planes with the single central float configuration, Otherwise similar 60 the A-2, the B-series was for a time on the strength of Bordfiegerstaffel 1/196 at Wilhelmshaven. There was also a project an Ar 196C, which would have been improved in equipment and n streamlining, but it was never buil An Ar 196 in fight, carrying a 50-kg (1106) SC $0 bomb under each wing, The alreraf iso had two 20-mm MG FF cannon anda ZS-mm MG 37 machine-gun fring forward, and 7.9-mm MG 17 in the rear cockat The crew of a2(SAGr 125 Ar 1968:3 prepares for launch from their Crete base in the summer of 1943. As the war neared is end, the Ar 19 ‘gradually disappeared from service, although a few served ight through. It was to be the fast fighting loatplane built in Europe.Arado Ar 232 Early in 1940, work began on the design of a transport aircraft to augment and ultimate replace the venerable and ubigui tous Junkers Ju 52/3m, A twin= engined design, the Arado Ar 233 was to feature a pod-and- boom fuselage with a hydrauhi- tall-operated rear loading door Iehad a novel arrangement of 11 pais of small wheels used to sup- Por the fuselage daring loading and unoading operations, the t= cycle main landing gear having been partlly raised by means oF to hydeaue rams The first two prototypes, the last transport to leave the beleagured garrison. Some 20 Ar 232B40 production airerae were delivered, serving with the Erginzungs-Transpore Gruppe flown in 1941, were each pow- and then Tramsportfiegensafiel 5 cred by two 1193-kW (1,600- (later redesignated 14./TG 4) 1p) BMW 801MA radial engines, This unit lew many special mis= but the insatiable demands of the sions. into Focke-Wulf Fw 190 production Survivors were pased to IIU/KG Tines necessitated a change of 20K) in March 1945, but only one engine for subsequent aircraft. aircraft survived the end of how ‘The selection of the lower-pow- tities ered BMW-Bramo 3231 meant that four engines were Specification Arado Ar 2328-0 needed, and the third aircraft eas | Types naser anon introduced 2 1.70-m G-fi 7-in) BYBREM@IWYansHOR Span to accommodate them. TH twincengined Ar 2382s Seen fight The bests Both the V1 and V2 prototypes Seer i” Mant The type was were operated by the Luftwatle (Milhpede) on account of is smo Suaingtad, one siren being Unusual undercarriage. ‘Arado Ar 2328-0 serving with Transportfiegerstaffel 5 on Special transport duties in fate 196% aight ey 12802 bg 0524 Bimenelons sesh hs hogres Sin GBB tn es Peon BMAW-Bramo 3238.2 asia isto engines Armament: oe 3m (051) MG Performance: msximun scoed 340 IS machine uninthe nose Ones ri mph 14600 m (18.0908; two sin lasing speed 290 ken (1B0 mph a 2000 7 560), celng 8000 (26.2461) ange 1080 kr 83 Pes) 11/20 can Arado Ar 234 Blitz 1 the de Havilland Feconnaissance and 1 November 1940, many Bish official tho Je mad a it began fight testing a ne bomber acraf that ws thowghe to have such + high performance tht i needed no de ihcen had they heen able to travel eastward to the German company Arado Fhugrewgwerke, where engineers Walter Blume and Plans cra planned 10 Ry even ister and higher than the Lamous Menguito Tewat tobe able to do ths because is engines were to be turbos revoltionary new engines then in the ely stages of teing at he BMW and Jonker companies They submited to the Air Ministry technical staff their E 3 posl in early 1981. With i came vantows more radial schemes, But fas the rltively conventions svarded the “8 series type number 234, Presitbly nextemely cles forvard aircraft of allmetalsresedskin construct oh fleseiveted exe Hor skin. The tapered wing vas mounted on top ofthe slender f tceles about the same ditance from the centeine that one, might ghe-seat cockpit, the ete now Beg gard with Pesigln. Th pl for aboard by pullin ering up kick-in steps up the left side and ener This bach could be jetusoned, bur there was emergency escape was a doubtful propos nsive armament. How amazed they would hav 0 pro- 370 that was to be accepted and he lett side, clam 1a the toot hatelt jection seat and The cockpit its down a retractable step on The Luftwaffe's second jet in service, the Arado Ar 234, was also the World's first jet bomber. This captured aircraft fs an Ar 28482, the definitive produetion variant that was eapable of flying bombing or ‘reconnaissance missions. The projection above the cockpit is © persicopie sight which could serve the optional rearward fing armament, as well as giving the pilot his only view af however, was roomy, comfortable and well laid out, and was prese sunised by engine bleed The challenging demand for a combat range of 2200 km (1 miles) meant that almost the entire fuselage aft of the cockpit had bbe occupied by fuel, the tanks being filled through the top of the fuse~ age. All fight controls were manually operated and conventional, the ailerons being of the sharp leading-edge Frise type and the elevators and raider having prominent maw balances plus a combined balance weight in the fuselage. The talphine incidence could be varied for trimming purposes by a large lever in the cockpit, driving a serewjack Inboard and outboard of the engines were bydraulically actuated plain flaps with a maximum of 45° for lnding, Ie was planned that the big reconnaissance cameras would be carried in the rear fuselage The one feature that was truly unconventional was the landing rer. With the benefit of hindsight one can see that there should have but the Arado design team could see no way "een: no serious problemArado Ar 234 Blitz The first prototype Ar 234V1 Shows the clean lines of the type, The initial prototypes employed a ettisonable faunching trolley and fanding skids. The forge ‘glazed nose area gave the Grew superb visibility. Note fire til bumper to protect thre rear fuselage. With the slim fuselage full of fuel there ars aswell, nor could Landing to fit » normal undercarriags ‘was no room for retracted main be accommodated in the jet nacelles or wing, the high wing meaning that ordinary wing-mouuiced gears would have to be very long. The Company therefore proposed wariots unconventional arrangements, and the Air Ministry staff selected one of the most unustal, On take ofl, the Ar 234 was to ride om a large three-whecled crolley. Ir would land on a central sk, with small stabilising skids under the engine Engine trouble The engine sclected was the 109-0044 being developed by Junkers, Construction of the Ar 234 V1 first prototype began in the spring oF TO4T, Junkers having promised delivery of engines in about 10 months. Work at Atado's Wamemunde factory: wens but the engine suffered very serious delays and did not even begit flight testing untal March 1942. What is very curious is that, whereas two O04As powered the fire Me 262 in July 1942, Arado did 1 receive a single engine until February 1943, and could nor By the Vi unel 15 Jane 1943. By this time, the engineless airfiamse had been waiting for I8 months. Arado considered beginning fl sig piston engines, but there was inadequate propeller ahead rapidly ound clear ance. Ita conventional landing gear had been adopted this problem would not have arisen; and if Junkers had delivered engines much ear Ter, this outstanding aircraft would have been avaihble up to a year setliec and fe preater umber, ‘As it was, the fying quiities of the 234 proved to be delightful Based at Rheine, under chiet test pilot Selle, the programme un- tarthed hardly any shortcomings, and from he start every pilot who flew the 234 had nothing but praise for ats handling (although 4 ook sp to 10 test flights with each airerafe before the ailerons could be Iidged properly rigged). In contest, the Gke-off/landing gear gave tndless trouble. On the ftse fight, the big trolley was correctly Jeti= Soned at 60 m (200 f) but the parachre failed to deploy and the wol Tey was destroyed on hitting the ground, The sime ding happened on the second flight, Afeer this, was decided to let the aitraft nse cleat Teaving the trolley on the ground, but even so both the trolley and the skid gear gave trouble, Often the skids faled to retract, pitching and porpoising on landing. was severe, and on several occasions one side Skid would collapse and let the wingcip drag over the ground Moreover, the aircraft could not taxi on its high-drag skids, and it was For take-off, the Ar 234A sat on a large trolley that featured a steerable hhaseuhee! and mainwhee! brakes for taxiing. During the frst fights of the Vt. the trolley was jetisoned at altitudes, bul subsequently was ‘released on the runway. realised that on mass operations the airfield would quickly become filled with immobile Ar 234s which would obstruct following aircraft and present helpless targets strafing aircraft. Im the late summer of 143 it was wisely decided to chan to conventional landing gear The planned Ar 254A production version was caicelled, but seve further A-series aircraft had already been buat and V2. V3, V4, V5, ond V7 all few in rapid succession (W6 and V8 were set aside For fice ting with four engines). In the closing months of 1943, ee procotypes tested presurintion, take-off booster rocket packs chat hung under the wing, the lighter and mote powerful 004B engine and, in some Dubious debut While this work was going on at Fheine a major factory at Alt Lonnewite was tooled up to produce the Ar 234B ~ popularly named the Blitz — with conventional landing gear. The first B-series proto- type, the V9, was flown on 10 March 1944, the pilot being the very experiences joachim Carl who had succeeded Selle on his predeces- Sor’s death in the crash of V7 due to engine fre. W10 introduced the RE 2 engines anda bomb under the feselage icks for bombs or drop tanks under the VII flew on 5 May 1944, periscopic sight and Landing the Ar 234A was accomplished on a grass strip, the aircraft {esting on 2 central main shid and two outrigger skids which were hhoused im the engine nacelles. These skids were also deployed for take- off Being used as supports fo which the trolley was attached. : ]Arado Ar 234 Blitz ‘Analy Arado A 234 in flight reveats landing skids extended beneath the slender fuselage and engine nacelles. Clean, the Arado Ar 234 had 3 limiting kach No. 0f0.78, giving the aircraft enough performance fo escape from any opposing fighter, if seen in time. followed by the fine pre-production Ar 234B-0 on 8 June. Carl had been told to make the first light of the BD before 40 important gues. He insted on making a quick test fight beforchand and was Homtfied co find this hastily completed machine nothing like the hand-built prototypes, Almost everything went wrong and Carl had no idea how he managed to regain the airfield with both engines ino idea whether the land official fist hight fed out an Frantic work ensured that the vent off without a hitch Design features Arado built 20 B-0s, 13 going at once to Rechlin test centre. The production line went straight on with a hited run of Bel reconnais- fance airca, followed by the standard production model, the B-2, Arado managed to fit nomul landing gear by removing the centre fisehige tank, making the front and rear tanks bigger so that the total fapacty of 3800 litres (835 Imp gal) was only slightly affected, Each Teg with a big low-presure tyre retracted forwards and inwards, the wheel being stowed upright, The nosewheel, fitted with springecam fentring, retracted, all units being moved hydraulically. A brakin Parachute was housed in a box under the rear fuselage, its cable being Ittched to the rear of the tail bumper. In peictice, this device was seldom used he B-2 was able to fly reconnaissance or bombing missions, and most aircraft were fitted with aft-fiting defensive curious choice because the installation was heavy and dhe Ar 234 was virally immune to sncerception by Allied fighters except in the vicinity of ts airfield. The armament comprised #60 20-mm MG 131 annon, mounted horizontally and parallel in the rear fuselage, and utmament, anokher Fitted with Rauchgerate take-off booster rockets and carrying an SC 5009 500-k9 bomb under the centre fuselage and under each engine. inaceile ti 10th prototype begins ifs take-off run. The type began fying ‘operationally in the sumnmer of 1988 cach fad with 200 rounds from a magazine overhead, ‘The guns could be sighted by the afe-facing optics of the RF 2C hove the cockpit. The centrelie attachment, i a fase ‘ould take a PC 1400 (1400-kg/ 3b) bors, ake an SC. 500) (3010-kg/ 1,100) clrop tank, Normal masiniam bomb load was 1500 ky and that under each engine could Imp=gal) 3,344) lb. In Firted, such as wo omb or 4 300-Hire ( the reconnaissince role, various cameris could b Rb 50/30 or 73/30, oF one of each Hi-tech cockpit The cockpit was well arranged, the only problem being that of mergency. Standard equipment included a Pain PDS three-axis autopilot, with course-setting conerol qwiseznp on the right handgnp of the pilots control yoke. Rudder pedals were out in front with clear Plexighis giving 4 view am all forward directions, Between the pilot the comples: Lofte 7K tachyinetric bombsight. At the stare of the bombing run the pilot would swing, lear and fy the aireraft-on the bombsight control knobs, lookin through the optical sight, Alternatively, he could fy the aircraft in the rhormal way and use the pericope sight and associated BZA bombing Computer fora dive attack. Handling was beautiful at all speeds, though of bomb load made the aircraft slugenh and reduced speed by some km/h Limiting Mach number was about 0.78, and th (60. mph) ‘Several Ar 2348s were captured intact by the Allies atthe war's end. ‘Naturally, they became the subject of much interest and were extensively tested in both Britain and the United States, although the {ype's limited engine life (and a high level of sabotage) proved a major fandicop,Arado Ar 234 Blitz The Ar 286 used a similar engine installation fo the Messerschmitt ‘Me 282 fighter, with long, narrow throated nacelles slung below the inboard part of the wing. The adoption of atreyele undercarriage on proauctignaucra ef the engine nacelles free /eapons carriage, and bomb shackles were incorporated {0 Carrying weapons of up fo 1400 ky (3,000), including the 1000-kg ‘SC'1a00 tHermann, with which Ar edts unsuccessfully attacked the bridges at Remagen during early 1965.‘The wheeled undercarriage gave the Ar 2248 bette flexibility of operations. This Is the second &-series prototype (Ar 234 VIO). which frst flew on 2 April 194 and lacked eabin presaurfation. could be fitted with Rauchgerate rocket-assisted take-off units under the wings. an aircraft was fully aerobati, although pilots were warned that, should they by some mischance be intercepted, they should wse speed rather than manoeuvres to escape. Surprisingly, in view of the tall fin and narrow track, crosswinds were no problem, not was an overshoot but brakes tended to burn out after two or theee landings and eng failures were common, time between engine overhauls bei Plugging the intelligence gap In July 194 ewo early prototypes, VS and V7, had joined 1 Staffel ‘of Versuchsverband Oberefehlshaber der Luftwaffe at Juvincourt France, and following indoctrination flying formed the core of Sonderkommando Gotz based at Rheine in September with four B-s. Strengeh built up and from early October operational reconnais- sance missions were being flown over the Allied area of north-west Europe and the British Isles. In November, SdKdo Hecht and Sperling began operations, followed by Sdkdo Sommer at Udine to cover the Italian front. In cach case, the arrival of che Arados trans. formed the situation, good photo coverage having previously been perilous and almost impossible to achie From October 1944, KG 76 began to convert ro the B-2 bomber beginning with Il Gruppe, This hegan fying bombing missions ducing the push through the Ardennes. Later, in March 1945, II/KG 76 at lase succeeded in collapsing the Remagen bridge over the Rhine, but by this time the loss ofthe bridge had hue effect, Almost all surviving With onty 8.3 KN (1,850 1b) of thrust availabe from each Jumo 004 jet, the r 2368 was short on take-off power, partieularly when loaded fo the maximum weight of soko (4) aehgorite fae roche Linits were added f9 improve the thrusi, these being jetisoned after limb-out and descending to earth by parachute,Arado Ar 234 Blitz Arado Ar 234B-2 Stabs-Staffel, Kampfgeschwader 76 Karstedt, 1945 BombsightArado Ar 234 Blitz ‘Structure Specification Arado Ar 23482 Blitz Undercarriage ‘iin baieArado Ar 234 Blitz [Arado Ar 284s were delivered fst {oSonderhommando units for Teconnarssance purposes. One of these early Ar 848049 5 seen, hhre in the service of Senderkommando Sperling, Tying from Rheine in tate Yo04 The Walter HWVK 300-1 Rauchgerate units ave ited. 2s ended thy nid Judand, from iluation, Total production of svar in northem Germany where nine were Bown to Enghnd for BeIs and B-2s was 210, buat many fled to see combat dity The pal that protorypes Vie and VS were com: pleted with four engines, Once the besutfal handling and structural Sirength of th eat that i nt wis made cath Ar 234 was established, it was som st anus, aid the only practical ay of a ng this was to Bit four BMW 03 turbojets, In the evens, VS flew off take-off trolley on | February 1944 powered by four 0034-0 tengines in twin nacelles. V6, with Four sepatate nacelles, followed on 8 Apni. It was decided at about ehis time to hasten the Ar 2346 into prostaction, with paired nacelles. Throughout, cificulties were expe fenced with the immature IISA engine, In particular, while opers= tion on petrol was satisfactory, se ofthe les critically searce 2 jet fel was tricky, and inflight telights imposible Further variants Anido flew protorypes numbered up t0 30, some directly associ= ated with the production 234C but most to tese purely experimental features, The fist tae 234C prototype was VA9, flown in September 1044. Apart from having two pairs of OOSA-1 engines, the C-series surerafé had a revised nove, with a bulged roof, diferent side windows, ind double glazing throughout with improved presurisation. Other hanges included nosewheel, revised alle A handful of 2348s were fitted with cannon in 2 Ventral tay and FUG 218 ‘Neptun radar for night fighting’ These served with {ihe Esporbungskommando Bonow at Oranienburg in ‘Maren 948, this aueraft being that of Kurt Bonow himseth. idjustment and 250 rounds for cach aft-fring gun. The three mas variants were co be the Cal for reconnaissince, the gunless C-2 bomber able to take off in $89 m (2.900 fi) with a 2000ekg (4,400-Ib) bomb load (only 610 1/2,000 ft with rockets added), and the C- svith two extra MG 151s fing forward and able to fly Bomber, night= Tighter or attack missions ‘None of these got properly into production, nor did any of the wealth of experimental versions. The latter jnchided the WA6 with a Crevcent-shaped wing (of the kind Later used by Handley Page for the Vietor), the V26 with deep ‘supercritical section wing made wood, and the V30 with a very thin-profiled metal wing featurin ied laminar flow section, Some test flying was done with the Istilepp method of towing an auxiliary fuel tank, an Fi 105 tly Sinb or an SC 1400) bomb with added swings, In another schem sfiying bomb was to be laiched pickeaeback from 3 234C The handing and performance characteristics of the Ar 234 were superb, butitsoon became apparent that greater thrust could enhance ‘operational effeteney. Arado therefore decided t9 produce a four- Shgined version, completing the sith and eighth prototype anreraft in four‘engined form, the VB with four completely separate nacelies, and thre ve with paived naceltes hike those fited to Vis, scen here. None of the intended variants of the four-engined Ar 2340 (which included reconnaissance, unarmed bomber and eannon-armed interdictor Versions) entered production, though Arado did ya series of prototypes and development aireraft.Arado Ar 240 a The devlopment of the FA-13 dared pecscoprcaly) promp Hee prposs for atx twin tes Ago this Ao 225 desi Bid Afado with the Hans Resize E240, rede puted Ar 240 when awarded’ Bevelopment problems, the bar- By two 8024W 1 Danle-Benz DB 601A e Mens’ MG 151120 cannon ia {Uai-in) MG 17 machine-guns Aa rst of instability prob- Togs withthe fit two Ar 250, the third appeared aterm Telesyn incesporsting ¢ 125m The presursed cockpic ws a ers forward and a new tail- ‘cone, with small fine repla original tail-mounted dive Flown in spring 1941, this was he first Ar 240 with the FA 13 buarbettes ~ one above and anoth~ er below the fuselage behind the cockpit, Each carried a pair of 7.92-mm (0.31-in) MG. 81 machine-guns, The barbettes were removed during mer of 1941, when two camens were fitted for a period of opera rional evaluation ‘with 3 reco naisance unit (3./Aufklirung gruppe Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe). The fourth prototype was fitted with ewo 1305-kW 1.750-hp) DB 603A engines A mumber of pre-production machines were completed and the Ago factory at Oschersleben was tasked with the manufacture of 40 production Ar 240s. In December 1942, however, the programme was discontinued as result of continued teething problems with this ambitious project. A handful of pre-pro- duction aircraft did tly with ser vice units, notably JG 3 in north- em Finland, and reconnaissance units in Russia and Taly. Variants were the DB 605-powered Ar 240B, the Ar 240€ wits longer wings and a variety of armament ‘options, and the Ar 440 with longer fisclage. Prototypes of al Finished and flown Specification Arado Ar 2408 ang 2000 Bachem Ba 349 Natter Selected 0 fill an RLM require niet for a poine defence higher toattack Aled bombers the Ba 49\wns a comparatively crude aire, emphasis being placed tnsklled woodworkers. Roll facil use of the elevators. The fiselage honsed a Walter 109. S09A-2 sistainer rocket capable of producing 16.68 KN (3748 I thrust for 70 seconds at full Daxpots as low ae 1.47 A By for increased endurance aif was co be launched eal, by four Schmidding 109. 533 solld-fuel rockets, to on Gach side of the fasclage, amd producing 11.7 KN 646 Ib thre for 10 seconds before Being ecisoned The fine of 15 Natters manu- fctred forthe test programme Became available in October 1944 and was used for tnpows fred hanaling tls, rowed slo Behind a Heinkel He it Unmanned flights using the booster rockers only followed The first vertical launch with ng, sill without a pilot, took February 1945. Jon few days later, test pilot Lothar Siebert was killed when, it mak ing the firs and almost certainly the only piloted vertical lninch, the cockpit cover became detached in fight and the awreraft dived into the ground from about 1525 m (5,000 fi) Operational eacties evolved for he Natter involved a vertical aunch on autopilot, the pilot assuming manwal control when Positioned above the approach Ing bombers. Placed in a shallow dive, the Narter would have been’ armed by jettisoning the nosecone to expose its battery o rockets. Having fired these unguided missiles, the aircraft was flown clear ofthe attlezone, and the pilot would then bale out. The entire nose section was to be jettisoned by ancoupl the control column, moving it forward to release the catches, and then releasin mechanical ea the nose from the rest of th fiselage. The pilot was effective ly ejected by the deceleration of braking and recovery parachute The rear fuselage was to be sil- waged, The Ba 349A was che produce Were ordered for the Lufewati the 8S. About 3 Natters were completed but not used operationally, des ' Combat use of the Ar 240 was very Timited, but s handful served unoffcialy with front ine units. This isthe second Ar 2404-0, seen hile being flown by JG 5 ‘Eismoer'in northern Finland. Together with the fist 80, this aireraf'flew reece missions along the Murmansk railway. Weights: emoty 6200 ks (13.609 smu take off 9450 Kp (2,63 mn 1333 mUaates samen (01-7) MG 17 Tach Barbettes each with tivo’? 32 10 being set up for launch at Kirchheim. Allied tanks appre destroyed on the ramps before they could be captured or used. The Ba 3498 was an improved with increased tail unit area and more powerful Walter 109-509C rocket which provid= ed maximum thrust of 19.62 KN 410 Ib) and more effective throttle concrol down to 1.96 kN (441 Ib), Only three were fin= ished. hed too closely to th Specification Bachem Bo 349A Natter vice cog 14000 (45,820 fo: ras of at a0 1 40k 2 n3go martes m (200 in ng ‘An example of the remarkable Ba 549'shows the nosecone ‘removed fo reveal the unguided rocket armament. A combat debut tas Just hours away when the Allied land forces came too close tothe launch site.Blohm und Voss BV 138 he first flying-boat design to be buile by Hamburg I Flugzeughat! GmbH, under the direction of chief engineer Dr Ing Richard Vogt, was the Ha 138, Three prototypes of the oaginal twinengined design were each to have been powered by a ffferent manulacturer’s 746-KW (1,000-hp) engine for comparative evaluation, but development delays necessitated redesign to accept three 485-kW (630-hp) Junkers Jumo 205C engines. Almost two years after the completion of the mock-up, the fist prototype (Ha 138 Vi) took off on its maiden Aight, the dare being 13 July 1937. A second prototype (Ha 138 V2), with a modified hull design, jo! the test programme at the Travemunde centre in November but the nierafe were quickly proved to be unstable, both hydrodynamiclly Modifications to the vertical tall surfaces faled to improve the performance adequately and radical redesign was undertaken, The result was the BV 138A, adopting the designation system of Blohm und Voss parent company. Thi its planing surfaces were improved, and the revised tal surfaces were Carried by more substantial booms. The prototype first flew in February 1939, and was f by five more pre-scries BV 138A-0 aireraft. Testing confirmed that there were still shortcomings in the aircraf’s structure, and the BV 138A-04 was returned for further Strengthening 10 become the fine of 10 BV 138B=0s. Meanwhile, batch of 25 BV 138A-t3 vas constructed, as the need for coastal transport aircraft was pressing. The first «wo rapidly entered service with KG2bV 108 See for service in the Norwegian campaign, and Soon afier |./KAFIGr 506 equipped for service in the Bay of Biscay from October 1940, being rapidly joined by 2./KOFIGr 906, The BV L38A-1s proved eroubl sblems surfacing with the seructure, engines and bow armament. Most of these were attended 60 P the BV 138B, which was fitted with more powerful Jamo 208D engines to overcome the weight increase some in service, fi The first BV. 138B-1 flew in December 1940, and was a much better machine than its predecessor, Bow armament consisted of a 20 mm MG. 131 cannon, and there was an MG 15 in an open positon behind the central engine nacelle, A factory conversion (BV 138B- Right: This is a BY 1380-1 of 2/SAGr 125, ‘operating inthe Black Sea from Constanza in Romania. The distinctive Shape of the BV 138° hull led to the. nickname ‘Die Mlegende Holzschun’ (the fying clog). 24 The BV 1384-01 demonstrates 2 Spray take off In veality, the Sireraftwas hot Strong enough to withstand the Battering of prolonged Seperation on the ‘pen seas The BW isia haa an TB 204 baw turret for the 20 ‘mm MG 204 cannon. Both proved extremely troublesome. 471) increased the weapon load to six bombs or depth charges. The BV 138C-1 which followed had further airffame strengthening, 2 four-bladed propeller an the central engine (retrofitted to BV 138B- 15), an additional gun in the starboard side, fired by the radio operator ania L3-mm MG 131 i the central nacelle position, The BV 138C- A/U1 was bo available with extra armament capability. During 1942- $5 a handfal were converted to BV 138 MS standard, with a circular dlegaussing loop for mine-sweeping, with onboard field-generarcing equipment and all armament deleted. These became known 38 “Maus Tn addition to operating from shore bases, BV 1385 operated from seaplane tenders, some being modified with catapult points for launch, All aircraft could be fitted with assisted take-off rockets, and several sprouted FuG 200 Hohentwiel radar for shadowing convoys. The fandatdl crew wa five (sx in the C-1), and the gun positions offered tSxcellent fields of fire, Despite its early teething toubles, the BV 138 became an outstanding maritime patroller, offering long enduranc and able to withstand a great amount of damage from eithe fenemy or the elements, Int early 1941 the ewo France-based BV 138A-1 units were with= drawn to Germany for conversion to the BV L38B-1 and were later reasigned to the Baltic. Meanwhile, Norway was becoming a princi- pal operating location for the type, with the establishment of SY/KUEGr 406 (later designated 3.(F)/SAGr 130), 3./KAFIGr 906 1(F) and 2 (F)/SAGr 130, and 1(F) and 2.(F)/SAGr 131. From Norwegian bases the BV 138s ranged aver the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, shadowing and attacking convoys bound for Russia fn the course of such activities BV 138 shot down a Catalina and a [386 refilled at sea from U-boat, deployment in the summer of Zemlys (Soviet Blenheim. In northern waters BV and in remarkable three-we operated from a base established on Novay by crews from two U Left: A BV 138C-1 of Seeaufklarungsgruppe 130 makes a rendezvous with 3.U-poat in the Aretie Ocean. Note the hastiy-applied white distemper for Aretic eamouflage, the our bladed propeler on the central nacelle, Ind the Hohentwiel search radar antennas o” the wing leading edges. Left: 2: Staffel Kastentiegergruppe 406 was the first BV 138 unit fo operate from Norway, recevving its first aireraftin the Summer of 1941. The unit initially few from Stavanger and Tromso an convoy Search duties. These were highly, Successful until the British intiaduced Sea urricanes as protection in Spetember 1902, From that time, only Tongidistance surveiiance ofthe ‘Convoy could be maintained.Blohm und Voss BV 138 Right Operating in the Trondheim region in Apri! 1966 were the BV T3EC-Ts of 1 (F)/SAGr 199 this areraft featuring a Aisruptve pattern which proved hight effective along northern conttlines, Below, This BV 138C-1 came South from Norway in mid. 3948 to rate on the Black Sea, based Sana Butoarta with ipusAer 1 Below: A few BY 138 MS mine- sweepers were operated by the Luftwaffe’ Minensuch-oruppe to lear rivers, canals and coastal waters, this variant featuring a oral degaussing loop for exploding magnetic mines. The armament was deleted, a simple fairing replacing the bow turret underneath which was.an ‘teliary motor forthe feld= Generation equipment Farther areas ns included the Black Sea, where the BV 138C-Is of 3.7 Jew missions fom Constanza until late 1944, In 1983 the type was a numbers to the Biscay and Mediterranean theatres, 3./KOFIGr 406 (ater 1. (F)/SAGr 129) operat fd from Biscarosse until 1944, while 3.(F)/SAGr 126 operated trom (Crete. This unit was transferred to che Baltic, and surrendered at the fend of the war in Denmark. A few BV 1385 were still serving in Norway 10 the end, including the aircraft of 3(P)/SAGr 134, one Which was charged with flying Hider's lise will and testament out & Betin on 1 May 1945, Despite landing on a Berlin lake under heavy Shelfre, the BV 138 commander would not let the couriers on boat as they did not have identification. Instead, he picked up 10 wounded men and flew back to Copenhages ‘Specification hm und Voss BV 138-1 Powerplant: == Performance: =". sons 2 ‘Armament: one 20:r90 MG Above: Whereas most BV 138s ‘operated in the harsh environment of the northern eceans, the BV 138C1s of SiFerm)/Secaufalarungs. “Gruppe 125 patroled the balmy Black Sea, Nate the gunner i the-cental nacelle position, which offered an excellent eld of fire to the rear. Blohim und Voss BV 138 (MS of 6 Staffel Minen: sucharuppe , based 3¢ Grossemnade in 1986-45,Blohm und Voss Ha 139 For its newly-esablished transite [ rer lantic postal service, Lufthanc in 1935 issued a spe ew marine aircraft. This was required to take off and land in rough water, to be suitable for catapult Launching, and to be capable of carrying a 300-kg (1,102-1b) minima payload for at least 5000 km (3,107 miles) at a cruising speed of 250 km/h (135 mph). The Hamburger Flugzeugbau subsidiary of Blolm saat rar und Voss evolved a number of = c er became glazed nose was fitted to accom= Norwegian campaign. The other THis s the Ha 139 Va seen in its slp bme gence pu te ace Nw on Ts aie UE enormous degaussing oop prototypes. The selected power pensate for this the vertical tail lar conversions, and were also required considerable bracing. plant was the specally-developed —surfies were again enlarged. An used in Norway. Flying with Tis configuration was never used Junkers Jamo 205 diesel, offering Tharia glized mounting for asine Kampfgruppe der hesondere perationally. a specific fuel consumption gle MG 15 gun wis added to the Verwendung 108 See, the ait Specification most 25 per cent lower than hose, and a similar weapon was crate were primarily employed Bohm und Voes Ha 139, ‘comparable petol engines provided in a hatch in the fight on ttansport duties, taking sup- Typerlong ange The firs prototype Ha 139 deck root, to be fired by the plies to sreeprg and ound wits stationed Vi made is maiden fightin the radio operator, Two futher MG slong woated fords eaten imme autumn of 1936, and by March 15s could be fired through open lack of spares hindered the potnrbuame 295c deen 1937 the fist two aircrat had ingy in the lower sides of the Luftwaffe career of th Ha 13 5 been delivered 0 Lufthansa, to fuselage. Designated Ha 139B/U but the V3 was reworked in operate between Horta, in the (Umbau), this machine few in its 1942 as the Ha. 139B/MS Azores, and New York. The new form for the fint dime on 19 (Minensuehe) for minesweeping slightly enlarged and heavier January 1940 after taking off duties, A large degaussing loop third aircraft, designated Ha from the catapult of the Luft stretched from the nose to the BL Taximum tect 1750 ig 139B, joined the programme im Hansa support vessel Priseuland, wingtips and chen back 10 the Bae on oo mieatt sid 1058 After tials the Ha 139B/U was tailplane. There is no record of | pianists miss io he Late in 1939 the three Ha 139s delivered to 1./Kastenflie and their crews were abso igrappe 406, which Hew it ak into the Luftwaffe the third pro side otlce seaplanes on tran totype being modified for tevon- and Arctic naistance duties. A lengthened since missions during the miachines, " Blohm und Voss BV 141 Syren S01 tadial and extensive redesign, the aircrafe ever being delivered 48 wingstea 117 to an operational minesweeping 25 Unit and st was later scrapped, ‘Armament: (2 1298/0) four ther reconnais- along with the other. two In 1997 the Reiehsluibramini- larger chan the fist and with an Evaluation at the Erprobung- includ equal-taper outer-wi, sterium issued a specification for estensively-glazed nacelle similar stelle Rechlin was completed sat= panels and an asymmetri 1 single-engined three-seat short= to the fuselage of the Fw 189 isetorly, but plans for produc- tailplane to improve the rear range reconnaissance and obser- The third aircraft, with wider tion were terminated in April guumer’s field of fre. These vation aircraft, the emphasis crack Landing geaf, was armed 1940) as the «ype Was offically proved markedly inferior to their being placed on good all-round with two fixed forward-firing considered to be underpowered. predecessors, and despite the visibility. The requirement drew 7.92-mm (V).31-in) MG In reality, the main stumbling delivery of one BV 141B-0 to | responses from Arado and Focke machine-guns, plus two MG 15s block was fear of the «ype's Aufklirungsschule 1 for service | Wulf, in addition to che novel of similar calibre firing to the unusual configuration, Five pre-trial in the autumn of 1941, and approach of Hamburger Flug- reat. Iwas abo able 9 carry | zeughau’s Dr Ing Richard Vogt. camera and racks for four 30-ke Ore ofaritiog’s This unorthodox design featured (110-Ib) bombs, and was suf iueod an asymmetric layout, the ciently sucessful in ania trials {depicted below) KW (865-hp) BMW 132N radial to extract from the RLM an performed Sunprisingly wel However the ‘redesigns that produced the BV 41 (left) ruined ‘much of the ‘ype's good Characteristics, engine being installed at the for- order for five examples of the ward end of a port-side tail pre-production Blohin nd Voss boom, with the extensively- BV L41A-0. These aircraft fer gheed crew nacelle mounted to tured an increase in wing span sarboard. Offical preference was and area and were powered by a for the Focke-Wulf Fw 189, but 746-kW_(1,000-hp) BMW Hamburger Flugzeughau buslt 4 Bramo 323 radial en povate venture Ha 141-0 po. totype which flew on 25 February 1938, This Featured a fuselage nacelle with a stepped cockpit and nose glzing. Two further prototypes appeared in the autumn of 1938, both slightlyplans for the production of enough aircraft to equip one Suffel on the Eastern Front evelopment was delayed and finally discontinued in 1943, ‘Specification. BvieiBo Type: orange reconaissanoe and Geran arc mn speed 370 Dimer i: Tength 13.95, BG mini OK wing a 70351 sat ‘Armament: two fix forwarding Ses0 The Vo was the first of the BV 1518-0 aircraft, this version being readily wentified by the tailplane of hada com anything abgut the BV 141 could ipedeseribed in sue terms). Blohm und Voss BV 141 Blohm und Voss BV 142 ‘The Hambu 139 longeitance florplane proved highly succe had ssful during A eatly fight wi in 193° and the company was naturally based version, mainly for over- Tind mail eariage. Using as many of the loatplane comp etic was desirable, both to Keep development costs down and to maintain quality” as much 4s posible Consequently, when the Ha 142 V1 emerged in 1938 ie fea tured a similar slender fusel and the inverted-gull wings of the Ha 139. lop-a land thick, thanks ¢o a single tubular spar, but contained 5295 litres G.165 Imp gal) of fel, Tor Wheels replaced both of the Moats, and. a twin-wheel retractable tailwheel was added he Right deck bad 3 fion for a crew of four, compris- ing pio stor and radio operator. In the was a small mail comparment Proudly registered D-AHIEB in honour of the manufacturer, the Ha 142 V1 cook to the air on 11 October 1938, followed a shore time later by the V2. In che Itervening period, the company fad changed its name to Blohm lind Voss, and che aircraft to BV 142. By the summer of 1939, four prototypes were involved in the fight tese programme, In the txent, only the VI was to serve Luft Hans. AF tins, it was delivered to the air pot a sel line for exploratory fights Christened ‘Kastor’ and reregis- tered D-ABUV to reflect its iade a few flights before retarm= ing to Blohm und Voss. By this fime any thoughts of using the aircraft in commercial service had heen abandoned Shortly afer the sart of World War Il, it was proposed to con- wert the Tongerange macime aircraft, and to this effect the V2 twas chosen for tial modification Dubbed the BV 142 V2/U1, its main feature was an elongated with glazed panels. (Operating far fiom trenally fight sporated for procection, with x small cabin in the aft compart ment for two gunners, and the mail compartment was converted into a small weapons. bay Extensive radio and navigation equipment was ited, known 36 Transozean-Funkanl Coded PC+BC, the V2/UL was delivered in the spring of 1940 to 2./Autklirungsstafel Oberbetchlshaber der Luftws neing attached directly to the headquarters of Lufifotte 3. The fist prototype was sinulaely con verted (PC*BB) and the V3 and V4 should have followed suic However, serious lon| Derived directly from the Ha 139, the BV 182 had similar inverted: ull wings twas not successful {nthe maritime patrole role for Which twas modified. aunches of the Blobm und Voss GT 1200C guided torpedo, but these were not implemented, ss necessitated transport shor their use during the invasion of Denmark and Norway. The pair served with Kampfgruppe 2ur besonderen Verwendung 1 under Fliegerkorps X alongsid miscellany of large types Ju 89 Srnntl at so ove casing Ju 90, Fw 200 etc.) and their Spect325 km (202 mph seneer, tlkimate fite is uncertain. ing 8000 m (29,528 1, maximuan Specification Performance: macrrum so their performance with weapons being considerably less thar expected, Despite their defensive Armament: one 732 021-0) Gi. By 1942 they had both been 0 domes Srikdeawin (Se. service Biawa Mayon tx eur Len 22Blohm und Voss BV 222 Wiking “The largest flying-hoat to achieve operational status daring World War ll, the Blohm und Voss BV 222 wis designed originally by Dr Ing Richard Voge and Herr R. Schubert, to meet a 1937 Lufthanss requirement for a Jong-range passenger anspor Three aircrift, cach powered by six 746-kW (1,000-hp) BMW-Bramo Fafinir 3238 radi- 1937, and work on the first hegan an January 1938. The Were a number of notable fea- tures incomporated in the des including an extensive unob- structed floor area, made possible by a bean of almost 3.03 10 (10) f), and an absence of intermedi ute bulkheads above floor level The wing mcorporited a tubule main spar tht srved abo tain fel and oil tanks (a testare of Voge designs), and th hoard stabilising floats each split into halves to retrace sideways ino the wing. On 7 September 1940 Flugkipitin Helmot Rodd made the fire ight with the protoeyps which clearly had mlitary poten tial. Indeed, soon aft was fitted with enlarged doors for transport duties with the Luftwaffe, undertaking its first sortie on 0 July 1941, Alter smi Blom und Voss BV 2224-0 of LTS See 222, Based at Petsama io Finland, early 194 Norway it was transferred 10 the Mediterranean theatre, being used to earry supplies for German forces from Greece to Libya, Armament was introduced with the second and third proto- types, own on 7 Avgust and 28 November 1941, respectively The third carried only a 7.92- min (0.31-in) MG 3 snin in the bow, hut the second was fitted additionally with {waist postions and in to upper turrets, plus a pair of [3mm (.51-in) MG 131 guns in two ated heneath th The ftse proto: gondolis Ic wpe retrospectively equipped with similar bow and waist armament, and with an MG 131 in cach of the upper turrets. Ont 10 May 1942 i sen delivered to Lufiverkehesstafel rated Later ). Te was jomed 'C" (hater redesi porstatfel See 2 by the second prototype in August ofthat year, after the ai crait had been provided with a sodifed bottom co the hull Tn adaltion to the thee prot types thee ese five BV 232A0, WW io V8) nl ine BV 2220-05 {V9 to VA3), the latter benny powered by fons 207¢ for sited take-olle The BV 2228 was a proposed jumo 208- powered version for Luft Hama Sie the BV 222 sas to hive pp er a 2070s. Unavatlabiity of thie éngine led to the proposed BV 2228, which would have fev tured tix Bram Fafa 323 ra is Mediverrinean ble up doing 1942, but the V6 and VS were shot’ down. by the RAF Gperations switched to nighe nd concinoed util cary 1543 wren the surviving Wikings mere te Bene rotol ducies with fatel See 222 7RaFIGE 1 Autklinangs= found role, the BV ted with FuG 20 radar and long-range communi tations equipment, The V3 and V5 were sunk. at their moorings, sere Bt hentwiel bat the force was augmented! by Further deliveries. It redesignated as 1. (Fern)/Secautklirungs- ituppe 129 in October 1943, and continued to support U-b ‘operations far out mt the Atlante, A further loss was the BV 223 110, shot down by the RAF, but ne of the Wikings dispatched a Lancaster. In July 1944 the anit disbanded, and the BV 222s returned to transport duties Seven survived hostilities, and dnvce were captured and eviluat= ed by the Alls, Specification Blohm und Voss BV 2226 The BV222A.0 V8 runs its engines ona faunching ramp. This areraft Was shot down by BAF Beaufighters over the ‘Mediterranean in December 1982 Blohm und Voss BV 238 In early 1940, began work on series of flying-boats to undertake both long-range maritime patrol and transport doties, mainly a a or co the BY 138 which the time Dr Richard Vogt Water tank work sh the flying at’s planing, bottom could be far inore slender than seas tational, allowing the con struction of a much larger ait craft, Armed with these Vogt’s team begin work on a new design in November, the result being designated. the Blohm und Voss BV 238 Power was to have come from 24-eylinder Jumo 223 engines, of Four b= ment. By July L941 it was obvi- fous that the Jamo woul not b available, 30 Vo aircraft with six engines, Tn lite 1941 three BV 238A prototypes were ordered with DB 603 engines, and one BV 238B with BAW SOL radials Soon afte, Blohm and Voss pro posed the BV. 238-Land, Iter redesignated BW 250. landplane version with redesigned the This was a bomb bays replacing th tom, and havin to tench th planing bot US ¢ my Four protoyypes ordered, and assembly of three ‘was bestin, although noe finished the BV 238/250 pro- seale, st was decided to build a research replica of approximately iquarterscale, to be powered by Six 15.7-kW (21-hp) engines, Buile near Prague, the resuleingBlohm und Voss BV 238 FGP 227 proved a complete financial los, refusing to take off When fired with wheeled under famage, being deliberately: dam= aged by French priso when being transported to Travemiinde for tnals.as a flying. brat, and chen having all engines Sze on its fire ight, resulting in farther damage. This first fight fecurred in September 1944 Some months after the full-scale siraft had flown, Fight trials with the BV 238 Vi began in April 1945, he world’s Although it was n largest aircraft in tormis of dimen Sion (the Tupolev ANT-20 had that distinction), it was certainly the heaviest, and at its full take fff weight it would need rockets fo asst take-off. The aircrate was sunk at its moorings on Lake Schual by USAAF P-51 Mustangs fn hte 1944, by which time the DB 603-powered V2 and V3 were virtually complete, The V4 (ith BMW 8015) and V5. (pre production aircraft for BV 238A) were well advanc three BY 250s, but with the loss ofthe only ying aircraft, and the more press Luftwaffe at the time, the pro: nie was terminated: Specification hm und Vore BV 238 V1 Peererplactr on ATT (SO ee DBarmierBone DB 806 inne piston Performance: maximum speed a UW 21 60000 ig 132,277 I 425, (264 mp at 6000. 19.685 81, The V¥ was the anly example of forge oppoumately 750k 6578 the monster BV 234 to fy. edi mH hnot have armament filted, and Dimensions: spanco.17m ary PO “ DFS 230 Following military interest in a research glider developed by DES, a contract was awarded for the construction of three proto types. Demonstrated successfully during 1937, following a pre~ prodicton bitch of DES 230A-0s, It was ordered into hinted pro~ duction as the DES 230A-1 operational version and DES 230A-2 with dual controls for training. These and subsequent Versions totalling more than 1,000 aircraft were built by sev- tral factories the Luftwaffe’ standard asiule glider A braced high-wing monoplane of mixed consteuction, the DES 234) provided accommodation for a crew of wo and cight fully 1¢d troops. Towable by a vari= ey of Lufisvafle aircraft, the DFS 230 used jettsonable lading gear for take-off, and landing was accomplished on a central skid mounted beneath the fuselage. The DES 230B-1 and dual Control DES. 230B-2 introsiced air-deployable brake parachutes to allow the glider to dive steeply af it came under attack, An MG 15 was fined bebind the cockpit for a measure of self-defence and for suppressive fire once the glide er was on the g ‘Some DFS 200 gliders often worked with Ju32s 07 assault and transport operations. Usual tugs for the Bfiser were the He 45, He 43 or Hs eo ‘units field-modiffed their gliders with twin MG 34 guns in the The DES 230 mounted the world’s fist operation by plider- bome troops when the Belgian fort of Eben Emacl was captured fon 10 May 19401, DFS 230 were used abo and on many other airborne operations. Most often, they were used as transports, anid in ns role chey flew their last mis- sion in March 1945. In order achieve very short landing rin, fone fuselage was delivered to Focke-Achgelis for modification with a three-bladed autogyro rotor, being designated the Fa 225. This demonstrated very short landing runs but was diffi cult to control. Amore practical solution was the use of forwarde thrusting Rheinmetall-Borsig brake rockets strapped to the nose. These could stop a DES 0 in just 15 m (50 fe) while producing a cloud of white smoke which disguised the air- craft and its occupants. A force of rocket-equipped gliders, desi nated DFS 230C-1, seas used sn the daring rescue of Benito n the invasion of Crete Mussolini rom his mounsin-top {gaBespeed 10k (12 Prison. An improved rocket noe eH@REE: pty 80 9 800, Section Was proposed for the pro- guction DFS 230D-1, which in the event did no materialise The DPS 230 V7 vas an ensive- Iy new design which would have been buile as the DES. 2308-1 ‘Only one prototype was built negnt's ha fe Om wn Armament: A cloud of smoke envelops a DES 230C-1 daring tials of the powder 7 ‘rocket brakes. Combined with the DFs 23081 brake chute which allowed » Type: ossau anspor gle Steep approach, the rockets could Performance: axm™ icing Stop thwafnder in avery shor! speed 290 un (160 mph normal stancesDornier Do 17/215 nevitably dubbed the ying Pencil” die to is long ender fise= Jin 2s tise desl pc nme a cin, pamarly high-speed malplne but capable of carrying si Dosing Ine goss the Die 17 1 fit Row in te 1953, hen pased to Luithans for evaluation with the second and third proto- fypes in 1935. The airline found the passenger accommodation (a sin gle two-seat cabin behind the flight deck, and an equally cramped four-seat cabin aft of the wing) completely impractical, and the proto- yypes were returned to Dornier. The type was saved from seemed certain oblivion by a Lufthansa pilot, a former Dornier tes pilot acting as Haison between airline and air ministry, who flew the Sirerafe and suggested it had potential ss a bomber, although he felt it hacked keel area. A fourth prototype was commissioned, with a bomb: bay im the lower fuselage and with new twin endplate fins and rad- Jers. ‘This was followed by five similar prototypes, three of which introduced a glazed tip and bottom to the standard li last three of which had an aft-facing gun position, with a single -mim (0.31-in) MG 15 fired by the radio operator, behind the flight deck. The seventh and the ninth aitcraf also had 2 shortened but more extensively glzed nose, faction The initial production model was the De. A7E-4, which wa pro duced alongside the almost identical Do A7E-A, which was a dedicat fed long-range reconnaissance aircraR, Both aircraft had provision for 3 downward-fring MG 15 in a hatch just ahead of the bomb bay. In the E-1 this could accommodate up to 750 ky, (1,650 Ib) of bombs, though 500 kg. (1,100 1b) was a more usual load, while an the F-1 it nmried 4 pair of cameras, To make the aircraft suitable for licensed manufacture and dispersed production, the Do 17 was designed in modular components, which had the added benefit of allowing major items to be replaced at anit level The Luftwaffe rapidly formed four new Kampfjesdhwader with the and Do 17P-ls equipped an Aupklinvigignppe. Do 17F-Ls which was adopted on Above: The Do 17P-1 still quipped many reconnaissance Units on the outbreak of war, and the similar Do 174.1 Bomber was flso.on charge. Note the shim, Tuselage of these early aireraft Below: Seen on their way toa Strike in Poland dating the pening days ofthe war, these Bo Zs served with KG 2, which partnered KG In the northern Sector of the attack. The original Flying Pencil Dornier's Do 17 V1 fast mailplane caused, Inuch anety in Biftain and France when appeared in fate 103, 2 ts military potential was both obvious and frightening. wore sent t0 Spain with the Légion Condor in the spring of 1937, 15 sieraft from AufkL.Gr.(F)/122 joining LA/SS. They proved able 21 Do 17E-Is which joined them in tevade encmy fighters, a did th Spain with 2.K/S8, The Do 17M and Do 17P were developed in parallel 25 replace~ ments for the earlier Do I7E=1 and Do 17F-1. The 562-kW (730-hp BMW VI7.3 12-cylinder engines were to have been replaced by the same 746-KW (1,00-hp) Daunler Benz DB 6008s that powered the Do 17 V8, which participated in the 1937 International Military Anrerat Competition at Zirich, outranning all the fighters present Unfortunately, production of the DB G00. was slow and engines reserved for fighter production, so the Do 17M bomber femerged with 675-kW (900-hp) Bramo 323A-1 Fair nine-cylinder tir cooled radia, while the Do 17P had the 68-KW (863-hp) BMW 132N, which give the reconnaissance aircraft the requited an Armament was mereased by the addition of « forward-ting MG which could be clamped fore-and-aft and aimed by the pilot using a Ting-and-bead sight, or used as a free gun by the navigator/bomb- himer. Do 17Ms and Do 17Ps ail in service in 1940 often had an extra pair of MG 15s addled. Both versions had a bomb bay that was extended aft and housed up to 100 kg 2,205 Ib) of bombs. The pro- vision of a dinghy resulted in a chan Do 17M/UL, while eropical filters resale tnd Do 17P-ATrop Dornier Do 17Ms were exported co Yugoslavia as Do 17Kb-t bombers, and Do 17Ka-2 and Ka-3 reconnansance aircraft, All were Rhone 14 Na/?2 radials and all had FN: guns (and some also had 20-mm Hispano Suiza 404 cannon) a defensive armament. They aso had the original long plazed nose of the Do 17 prototypes, Twenty German-busle aircraft vere supplied, and icence-production hogan at the State Aircraft Factory in 1939. When German forces invaded in 1941, Yugoslavia had 70 Do 17Ks on strength, 26 being destroyed in the inital sult Some survivors fled to Egypt ((wo briefly entering RAF serviee) and others were pased to Germany's new-formed ally, the Croatia air force, along with some surphs Do 17E-Is. The De 17L designation ‘of designation to the Do 17M-1/Trop powered by Gnom Browning machiDornier Do 17/215 uving July 1940 this Do 172 was Insed 9 Cormertiesen.Verin tn France, serving with 9)KG 76. This anit was heavily involved inthe Battle of Britain, attacking RAF saields in Kent twas allocated to a pathfinder equivalent to the Do 17M, which only reached prototype satus, ‘The Spanish Civil War showed that the Do 17 was vulnerable from below, and the cockpit had proved too cramped. The De 17S (a high-speed reconnaissance aircrafe that did not go beyond the pr type staze) and the Do 17U (a pathfinder version of which three peo fotype Do 17U-0s and 12 production De 17U-15 were completed) inoduced a redesigned forward fuselage which increased the height of the cockpit, allowed the carriage of a five-man crew (two radio operators in the Do 17U) and a new lower-hemisphere machine-gun ina flexible mounting firing back from the step where the new deep cockpit met the original shallow fuselage. The Do 178 and Do 17U were powered by the DB 600, but the Do 17Z-1 bomber, which shared the some forward fuselage, retained Bram 323A-1 Fafhir radi- ak. Underpowered with ats full bomb load, the aircraft was refined into the Do 17Z-2 by the introduction of 716-kW (1-D00-hp) Bramo 323P engines with ewo-speed superchargers. The De 17Z=-3 was dual-role reconnaissance bomber, with provision for a camera in the entry hatch, while the Do 17Z=4 was a dustecontrol tramer ver~ sion, and the Do. 1725 3 long-range over-water recconnabsanee ait craft with flotation bags and extra survival equipment, Some 212 of the 370 Do 17 bombers on strength on the outbreak of war between Briain and Germany were Do 17Z-1s and Z-2s, the rest being Do 17M-Is and a handful of Do 17E-Is. These aircraft quipped nine Kanpfemppen with four Kampgeschnuader. There were abo 262 Do 17s serving with 23 Stafeln in the long-range reconnais sance role. A handful of Do 17Ms served with a vansety of other units, three being on charge with the Stab of each Shukagnppe, for example The Do 17 participated in the invasions of Poland and France (but not f Norway), and played a major part in the Bate of Britain, where it proved able to outrun most fighters in a shallow dive, Nonetheles, Dernier Do 172-2 of 4,Slaffel/Kampfgeschwader 2, [4 After senna the ish campaign, KG2's next ‘ction was aver France, where the Do 172.2 again proved its ability to outrun fighters in a ‘ive Dosnier Do 172-2 ofthe Stab (staff Might) Wt Gruppe KGS, based a4 Hetigenbell in East Prussia in September 1939 or the Polish campaign Mlustrating the broad slab wing of the Do 17 is this early 2, the first Bomber variant with a redesigned cabin. This version was markedly, Lunderpowored and had a reduced bomb load to compensate losses were heavy and defensive armament proved inadequate. The Do 17s made a number of spectacular low-level terrain-following mmass raids, bue several units begin converting to the mach superic Ju 88 even before the batele was over and, by the time Hitler launched ‘Operation Barbarossa, only KG 2 remained fully equipped with th Do 17, Three Gripper initially flew the Do 17 on the Eastern Fror the last Being III/KG 3 which handed its sitcraft on to the Croatian IV/KG 3 (a Siafel-strength unit), which continued to operate the type Until transferred to antisPartsan duties in Croatia in November 1942. Another ‘fore ‘was Finland, which received 13 Do 17Z. Fited with BW. Bramo 323° Fatt sngines rated at 6 {81 (000 ho for Beef the Borior | 6 TE appeare in839,capabie of — | carrying 3 1000-49 (220516) bomb foaa. these cramples were some | ofthe last im front. | Tne service, fighting an the Eastern Front ine itn 1 (Kroat) KG 58,Dornier Do 17/215 Deployed to Vitebsk on the central Seetor ofthe Eastern Front in December 1961 was this Do 172-2, {own by Croatian volumtecrs as WO(Kroatj/KG 3. Afters disastrous Stark to operations, the um returned {to Croatia fora few month. in early 1942, thei operational wnt Production of the Do 172, using the aircraft « 4 which lacked the speed of the Ju 88 or the bomb load of the He 111, had finally been terminated in 1940, alter 322 Do 17Zs had been delivered, The end of production did not Spell the end for the Do 17, however. The single De 172-6 Kauz ‘vas a dedicated nighe intruder created by grafting the cannon-nose of a Ju SSC-2 to the airframe of Do 17Z-3, This gave the aitceat a for ward-firing armament of three MG 15 machine-guns and a 20-mm MG FF cannon. The similst Do 172-10 Katz TL hal an ently new, purpose-designed MG 15s and a pair of MG FFs 1 Spanner Anlage IR. detector. The crew of the Z-6 and Z-10) was reduced to three, with the engineer loading the MG FF replace Blenheims and keeping ‘Many of the Bo 17s surviving into 1941 served with KG2, and this Do 172.2 flow with that tunits 1 Gruppe based at Tato, Greece, in May 1989. Do 17zs Could undertake shallow diving Stlacks at speeds up (0.595, fant (370 mph) on account of their sturdy stivcture. Left: Apart from the Croatian. Staffed unit, the lest Bo 172 front lime operator was IH/KG 3, which flow on the Eastorn Front Here 20 aireraft of 7. Staffel és bombed up by traditional methods. The unt Tell the fay to convert io Ju 8830 Above: Photographed in the ‘winter of 193 this Do 172-2 Served th ie Sab Me ting’ Staff Might (as dented by the last 'A'tn the code). KG" ‘and I Gruppe converted to ihe Ju BEA in Tate 1900 after participating arty 1942, inthe Battle of Britain, and the radio-operator firing the aft-facing machine-guns, The last hhine Do 17Z-38-0n the production line were completed to Do 17Z~ 1 standards and were allocated to 4./NJG 1 at Declen, which scored its first kill by despatching a Wellington into the Zuyder Zee on 18 Gctober 1940, The unit ako had some success in inflating RAF ait Field circuits as bombers returned to baxe, The small number of aircraft produced remained active until exely 1942. The Do 245 designation vas applied to the Do 17Z on the orders of the Reichslattabraministenum 1 for Yugoshvia. Prototypes were demonstrated with Gnome-Fhone Do 215 V2)and DI GULA (Do 215 V3) engines, the DB 601-pow= fred version attracting a Swedish air force onder a the Do 215A-1 Embargoed betore delivery, the 18 aitcraft were modified on the pe for a proposed export version Do 17/215 vai Do 17 V1. V2.0 V nts Do 17 Va: pro:orype fo friar wie WB powered by AispanoSuze 1vore engines; V7 Do 17 VB: p00 \ Wien den hoarse Ba 47M verod by 08 600K: V2 and Va Bo 17 V9" Hoxton bomber sion of emergency dinghy peck on ye with shortened rose and (Do 174/01) txtentwe gazng for bombace sient of Sand ‘powered by SMW Used for high speed communication Bo 17 VA0" srosetyoe used re Do 178.0:0) Do 2188-1: 05 soVAooweroa duced due to ‘Sweden but delivered to Luftwatle as Do 2156-1 S03 onge to pied ations suites 9 DO 17Z-8 Guaconts tarer 3 De 1725 Bo 172-8: 1000 v Bo 172.6 Kaus:In erly 1961 KG 2's Do 1725 were sent south to support the push through the Balkans and Greece, and flew anti-shugping operations until June; when Fand it Gruppe were deployed an the Eastern Front duction line for che long-range reconnaissance role and were deliv ered tothe Luftwaffe as Do 215B-0: and Do 213B-1s. Dornier ws ordered to continue production of the atcrafe For the Luftwaffe, and produced a succession of subevariants, The unbuilt Do 245B-2 wae 4 homber, while the Do 245B-3 designation covered two aitcrat sup plied to Rusia. The Do 213B-4 had different camera equipment and was converted to night-incrader configuration as the Do 2138-5. Unlike the original Kave Hl, the Doo 2150-3 was adapted to carry th FuG 202 Lichtenstein BC AL radar, paving the way for the fitting of radar to the BF 110 and Ju 88 night-fighters. The Do 215 had dip peared fiom front-line service by the middle of 1942, although four Were transferred to Hungry, serving on until the end of the year The last Luftwaffe ‘Flying Pencil! served as glider tugs for the DES 230 until the lat days ofthe war, despite steady replacement by mor Powerful He [1s towing larger Gotha Go 242 gliders. They partici Dated in one of the Sdileppenippen’s final operations, the resupply of Budapest in early 1945. In citly 1943, the Do 17 glider tse enjoyed their finest hour (and perhaps had written the proudest chapter in the type’s history) towing DFS 23) gliders af WLufilandegeschwader 1 (I Gruppe of Air-Landing Group 1) to reupply and eventually evacuate German forces in the Kuban bridge head. By the end of the extent that only one captured Do 17 was taken on charge by the Allies for evaluatic , however, numbers had dwindled to the This Do 2158-1 was converted on the production line for Luftwaffe use. Mtwas configured for fong-range reconnaissance and served with Aufl St/Oh dL. at Stavager iv April 1940, This Do 2158-5 Kau Ul served with Slab HINIG 2 based at Leeuwarden Inthe summer of 1942, and was the personal mount of Gruppen. ommandeur Helmut Lent thas FuG 202 Lichtenstein BC radar fitted and a ventral tray with MG FE Dornier Do 17/215 Croatian pilots of 0.(Kroat)/KG 3 plan a mission infront of ther hastily Snow-camouflaged Do 1722. The Croats returned to Russia in July 1342 8 15.(Kroat KE 33, although they had left again by November The DB 601 engines and prominent undernose fairing identify this as a D0 2158-4 recoratssance aireraft. The faitng housed an ROS0.39 ‘camera, behind which was the window foram Rb 20,30, Specification Dornier Do 172-2 Types tou sa! bomber Powerplant: 0 20. Eo E for racial engin Performance: 23/20 spovs 49 ky 1255 npn 8 Weights: emp 5209 i Dimensions: Armament: ! + This Do 172-10 Kaue H was based With 1/NJG 2 at Gilze-Rijen in Gctober 1940: tt was used in the ‘ight intrude role over southern England and East Angi,Dornier Do 18 he Do 18 was designed as a successor to military versions of I the Do 15 Wal (whale) Hying-boat, an aircraft always incended as a military fiying-boar bur which was perhaps better known ssa South Adhntic mal carrier for Lufthansa. Thiry Militar-Wal also known as the “10 Tonnen-Wal’) were delivered to the Luftwaf serving in the long-rani me reconnaissance role from 1933 until 1938, Domicr designed the Do 18 to replace Do 15s belong to Lufthansa and the Luftwaffe, beginning work on Four prototypes during eatly 1934 The Do 18 retained the with a typical Dornier cwo-step hull, with the rear step firing i vertical knife-ed sdder. ‘The hull was formed from sev compartments, all af which were watertight, and any two of ‘ould be filled with water without the aircraft sinking or losing bility. Compartmentalised 5 provided late same basic configuration as the Do 1 nd water Tite an che a it, housing pilot and ¢ mmediately aft A eral stability on th tribuing The Do 18 introduced an pilot side-by-side and radio Comparement over the Fear step providh swith operator and navigate space fora defensive gunn, Jumo 205 six-cylind two-stroke compression ignition engines, which used diesel heavy oi and were each rated at 447 KW (GUN hp) (eventually 656 KW/880 hp for take-off, were mounted in tandem another open gun postion in the nose in later versions hove the high-set wing The Do n 1935, and later cd 1 1935, and jcignation Do 18E, making raking, long-distance fights betore setling into routine son the South A\ it itcrafe to By prototype firt lew on 15 Mar Hansa, slong with the De 18e th The fou wotype and two other earl perated by the operati antic route, The initial militar Deo 18d, which was actually the sec~ The Do 18b second pro the production protorype of the De 18D se: Lutewatfe began in 1936, iniially from Domniers own Friedrichshafen bat then (3s Do 17 production was stepped up) from Weser company’s Eimwarden and Nordenham plants. All but the fist few Do 18D-Is were fitted with twin water nada Deliveries to the Right and below: The pre-war Kustenfliegeraruppen usually had three squadrons, fand 3. Staffel had short-range types, while 2. Staffel operated Bo 18s in the long-range reconnarssance roe. Five such Squadrons were so equipped. ‘Showing the open bow position to advantage this areraft was the pre production Da 1@0-01. The Stmmel sponsor were 9 Dornier trademark kW radiator Raps, were powered by 447-KW (600-hp) Jumo 2 had two 7.9-mm (0.S-in) MC and above th 5Cs, bomb racks below ige of a pair of 50-kg (110-Ib) bombs, By in were equipped with the survivors of Do I8Ds bul, bu poor performance and limited armament rendered it clearly on the verge of absoles the Blohm and Voss BV 138, was was clear that a new version of the Do 18 e to fil the gap. Minor equip- and the nos ear sep, With two ETC starboard wing For cari would need to be presed intThis Do 18D served with 2/KuFIGr 906, hich wns based at Kamp) Pomeranin Gurng the winter of 1989/40. The unit lodge (depicting three fish) was worn apie fornad engine coving Topside markings consisted o slanardbrack crosses, a repeat of the Indiraual averaf letter (red C') and lantwinte crosses for identification, sent changes resulted in the Do 18D-2 and Do 18D-3 variants The Do 18G-1 introduced uprated Jumo 205D engines, rated at 656 KW (880 hp), with performance being further enhanced by aero dynamic improvements that included sharper bow contours. Take-off performance could be further enhanced since there was provision for R-Gerlte ake-ofl booster rockets, Defensive armament was als improved, with a 13-mm MG 131 in the open bow positon, and a Power-operated mid-upper eure ovet the rear step hotsing a 34-mm, Dornier Do 18 This Do 180 served with Flugreugfunrerschute (S00) in the ‘Sumner of 1988. This was 2 raining schoo for reconnaisance seqpapes ite the two open positions far the light defensive armament. med version for crew Late ath 18G-1s The Do 18H-L was on un ‘of these aircraft were delivered to the carly summer of 1540, Do nar fully-equipped Sta and 3,/RUFIGe 406 that included the ding 1./KOFIGE The Do ISDs were trans The production supplanted the Do TSDy of the remainin of th hgererappen (2./ KAFIGe 106 and 2./KUBIGr 906). and with a handful oF on nitiquated Domniers within their inventories (in 106, L/KUFIGr 506 and 3./KGEIGr ferred to Seem in-sea es Do I8G-15 were withdrawn KurIGr 406 and 3 ‘many continued to role as Do 18N-Is reased in th by N om operational use KAPIG? 906) in Aug onlfied for the Seenoiie Specification Dornier Do 186-1 Types tou sem martin p r * Powerplant: ae Porformance: 2 ‘ Woights: 45978 4g (13.160 . : Dimensions: 1177 19 ih ‘Armament: 3 NG ma Above: The Do 186 Miffered by having 3 ‘power-operated dorsal turret although the type remained very vulnerable fownemy fighters. Ths @ Seenotstaffel Do 186-1 {sheng hoisted an toa launching trey, whieh Is wheeled down the Sipway into the water. Right: Do 18D displays Lie Junnersiyte double wing flap and aileron arrangement. The type's Iontine career lasted lt August 1941 fee ears Aight: The Do 18 served well in the fairsea rescue folo,fthough it was Slowly displaced by the far better Do24 Thisis. Do 186-1, serving with 6 Seenotstaffe inthe central Mediterranean during 1949/32.ne Dornier Do 24 was designed to meet 4 Royal Datel I navy (MLD) requirement for a replacement for the Wal, pri- the Dutch East Indies. OF broadly similar the Do 15 and Do 18, the Do 24 was designed wit three sid wad had a similar structure to the father aircraft, The crew complement was taised to six, and armament ‘9-mum (1.31-in) FN-Brovwning machine-guns enclosed nose and tail turtets, with a 2-mm Solothurn cannon in by-side tractor et was increased to two 7, the midcupper position. Living and seeping quarters were provided aanidships to allow the aitcraf co operate away trom base for extended period. To ensure compatibility with the newly delivered Martin 139 anxt-based bomber, the MLD specified that the new flying-boat should be he same Wright ‘ompletion of the first two prototypes (which were powered by the Jumo 205 Diesel) was delayed while the firs ‘machines, with Cyclones, were completed, The tts of these made i aiden fight on 3 July 1937. Twelve Do 24K-4s were built for the Netherlands, before the Dutch assemble 48 more signation Do 24K-2. Work on the Jumo-engined rst and second reumed, arid the fist flew on 10 January 1938, The Lafiwalle dis- played Ite interest in the aitceat, Since the BV 138 was felt co meee were by ‘lone radial engines, and wo production fying-boat needs. The two prototypes languished until 1940, when they were hastily fited with defensive armament consisting of a 20: nin MG 151 cannon im an HD 151/1 aurret amidships, and si 7.9-min (@31-in) MG 13 machine-guns in open bow and ster pos tions. Delivered to the Kampfeeschwader zur besonderen Verwendang Ths See, the aircraft were used i support and Ni ‘the invasions of Denmark way, te second being low ova resupply mission to Narvik Into battle Despite the aircraft's impressive performance, no effort was made to wasion of Holland, when the begin production until after the in Germans overran the licence-manufictaring plants for t Twenty-five Do 24K-2s had been dhvered to the East Inehes, where they fought agsinst the invading Japanese (the calf, with five surviving Do 24K=Is, went on to fightin Allied hands, eventually in RAAP service), but three were complete, awaiting di nant for shipment, ard 20 more were in stages of completion, 1 sircratt were evaluated for th 39 seaplane and Do. 18 havin ‘With its high e spacity, the Do The three comple Scenotsiens the elderly He role ready been ssi speed, super’ 24 was tailor-made oF + le. My This Do 247-1 served with Staffel Seenotoruppe, ‘Seonothoreichiskommard IM, based at Bordeaue Wimereus in the Shimmer of 1942 The 3 Staffel badge ‘om the nove depicted a seagull holaing a tvebete Dornier Do 24 * i: = The v3 (right) was the frst Do 26 0 fly, and feted a¢ the prototype for the Buleh Do 2ék contract The damo- powored Vt (betow) did not iy unt 1938. for the role under supervision by the Weser Flugzeugbau. Aviolands resumed hull production, and De Schelde continued producing wings, with Fokker responsible for assembly and Aight test. The aircraft were fitted wih German instruments and radios, and MG 15s replaced the Brownings ind tail turrets, with captured French Hispano Sviza 404 2o-mm cannon im the mideupper turret, Eleven fred as Do. 24N-1s in th 941, before stacks of the Wright Cyclone were exhausted, With 746-kW (1000-hp) nine: cylinder BMW-Lramo 3231-2 Fafiir radils fited, 170 Do 247-15 were delivered from the Dutch line by the end of 1948, with 48 more produced by the former CAMS factory at Sartrouvill abandoned in 1944. Te resumed prodction soon affet, prods Dotniers tor the Aéronavale and the Dutch production organisation was resurrected in the nose aircraft were deliv= before it was The Do 261 and v2 prototypes remained Unwanted at Friedrichshafen until 1940, ‘when they were hastily wf ited with gun armament 2] anaaispatehed'te Norway Porsence with KGzbv 104'See, which operated 2 mmoiley collection of Seaplanes for esupplying German oops along the jonegian fords during Operation Weserabung | The'two Do 24s performed excellently inthis harsh | environment, although This aircraft, the V2, was Shai down during Fesupply mission into the northerly Narvik Fjord Both aireraft retained their Juma 205C diesel enginesWith white Mediterranean theatre Inds, this Do 247-2 served with TSeenotstafel SBKC A in the Begean during 1342. The aircraft Subsequently transferred to SBK Ail whieh flew the last German fivral (a Do 24) out of the Crimea in 91. The legend on the nose ‘ads Asbach Ural a popular ‘rand of German brandy. The Do 247-2, introduced in 1943, replaced the French 2¢-mm anion with a German MG 151, and had improved radio equipment Do 24s served with Luftwaffe Seenotsuffeli on every front, initially augmenting and then replacing Heinkel He 9 and Do 18s, When tot performing in the air-sea rescue role, the Do 24 undertook troop transport, resipply and even convoy escort and manitine reconnats sance duties, Dunng March 1943, when the thaw made ie impossible for lind-based aircraft ro resupply the Kuban bridgehead, 22 Do 24Ts tarried in [000 tonnes (1,102 tons) of supphies, evacuating the Wounded on their return journeys. Later in 1943, Do 24s evacuated the German garrisons from various Greek island, including Cret fying 24 men each with 3 ky (66 Ib) of equiprient on each fight In the rescue role, Do 24Ts served in the Arctic, th Medinerranean, the Engbsh Channel, the North Sea and the Atlantic epic rescues inching the recovery of a fighter pilot who ditched just lf the Sells, and the rescue of the crew of 4 meteorological aircrak 563 ki (350 miles) out into the Atlantic. Perhaps the Dorer's reat fst strength was its ruggedness, which enabled it 10 operate an terible sea sates, On one occasion, 1 Do 24T lost ts entire tail unit and patt the rear fiselaze after landing to pick up stavivors, but taxied Back to the Kjolle Fjord after sealing all the watertight bulkheads and ‘rowding everyane inte the bows to compensate for the lst tal During the last months of the war, the rescue organisition formed its own defence unit with Me 410s following increasing losses to enemy fighters. The aircraft slowly withdrew to notthem German the survivors congregating at Sylt, where most were captured and scrapped by the Alles. One aircraft was used as a gunnery target b the IRAP, but refused to sink and ad to be scuttled by an indication of the type’s considerable muggedness. Variants were few bur included the esperimeneal Do 348 V1. which tested a howndary= layer control sytem in 194, and a very small number of Bo 24MS. sincrafe with a degiusing loop and onboard field generators for the rmine-sweeping Above: Most, but not all, Do 247- 2 wore fitted with a 20-mm MG 151 cannon in the dorsal turret in lace ofthe French-builf weapon ofthe 1. The stem and bow. hires retained the ubiquitous MG 15 ee fring gun. Aight I's believed that onty tw Sireraft were modified to Do 24M, Standard for mine-swooping, ited witha dural hon and ono field generating equipment. These Inay have served operationally withthe Minensueharunpe. Dornier Do 24 The skull emblem identified 4. Seenotstafel, which operated In the Black Sea under Seenotbereichskommando XI during 1842 These aneraft were transferred from Mamaia, Romania, to Varna, Bulgaria, s the Russians advanced, hhofore moving to Ain. From here they were used 9s transports during the evacuation of Crete Dornier Do 237-1 ‘The Do 247-1 excelled in the rescue role. Two hatches were cut into the port side-at roughly dinghy level white the cabin iad six bunks for Survivors and emergency medical equipment was cnied Twelve Do 247-3: (similar to the Do 247-2) were alko supplied to Spain in fine 1944, These aircrafe were destined to enjoy 4 long nel productive hie, finally being retired in 1970. A single aireraft was tused as an aerodynamic testbed for anew wing design by Domice Under the designation De. 247, first flying in its new configuration fon 24 April 1983, paving the way for the high-technology SeaStarDornier Do 26 The V6 was the last Do 26 to be butt, seeing service in the Norwegian campaign a8. transport. Acrodynamically the cleanest of the Dornier fying-boats, the all- metal Domier Do 26 was devel ‘oped for transatlantic mail ser= vices, designed to carry a crew of Four and 500 kg (1,102 Ib) of mail between Lisbon and New York, The mid-span s floats retracted the wings, and the rear pair of ths pe adem pos of fink Jumo 205 diesel engines cou given an upward tilt of 10° North Adhntic, and made just 18 crossings of the South Atlantic The V3 was intended to be the prototype for the Do 26B with cabin for four passengers and VDM propellers, while the V4, cers VB and V6 were intended co be be Do 26Cs with accommodation for eight passeng completely into, on However take-off so that the theee-bladed with the outbreak of war, all four metal propellers were clear of the boats were completed to spray from the bull. Three Do Luftwaffe specifications as Do 26s, stressed for catapult Launch 26D-0s ing from support ships, were These featured Jamo 205D ondered by Deutsche Lufthansa in engines and were armed with 1937, and the fist of these was three 7.92-mm (0.31 in) MG 15, flown on 21 May 1938, Two of machine-guns in «wo beam pos: he three (V1 and V2) were tions and a watertight position in completed before the outbreak of the rear hull, and a bow turret World War Il and were delivered containing. a/20-mm MG 151b to the airline under the designa- cannon, Along with the V2, the on Do 26A. They were never four Do 26Ds were assigned 0 used as intended, across the 1,/Kistenfliegergruppe 406 (later LL/KGFIGr 506) for transport and hey were withdrawn from front were shot down by RAF Hiumcanes 0028 May 10 one Specifention managing an emergency landin, ar ee eee Continued on transport work — Junker sel engres tontil the fill of Norway, when Performance: mavinum speed Emm ot ma ong ange eusng ‘ceing 4500 m 414,765 f), mexamun range 7100 kr 3-410 es Weights: em) 1120089 Dimensions: spo" 30 00» 8 #1 5 34 80m (G04 94 ‘An unusual feature of the Do 26 tas the rarsing ofthe rear engines fortake-off Dornier Do 217 1937 the REM fad ale for an enlanged Do 172 with mnich Tce tone ns Sorat ees epi le 0 dive bombing Fist flown it Augus 1998, the DO 247 V1 wes pow trad by BD2-KW (1,075-hp) DB GOLA engines bus, despite He smut sprearnce tothe Do T7/a1s, it was a tt ‘it soon showed tht it was less pleasant By and in fact ershed but dove oprncot continued, Proconypes fey with Junkers Jumo 211A and BAW 139 engines before the big BNW 807 as sed inthe Do 217 1V9 pronrype of Jatuay 1040, Hy this ime handing as accept the leading cages of the fins being sloned, but the unique dive brake tehich opened ike a gant crs atthe essere ea, camel endl iE Healy. th mid- 1941 afer wing bss had been tied and several = frat Ks he RLM abandoned is ance shat the heavy Do 217 had to bea dis bomber The Ron ata into service was the batch of cight Do 217A, built for the recomaisance role and serving wth Auflsangseruppe Ob.als Deivered to thi spec aie in the sping of 194 quivalent Do 217 bomber dd not and tie As Tenaed the only eramples of te “thin-body 217s to we service Tn early 1940'the V9 provorype appeared, cis being radially 38 The Do217 vs Mustrates the ‘early thin-body ‘confguration of the bomber It was the first prototype ‘with armament. niodified bomber with a much deeper fuselage throughout its Leng Entering service in late 1940, the Do 247E=1 was the first ‘de body’ model, able o carry the massive bomb load of 4000 kg (, Ih), of which 2517 ke (5.550 lb) was inside the bomb bay. A bandal to fy, but still a most eflctive bomber, dhe Do 217E-1 had a hand hheld 20-mm MG FF in the nose, used by KG 40 against ships in the Atlantic, and seven MG 15s. The De 217E-2 introduced the EDL 31 eleceric dorsal turret with the excellent MG 131 gun, a hande aimed MG 131 being in the ventral position, a fixed MG. 131/15 fi iing ahead and three hand-aimed MG 13s completing the although RL19 (dhe 19th in the Rusidtze sens of field kits) addled twin br quadruple MG S1 machine-guns firing af from the talcone. Oeher Rusteitze added barrage cable curters and various weapon kits, by fa the biggest of which hung two Hs 293 anti-ship missiles under the wing, with Kehl/Strasbuirg radio. command guidance link. The fist $perational missile carter wis the Do. 247-5, flown by H/KG 100,‘An important aircraft in the development ofthe Do 217 was this Do tilt), which tested the strange cruciform tal airbrake. The rangement worked well here, but not om the 217 which went int singly devas British ships from 25 August Kampigeschwader 2 was the only Do 2171s most of its Netherlnds against Britain had been the fint operator of the Do operations inthe spring of 1941 bue giving up its Dormers in 1943, In Apal 1943, 11/KG 100 equipped with the Du 217E-5/1s 298 combi hntion, while II/KG 10) operated the Do 217K-2/FX 1400, Other lunits which operated the type were Land I/KG 66 for bombe perations, and Versuchskomianido/ KG which Rew the sortie on 12 April 1945 when Do 217E-5s bombs against bridges over the Oder wing to he totally equipped with perated from hanes in the aking pare in the ‘tle Blitz’ in 1944, KG With the Do 217E sub-types, Dornier got the much heavier Do 217 family into service, and all subsequent n quate but generally Gand, a of the Do 217K-2, severely linderpowered. Despite this ence of the 49T-KW 2,000. hp) engines that were needed, Dornier proposed in early UAL to develop a night intruder fighter version. The main, and obvious, Above: Seen in late 1962, this aircraft is a Do 2176-4 of It Gruppe /Kampfgeschwader 40. This group had been the frst to put the Do 217E into actin, Employed on ante-shipoing, flies agains the British, Note the fateral-fring MG 151n the at portion ofthe fight deck Right: A Do 2176-2 runs its fingines prior toa test fight before delivery. The E-? added an fG 131 in an electrically Operated dorsal turret in the rear ofthe Might deck, greatly enhancing defensive armament ASimitar weapon was housed! {he ventral step position. Dornier Do 217 Left: This Do 2176-2/R19 of 1/KG 2 hhas two remotely controlled 73:mm (0atm) MG EF machine-guns inthe fatcone. A complete reworking of the basic design introduced the Do 217E, with 4 much deeper fuselage fo allow the carriage of large bomb loads. This fireraft isthe sixth pre-production Do 21780 in the Do 217§ night-fighter was the nose. In pane: Plex the Jet ind hcl svete installed four 20emm MG FF canton and four 7.92-mm MG 17 machine-guns. The E-2's aft defensive ammuament, comprising an MG 131 dorsal turret and a hand-aimed MG 131 in the ventral Position, was retained unchanged. The Jel was operational from February 1942. Crews liked is firepower aid endurance, but found it galled for (not often) and needed bigger airfields than most of those that were available. More serious was the lack of airborne rad akthough in 1941-2 most Lufiwatfe night-fighter pilots were far from onviniced that such new gimmicks were worth having Radar fighter Dornier has no record of the fist flight of a De 2475-2, with F 202 Lichtenstein BC radar, but it was probably in the spring of 1 The J-2 was definitive night-fighter, not an intruder, the bomb bays being eliminated. The J-2 was lighter than previous Do 217 versions, nnd despite the ‘marcress of radar antennas the Hight performance was ater sufls letter, the corresponding Daimler Bene night Despite is fighter, the Do 247N, flew as carly as 31 fuly 1942, the DB 603 engine installation having been designed in 1941. Production Do 2AFNAAs bean co reach the Lutewafte sn January 1943, By this time critical feedback about the 217) had been going on for m and the NJG crews were disappointed to find the N-1 hone of their mostly obvious recommendations, This was largely ‘cause the REM, and Erhard Milch in particular, disallowed any modifications that would reduce output oF increase cost By mid 1543, howe the UI conver modified ret, Dornier had witched to the Ne2, and alo produce hight-fighters coule remove the dorsal turret and on set with which existing The chief change 2 and add wooden Fairings. and removal of some 2 tonnesxceeding. 500 ken/h nph). With € wating armament our MG 151s and four MG. 175 firing ahead, and four mote MG ing at 70° upwards, the Bo 217N-2 ist improvement over he Jel, and soon appeared with the FuG 220 Lichtenstein SN-2 radat, By 1944, 217)s and Ns were scattered ast area of Germany and the occup ries, a8 Wel with NIG. Eastern Fron, Only 364 Do 217) 217Ns wer delivered, and they had faded trom che NIG (nighe-fighter wings) nt line by mid 1944 The next major bomber version was the De 217K-1, which bs co come off production in about October 1942, It was similar t0 later E-series, and it was hkewise intended fo bombing. Th nly significant changes were fitting BMW 801 engines, giving a maximum power of 1268 KW (1,740 by 1 redesign of th ward fuselage. There had been nothing particularly wrong w iginal cockpit of the Do 17Z/215/217E, but Domier ~ influenced by Junk lopmen 88B/188 — developed a nose sim larto that of the He | ont glazed part continued up t0 the top of the fuselage the slight drawback of making th pilot look ahead eh Plexiglas on which he tended to mie focus his eyes when the panes reflected lighted parts of the pit. Init had MG SIZ ein 7 guns inh nose, two single MG Sis firing to the sides/rear, an MG. 131 in the dorsal turret and another MG 131 in the rear ventral postion. Later ‘o more MG 81s were added firing to the sides, It was possible to fit ne R19 installation of one or two MG BIZ. firing astem from the ailcone, but it was more common to have the R25 installation of a Perlon dive-bombing parachute, Not many K-ts were built, and least one was fitted with underwing racks for no fewer than fou LT FSb With a redesigned nose packed with guns, the Do 2174 was the night ghter/imtruder version of the Do 217. This example, the Do 21742, ‘iffered from the Jt by having radar fitted and the bomb bay deleted, Left: Ground crew manhandle a bomb towards the waiting bay ofaDo 2176-1, The areralt Wears crude Wellenmisster Scheme, indicating a primar overwater rote. The Bo 76 Tada fong bomb bay which ‘reached from aft ofthe ventral Step fo the fuselage cross. ‘marking. Normal internal loads consisted of elght 250-kg (651-18) bombs, four 500-49 (4,102:1) bombs or 2 ‘combination of two 1000-kg (2205-10) and two 250-kg (55r-0) weapons Below: The combination ofthe dorsal turet and tera firing Weapons gave a good field of fre, but all were operated by Jusk the radio operator Above: A marshall waves out a IM/KG 2 Do 217E-4 fora mission. Visible {nthe nose glazing ts the MG 15 operated by the navigator bombardier, Sand betow the glazing ts the barrel for the fired MG 181/18 cannon, ‘himed by the pilot Do 217s intended primarily for the antishipping imission had this latter weapon replaced by 2 20-mm MG FF. Above: To safeguard against non-delivery of the BMW engines, Dornier Sdanted the K model to take the DB 609A engine as the Do 217M, both ‘being simifarin performance and produced in paraile. This example beliylanded in good condition during a 1944 attack on London, and was ‘subsequently repaired.Above: Do 217E-2 of &/KG 40, based at SGareaurMerignse Foran shinping ight: Do 2176-5 of 1KG 100, carrying IheHensche! Hs 293 guided bomb under the ETC 2000 X11 wing racks KG2 became the only Geschwatler tobe completely ‘quipped wit the Do 217. Originaty beginning ‘placentent of the Bo 172 in 1941, KG 2 pulled back from the Russian Front and relocated to {he Netherlands for bombing ameant shonng shes ov re North Sen. The wing ta {hore until September 1945, aking partin numerous cross: Ghantel operations, including Operation Stemnbock, the so- led tie Blitz" of January THs mounted by Hitter as 0 Ieprisl forthe PAP's nightly bombing raids. Here, Do 277s OfllRG 3 taxi out from Giz: Rijn in March 1942. Other KG 2 aircraft were at Eindhoven. ising x fw weal nt a ining ea) ALTAE-2 wskthe pace was fled ia Wb eva bomb bay! To cary the get PP roll septs 21 rat {C080 Es B70 eeaynect | Sascit) weigh he oune wings wen ohessied nsoid Aare a Gay developed to cary the FX 1400 rado-convolled eay bomb, 281m G3 favo 81 4 i} sed handing and ove peromanc Betis 1110] toring len fore cers onthe Gr toe ie Td sensined anion, Aiogal Ms Metis Sy eT A Frnivs bob ab cnoum ate Xe ere sang on specl aks SIZ. game ocr eal) rte elon tome even hd i HG OLE Dornier Do 217 variants lesopar gina, foe Se De2t7 virstgompeston Sone es Ziman and BEB v2 ons va: secon rn a an Bo 7 ve in t Bo srrK vi 4 2 Do 217 VIE: ‘th omichy Do 2178 Vi: vir gree and engle DB 00 me As or Bo zt7 V7 ena varrwo matches foraddng 230 Do .217 Vb: potatoe Do 217P V2 ans V8: sieeve ental postion Do 217P.0" RIB. RIG I RIP 00 oy fu vs, RYO sn RYB corners so R19 Do 217K:3: Bo 2176-0:98 5) Bo 317 V4: Dorner contend Bo 24768: bait as deccated Do 217m-5/11 Brot ole Be 2176-0 re production bomber rae coe i smeDornier Do 217 The strange Do 217P V1 (ltustrated) featured a DB 6057 engine inthe fuselage that supercharged the wing-mounted engines. Combined with fine pressurised enbin, this gave the Bo 217P a cling of Yo190 (53,000, 1) ints pre-production Do 217-9 form. The test day was 9 September 1943, Maj Bernhard Jope’s limped to Malta wit the: powertal bombs, any other ship ‘of having the FuG 2038 KiDornier Do 217 Intended primarily as a night-bomber, the Do 217K-1 introduced BMW E oi ratinnand a redesigned forward raelage, pig te aicrft eat ihe welsh. Ae hecaiat a Iubous oak by eliminating te stepped cockpit This aieraft wears the eal a wih all dhe Do 217%, the fel badge orate? onthe nose, nich aeroplane forthe avaiable wing area an link, had the FuG 203¢ or 203d Kehl IV with which the bomb aimer intended for fight at high altitudes, F carted, as an cou het FX 1400 ofthe snuller Hs 293A winged bomb. the 193 B require Do 317 Ths Th prodiiction Do.217 fa M bombers. — baal fh DB 604 engines, cach with four banks totaling Servcturly these were similar to erie versions fat, the fist Do 24 cylindeis and saving a maximum power of 1984 KW 2.600 hp n™ K-1 fice vith Daimler Bene DBS 603A liu cachy and witha fur-scat pressed cabin inthe nose. In 1940 thn (engines, ech of 1380 KW (1,850 max hp). The Met went was dropped and some of i fextures ted to ase development ofthe into production almost staight away, being Very sinlar to 2 Kel De 219b, which had 3 similar presure cabin but wis powered by cep for having slightly bet mance at high lide N DB 6lisB engines supercharged by lege owo-atge many were bu, the need for mighfighters being sing, but intercool fuselage, driven by a third engine, a DB ST ne ah sity om he might of 23 Fet wen it The fr sin June 1942, and there were plans for a prodce ma a Tang near Cambridge (nd fying ip tion Do. 217B-1 scconnaissance aircraft with almost the sa RAF marking) the crew having baled ont 2 niles) extended outer wings 3 the Ke? (raking sevice ce to a estima tone 4 nn/35,000 R), but this was abandoned Meanwhile, in lee 1941, che Do 317 was rested and in early ions. The Do 317A was a broadly convent te nber with DBS 603A engines, outwardly having much in common ith dhe 217M apar fom an odd ell with tang im The next-generation Do. 317B vias to have had extended wins of 26'm (85 f) span, huge DB 610 double engines 24 kw 2ilemm MG 151 in the tulcone and th i olled. Eventaally dhe 3 A series prototypes were modified as a ircrait for the Hs 293A tadio-co * Redesignated as Do 217Rs, they saw combat duty with III/KG 10 at Orleans-Bricy in 1944. At 17770 ky (8900 hey were heaviest of the whole 217/317 family co fly, although, had th ahead, the 317A and 317B would have been miach h Total Do 217 production amounted to 1,541 be 7 night-fighters ee ia The Do 317 was an advanced extension of the Do 17/217 line, featuring a pressurised cabin. No real increase in performance over the Do 217P tras found and, apart from the bo 317 UF (illustrated), the other five prototypes were completed without pressurisation and used by KG 100Dornier Do 217 Radar Bo 2h? night hghters were ‘outro fitted wrth FuG 202 em} tas butretained 9 ‘over tne shot Che pe wa two nowerpas, ete te BMI [50 rail Do 217 ana KI a the Darior Benz DB 603A nine (0021 70 and The nine enane hada Faher tare. But {ht ot tly ares tne lace ot power Stored by at Do 2175 Radio equipment The Do at 7N ened an FUG 25 beacon seh alowed the grourd-bosee Vienmeibot system conoters to dently the scat os tend, onto ‘guide An FuG TO! rad alteter anc FuG 10H communications were aco, fites! Whe the RAF began jam ‘Communications the Fue 10 VHF ratio was ie 4Dornier Do 217Dornier Do 335 Pfeil World War Il German ai while thy Jonautics. Unhampered by tradition hr fresh means £0 solve old problem, Allies im both East and West with a wealth of h material following the end of hostilities. One of the most famous of the bizarre shapes which took to the air over C jer Do 335 Pfeil, 5 brave attempt to provide the with a potent fighter-bomber, night-ighter and reconnais- pushed the fi reftont of ai ng provided the udvanced res was the Dor Cutiwat fe plaion. Prot Dr Cliudius Domier was the genius behind the fam pany of Dornier-Werke GnibH, and lie had established Success aircraft, notably in the field of fyi Tite 1930s and World War Il, Dornier was primarily concemed with the product niber for the Luftwaffe, Since the end of World War, Claudius Dormiet had been interested in the field of centre-line thrust, where thrust line ~ one pullin obvious over 3 conver tional twin layout, with only the same frontal area asa single-engin raf, the wing left clean of engine nacelles andl attendant str nf no asymmetric pil ne cut out. However, problems did {the drive shaft which drove the rear propeller Benet done pusti this system over The Do 335 V1 frst prototype fret fea on 3 Gctober 194, and fight aitered fom or Subsequent prototypes in having An external oll cooler Intake, and EIngle-picce citar mainusheet ‘covers in addition tothe ole door Later aircraft had more Eonventional underearage ‘doors, and an enlarged anime coming. The second production Do 3354-0 Wears werk-nr 102 on its fail TO the RLM (the Geren air ministry), the aucraft was known 4 Projekt 231, and fo ts test bitots re was the Pfeil (Arrow) but fs prominent nose save Ht dubbed ‘Amerseribar’ (ant eater) by ts crews This ateraft was eventually shipped to the USA for evaluation. Domicr’s extensive flying-boat experience gave him a wealth of knowledge in simple centreline thrust arrangements, where (wo engines were mounted back-to-back over the centreline of many Of his designs, By the mic-1930b, he saw the possbuity of using this Concept to power a high-speed fighter, but fist the ee ten Sion shaft afrangement had to be proved. To that end Ulrich Hutter was commissioned to design a small testbed for the arrangemen Designated the Gdppingen Go 9, and buile by Schempp-Hirth, the testbed featured a penci-sim fuselage contained a 59.6-kW (80-bp) Hirth HM 608 engine mounted at the centre of graviey beneath the shoulder-st wing. Stalky main undercarriage units retracted into the wing, while a noxewheel unit retracted forward into the extreme nos Behind the wing a long and slender tal boom hid the deive shat which extended past 4 cruciform tail to a foursbladed wooden propelle Fighter or bomber? Flying for the first time in 1940, the Go 9 proved that the # Principle was both efficient and safe, which gave Domier fu to his fighter desigis taking shape on the drawing. board wwever, the Technische Ame REM decreed that Dormiet non his work with fi bers and Rying-b producingDornier Do 335 Pfeil D035 VI uiffered most obviously from subsequent prototypes in having ‘mexta oll cooler intane underneath, The frst arcraft (B+ UA) took to the airon 26 October 1943, The unusual circular mainwheel covers wore Unique to this avert rail n 1942 the Technische Amt is ee d anarmed inter aren, and Dor -valuati Dorn is awarded a devel- of opposition fom Ando and juakers Do 335 was abigued to Projekt 231 ne RLM issued a new direct redesign the Do. 335 as 2 muleporpose day fighter, night-Aight dels in production ofthe prototype. By the autumn of 143 th m featy for igh Sppcaring a purposeful as fighter could. In the forward fseage 4 Daimler Bene DB 603 feared an annularsng cowl, while ext The fist prototype Dornier Do 335 displayed emarkably good handling characteristics Gespite its unconventional appearance and configuration and its turn cad n particule, War significantly better than had been expected The aircraft did porpoise and snake at high te Speed, however, but not sufficiently to dampen the enthusiasm of the Rechlin test pilots Development was remarkably rapid, but production was slow to get stated. Designed by Ulrich Hutter the all-wooden Goppingen Go 9 was the testhed for the Do 235's aft-mounted prop desion. Built by Schiempp: Hirth anid powered by a Hirth HMd 60R engine mounted beiow the wing, the Ga attained a speed of 220 ken/h (139 mph). seus just af ofthe trailing ed the postion of the rear engin Underneath the rear fuselage a lige aitscoop aspirated the second anit, which powered a three-bladed propeller mounted behind a cr form tail, U in of the wit 8 for 3 small weapon . ‘ng a single 5 1100-16 vo 2 mbs. The under was tricycle arange= ment, with th track main uiits retracting inwards ito the wing he nosewheel retracting backwards (following a 90° rotation) nto the area beneath the cocky Remarkable shape, remarkable performance The broad wing was set well back, and although the name Pfeil was used semi-officially, the service pilots who became acquainted with this extraordinary machine soo dubbed 1¢ ‘Ameisenbae’ (ant ater), thanks to its long nose. A Domier pilot was at the conttob for the brs nn Oberpfitienhofen, this aking place on 26 October 243 with the Do 335 Vi first prototype (CP+UA). After inital Dornier trial, i > Rechlin to begin extensive official trial om Oberpfitfenhofen and Rechlin ourable, with imal stability problems encountered. Most pilots the speed, acceleration, turning circle and general pe, and development continued smoothly. Further joined Domiier and Rechlin trials, introducing new m=provements such as redesigned undercarriage doors and blisters in she faniopy accommodating mirvrs for improved rearward vision, By the fh prototype armament had been installed, ehis comprsin two MG 151 I5-mm cannon in the upper fuselage decking and a sin fle MK 103 30-mm cannon firing through the forward propeller bub. Subsequent prototypes were used for further Bight trials and engine ests, culminating in the Do 335 V9 bul to dards, The firs: Do. 338A-0 pre-production ait lowed shortly in tnid-1944, with fall ion, The Exprobii production sta VG+PG) fol eady t0 stat Iished in September 1944 to conduct tactical development using many of the 10 Do 335A-0s built. Service trials began with the V9 with the Versuchsverband des Oberfehshabers des Luttw By late autumn i 1 model 144, the Do 335A-1 appeared at Oberpfatienhofen, chis intro. fall product the definitive DB GOSE-1 engine and two underwing hardpoints capable of carrying fie] or 250-kg (50-Ib) bombs. Siomar in airfame details to the Do ALI was the Do 338A-4 unarmed reconnaissance version. Onl ne was completed, adapted from a Do 3358-0 with «wo Rb 50/18 fameras in the weapons bay and increased external fuel. DB 603G. tengines were to have been fitted with higher compression ritio and mote powerful superchargers ‘Two-seat night-fighter Next in the line of Pfeil varia Do 335 Vi0), which was ¢ s was the Do 3354-6 night-fighter variant remain er-bomber, but FuG 217] Neptai airborne intercept radar was added, the aerials being located forward of the wing (lateral beam port and vertical beam starboard). To oper ate the radar second crewman was needed, and to accommo hhim a cockpit was incorporated above and behind that of the pilot Giving the Pfeil an even stranger appearance than before, the second of the fel system, over t0 fel carriage, The negauiv fe extra cockpit weight and othe: modifications such as flame-damping, tube exhaust ports twas in the region of 10 per cent, but pro rrafe would have offer this partially by being fitted with water-methanol boosted DB. 603E engine DB 603A u example. Production was scheduled to have been undertaken by The Do 395 V1 s seen here landing at Rechlin. Fourteen prototypes {including some for the proposed Do 3358 Zerstorer) were eventually Sompted and own together with fon Do 38840, leven Bo 5858-15 ‘ind’ pai of Do 894-12 trainers. Fifteen more were in final assembiy ithen US forces overran Dorner’ Oberpfaffenhofen plant 8 This was the seventh Do 3354-9 fighter to be built and was one of 10 evaluated by Exprobungskommando 385, which was formed in September 948 to develop operational tactics forthe type. The airerat werearmed with So-mm RIK 103 cannon and a pair of 5-0 MG 151 machine-gunsPsLeft: The fen Do 3354-0s (this is the seventh) were intended for valuation as single-seat fighter bombers and were used by the Erprobungskommande 335, formed in September 1948. The Sireraft had full eannon and. Imachine gun armament, and an Internal weapons bay. The Do 5354.0 differed from the production model n having two DB 605A? engines and lacked lunderwing hardpoints Below: V11 was the prototype for the Do 315810 two-seat trainer Both this anda second example (V2) were delivered unarmed, but the intention was to equip production models with the ‘Srmament of the Do 3354-1. The extra cockpit vadically reduced tie available fuel tankage, which ‘resulted inthe deletion of the tyeapon bay to provide revised uel tanks. Oberpfitkenkofen factory as the De 338B-1, This aircraft feature ye replacement of the weapons bay by a fuel tank, and the replace ment of the 15-mm cannon by 20-min MG 151 cannon, More hei med was the De 338 VAs which, intended for service as the Do 335B-2, featured the same armament and an added MK 103 In the event, these were the only Beserics aircraft to be completed, akhough others (V18 to V20) were on the construction line at the termination of the project. These included more B-1 and B-2 proto- types. and a pair of Do 338B-6 provorypes, these being night- fighters similar to the Do 335A-6 bue with the heavy armament of the Do 3358-1, Other prototypes would have featured DB 603LA ngines ‘with a two-stage supercharger. One other development jesrves mention, the Bed, B-5 and B-B models which featured a 4.3m (14-fe 10-in) increase in wing span for greater altitude perfor- nance. The development of these new outer wing panel had been tundertaken by Heinkel but they remained on the drawing board, Do 535 mixed-poweeplant fighter with the rear DB 603 replaced by 2 Derivative designs included the Do 433 night-fightet, with side-by- jet engine, and che Do 635 long-range reconn: platform de seating, cabin presurisition and long-span wooden wings, the which aimed to mate two Do 335 Tuselages together with a new cene tte-section, At the termination of production, 37 Pleils had been com= pleted, with about 70 others awaiting final asembly and the arrival o ‘component Ay far as is Known, the PYeil never entered into combat, although US pilots reported seeing the strange aircraft im the sky during forays over Gi and the Erprobungskommando was forc sirerafi into a sky which could not be guaranteed as being free 0 hostile aircraft. In its single-seat version it was one of the fastest pis- ton-engined fighters ever built, with 4 chimed top speed of around 765 km Despite thi high performance, was the muc slower two-s ghter version which would probably have d the most effective if dhe war had continued. Equipped with lent radar and powerfal weapons, and blessed with good visbil- ty, comb persistence and performance, the night-ghter would have been excellent against the RAF bomber steams A complicated escape Flying the Pfeil was an experience, thanks to is high performance and unusual configuration, While the performance provided an exhil arating ride for the pilot, the configuration prompred some doubts His main concern was the ejection seat, the Do 335 being only the second production type to feature this after the Saab J21), Before fir- ing the seat, explosive bo Ie held the upper vertical tail surfice The Pfeil was the frst production airraft tobe fitted with an ejection Seat; however, the system for actually escaping was a complicated ane. German pilots told of how during the fest programme, two aera Erashed amd their plots were found still inthe cockpit ut with thet Sims missing. This was supposedly due to too firma grin being taken on ihehandien which frat jelUvoned the eanopy before tne set cult be ned ottDornier Do 335 Pfeil Left: This captured Do 3958-0 (actually the fifth of ten) fs pockmarked with Smal eaibre batted holes, probably inflicted bya bored Afied soldier in the aftermath of victory, or perhaps a Feminder of the battle to capture this anonymous aifield. The Do {155 was unable ta anter frontline Service before the Reich's final Colfapse, Below: The ninth Do 335 prototype (Bo 435 V9) which was Completed to ful preproduction Standards and was delivered to. the Erprobungsstele at Rechiin for evaluation. Armament consisted ofa single MK 103 30 ‘mm eanmon and pate of 1mm MG 131 machine guns, and was fitted with a Revi C 12/D reflector ‘gun sight. This was mounted on 2 Swivel plate and could funetion as either a guasight orasa dive Bombing sight Bed reir propeller wete fired way for the egressing piles Despite the ejection seat, he had to jettison the canopy manually another sfeeyfeatute, the lower vertical tail surface was jettisonable i ase a whecl-up landing was attempted, To conclude, the Pfeil proved to be a sound design with no major fiuls, If development had been d to continue at a steady pace and had sufficient resources been made available, the teething prob- lenis which remained with the type could have been ironed out, and the Pfeil could have emerged as a warplane of major importance t the Luftwaffe. However, as the military situation facing, German darkened during 1944/43, resources continued to be split between ozens of projects, and development of the Do 335 was rushed, to fompensite for the dislocation wrought by allied bombing. and th advance of the Allied armies. Development and production was asc dekiyed by the state of German industry, which could not provide the fiecosary wubscontracted components sich us propeller, cagues and Wien US forces overran Dornier's Oberpfaffenhofen factory, they found coy prelim, cg bine A-15, four Arts and a pair of A125 the final assembly stage radios. The development effort was further diluted by unnecesary Several were evaluated by the USAAF. By that time, production ofthe fflore on unattainable adv ferivatives while the basic fighter Bo 338A:8 mightsfghter had been transferred tothe Fleinkel plant at her was starved of both manpower and money Vienna, but the jigs were not reassembled before the war ended.Dornier Do 335 Pfeil Dornier Do 335A-0 Erprobungskommando 335 Oberpfaffenhofen May 1945Dornier Do 335 Pfeil Powerplant 426 moaDevelopment of the Fieseler Fi 103 flying as the Vel reprisal weapon, is well recorded in av A small, fixed-wing, plots air- raft, it was powered by a pulse bomb, better known sion hist jet engine mounted above th Tear fischige, incorporated a sin ple flight control spscem to guide tro is target, an ait log device to make it dive to the ground after travelling a preset distance and warhead packed with high explosive The first of these weapons landed in the London area in the carly hours of 13 unc lou ong hefore that, i late 1943, Gernuan officials were consider” mike precision attacks on high- ing the use of piloted mis ority targets, a policy that the Japanese kamikaze Fieseler Fi 103 Apilot demonstrates the narrow anfines ofthe Fi T0BRIV cockpit The aucratt has a warhead fited, but not the characteristic pimple {for the nose-mounted impact fuse. With a deteriorating war situa ont, Adolf Hitler ahead for such a proj March 1944, and the F adopted for this programme which was designated FE 103R Reichenberg). Four versions were planned intially: an linpowered FE AO3R-L for carly Hight tests; anpowered Fi TOSR-IT with a second seat where the warhead sas nomully ntached, FA LOSR-IM with ct fitted and ballast in place of the warhead: and the production version, the PE AOSRAV, with Je cockpit just ahead of the under the wing of am He 111 pulse jet, It was intended that, About 175 of these weap ier Liunch ftom 3 mother plane, were produced for sntended use the pilot would aim his RAIV at by 5./KG 200, the ‘Leonidas the target and then bale out, Stafél, bt their continued devel lescending bv parachute; in teal opment and planned use was ty, his chances of escaping were abandoned in October 1944 slim, Piloted trials began at Lire n September 1944, an unpos- Specification fred Fi 103 being deopped from Fleseler Fl 103R-4V Dimensions: j= 728 Te F098. ad sine fight instruments in the cockpit and the canopy had guidelines for eateulating the correct dive angle forattacks Fieseler Fi 156 Storch Alscex: Verceally. Ir was appeopniate that wohen Gerhart Fieseler wo tract to supply the: Luftwalfe's mul he should have called it Storch aircraft demons world’s greatest inter-war aerobatic hold Me hot inchiding the V-1 flying b victory pilot in World War 1 and ps 1s he spectalsed in what today are called STOL and landing) sircraf. In most of his They are made by storks, which, we to be able t0 take off and Land the con- ‘operation aircraft haps the only Lufowatfe Allied counteqpart pilot. With chief des hor eake~ npany’s products (notably field at 3000 m1 (9,845 ft) and then descend straighe downwards (0 make 2 vertical soft landing, provided there was a slight breeze to rake this te Inn summer 1935, Fieseler, Mewes and technical director Erich Bacher (ater ereator of the Iba 349 Natter VIO tighter) designed the ultimate an practical STOL aitcrat, the Fleseler FE 156. It as no mere exercise, and was scen as falilling numerous roles both in civil ht tly disclosed Luftwaffe, It was a three-seat, high wered by the excellent 179-KW (40-hp)” Argus aly endowed with slats and flaps. A particular feature was the salky landing g usbioning arrivals at unprecedented stecp angles, ‘The design was pared in two versions, the FL 136A with a fixed slat and th: {6B with an automatic movable slat to avoid the speed penalty of arrangement, well sued Fi the fixed slat in cruising fight. Surprisingly, the Faster Fi 156B5 was never buil Instead, Fieseler manuictured three prototypes with fived slats th FH 156 Vi 10 V3. The Vi (D-IKVN) flew on or about 24 May 36, with a metal ground-adjustable propeller. The V2 (D-IDVS) had wooden propeller, and the V3 (D-IGLI) hac military equips meng, Their performance was so impressive that the IRLM (air tii istry) ordered turther prototypes and preparations for series produc tion, Nevertheless, conforming with its policy of competition, the REM wrote a specification around the Fi which by autumn 1936 was named Storch — and issued it to industry. Ie resulted in the Messerschmitt BF 143, similar to the Storch but with a variable-ini- lence wing; the Siebel Si 201 with a fully glazed, two-seat 1 ahead of the pusher engine and single low-mounted tail boom; and the Focke-Wulf Fay 186 jump-stare au hh nology. The autogyro was not even considered, and by the time the rivals were flying the Storch was in production The fine pronduction version wis the FE TS6A1 utility ad Taison machine. BY mid-L37, dhe company bad Bown the ski-equipped VA wo, based on Cierva A Fieseler Storch uses its STOL capability by aking off from a short strip Of road, somewhere on the Eastern Front. The Storch has bean described 35 the only Luftwaffe aieraft demonstrably better than any Allied Counterpart and was the best liaison and spotter aireraft ofthe warWith its colour scheme Ientifyng its desert Iheatre of operations fying the conflict in North fAfies, this F186C-3/Trop thas operated by 2 (H)/14 tinder Afika Korps orders on tank-spatting duties. Wah excelfentallround sibility from the trtnsivey glazed cockpit, Sec saree Howrfiving characteristics, the Storch was ideal for such duties. roduction machines. One nt the Ziich meeting Do 17 and Messe Germany's ome nilieary V5 and 10 FH 1568-0 pre ofthe latter, D-IJFN, put on dazzling show i July at sclimite BE 109 also swept the board, markin, rior air power. The Storch repeatedly nich the DB-cngined Dornier ad and a 33 onstrated fi tuke Las fully controllable speed range of 51-174 knn/h (32-108 mp the Storch was large for its job, and the US 4 Grasshopper, its mass-produced equivalent, did most id of 179 kW (65 instead of 240) hp) ff affer 4 ground run of never more than 43-m Teast be admitted th Amy Piper U of the same tasks on 48 in (On the other hand, € could be argued that the aircraft bought by the RAF for the sume dutics was the Westhnd Lysander which, despite the best efforts of Westland could not come anywhere neae the German aircrat’s STOL qualities even with nearly 746 KW. (1,000 hp). The truest test is perhaps an aifcrate’s snfluence on history Inimuediately, the Storch had emulators in at least 10) countries, US. Vultee Ll V "ierioal rae aie by examples mcludig the Ryan YO-51 Dragonfly, as and Bellaica O-30. As described below the USSR. Storch configuration at the There was ite unconventional ak lesign or construction, The fuselage. whicl was just hall as long again as that of an L-4, was of welded steel tube with fabric covering, The strongly made cabin wound, which was wider than the fuselage €0 fe top of the cabin were Ibriced to the bottom ld be faced were fixed alamini= had a glazed arca all gave a clear view straight downwards, To . en wit The wings €c stichied the fibric-covered fuselage longerons by steel-tube V-seruts, hackwards, Along the entire straight leadi um slats, while the e Ling edge aps, the outer sections serving as drooping ailerons with imboard bs aps were not of Fieseler’s ned by woolen slotted ance tabs to reduce stick forces i roll. T pattern (resembling the Fowler), but simply larg in the wingroot, jackserews im the lead and, via sprockets and chains, 2 handwheel on the left of Working the fap sa little effort was usually with slotted #aps driven by rod and they could go te 24° or none, bu The fis was metal and fabric, but the rest of the ti] could be used for rally “impose sible” situations. was wooden, with ply skin, the tailplane having variable incidence for The inverted V-8 engine was neatly installed, and its air cooling was to be a boon on the Eastern Front during World War IL te invariably started a5 soot as the electric starter was selected, and the to replensh oil. The standard propeller was 4 2.f-m (I(2zin] Schwarz with meta anti-erosion inserts 19 the outer leading edges. A’74-litee 16.28-lmp gal) tank was fitted in each wing, and a 205-here (43-hmp nnd had 1 dashpo gal) tink could be installed in place of the two passenger 6 tlem behind the pilor. The main legs and talskid. were al ‘long stroke, the main units having spiral springs sith an 5 Pre Hydraulic brake hardly needed, pressure was low enonigh for almost any surface except fresh de Snow, although pilots soon learned to watch for tuts and large stones because the tyres were rather small. In a strong wind Haps had to be kept in on the ground ot the Storch could be blown over. Difficule target It added up ¢0 a vehicle that could » remarkable number of things ‘onfirm that xd 38 kin/h (34 mp tet for fighters; ehere was almoseeroubl showed not one picture of the elusive Storch, nd do 16 almost anywhere gainst fighters ie yes a very dificult when Uder's cameri-gun fil Another Fi 156A-0) was kg/110-Ib) bombs, with aim marks painted on the Plesiglas windows, while another did succesful tals 258-Ib) depth charges amas with smoke apparatas began in late 10: ing to the Légion Condor in Spain xt Kssel-Bettenhaosen, and then to the retractable-sat Fi 1561, speed and ‘capacity for civil prosuction (although there was plenty of demand). So, the next version was the FE 186C, which appeared in 1938 when output was about three per week, The main Feature of the Fi 136C was provision for a 7.92-mm (0.312-in) MG 15 machine-gun firing through the raised tear part of the cabin. The gan was usually not mstalled on the FE 156C-1, one or two of which ‘were supplied co virtually every Gnppe in the Lutewatfe ral The Fi 1860-2 did have the gun tested with three SC. 50 against a U-boat with inert 135-ke Less unex pected were supply-dropping tes an Deliveries to the rapidly growing Lufewafl some of the first Fi 136A-Is, Frescler had to ely eolange it again. He rege be dhe Lutewat there was 10 5p: jetted not makin hhad no requirement for a higher crus er/gunner, either of whom could work the radio, Optional fits included skis and attachments for a stretcher (liter By 1939 Fiescler was able to send a few Storchs to. Finland Switzerland. samples fen to the Italian Do Benito Musolin (who had no idea how important a Storch would be later ty his hfe) and, ae nd A.common sight wherever German forces were operating, the Storch ould perform in several valuable voles. Here an Fi 136-1 n Tunisia Iihustates the upward-hinging loading hatch on the lowered rear bgfazing, which permitted the carriage of one stretcher case in the rear fuselage after some arrangement of internal equipmentFieseler Fi 156 Suan, The latter was so impressed he instructed! Oleg K. Antonov to produce a copy (no licence was sought). Antonov had no experience with stecl-tube fuschges, and also no As 10C engines, but he very {quickly produced an excellent copy in the OKA-38-Aist (ssork), powered by the MV-6 engine denved from the 164-kW (220-hp) Renault six-cylinder inline, The OKA-38 was adopted for production as the ShS (Shtabnyi samolyet, staf aircraf), but the factory was over run by German troops before deliveries began in summer 1941 From the start of World War Il the Storch went, literally, every- where the German army went. Despite audacious missions in fll view of the enemy, it sulfered amazingly few losses, the front-line life being fie was said) 10 timtes as long as that of the BY 109 fighter. This is despite the fice the Wastennotstaffeln special rescue units Were off cially asked with bringing back battle casualties and downed aircrew ho matter where they were, and in North Afric the long-range Fi 136C-5 version often flew deep into tackles desert to get Luftwaffe aircrew, From late 1941, the FL 186D-1 was produced in parallel with the Fi 136C, the new series having most of the right side hinged to ficltate apid loading and unloading of stretchers. Yer another ver sion which appeared im 1941 was the BE 156E, with tande tracked landing gears. This was not so much to reduce footprint pres= sure as t0 reduce damage and write-offs caused by taxiing over nits tnd small obstructions but, although the Fi [56E appears to have per~ formed as advertised, production was restricted to the 10 evaluation FH 1565-0, Fiescler was increasingly requited to produce BE 109 and Focke= Wulf Fw 190 fighters, but nevertheless managed to deliver 484 Storchs in 1942. An additional 121 came ftom a new production line at Pateaux in France, which bad previously buile Morane-Saulnier MSS.406 fighter before the French capitulation, Production transfer Subsequently, all Storch production was transferred from the over- burdened Kassel works, which delivered its lst Fi 156 in October 1943. Iesent the jigs and a few key workers to the Benes Mraz fac tory at Chocen, in what the Nazis called the Bohemia-Moravia Protectorate (Czechoslovakia). All subsequent Storch deliveries were to come from Puteaux or Chocen, and itis significant that, ater the end of the war, both factories continued to build this useful aireraft even though ex-Luffwafle machines were litering unlikely parts of the countryside. Total Luftwaffe accepeances were about 2,871, some fof which were pasted on to the forces of Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland, Hungary, lly, Romania and Slovakia, al fighting on the Axis side oa the Eastern Front. So fir as is known, the Storch did nor fly night harassment missions with weapons on that front, as did thousands of Luftwaffe biplane trainers (many having the same As 10C engine], but the Storch never~ theless took pact in many exciting actions. Certainly the most remark able James Bond-type mission of the entice war (which received litle publicity because se was by the losing side) took place on 12 September 1943. Italy had reached an armistice with the Alles, and the former Fascist dictator, Mussolini, had been taken prisoner. Most of the country was at once taken over by the German army, however, and Hitler ordered S$ Haupsturm-fihrer Otto Skorzeny to find The back ‘on the engine cowling identifies this aircraft as belonging to thetst Jastennotstaffeln North Afrika. Field Marshals Rommel and KKesselring both used Storchs as their personal aircraft although [Kesselring switehed to 3 faster Focke-Walf Fw 189. fed) Mussolini a8 Mossolini and rescue hi. Eventually Skorzeny’ lo being held in the hotel on top of the pinnacle of the Gran Saso in the ‘Abruzz: mountains, reached only by cable-car. He organised a rescue Using a Focke-Achgels Fa 223 Drache helicopter, but at the last moment this was unserviceable, Undeterced, Skorzeny went in a Storch, landed on the tiny terrace at the back of the hotel, got the former dictator and, severely overloaded, took off over the sheer c Fleeing Berlin flown by 4 Storch ofthe Luftwaffe. On 23 Apal 1D45 Hider recived 2 communication from Reichsmarschall Hemtann Goering previously his closest aide, which made him furious, He immediately dismised Goering as C-in-C of the Lutwae (Goering having got out of Been to safer climes), and appointed in his stead Gencraloberst Riter von© Pot Press Limited Greim. He sent a messge from bis bunker to Berlin-Gatow calling for von Greim, and Flugkapitin Hanna Reitsch brought him to the heerbunker in a Storch, fying by night over the entire encitcling armies and Landing 3 fornully invested von Grei, who was the he brilliant woman tese pilot. She was the hase beleaguered Berlin, and the return trip shoul piany faioeal baa have be This Fi 156C Storeh front-line RAF few months of the war units in northern Europe. h tion. ‘The British Ni uit a formal evaluat utstancing qualities. Among 1 Storchs taken formally on RAP charge was VM472, the p ‘eld Marshal Montgomery, in preference to an Allied type bronght to the UK by’ at air marshal, was reluctantly wrest-Fieseler Fi 156 Fieseler Fi 156C-3 Storch Eastern Front, 1943Fieseler Fi 156Fieseler Fi 156 ced from him and, in 1946, in immaculate Ministry livery with serial VP546 (and British wheels) ir was flown by Lieutenant Commander E. M. ‘Winkle’ Brown as a valued vehicle at Acro Flight, RAE Famborough, Several others lew with the AB's transport ight Many hundreds of Storchs were tuile after the war in both France aunt liberated C2echoslovakia, The Paceaus fictory hac i fet built ‘ovo protorypes of the Fi 256, which Fieseler had designed in 1941 as a civil stecessor. It looked bike a Storch with « wider fuselage, but in fact hardly any parts wete common. The wings had automatic sas the fusca anal the cabin seated 30 paits of pasenger belund the pilot instead of evo single seats, The engine was aay As 1OP of 154 kW 60 bp), There was nothing wrong with the Fi 256, bur the Luftwaffe declmed to order it, and there was no obvi cou civil market CChocen-buil aircraft afer the war were known as the Mraz K.63 Cap. Production was terminated soon atter the Communist take-over in 1948. The Poreaus designations were Morane-Saulmier M.S.500, M.S.501 and M.S.502: the M.S.500 resembled the stn dard Fieseler Fi 156C: series; the M.S.501 looked like the Sovict Antonov OKA-38 in hiving a Renault 6Q smnverted inline engine and the mest important version, made in substantial numbers, was the MS.502 Criquet with a Sulnuon 9Abe radial, The radial seemed to ‘was more streamlined, suit the “Cricket” admirably and it hada long career with the Armée T'Air and the Aéronavale, So, 100, did the Argus-engined aircraft and ex-French machines even served with the Vietnam forces Throughout the 1950s. Another fore post-war French examples, fon the Britsh civil regit An early production Pitsee-1fands Sith ts massive flaps nd leaaing edge slats fully extended. These gave the Stovents phenomenaly fow stall ‘Speed The, Iiertended foteworty ‘Several Storchs, from various sources, g anxd many examples, most portant user was the Swedish ait whose S14 versions from Germany were supplemented by thei bak ate stl lying in several countries, Fieseler Fi 167 To meet a requirement for a ship-based two-seat torpedo bomber/reconnaisance aireratt, both Arado and Fiescler submit= othe RLM Prototypes of both aircraft were boule, but testing in late 1938, soon showed tha Atado's Ar 195, ‘could not meet the requirements, ne Ficscler BE 167 VI could not only ted proposals Fieseler Fi 16740 of Exprobungsstatie! 167, based inthe Netherlands in 1982 meet but consid- erably exceed the specification In configuration the Fiescler sign was a tworbay foldable wing biplane, primarily of met ‘onstruction but with some fabste covering, fixed talwheel landing beneath 3 long canopy that was geat with tal jettisonable main designed to allow for operation inits, a conventional braced tail atthe rear ofa machine-gun on 2 tmnt and a Daimler Benz DB 6001 The tw pivoted mount As with the Fi 136, low-speed achieved in this case by both incosporating ailerons and and the Tower wing having Despite its awkward looks, the F167 displayed outstanding fow- ‘Speed flying qualities. The wings folded back for stowage on a ‘carley, and the undercarriage ‘could be jettisoned foremergency sitchina. characteristics, leading-edey edge flaps Their effec, allied with the lif oF the biplane wings, made 3 pos= ble for the aircraft to sink slowly rx almost vertically vader com plete control The Fi 167 was intended for aboard the German air- Craftecarrier Graf’ Zeppelin Launched on 8 December 1938, nnd following the completion of Fi 167 V2) pre-production batch of 12 Fh AG7A=0 aircraft was built, These differed little from the prote= Second prototype bur incorporated some refinements considered desirable addition of a two-man dinghy When construction of the Graf Zeppelin was stopped, in 1940. the role for which the Fs 167 had been designed io longer existed However, it was expected that when construction was resumed, rmanofacture of the Fil ako go ahead: this was not t0 be the ease for when, in 1942 tion of the aitcraft-carricr to be resumed, i€ as decided that a version of the Ju 87 would amply and no far ther examples of the Fi 167 were bonle. Exprobungsstttel 167 was established in the summer of TH40 for a series of evaluations based 19 Holland. A number of testy were undertaken, including those of vantous overwater came ouflage schemes, The unit remained there until carly 1943, then the Fi 167s were dispened three to an undercarnage testing uni and the rest to Romania, Specification b Performance: Watgnts = Dimensions: :o" Peet adm etn mg Ponmmo stn MG 17 recede nd ono 792mm 31-01 MG TS T00.K9 204 ty bomb or one 765-49Flettner Fl 282 Kolibri Fell 265 The F242 Vi was fitted with a single ther lazed nose surround, one of pa zs inany variations F1282 Kolibri (aummingbird), tection dies. It was discovered and to speed the development of that as pilots aimed expen ap aircraft chat could prove valt- the F ould be flown in really bad weather, leading to an order for 1,000 production i. Those were not built, as a ule of Allied bombing attacks xno Sh 144 engine ounted in the centre fuse provide protory all of these those that w Powerplant: Performance: fhe main rotor pylo that his view was to th Dispatched for trials aboard | 2 " Borie nese can fom a mr ; ‘econ cae a Focke-Achgelis Fa 223 Drache Heinrich F sealed-up, six-p designated Focke Hornisse (aornet) act fi and included an MG ki ve winch and en Ex dll, a teconnaissance camera and RAF Beaulieu for evaluation; in Ai 300-liere gil) auxiliary fuel tank. Te he 30 pre-production Fa The p he Bremer : J hovering p: and anothe It at he summer of 1940, and the company’s new factory at me iin feoe fi in Laupheint, near Stuttgart anoth- France under ighation ofthat year. By then, the er plane (in Bein) had complet Sud Est SE 3000, the firs project had acquired military ed example by the ime which was flown on 23 October Importance and development the war ended, Only a small 1948 t Fa 223 Drache (k own sere acgited by ‘ US forces during May 194 Ainring, Austria, ashen variety of been an servi i of tuning porstaflel 40. In Sepeemb submarine patrol. Equipe of them, by its Germai ment varied according to role crew, became the fit helicopter Although cumbersome in appearance, the Fa 223 was an effective helicopter, with a useful Internal or external load-carrying ability. The type never reached Service in the antisubmarine role, butwas used sparingly in the transport rofe and for mountain rescue work. Fa 2238 were extensively tested by the Ais,Focke-Wulf Fw 56 Stésser The first Focke-Wulf design for with minor wing and engine which Kurt Tank had responsi-cowling modifications; the first bility from its beginning, the two carried 7.92-mm (0.31-in) Focke-Wulf Fw 56 Stdsser was MG 17 machine-guns in the volved to meet a Reichsluft- upper fuselage decking and had a shrtaministetium specification for rack for three 10-kg 22-1) prac an advanced trainer powered by tice bombs, while the third had 9 the Argus As TOC engine. Tank's single MG 17 gun. sign incorporated a secel-tube The Stsser was evaluated jusclage with metal panels for- competitively ac Rechhi in the ward and fabric covering aft, and summer of 1935 and was selec a wing of wooden construction ed, in preference to the Arado Ar with plywood covering back to 76 and Heinkel He 74, for use a the reat spar and fabric to the a Luftwaffe advanced trainer, T uuubing edge The first Ew 86a Fw 86A-1 was the major pr Ker 1933 and, afer nial testing for onc oF two MG 17 guns. It bomber pilot schools of the Early Fu 56 Stossers await nd revealed landing gear def ako played apart in the devclop= Luftwaffe, the type forming the deliver fo the Luftwaffe, For most Gencies, the Ew 36°V2 sccond ment of Ent Udets ideas on the backbone of the fighter rammg — 9¢¢hauat the aleraft was uses machine had agw main landing techniques of dive-bombing, omansation foc most of the war, hecbonberpiols gear units alo featured an al later used. so effectively by Tewas was also used as a glider neal wing and was without the Junkers Ju 87 Seuka units. 1b la for the DFS 230, Austein and KIV0 (173 moh at sea lov soice briginal faired headrest behind 1936 Lldet Mew the second pro- Hungary slo ondered the Stier. £0 ‘aa i the cockpit. The Fw 56 V3 totype at Berlin Johannisthal, and third aircraft, flown in February at his instigation ie was fitted with 1934, introduced further modi- a bomb rack beneath each wing, ied landing gear and had a cach carrying three I-kg (2.2-Ib) a wooden wing similar to that of smoke bombs. Substantial pr mgo7s 2 the fist, Three Fw S6A-0 pre- duction orders were placed to Armament: v0 79 production aircraft were built equip the fighter and dive MTT machneguns ih Netherands, Porm, Romani, ocke- u ‘WwW eine Sweden and Turkey. Production reached 1,668 for German wth the Luftwalle, the Focke: of he aeel rw The Fre 58D-1 was type served with distinction Wulf Fw $8 Weihe (hic) wasa The Ew 88 V1 fist protonype a communications ancafy while houggiout World War Il. le was Sunibrly, was asdgned puny’ two ccew housed under separate | SBEGd ap fw SOGod Were OF diftren roles during World Wat upward-hinging canopies. The als anwaf, while the Ew SHE-3 ion TI Construction comprised a V2 introdu Micros Rocke ull Fr 586-4 wile acl Grclige monly eiumratie MG lb own warmoeet Gee SAF rte some metal skinning around the the flight deck. Fwy S8A-O and vanants were the Fer SEGA and Voepoen ent howe, The wing wat built around Fw 38A+L arcril’ were uulity Fw 38G-3, both completed as Performance toot spars and had metal eovet~ warspors and ies rh ing with fabse ak of the rear The V6 feature at The wing was braced to the fasclage with a glazed nove fortes, which performed sterling fisclage by astur, The Argus As housing a single MG 18 gun, act. work notably on the Eastern 10G engines were hung beneath ing asthe pentonpe’tee tie For’ Front’ They pire the wing. with main tndleteat~ SBBCL prodiction aera (pre-—name Lenk pls ceded by a few Fw S0B+03), plat ion trainers. Sanitityflugzeug 1 cleaned-up with accommodation for wo lit- jomber), The Fw 58 also Many Fw Sts were assigned to Important military and industrial ‘ a ed sc worth multay mad ectual with weapons cartied on fusckige including licensed constuction), This machine was the fst and wing tacks, The Fw 58B-3 most variants being designated in Fw 588 retained by the was a rescue trainer. The Fw the Bw 38K series snd recipients A” Fe 586-4 Leukoplast-bon manufacturer tofenyy Kurt Tank, S40p'wss duchaonkral camer includ Complete with red eross markings the chief designer. fn 1942 1 ts ‘The'enbin could taxe two adopted these military codes anda Version for multi-engine training Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Ceecho- stretcher cases, with a seat for SinardWellenmuster camouflage. schools and haison work, and led slovakia, Denmark, Hungary, the one medfea/ attendant yyed some export Argentina, AustriaFocke-Wulf Fw 187 Bat Tanks Focke-Wolf Fw 187 Changes were m BBE cee sighs ger toss VOM pr Bs creed eriglly furiveed to pace of te HE 1930 as + peace versure, tal Junkers Hamcon vata Belen tro Daimer Bens DB pitch unt, andcwn wheel were 0 engince which vere chen fled en exch main peat ry = ; Bee ccriopment. The Reichs 73zemm (Stee) MGT? Ksalltion inthe Fe 1 th its narow fustace, short ee ese varperset, vadiee aul twarnaqod ie’ Phil 47 6. ose and poet engies the Sein waren machine gm warmed sib Which ‘Noun’ festand power engines, the Kio sincion the manicure of sequently om cach side of the speed of 636 knvit Gb mp, Rie -apresting apemotei fhe sera an dee Seon wos covkpit The Ew 187 V2 scond The Fw 187AO pre-punuc- get atop ide woe the mired to Tank's mentane: proterype, own in she simmer tion samples were bu armed MQ maehtpegung the more Obering R. Blaser. OF all-metal oF 1937, was similar but with with four MG 17s and two MG Patent MG FF 20mm cannon were fnsruction, the Fw 187 had an Jumo 210G engines and a Fs, and these were used to Fumiguin ie lower eselage exceptional sin fuselage with 1 “reduced-chord rudder defend Focke-Wulf factory at_wateh the vearhemiaghere: Eockpico smal that some isnt The Fw 187 V3 thind arcrai Bremen during the summer ments had to be located on the wx completed, at Udets request, 1940, ne of the staff claiming Specifieation inboard sections of the engine x1 bwoveatinterdictor, neces several (anlikel)) kill, During Bloke Wu ir 1870.0 Cowlings where they could be ting fisclage redesige, longer the winter they served (unofli= Typer ose * seenby the pilot engine bear and reed engine cll) with 13. (Zensen Seal The specied DB 600 engines nacelles. Armed with tno 20- of JG_77 in Norway, while one were in short supply and REM mm MG. FF cannon approval for construction had flown in the spring of 1938, been given on condition that the lowed by two similar airerafein 1942. With the BF 110 4m full gemceceina Jumo 210 would be substituted. the summer and autumn. All production, there was little WeiaRtS ere! Thus powered, the Ew 187 V1 thee had full-span Raps. Despite thanice of the Fw [87 being pro- Dimensions: eat Vaerlose in Denmark during, fire prototype made its maiclen the loss of the Fist protorype an duced, although it was proposed flight during late spring 1937. im 14 May 1938, the programme asa nightefighter in 1943, Useful the hands of Flugkapitin Hans continued and 2 pair of 746-kW work was performed by the ai : Sander. The 507 kW (68D hp) (,000-hp) DB 600A engines was craft an the weapons and equip- om provided by each of the Jumo supplied to Focke-Wulf for mene tals rol Da engines was considersbly below the power oF the DB 604, but the aircraft nevertheless achieved a very creditable 523, Fan/is (325 mph), compared with the projected 360 km/h (348, mph) of the original powerplant ‘An Fu 18740 ofthe Focke- ‘lf IndustrceSchutzstafet, Used to defend the Bremen factory These areraft were iso used for propaganda, Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu dora abre-cavered biplane reseinbling srrtt of World War I. lage aswell axon tops the Fa 169 had an almost completely ear stewed-akin monoplane. But even the 126 could he scen to be an Hamburger Fagecugau decided to enter the contest with at even War ID. In February 1937 the air minsry in Berlin isued a specifica- glazed nacelle on one side of the centteline and an winmanned “fuse tion for an even later aircrafé with a crew of three, all-round vision with engine and tal) on the other and high performance The conservative officials favoured the Arado, considering both of Te was a challenge, and produced one conventional response, the the unconventional designs in some way inferior, if not actualy faulty Ando Ar 198, and one unconventional one, the Focke-Wulf Fw Gradually they began to see the advantag. pletely glazed crew nacelle with, # necessary, an all-round field of fre sans, Moreover, Focke-Wulf’ designers, led by Kurt Fw 189) E, Kosel, pointed out that different kinds of nacelle could be fitted. They suggested a closes rainer and a single-seat armoured attack and anti-tank version, as well as the army co-operation and reconnaissance model (which could ils fly casualty evacuation, VIP transport and light cargo missions) for defensive Tank and (fort ‘Supremety versatile and universally popular, the Whu was essentially 2 Tow-alttude aireraft befting [es tactical reconnatssance vole. The ride as extremely smoath, while the extensive glazing gave good visibility although, surprisingly forward vision was impaired by refraction from the sloping panels.Ew 1894-1 of 5.(H)/72 at Pottava, Ukraine.in the Summer of 1912, The unit operated under Luftiote 4, The odd BV 141 was destined never to go into production, although the first version flew wel. Likewise, the Arado, initially the favourite of the air ministry’ staff, never got anywhere, but in this case it was because tment, on the scores of both har Tn complete contrast, the Fw 189 proved to be an excellent aircraft an all expects, The VA (Gist prototype) was flown by Dipl Ing Tank in July 1938, and he was delighted with it, He called tt Bue (Owl), although the Luttwatte was to call the type the Ubu (Eagle Owl) and the official media lubed it das Fliegende Auge (the Flying Eye the protorype was a complete disapp ond performance Conventional structure In fact, apart from the twin-boon caused any of the feared problems, tional. Thi Fw 189 was quite conven= alemetal strewedeskin structure had a smooth flush-riveted The wing comprised a rectangtllar centr and detach able panels boleed on just outboard of the tail booms and tapered on the leading edge only. The long-span ailerons and three sections of clectrcally-operated split fap were all abric-covered. Likewise, while the rest ofthe tal was all-metal, the elevator and rudders were fabric covered, Each main landing gear had an Hl-shaped frame with twin Shock absorbers in a levered suspension giving a long stroke Several Fw aircraft of the period. Oddly predilection for al Swinging back under the doors. Linkage also pulled up the castonn, sideways to the left ro be stowed in the tailplane. On selecting landing gear down, at speeds below 160 km/h (99 mph), the main units were hydraulically extended but the tailwheel fell under its own weight, asisted by rubber pulleys, The chosen engine and nobody ever regretted it ~ was the Argus As HIOA-1, an inverted-Vee with 12 air-cooled cylinders. Very smooth at 3,100 rpm, and easy to start even ina Resssan winter engine proved very reliable, although the 189 could be flown perfect= ly well on one. A single fel tank of HO-itre 24-Imp gal) capacity ‘was in each tail boom just behind the landing gear bay, the octane tating being 87. The prototype had simple fied ‘im view of the company’s lectric actuation, th wing into a bay aa the boom closed by twin tailwheel, which retracted ear was raised hydraulically The Fv 189 V4 served as a prototype for the production Aseries nirraf ‘embodying minor changes such a¢ ‘evised cowlings It later went on to Various warfare trials a3 seen here vir Coat chermieat warfare ‘couipment under the wings for the Spraying of mustard gas. Fw 1898-1 off Aufelarungsstaffel (Heeres)/32, based af Kem in Finiand in dune 1912. The ‘brownigrean splinter eamouflage twas common inthis theatre, The fist V1 prototype took to the air in Juty 1938, with Kurt Tank |imgeif atthe controfs. The soumdness of the design was such that production areraft diffored little from this machine. l'was assigned the ‘registration D-OPUN. polles, but from V3 every Fw 189 had ewo-bladed Argus propellers with pitch controlled automatically that ws free to rotate om thi ¥y the prominent cight-vane cap front of the spinner ral nacelle hardly changed from VI to the last aitceaft built (apart from two totally different versions deserbed later). Basically stressed-skin struct 4 svth ie Plesighs panels, some roof panels and those it the pointed tileane being curved. Entry was from the wing on either side, through the left by binging up the complete side and top windows on each aide. The pilot sit well forward on the left, with pedals projecting fon beams ahead of the loor. Almost all necessary controls were on the left, the R/T jack socket was at the rear of the huge sp naf centreline, and the flight instruments were sn rove acrow the fi pit ight Iy above eye level. The magnetic compass and gpm indicators were between the pilot's fect just ahead of the two-handed control yoke (On the right, slightly further back He ould fice ahead and manage the loor-mounted camera(), oF tk photos with or the GV 219d optical bombsight. Alternatively, he could swivel his seat round and aim the dorsal gun) Ac tho rear of the nacelle was a quilted mattress on which the rear canner could lie. Oddly, this third alld the fight mechanic, although rom kecp an hand caters rew member was“This Fw 1898-1 served with Nahaupdarangsoruppe (ike rom Gpearonetrovsk Inthe Ukraine, March 1943. Note the units red devil badge Gn the engine cowhng. The Fw 189 V1 was rebuilt as the VIb to test the Fw 189C assault aircraft. Once again 4 new nacelle was fitted, this cramming 2 pilot and rear facing gunner into.a Uny, heavily armoured cabin Viston for both crew ‘members was appalling, and the flying characteristics were altered Aistincty forthe worse Mana sformed, was yet nterception fiom the rear hird matt night hav for the overworked navigate From the outset, the maunseream Pye 18 described. The VI differed from production machines only details as the propeller, 26 described, and in having single-leg main gear. The V2, flown only a month later in August 1938, was armed with ovo MG 17 machine fs, fring ahead and prec very slar MG. saddle magazine instead of a belt), aimed chrough the hove, mid-upper position and taileone, Four ETC 30/VIUd racks tinder the outer wings could carry 50-kg (110-Ib) bombs intaners for poson gis oF smnokescreens, Via additional prototypes, the pre-production Ew 189A-0 was completely defined by the beginning of 1939, but rather to hhagtin the Oberkommando was to be the A- guns in the wingn aimed via a ring/bead sight by the pilot, and 13s (fed by With a completely vedesigned fuselage nacelle the Fu 1838 was Intended as.afve-seat trainer. Tent ofthe Fw 18981 production Sireraft were delivered before 1894 production began. An Fis 1890 Moatptane trainer version (has semicampleted Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Slovakia and Hungary were Supplied with the Bu 89, this being an Fw 1898-2 of the latter's Hungarian 3 Short Range Reconnarssance. ‘Squadron (Ung NA.S0). Hwas Subordinated to Laftfotte 4 at Zamoce eastern Poland in Maren 1848 dor Luftwaffe expressed she view that there was no need for such a incrafe and thar the Hs 1268-1 and Bel were perfectly adequate, All the company could do was press ahead with oxher versions but ‘ually 194), permission was given co build 10. A-Os, Al aout che Sime time, the inadequacies of the Hs 126 were becomin fobviows in the campaign in the west, and Focke-Wulf was told ‘arty on beyond the A-0s with production AeIs for frontlin This was reinforced by the excellent service evaluation by the Auilieungssafiel and, quite suxklenly, from beimg unwanted the Ub jecamie 4 high-prionty aicrate Second-source production Focke-Wulf frantically tooled ap to build the A-1 became increasingly overloaded, mainly because of the Fw 190 fight fe Ava second source, the Avro factory at Prague Vysocany was willy tooled up, and in the course of 1941 the Czech plant delivered 151 Fw 189s, compared with just 99 from the parent company at Bremen, Ie was obvious that the invasion of the Sovicr Union, begin fon 22 Jone 1941 ‘ed all the Fw 189s that could be produced, so a major part of French industry was taken over by Focke-Wulf, and the Ew Ls froin Bremen. Breguc other parts were made by SNCASO, including the centre-section and pacclle at Bordeatx-Bacalan, booms and tal at Rochetors, and other parts at Bordeaus-Bégles, Ascmbly and flight est was at Bordeaux Merignac. This was one of the fev series, but production jigs were sent to France tmade outer svings at Bayonne, but most of the Instances of a successful production programme i German-occupied France, output working up event ily v0.20 per month, The A-I differed only in detail (sich a in hav ype. The nese gun iemament comprised wo MG 17s and ‘wo hand Tour SC 30 cr in level fy was omitted, and ined MG 15s, and aimed either in dives hounbs were carried if necessity he using the sight. Gas equipment was not used, batFocke-Wulf Fw 189 Everything about the Fw 189 was slender, especially the wings and tail booms, Despite this, was an immensely strong a/teraft able fo fake farge amounts of battle darrage. Fiying low over the balllefeld, this was an important attnbute of the type. iners were a common fit, The standard cam f the nacelle normally: housed the Si) an a anc Onher equipment in dng, and D1 pros single MG 1 1 inseallations, he Fw 1890-2, ip which and fistfirng MG with belt feed. The rear cone had electric rotation 10 tions, Small numbers Luftwatfe and related units, and als Slovakian and Hungarian air forees. [tp and very tough aircratt, on at Least serving with units of the wed to be a reliable, capable The cockpit of the Uhu resembled the compound eye of an insect, and ven the propaganda department of the RUM called the type das Flvegende Auge. The eight vanes on each propeller spinner regulated the variable-piteh mechanism. This Fa 1898-1 served with L132 at Petsamo in northern Finland in December 1942. The | Gisruptive meander camouflage ‘as applied over the standard green summer camouflage.Focke-Wulf Fw 189 ay gl | mamas > \ rit ;Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Specification Fw Production. Focke-Wulf Fw 189A-2 Aufklarungsgruppe(H)/14 Salzburg, 1945 UndercarriageOperating in the interim night 4 \ Tighter rote, this Pw 189 few with the Stob/Nachyagdgeschwader | 100 from Greifswstd in February 1945, Note the achrage Musik Cannon installation. ramming atacks and frequently fighting off hostile fighters Tn late 1942 sinall numbers were delivered as A~d ch reconnaisance aitcraf, with extra ariour and with the forward-tring MG 17s replaced by 20-mm MG FFs. The Bremen and Prague facto ries ceased production in 1943, but the French complex Kept going tintil January 1944. Including prototypes, output comprised six in 1939, 38 in {940,250 an 1941, 327 in 1942, 236 an 1943 and 17 i 1944, making a grand total of Nod the North African campaign with desert survival fiers, and two A-Ts modified aft 1 feldanieschall Kesselring and General Jeschonnek. Ih addition, at leas 30 A-Is were modified ay night-fighter, serving with [/NJG 100 and with NJG 5, Conversion involved removing reconnaissnce gear and various other items, adding FuG 212 Lichtenstein C-1 interception with the usual quad array of dipole acrals ahead of the nose and replicing the mid-upper MG SIZ. gum by a fixed upward-firing MG 131/15 (occasionally an MG 151//20) There were two main branches ofthe family that wer The Fw 189B was to have been for five pilot ingly completed in early 1939 with a conventional nacell skin construction, with just a normal ghized cockpit and firther ghz ing fora cockpit at the reat, Obviously fir more capable and econon ical than exiting aircrafe used for crew training, the Fav ISB appealed to the Luttwatte the IPA did not, and in 1939-40 the Bremen works delivered three pre-production Bes and 10) Beals There was to have been 4 twin-float seaplane version, the Ew 189D. bus this was cancelled. ‘The other main branch thar did not go into. production was the Fw 189C. This was to have beet an arm the macelle aking the form of 4 pilot and an afiefacing rear gunner, the whe These munbers included few fi pment and si pores for General- terminated, re trainer, with accommodation including di controls. The V8 prototype was accord of stressed sted close-sippott version miped box just big enough for the thing being made of Wearing suitable camouflage, this Fw 189-1 ew night feconnarssance sorties with the NachiketteiNAGr 15. Operating lunder VIN Flegerkorps (with Pe AOK 4), i flew fiom Naglowitz in Souttern Poland, October 1944 thick armour with the exc of thick armoured gla. In the winter of 1938-59, the onginal VI prototype was rebuilt With the planned armoured nacelle, becoming the WA, flown in spring 1939. The pilot could hardly See oue and, far from being able to aim his MG 15, the gunner had hardly any vision a the handling of the W1b was poor and peri the other hand, the rival Henschel Hs In early. 1940, Focke-Wulf flew the somewhat improved Fw 189 V6, with the revised engines and landing gear of the I89A-D, an improved armoured nacelle offermy better visibility to both crew, and tuperaded armament of two 2-mm MG FF plas four MG. 17 fring forwards anda twin MG BIZ firing aft. In the event, although the it was picked because ofits sinaller size and lower cost Although the As 410 was an excellent engine, Focke-Wulf contine tied to investigate options with more power. The Fw 189E vas 19 have been powered by the same Prench GRIMM 4/5 radial of 522 KW » the production Hs 129; SNCASO designed and carried out a single conversion, but this sole T89E crashed ett Toute to evaluation in German Ty 129 yay fir from satsfactory or proxivction mainly NV Ip) a ttt # neatly 1943, Greater sccessattend- ed the Fww 189F, 30) A-2 powered by 447-EW (6000-bp) As 4LIMAS] engines a6 used on the Si 204D. This caused no problems, and the final 17 taste at Bordeau in 1944 were Fw 189Feds, The Fe2 was to have had extra armour and electric landing gear operation, bat none was built: Abo unbuile the Fw 189G was to have had 708: KAW (50-hp) As 402 engines ancl a strengthened seta ‘The V6 was also completed as an Fw 189C prototype; it was essentially Similar to the V1b but incorporated variable-pitch propellers and armament in the centre-section of the wing. This comprised two 20-mm MG FF eannon and four MG 17 machine-guns: A pair of MG 215, protected the rea!