Heinkel He 112

The Heinkel He 112 was a fighter aircraft designed by Walter and Siegfried Günter. It was one of four aircraft designed to compete for the Luftwaffe's 1933 fighter contract. Small numbers were used for a short time by the Luftwaffe, and small runs were completed for several other countries, but less than 100 were completed in total. It remains one of the least known production fighter designs.

The first prototype, He 112 V1, was completed on 1 September 1935, but as the planned Junkers Jumo 210 engine was unavailable, a 518 kW (695 hp) Rolls-Royce Kestrel Mk IIS was fitted. Initial test flights at the factory revealed that drag was much higher than expected, and that the aircraft was not going to be as fast as originally predicted. The V1 was sent off to be tested by the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM) in December at Travemünde.

The second prototype, V2, was completed on 16 November. It had the 477 kW (640 hp) Jumo 210C engine and a three-blade propeller, but was otherwise identical to the V1. Meanwhile, the data from the V1 factory flights was studied to discover where the unexpected drag was coming from. The Günter brothers identified the large, thick wing as the main culprit, and designed an entirely new smaller and thinner wing with an elliptical planform. As a stop-gap measure, V2 had its wings clipped by 1.010 m (3 ft 7 in) to allow it to compete with the 109. This made the He 112 creep over the wing loading requirements in the specifications, but with the 109 way over the limit, this was not seen as a problem, and the V2 was sent off for testing.

The V3 took to the air in January. Minor changes included a larger radiator, fuselage spine and vertical stabilizer, but it was otherwise largely the same as the clipped wing V2. Other changes included a single cover over the exhaust ports instead of the more common "stack", and it also included modifications to allow the armament to be installed in the cowling. It was expected to join the V2 in testing, but instead was assigned back to Heinkel in early 1937 for tests with rocket propulsion. During a test, the rocket exploded and the aircraft was destroyed, but in an amazing effort the V3 was rebuilt with several changes, including an enclosed cockpit.

The He 112 V1 started in the head-to-head contest when it arrived at Travemünde on 8 February 1936. The other three competitors had all arrived by the beginning of March. Right away, the Focke-Wulf Fw 159 and Arado Ar 80 proved to be lacking in performance, and plagued with problems, and were eliminated from serious consideration.




At this point, the He 112 was the favorite over the "unknown" Bf 109, but opinions changed when the Bf 109 V2 arrived on 21 March. All the competitor aircraft had initially been equipped with the Rolls-Royce Kestrel engine, but the Bf 109 V2 had the Jumo. From that point on, it started to outperform the He 112 in almost every way, and even the arrival of the Jumo-engined He 112 V2 on 15 April did little to address this imbalance.

Testing continued until October, at which point some of the additional zero series aircraft had arrived. At the end of September, there were four He 112s being tested, yet none was a match for the Bf 109. From October on, the Bf 109 appears to have been selected as the winner of the contest.


General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 9.22 m (30 ft 11 7/8 in)
• Wingspan: 9.09 m (29 ft 9¾ in)
• Height: 3.82 m (12 ft 6¾ in)
• Wing area: 17 m² (183 ft²)
• Empty weight: 1,617 kg (3,565 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 2,248 kg (4,957 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Junkers Jumo 210Ga liquid-cooled inverted V12 engine, 522 kW (700 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 510 km/h (317 mph)
• Range: 1150 km (715 mi)
• Service ceiling: 9,500 m (31,200 ft)
• Wing loading: 132 kg/m² (27.1 lb/ft²)

Armament

• 2 × 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17 machine guns with 500 rpg
• 2 × 20 mm MG FF cannons with 60 rpg, in the wings

** Heinkel He 112 - Warbird Fare

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Dewoitine D.520

The Dewoitine D.520 was a French fighter aircraft that entered service in early 1940, shortly after the opening of World War II. Unlike the Morane-Saulnier M.S.406, which was at that time the Armée de l'Air's most numerous fighter, the Dewoitine D.520 came close to being a match for the latest German types, such as the Messerschmitt Bf 109. It was slower than the Bf 109E but superior in manoeuvrability. Because of a delayed production cycle, only a small number were available for combat with the Luftwaffe.

The D.520 was designed in response to a 1936 requirement from the Armée de l'Air for a fast, modern fighter with a good climbing speed and an armament centred around a 20 mm cannon. At the time the most powerful V 12 liquid cooled engine available in France was the Hispano-Suiza 12Y, which was less powerful, but lighter, than contemporary engines such as the Rolls-Royce Merlin and Daimler-Benz DB 601. Other fighters were designed to meet the specifications but none of them entered service, or entered service in small numbers and too late to play a significant role during the Battle of France.



The Groupe de Chasse I/3 was the first unit to get the D.520, receiving its first aircraft in January 1940. These were unarmed and used for pilot training. In April and May 1940, operational units received 34 production D.520s; the type proving to be very popular with the pilots. In comparative trials on 21 April 1940 at CEMA at Orleans-Bricy against a captured Bf 109E-3, the German aircraft had a 32 km/h (20 mph) speed advantage owing to its more powerful engine. However, the D.520 had superior maneuverability, matching its turning circle, although displaying nasty characteristics when departing and spinning out of the turn repeatedly during the tests. The Bf 109, owing to its slats, could easily sustain the turn on the edge of a stall.



By 10 May 1940, when Germany invaded France and the Low Countries, 228 D.520s had been manufactured, but the Armée de l'Air had only accepted 75, as most others had been sent back to the factory to be retrofitted to the new standard. As a result, only GC I/3 was fully equipped, having 36 aircraft. They met the Luftwaffe on 13 May, shooting down three Henschel Hs 126s and one Heinkel He 111 without loss. Four more Groupes de Chasse and three naval Escadrilles rearmed with the type before France's surrender.

In air combat, mostly against Italians, the Dewoitine 520s claimed 114 air victories, plus 39 probables. Eighty five D.520s were lost. By the armistice at the end of June 1940, 437 D.520s had been built with 351 delivered. After the armistice, 165 D.520s were evacuated to North Africa. GC I/3, II/3, III/3, III/6 and II/7 flew their aircraft to Algeria to avoid capture. Three more, from GC III/7, escaped to Britain and were delivered to the Free French. A total of 153 D.520s remained in mainland France. One of the most successful D.520 pilots was Pierre Le Gloan, who shot down 18 aircraft (four Germans, seven Italian and seven British), scoring all of his kills with the D.520, and ranked as the fourth-highest French ace of the war.

A very small number of D.520s were briefly operated by Free French Forces for training purposes. Along with the three examples that had flown to Britain in June 1940, two other D.520s were recovered from retreating Vichy forces in Rayak, Lebanon. These D.520s were flown by pilots of the Normandie-Niemen unit before the unit was sent to the USSR, where they flew the Yakovlev Yak-1 that had many similarities with the D.520.

After the war, the D.520s that remained in France were used as trainers. One example was field-modified as a two-seater in late 1945. In March 1946, after further experiments, the Armée de l'air ordered a further batch of 20 D.520s to be converted; however, only 13 of these D.520 DC conversions were completed. The last flight of an operational D.520 was made on 3 September 1953 with EPAA (Esquadrille de Presentation de l'Armée de l'Air). Initially this unit had flown Yak-3s, formally of the Normandie-Niemen fighter squadron; these were later replaced with seven D.520s, three of them being two-seaters.


General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 8.6 m (28 ft 3 in)
• Wingspan: 10.2 m (33 ft 5? in)
• Height: 2.57 m (8 ft 5 in)
• Wing area: 15.87 m² (171 ft²)
• Empty weight: 2,123 kg (4,680 lb)
• Loaded weight: 2,677 kg (5,902 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 2,785 kg (6,140 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Hispano-Suiza 12Y-45 liquid-cooled V12 engine, 690 kW (930 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 560 km/h (302 kn, 347 mph)
• Range: 1,250 km (675 nmi, 777 mi)
• Service ceiling: 10,000 m (33,000 ft)
• Rate of climb: 14.3 m/s (2,820 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 167 kg/m² (34.2 lb/ft²)
• Power/mass: 257 W/kg (0.156 hp/lb)

Armament

• 1 × 20 mm Hispano-Suiza HS.404 (60-round drum) cannon
• 4 × 7.5 mm (0.295 in) MAC 1934 (675 rpg) machine guns

** Dewoitine D.520 - Warbird Fare

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Morane-Saulnier M.S.406

The M.S.406 was a French Armée de l'Air fighter aircraft built by Morane-Saulnier starting in 1938. Numerically it was France's most important fighter during the opening stages of World War II.

Although sturdy and highly maneuverable, it was under-powered and weakly-armed when compared to its contemporaries. Most critically, it was out-performed by the Messerschmitt Bf 109E during the Battle of France. The M.S.406 held its own in the early stages of the war, but when the war restarted in earnest in 1940, 387 were lost in combat or on the ground for 183 kills in return. The type was more successful in the hands of Finnish and Swiss air forces who developed indigenous models.



In late 1930s a war with Germany was clearly looming, and the Armée de l'Air placed an order for 1,000 airframes in March 1938. Morane-Saulnier was unable to produce anywhere near this number at their own factory, so a second line was set up at the nationalized factories of SNCAO at St. Nazaire converted to produce the type. Production began in late 1938, and the first production example flew on 29 January 1939. Deliveries were hampered more by the slow deliveries of the engines than by lack of airframes.

By April 1939, the production lines were delivering six aircraft a day, and when the war opened on 3 September 1939, production was at 11 a day with 535 in service. Production of the M.S.406 ended in March 1940, after the original order for 1,000 had been delivered to the Armée de l'Air, and a further 77 for foreign users. Additional orders for Lithuania and Poland were canceled with the outbreak of the war.

The MS 406 equipped 16 Groupes de Chasse and three Escadrilles in France and overseas, and 12 of the Groupes saw action against the Luftwaffe. The aircraft was very manoeuvrable and could withstand heavy battle damage, but was outclassed by the Bf 109 and losses were heavy. After the armistice, only one Vichy unit, GC. 1/7, was equipped with the MS. 406.

Germany took possession of a large number of M.S.406s and the later M.S.410s. The Luftwaffe used a number for training, and sold off others. Finland purchased additional M.S.406s (as well as a few 406/410 hybrids) from the Germans, while others were passed off to Italy and Croatia. Those still in French hands saw action in Syria against the RAF, and on Madagascar against the Fleet Air Arm. Both Switzerland and Turkey also operated the type; the Swiss actually managing to down a number of both German and Allied aircraft, 1944-1945. During the Pacific campaign, Vichy authorities in French Indochina were engaged in frontier fighting against Thai forces from 1940 to 1943. A number of M.S.406s stationed in Indochina downed Thai fighters before the French Air Force's eventual abandoning of the theatre in March 1943. Some examples of the M.S.406 were captured by the Thai Air Force.


General characteristics

• Crew: one pilot
• Length: 8.17 m (26 ft 9 in)
• Wingspan: 10.62 m (34 ft 10 in)
• Height: 2.71 m (8 ft 10 in)
• Wing area: 17.10 m² (184.06 ft²)
• Empty weight: 1,893 kg (4,173 lb)
• Loaded weight: 2,426 kg (5,348 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Hispano-Suiza 12Y31 liquid-cooled V-12, 640 kW (860 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 486 km/h (303 mph) at 5,000 m (16,400 ft)
• Range: 1,000 km (620 mi)
• Rate of climb: 13.0 m/s (2,560 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 141.9 kg/m² (29.1 lb/ft²)
• Power/mass: 260 W/kg (0.16 hp/lb)

Armament

• 1× 20 mm Hispano-Suiza HS.404 cannon
• 2× 7.5 mm MAC 1934 machine guns

** Morane-Saulnier M.S.406 - Warbird Fare

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Potez 630

The Potez 630 and its derivatives were a family of twin-engined aircraft developed for the Armée de l'Air in the late 1930s. The design was a contemporary of the British Bristol Blenheim and the German Messerschmitt Bf 110.

The Potez 630's engines proved so troublesome that most units had re-equipped with the Potez 631 before World War two began. The latter was an ineffectual interceptor, slower than some German bombers and 130 km/h slower than the Bf 109E, although it continued in service until the armistice.




The Potez 633 saw only brief operational service with the Armée de l'Air in Europe when aircraft from two units undertook a sortie near Arras on May 20, 1940; two days later the aircraft was withdrawn from front-line service. The Potez 633 exported to Greece and Romania saw more extensive service, in limited numbers. The Romanians used them against the USSR and the Greeks against Italy. A small number of Potez 633 originally destined for China were commandeered by the French colonial administration in Indo-China and saw limited action in the brief French-Thai War in early 1941.

More than 700 Potez 63.11 were delivered by June 1940, of which more than 220 were destroyed or abandoned, despite the addition of extra machine gun armament; the heaviest losses of any French type. The Potez 63.11 continued in service with the Vichy air force and with the Free French forces in North Africa seeing action with both. Production was resumed under German control and significant numbers appear to have been impressed by the Germans, mostly in liaison and training roles.

All members of the family (possibly except the Potez 63.11) shared pleasant flying characteristics. They were well designed for easy maintenance and later models had a heavy armament for the time. They were also quite attractive aircraft. Although not heavily built they proved capable of absorbing considerable battle damage. Unfortunately the Potez 63 family, like many French aircraft of the time, simply did not have sufficiently powerful engines to endow them with an adequate performance. In the stern test of war they proved easy meat for prowling Messerschmitts, like their British contemporaries the Fairey Battle and Bristol Blenheim. Their similarity to the Bf 110 (twin engines, twin tail, long "glasshouse" canopy) was sufficient that some were apparently lost to "friendly fire".


General characteristics

• Crew: three
• Length: 10.93 m (35 ft 11 in)
• Wingspan: 16.00 m (52 ft 6 in)
• Height: 3.08 m (10 ft 1 in)
• Wing area: 32.7 m² (352 ft²)
• Empty weight: 3,135 kg (6,911 lb)
• Loaded weight: 3,845 kg (8,488 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 4,530 kg (9,987 lb)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 425 km/h (264 mph)
• Range: 1,500 km (932 miles)
• Service ceiling: 8,500 m (27,885 ft)
• Rate of climb: 500 m/m (1,640 ft/min)
• Wing loading: kg/m² (lb/ft²)

Armament

• 1x fixed, forward-firing 7.5 mm MAC 1934 machine gun
• 1x fixed, rearward-firing 7.5 mm MAC 1934 machine gun
• 1x flexible, rearward-firing 7.5 mm MAC 1934 machine gun
• 4x 50 kg (110 lb) bombs

** Potez 630 - Warbird Fare

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Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet

The Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet, was a German rocket-powered fighter aircraft. It is the only rocket-powered fighter aircraft ever to have been operational. Its design was revolutionary, and the Me 163 was capable of performance unrivaled at the time. Messerschmitt test pilot Rudy Opitz in 1944 reached 1,123 km/h (698 mph). Over 300 aircraft were built, however the Komet proved ineffective as a fighter, having been responsible for the destruction of only about nine Allied aircraft.

The performance of the Me 163 far exceeded that of contemporary piston engine fighters. At a speed of over 320 km/h (200 mph) the aircraft would take off, in a "sharp start" from the ground, from its two-wheeled dolly. The aircraft would be kept at low altitude until the best climbing speed of around 676 km/h (420 mph) was reached, at which point it would jettison the dolly, pull up into a 70° angle of climb, and rapidly climb to a bomber's altitude. It could go higher if required, reaching 12,000 m (39,000 ft) in an unheard-of three minutes. Once there, it would level off and quickly accelerate to speeds around 880 km/h (550 mph) or faster, which no Allied fighter could match. The usable Mach number was similar to the Me-262, but because of the high thrust to drag ratio, it was much easier for the pilot to lose track of the onset of severe compressibility and loss of control. A Mach warning system was installed as a result. The aircraft was remarkably agile and docile to fly at high speed. According to Rudolf Opitz, chief test pilot of the Me 163, it could "fly circles around any other fighter of its time".




In service, the Me 163 turned out to be difficult to use against enemy aircraft. Its tremendous speed and climb rate meant a target was reached and passed in a matter of seconds. Although the Me 163 was a stable gun platform, it required excellent marksmanship to bring down an enemy bomber. The Komet was equipped with two 30 mm (1.18 inch) MK 108 cannons which had a relatively low muzzle velocity, with the characteristic ballistic drop of such a weapon. The drop meant they were only accurate at short distance, and that it was almost impossible to hit a slow-moving bomber when the Komet was traveling very fast. Four or five hits were typically needed to take down a B-17.

A number of innovative solutions were implemented to ensure kills by less experienced pilots. The most promising was a unique weapon called the Sondergerät 500 Jägerfaust. This consisted of a series of single-shot, short-barreled 50 mm (2-inch) guns pointing upwards. Five were mounted in the wing roots on each side of the aircraft. The trigger was tied to a photocell in the upper surface of the aircraft, and when the Komet flew under the bomber, the resulting change in brightness caused by the underside of the aircraft could cause the rounds to be fired. As each shell shot upwards, the disposable gun barrel that fired it was ejected downwards, thus making the weapon recoilless. It appears that this weapon was used in combat only once, resulting in the destruction of a Halifax bomber, though other sources say it was a Boeing B-17.

Capt. Eric Brown RN, Chief Naval Test Pilot and commanding officer of the Captured Enemy Aircraft Flight, said, "The Me 163 was an aeroplane that you could not afford to just step into the aircraft and say 'You know, I’m going to fly it to the limit.' You had very much to familiarise with yourself with it because it was state-of-the-art and the technology used."


General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 5.70 m (18 ft 8 in)
• Wingspan: 9.33 m (30 ft 7 in)
• Height: 2.75 m (9 ft 0 in)
• Wing area: 18.5 m² (200 ft²)
• Empty weight: 1,905 kg (4,200 lb)
• Loaded weight: 3,950 kg (8,710 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 4,310 kg (9,500 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Walter HWK 109-509A-2 liquid-fuel rocket, 17 kN (3,800 lbf)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 1,060 km/h (596 mph)
• Range: 40 km (25 mi)
• Service ceiling: 12,100 m (39,700 ft)
• Rate of climb: 160 m/s (31500 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 213 kg/m² (43 lb/ft²)
• Thrust/weight: 0.42

Armament

• 2 × 30 mm (1.18 in) Rheinmetall Borsig MK 108 cannons

** Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet - Warbird Fare

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Dornier Do 335 Pfeil

The Dornier Do 335 Pfeil (Arrow) was a World War II heavy fighter built by the Dornier company. The Pfeil's performance was much better than other twin-engine designs due to its unique "push-pull" layout and the much lower drag of the in-line alignment of the two motors. The Luftwaffe was desperate to get the design into operational use, but delays in engine deliveries meant only a handful were delivered before the war ended.

There are many advantages to this design over the more traditional system of placing one engine on each wing, the most important being power from two engines with the frontal area (and thus drag) of a single-engine design, allowing for higher performance. It also keeps the weight of the twin powerplants near, or on, the aircraft centerline, increasing the roll rate compared to a traditional twin. In addition, a single engine failure does not lead to asymmetric thrust, and in normal flight there is no net torque so the plane is easy to handle. The choice of a full "four-surface" set of cruciform tail surfaces in the Do 335's design, allowed the ventral vertical fin–rudder assembly to project downwards from the extreme rear of the fuselage, in order to protect the rear propeller from an accidental ground strike on takeoff.




First flew on 26 October 1943 under the control of Flugkapitän Hans Dieterle, a regular and primary Heinkel test pilot, were surprised at the speed, acceleration, turning circle, and general handling of the type; it was a twin that flew like a single.

French ace Pierre Clostermann claimed the first Allied combat encounter with a Pfeil in April 1945. He describes leading a flight of four Hawker Tempests from No. 3 Squadron RAF over northern Germany, when he intercepted a lone Do 335 flying at maximum speed at treetop level. Detecting the British aircraft, the German pilot reversed course to evade. Despite the Tempest's considerable low altitude speed, the RAF fighters were not able to catch up or even get into firing position.



At least 16 prototype Do 335s were known to have flown on a number of DB603 engines. The first preproduction Do 335, were delivered in July 1944. Approximately 22 preproduction aircraft were thought to have been completed and flown before the end of the war, including approximately 11 A-0s converted to A-11s for training purposes.


General characteristics

• Crew: 1, pilot
• Length: 45 ft 5 in (13.85 m)
• Wingspan: 45 ft 1 in (13.8 m)
• Height: 15 ft (4.55 m)
• Wing area: 592 ft² (55 m²)
• Empty weight: 11,484 lb (5,210 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 19,500 lb (8,590 kg)
• Powerplant: 2× Daimler-Benz DB 603A 12-cylinder inverted engines, 1,287 kW, 1,726 hp (1,750 PS) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 474 mph (765 km/h)
• Combat radius: 721 mi (1,160 km (half load))
• Service ceiling: 37,400 ft (11,400 m)

Armament

• 1 × 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 103 cannon
• 2 × 20 mm MG 151 cannons
• 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) bombload

** Dornier Do 335 Pfeil - Warbird Fare

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Heinkel He 162 Volksjäger

The Heinkel He 162 Volksjäger (People's Fighter) was a German single-engine, jet-powered fighter aircraft fielded by the Luftwaffe in World War II. Designed and built quickly, and made primarily of wood as metals were in very short supply and prioritised for other aircraft, the He 162 was nevertheless the fastest of the first generation of Axis and Allied jets. Volksjäger was the Reich Air Ministry's official name for the He 162. Other names given to the plane include Salamander, which was the codename of its construction program, and Spatz (Sparrow), which was the name given to the plane by Heinkel.

Heinkel had designed a little aircraft, with a sleek, streamlined fuselage. The BMW 003 axial-flow turbojet was mounted in a pod nacelle uniquely situated atop the fuselage directly aft of the cockpit. Twin vertical tailfins were mounted at the ends of highly dihedralled horizontal tailplanes to clear the jet exhaust, a high-mounted straight wing with a forward-swept trailing edge and shallow dihedral, an ejection seat was provided for the pilot, and tricycle landing gear that retracted into the fuselage. The prototype flew within an astoundingly short period of time: the design was chosen on 25 September and first flew on 6 December, less than 90 days later. This was despite the fact that the factory in Wuppertal making Tego film plywood glue used in a substantial number of late-war German aviation designs that were meant to be constructed from wood had been bombed by the Royal Air Force and a replacement had to be quickly substituted.




The first flight of the He 162 V1, by Flugkapitän Gotthard Peter, was fairly successful, but during a high-speed run at 840 km/h (520 mph), the highly acidic replacement glue holding the nose gear cover on failed and the pilot was forced to land. Other problems were noted as well, notably a pitch instability and problems with slideslip due to the rudder design. Neither was considered important enough to hold up the production schedule for even a day. On a second flight on 10 December, again with Peter at the controls, in front of various Nazi officials, the glue again caused a structural failure. This allowed the aileron to separate from the wing, causing the plane to roll over and crash,

The He 162 was originally built with the intention of being flown by the Hitler Youth, as the Luftwaffe was fast running out of pilots. However, the aircraft was far too complicated for any but a highly experienced pilot. An unpowered two-seat glider version, designated the He 162S (Schulen), was developed for training purposes. Only a small number were built, and even fewer delivered to the sole He 162 Hitler Youth training unit to be activated (in March 1945) at an airbase at Sagan. The unit was in the process of formation when the war ended, did not begin any training, and it is doubtful that more than one or two He 162S gliders ever took to the air.


General characteristics

• Crew: 1, pilot
• Length: 9.05 m (29 ft 8 in)
• Wingspan: 7.2 m (23 ft 7 in)
• Height: 2.6 m (8 ft 6 in)
• Wing area: 14.5 m² (156 ft²)
• Empty weight: 1,660 kg (3,660 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 2,800 kg (6,180 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × BMW 003E-1 axial flow turbojet, 7.85 kN (1,760 lbf)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 905 km/h at 6000 m. (562 mph)
• Range: 975 km (606 mi)
• Service ceiling: 12,000 m (39,400 ft)
• Rate of climb: 1,405 m/min (4,615 ft/min)

Armament

• 2 × 20 mm MG 151 cannons with 120 rpg (He 162 A-2) or
• 2 × 30 mm MK 108 cannons with 50 rpg (He 162 A-0, A-1)

** Heinkel He 162 Volksjäger - Warbird Fare

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Heinkel He 280

The Heinkel He 280 was the first turbojet-powered fighter aircraft in the world. It was inspired by Ernst Heinkel's emphasis on research into high-speed flight and built on the company's experience with the He 178 jet prototype. A combination of technical and political factors led to it being passed over in favor of the Messerschmitt Me 262. Only nine were built and none reached operational status.

The Heinkel company began the He 280 project on its own initiative after the He 178 had been met with indifference from the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (Reich Aviation Ministry). The head designer was Robert Lusser, who began the project under the designation He 180 in late 1939. It had a typical Heinkel fighter fuselage, elliptically-shaped wings and a dihedralled tailplane with twin fins and rudders. The landing gear was of the retractable tricycle type with very little ground clearance. Internally, the He 280 was equipped with a compressed-air powered ejection seat, the first aircraft to carry one.




A contest flight in 1941 comparing an He 280 with a Focke-Wulf Fw 190 had the He 280 completing four laps of an oval course before the Fw 190 could complete three. Ernst Heinkel designed a smaller jet fighter airframe for the He 280 that was well matched to the lower-thrust jet engines available in 1941. The maximum weight of the He 280 was 4,296 kg (9,470 lb), compared to 7,130 kg (15,720 lb) for the Me 262. The He 280 could have gone into production by late 1941 and maintained the air superiority which the Fw 190 had established, and filled the gap between the Fw 190 and Me 262. Initial problems with the HeS 8 engine would have likely been ironed out as production of the fighter began.

On 22 December 1942, a mock dogfight was staged for RLM officials in which the He 280 was matched against an Fw 190. Here, the jet demonstrated its vastly superior speed. Finally, at this point the RLM became interested and placed an order for 20 pre-production test aircraft, to be followed by 300 production machines, however engine problems continued to plague the project.

On 27 March 1943, Erhard Milch cancelled the project. The Jumo 004-powered Me 262 appeared to have most of the qualities of the He 280, but was better matched to its engine. Heinkel was ordered to abandon the He 280 and focus attention on bomber development and construction, something he remained bitter about until his death.


General characteristics

• Crew: 1, pilot
• Length: 10.40 m (34 ft 1 in)
• Wingspan: 12.20 m (40 ft)
• Height: 3.06 m (10 ft)
• Wing area: 21.5 m² (233 ft²)
• Empty weight: 3,215 kg (7,073 lb)
• Loaded weight: 4,280 kg (9,416 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 4,300 kg (9,470 lb)
• Powerplant: 2 × Heinkel HeS.8 turbojet, 5.9 kN (1,320 lbf) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 820 km/h (512 mph)
• Range: 370 km (230 mi)
• Service ceiling: 10,000 m (32,000 ft)
• Rate of climb: 1,145 m/min (3,756 ft/min)

Armament

• 3 × 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons

** Heinkel He 280 - Warbird Fare

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Fiat G.55 Centauro

The Fiat G.55 Centauro (Centaur) was a single-engine single-seat World War II fighter aircraft used by the Regia Aeronautica and the A.N.R. (Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana) in 1943-1945. It was designed and built in Turin by Fiat. The Fiat G.55 was, probably the best type produced in Italy during World War II, but it did not enter production until 1943. During its short operational service, mostly under the Repubblica Sociale Italiana insignia, after the 8 September 1943, this powerful, robust and fast aircraft proved itself to be an excellent interceptor at high altitude. In 1944, over Northern Italy, the Centauro clashed with British Supermarine Spitfire, P-51 Mustang, P-47 Thunderbolt and P-38 Lightning. Italian fighter pilots liked their Centauro but by the time the war ended, only less than 300 had been built.

The first G.55 prototype flew on 30 April 1942, piloted by commander Valentino Cus, immediately showing its good performance and flight characteristics. It was armed with one 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon, installed in the hub with 200 rounds, and four 12.7 mm (.5 in) Breda-SAFAT machine guns, two in the upper engine cowling and two in the lower part, with 300 rpg, in "Sottoserie O" airframes. This layout soon proved to be troublesome, both for rearming and for the servicing of the lower cowling mounted machine guns: for this reason, the two lower machine guns were removed, and replaced with a 20 mm MG 151/20 in each wing, in the later production series, the Serie 1.




The first Centauro to see operational use was the third prototype. On 21 March 1943, the aircraft was assigned to 20° Gruppo (squadron), 51° Stormo (wing) CT, based on Roma-Ciampino, for operational evaluation. In May, the G.55 followed the unit to Capoterra, near Cagliari having its baptism of fire on 5 June 1943, against Allied aircraft attacking Sardinia. The two first pre-production series flew, respectively, on 10 April and in May 1943. In early June they were assigned to 353a Squadriglia (flight - very similar in composition to the Luftwaffe Staffel) CT based in Foligno, Umbria, were, until August, were transferred nine more aircraft.


General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 9.37 m (30 ft 9 in)
• Wingspan: 11.85 m (38 ft 10 in)
• Height: 3.13 m (10 ft 3¼ in)
• Wing area: 21.11 m² (227.23 ft²)
• Empty weight: 2,630 kg (5,798 lb)
• Loaded weight: 3,520 kg (7,760 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 3,718 kg (8,197 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× Fiat R.A 1050 Tifone (Daimler-Benz DB 605A-1) liquid-cooled inverted V-12, 1,085 kW (1,475 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 623 km/h (337 kn, 387 mph) at 7,000 m (22,970 ft)
• Range: 1,200 km, or 1,650 km with two 100 l (26 US Gal) drop tanks under wings
• Service ceiling: 12,750 m (41,830 ft)
• Rate of climb: 5 min 50 sec at 6,000 m
• Wing loading: 154.0 kg/m² (34.15 lb/ft²)
• Power/mass: 0.308 kW/kg (0.190 hp/lb)
• Climb to 7,000 m (22,970 ft): 8.57 min

Armament

• 3 × 20 mm MG 151/20s, one engine-mounted
• 2 × 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns
• 2 × 160 kg (353 lb) bombs

** Fiat G.55 Centauro - Warbird Fare

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Reggiane Re.2005 Sagittario

The Reggiane Re.2005 Sagittario (Archer) was an Italian monoplane fighter / fighter-bomber produced for the Regia Aeronautica during the later years of World War II. Considered by many to be "the most beautiful plane of the Second World War", Along with the Macchi C.202/C.205 and Fiat G.55, the Reggiane Re.2005 was one of the three Serie 5 Italian fighters. The well balanced lines of the fuselage were aerodynamically perfect, and everything was designed to get the most out of the famous Daimler-Benz DB 605 engine. The only difficulty was a certain structural weakness in the rear section of the fuselage. Only 48 examples had been delivered, before Armistice, these fighter fighting in the defence of Naples, Rome and Sicily, the survivors battling above the crumbling ruins of Berlin, with German insignia. Well-respected ace and military observer.

The Reggiane 2005 was the last of the Reggiane aircraft line to be built in World War II. The project which started in 1941 was carried out by a team led by Roberto Longhi, and included designers Alessio, Maraschini, Toniolo and Pozzi. Preliminary work was completed before the end of the year despite being a new project, and not simply a revamping of an existing aircraft design such as the Reggiane Re.2002. The DB 605 engine still had to be delivered when the airframe was ready in February 1942. The resulting machine was not only rated as one of the best Axis wartime aircraft, but also one of the best if not "the" best-looking. Its semi-elliptical wings, long nose and large tail were all distinctive features of this small, nimble fighter.




The prototype MM.494 first flew 9 May 1942, but the day after, a heavy landing led to an undercarriage failure which caused serious damage, and consequently was unable to fly again until June.


The first pilot to use the Re. 2005 for operational duty was Maggiore Vittorio Minguzzi, commander of 22o Gruppo. The unit was based at Napoli-Capodichino airfield for the defense of the city. Minguzzi received the prototype of the Re.2005 after it had flight test evaluations in Guidonia—and made the first flight with this aircraft on 7 March 1943. He and the most able pilots in the Gruppo flew this prototype until 23 March and they all had a very favourable and enthusiastic impression of this aircraft. He then took it to Napoli-Capodichino where it was incorporated into 362a Squadriglia. This unit – commanded by Capitano Germano La Ferla – was the first to be equipped with the Re.2005. Minguzzi scrambled for the first time in the “Sagittario” on 24 March, when Naples was attacked and on 2 April he claimed a four-engined B-24 Liberator bomber over the Isle of Ischia. This claim is not verified against corresponding USAAF losses. Italian "ace" Vittorio Minguzzi was impressed by this aircraft following its tests and combat debut on 2 April 1943.


General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 873 cm (28 ft 7.7 in)
• Wingspan: 1,100 cm (36 ft 1.1 in)
• Height: 315 cm (10 ft 4.0 in)
• Wing area: 20.4 m2 (219.6 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 2,600 kg (5,730 lb)
• Loaded weight: 3,610 kg (7,960 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× Fiat R.A. 1050 RC 58 Tifone, 1,475 PS (1,085 kW; 1,455 hp)

Performance

• Never exceed speed: 980 km/h (609 mph)
• Maximum speed: 628 km/h (390 mph) at 6,600 ft, 678 km/h (421 mph) at 23,000 ft
• Cruise speed: 515 km/h (320 mph)
• Stall speed: 155 km/h (96 mph)
• Range: 980 km (610 mi) on internal fuel (1,130 km (700 mi) w/ 300 L drop tank; 1,270 km (790 mi) w/ 300 L + 2 × 150 L drop tanks)
• Service ceiling: 11,500 m (37,700 ft)
• Rate of climb: 20 m/s (3,900 ft/min) (6,000 m in 6.5 min)
• Wing loading: max. 177 kg/m² (36.25 lb/sq ft)

Armament

• 2 × 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns in upper cowling (350rpm)
• 1 × 20 mm MG 151 cannon firing through propeller hub (150rpm)
• 2 × 20 mm MG 151 cannon in wings (200rpm)
• 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) bomb or 1 × 300 L (79.3 US gal) drop tank
• 160 kilograms (350 lb) bombs or 2 × 150 litres (39.6 US gal) drop tanks

** Reggiane Re.2005 Sagittario - Warbird Fare

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Mitsubishi J2M Jack

The Mitsubishi J2M Raiden was a single-engined land-based fighter aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service in World War II. The Allied reporting name was "Jack".

The first few produced J2M2 were delivered to the development units in December 1942 but severe problems were encountered with the engines. Trials and improvements took almost a year and the first batch of the serial built J2M2 Model 11 was delivered to 381st Kokutai in December 1943. Parallel with the J2M2, production of the J2M3 Raiden Model 21 started. The first J2M3 appeared in October 1943 but deliveries to combat units started at the beginning of February 1944.




Primarily designed to defend against the B-29 Superfortress, the lack of a supercharger handicapped the aircraft at high altitude. However, its four-cannon armament supplied effective firepower and the use of dive and zoom tactics allowed it to score occasionally. Insufficient numbers and the American switch to night bombing in March 1945 limited its effectiveness. Even in the most expert hands it was vulnerable to the P-51D Mustang, primarily at high altitude. A total of 621 aircraft were built




The Raiden made its combat debut in June 1944 during the Battle of the Philippine Sea. Several J2Ms operated from Guam and Saipan and a small number of aircraft were deployed to the Philippines. Later, some J2Ms were based in Chosen airfields, Genzan, Ranan, Funei, Rashin and Konan under Genzan Ku, for defending these areas and fighting against Soviet Naval Aviation units.

General characteristics

• Crew: one, pilot
• Length: 9.70 m (32 ft 8 in)
• Wingspan: 10.80 m (35 ft 5 in)
• Height: 3.81 m (13 ft 0 in)
• Wing area: 20 m² (216 ft²)
• Empty weight: 2,839 kg (6,259 lb)
• Loaded weight: 3,482 kg (7,676 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× One 1,820 hp Mitsubishi MK4R-A Kasei 23a 14-cylinder two-row radial engine, 1,358 kW (1,820 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 612 km/h (332 kn, 382 mph)
• Range: 560 km (302 nmi, 348 mi)
• Service ceiling: 11,250 m (36,910 ft)
• Rate of climb: 1,170 m/min (3,838 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 174 kg/m² (35 lb/ft²)
• Power/mass: 0.39 kW/kg (0.24 hp/lb)

Armament

• 4 × 20 mm Type 99-2 cannons in the wings, two in each wing, inboard guns having 190 rpg, outboard guns 210 rpg.
• 2 × 60 kg (132 lb) bombs or 2 × 200 L (53 US gal) drop tanks.

** Mitsubishi J2M Raiden - Warbird Fare

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De Havilland Vampire

The de Havilland DH.100 Vampire was a British jet-engine fighter commissioned by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Following the Gloster Meteor, it was the second jet fighter to enter service with the RAF. Although it arrived too late to see combat during the war, the Vampire served with front line RAF squadrons until 1955 and continued in use as a trainer until 1966. The Vampire also served with many air forces worldwide, setting aviation firsts and records.




Originally named the "Spider Crab," the aircraft was entirely a de Havilland project, exploiting the company's extensive experience in building with moulded plywood for aircraft construction. Many of the basic design features were first used in their Mosquito bomber. It had conventional straight mid-wings and a single jet engine placed in an egg-shaped, aluminium-skinned fuselage, exhausting in a straight line.




Geoffrey de Havilland Jr, the de Havilland chief test pilot and son of the company's founder, test flew prototype LZ548/G on its maiden flight 20 September 1943 from Hatfield. The flight took place only six months after the Meteor's maiden flight. Although eagerly taken into service by the RAF, it was still being developed at war's end, and never saw combat in the Second World War.

Almost 3,300 Vampires were built, a quarter of them under licence in other countries. The Vampire design was also developed into the de Havilland Venom fighter-bomber as well as naval Sea Vampire variants.


General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 30 ft 9 in (9.37 m)
• Wingspan: 38 ft (11.58 m)
• Height: 8 ft 10 in (2.69 m)
• Wing area: 262 ft² (24.34 m²)
• Empty weight: 7,283 lb (3,304 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 12,390 lb (5,620 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × de Havilland Goblin 3 centrifugal turbojet, 3,350 lbf (14.90 kN)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 548 mph (882 km/h)
• Range: 1,220 mi (1,960 km)
• Service ceiling: 42,800 ft (13,045 m)
• Rate of climb: 4,800 ft/min (24.4 m/s)

Armament

• 4 × 20 mm (0.79 in) Hispano Mk.V cannons
• 8 × 3-inch "60 lb" rockets
• 2 × 500 lb (225 kg) bombs

** De Havilland Vampire - Warbird Fare

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Mitsubishi A5M Claude

The Mitsubishi A5M was Japanese Navy designation "Type 96 carrier-based fighter" was a Japanese carrier-based fighter aircraft and namely "Claude" by allied. It was the world's first monoplane shipboard fighter and the direct ancestor of the famous Mitsubishi A6M 'Zero'.




The aircraft entered service in early 1937, soon seeing action in pitched aerial battles at the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War, including air-to-air battles with the Chinese Air Force's Boeing P-26C "Peashooters" in what was the world's first-ever aerial dogfighting and kills between monoplane fighters built of mostly metal. Even though only armed with a pair of 7.7 mm machine-guns, the new Mitsubishi fighter proved effective and damage tolerant, with excellent maneuverability and a very robust construction. The most dangerous foe was the Polikarpov I-16, fast and well armed, often manned by Soviet aircrews. A5M's escorted the then-modern but vulnerable Mitsubishi G3M bombers in their raids, almost ending opposition by Nationalist air force.




Some A5Ms were still in service at the beginning of World War II in the Pacific. United States intelligence sources believed the A5M was still the primary Navy fighter, but they had already been replaced by the A6M 'Zero' on first-line aircraft carriers and with the Tainan Air Group. Other Japanese carriers and air groups continued to use the A5M until production of the 'Zero' caught up with demand. The last combat actions with the A5M as a fighter took place at the Battle of the Coral Sea on 7 May 1942, when two A5Ms and four A6Ms of the Japanese carrier Shoho fought against the US planes that sank their carrier.


General characteristics

• Crew: One
• Length: 7.55 m (24 ft 9¼ in)
• Wingspan: 11.0 m (36 ft 1 in)
• Height: 3.20 m (10 ft 6 in)
• Wing area: 17.8 m² (191.6 ft²)
• Empty weight: 1,216 kg (2,681 lb)
• Loaded weight: 1,705 kg (3,759 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 1,822 kg[19] (4,017 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× Nakajima Kotobuki 41 9-cylinder radial engine, 585 kW (785 hp) at 3,000 m (9,840 ft)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 440 km/h (237 knots, 273 mph) at 3,000 m (9,840 ft)
• Range: 1,200 km (649 NM, 746 mi)
• Service ceiling: 9,800 m (32,150 ft)
• Rate of climb: m/s (ft/min)
• Wing loading: 95.87 kg/m² (19.6 lb/ft²)
• Power/mass: 0.34 kW/kg (0.21 hp/lb)

Armament

• Guns: 2× 7.7 mm Type 97 fuselage-mounted machine guns

** Mitsubishi A5M Claude - Warbird Fare

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Gloster Meteor

The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. Designed by George Carter, it first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force (RAF). The Gloster Meteor was not an aerodynamically advanced aircraft but the Gloster design team succeeded in producing an effective jet fighter that served the RAF and other air forces for decades.




The first British jet-powered aircraft, the single-engined Gloster E28/39 prototype, had its maiden flight on 15 May 1941. After several improvement on prototypes ,the first 20 aircraft were delivered to the Royal Air Force on 1 June 1944, one was also sent to the U.S. in exchange for a Bell YP-59A Airacomet for comparative evaluation. No. 616 Squadron RAF was the first to receive operational Meteors.




The Meteor was initially used to counter the V-1 flying bomb threat. 616 Squadron Meteors saw action for the first time on 27 July 1944, when three aircraft were active over Kent. These were the Meteor's (and the Royal Air Force's) first operational jet combat missions. After some problems, especially with jamming guns, the first two V1 "kills" were made on 4 August. By war's end, Meteors accounted for 14 flying bombs.

Production of the Meteor continued until 1954 with almost 3,900 made, mainly the F.8 variant. As the Meteor was progressively relegated to secondary duties in later years, target tug, drone and specialized test vehicles were added to the diverse roles that this first-generation jet fighter took on.


General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 44 ft 7 in (13.59 m)
• Wingspan: 37 ft 2 in (11.32 m)
• Height: 13 ft 0 in (3.96 m)
• Wing area: 350 ft² (32.52 m²)
• Empty weight: 10,684 lb (4,846 kg)
• Loaded weight: 15,700 lb (7,121 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × Rolls-Royce Derwent 8 turbojets, 3,500 lbf (15.6 kN) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 600 mph (522 knots, 965 km/h, Mach 0.82) at 10,000 ft (3,050 m)
• Range: 600 mi (522 nmi, 965 km)
• Service ceiling: 43,000 ft (13,100 m)
• Rate of climb: 7,000 ft/min (35.6 m/s)
• Wing loading: 44.9 lb/ft² (149 kg/m²)
• Thrust/weight: 0.45
• Time to altitude: 5.0 min to 30,000 ft (9,145 m)

Armament

• 4 × 20 mm British Hispano cannons
• Provision for up to sixteen "60lb" 3 in rockets under outer wings

** Gloster Meteor - Warbird Fare

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Fairey Firefly

The Fairey Firefly was a British Second World War-era carrier-borne fighter aircraft and anti-submarine aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm (FAA). It was superior in performance and firepower to its predecessor, the Fulmar, but only entered operational service towards the end of the war. Designed around the contemporary FAA concept of a two-seat fleet reconnaissance/fighter, the pilot and navigator/weapons officer were housed in separate stations. The design proved to be sturdy, long-ranging and docile in carrier operations, although the limitations of a single powerplant in a heavy airframe reduced overall performance.




The Fairey Firefly served in the Second World War as a fleet fighter but in postwar service, although it was superseded by more modern jet aircraft, the Firefly was adapted to other roles, including strike operations and anti-submarine warfare, remaining a mainstay of the FAA until the mid-1950s.

The Firefly was designed by H.E. Chaplin at Fairey Aviation; in June 1940, the Admiralty ordered 200 aircraft "off the drawing board" with the first three to be the prototypes. The prototype of the Firefly flew on 22 December 1941.

The primary variant of the aircraft used during the Second World War was the Mk I, which was used in all theatres of operation. In March 1943, the first Firefly Mk Is were delivered but they did not enter operational service until July 1944 when they equipped 1770 Naval Air Squadron aboard HMS Indefatigable. The first operations were in Europe where Fireflies carried out armed reconnaissance flights and anti-shipping strikes along the Norwegian coast. Fireflies also provided air cover during strikes on the German battleship Tirpitz in 1944.




Throughout its operational career, the Firefly took on increasingly more demanding roles from fighter to anti-submarine warfare stationed mainly with the British Pacific Fleet in the Far East and Pacific theatres. Fireflies carried out attacks on oil refineries and airfields and gained renown when they became the first British-designed and -built aircraft to overfly Tokyo.


General characteristics

• Crew: Two (pilot & observer)
• Length: 37 ft 7¼ in (11.46 m)
• Wingspan: 44 ft 6 in (13.57 m)
• Height: 13 ft 7 in (4.14 m)
• Wing area: 328 ft² (30.5 m²)
• Empty weight: 9,750 lb (4,432 kg)
• Loaded weight: 14,020 lb (6,373 kg)
• Powerplant: 1× Rolls-Royce Griffon IIB liquid-cooled V12 engine, 1,730 hp (1,290 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 316 mph (275 kn, 509 km/h) at 14,000 ft (4,300 m)
• Range: 1,300 mi (1,130 nmi, 2,090 km)
• Service ceiling: 28,000 ft (8,530 m)
• Climb to 10,000 ft (3,050 m): 5 min 45 sec

Armament

• 4 × 20 mm Hispano-Suiza HS.404 cannons
• 8 × RP-3 "60 lb" rockets
• 2 × 1,000 lb (454 kg) bomb

** Fairey Firefly - Warbird Fare

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Focke-Wulf Ta 152

The Focke-Wulf Ta 152 was a World War II German high-altitude fighter-interceptor. The Ta 152 was a development of the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 aircraft, but the prefix was changed from "Fw" to "Ta" to recognize the contributions of Kurt Tank who headed the design team. The number 152 was chosen in the German air ministry's list of numbers allocated to German aircraft companies, and was not related to the designer's previous projects or achievements. It was intended to be made in at least three versions—the Ta 152H Höhenjäger ("high-altitude fighter"), the Ta 152C designed for slightly lower-altitude operations and ground-attack using a different engine and smaller wing, and the Ta 152E fighter-reconnaissance aircraft with the engine of the H model and the wing of the C model.

The first Ta 152H entered service with the Luftwaffe in January 1945. Due to the difficulties German interceptors were having when battling American B-17s, and in light of rumors of new B-29 bombers with better capabilities, the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (German Air Ministry, or "RLM") requested proposals from both Focke-Wulf and Messerschmitt for a high-altitude interceptor. Messerschmitt answered with the Bf 109H, and Focke-Wulf with the Fw 190 Raffat-1, or Ra-1, (fighter), Ra-2 (high-altitude fighter) and Ra-3 (ground-attack aircraft), which developed into the Fw 190 V20 (Ta 152A), V30 (Ta 152H) and V21 (Ta 152B) prototypes, all based on the then successful Fw 190 D-9 but with varying degrees of improvement. The V20 used the same Jumo 213E engine as the Fw 190 D-9, while the V21 used the DB 603E. Neither of these offered any significant improvement over the Fw 190 D-9, and so further development of the Ta 152A and B was cancelled. The V21 airframe, however, was further modified as the V21/U1 and became the prototype for the Ta 152C.

To reach higher altitudes, a pressurized cockpit was added to the H models. The canopy was sealed via a circular tube filled with rubber foam which was inflated by a compressed air bottle, while the engine compartment was also sealed from the cockpit with a rubber foam ring. The Ta 152H boasted excellent high-altitude performance, using a Jumo 213E engine (a high-altitude version of the Jumo 213A/C used in the Fw 190D), a two-stage, three-speed supercharger and the MW 50 methanol-water mixture engine boost system. The total Ta 152 production is not well known but 43 are identified, (H-0 and H-1) with c.6 prototypes.


General characteristics

• Crew: One
• Length: 10.82 m (33 ft 11 in)
• Wingspan: 14.44 m (48 ft 6 in)
• Height: 3,36 m (13 ft 1in)
• Wing area: 23.5 m² (253 ft²)
• Empty weight: 4,031 kg (8,640 lb)
• Loaded weight: 4,625 kg (10,470 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 5,217 kg (11,501 lbs)
• Powerplant: 1× Jumo 213E liquid-cooled inverted V-12, 1,287 kW (1,750 hp, 2,050 hp with MW-50)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 759 km/h at 12,500 m using GM-1 boost
• Range: 2,000 km (1,240 mi)
• Service ceiling: 14,800 m using GM-1 boost
• Rate of climb: 19.2 m/s using MW-50 (3,445 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 202 kg/m² (41.4 lb/ft²)
• Power/mass: 0.276 kW/kg (0.167 hp/lb)

Armament

• 1 × 30 mm MK 108 cannon
• 2 × 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons

** Focke-Wulf Ta 152 - Warbird Fare

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Messerschmitt Me 110

The Messerschmitt Bf 110, often called Me 110, was a twin-engine heavy fighter (Zerstörer - German for "Destroyer") in the service of the Luftwaffe during World War II. Hermann Göring was a proponent of the Bf 110, and nicknamed it his Eisenseiten ("Ironsides"). Development work on an improved type to replace the Bf 110, the Messerschmitt Me 210 began before the war started, but its teething troubles resulted in the Bf 110 soldiering on until the end of the war in various roles, alongside its replacements, the Me 210 and the Me 410.

The Bf 110 served with success in the early campaigns, the Polish, Norwegian and Battle of France. The Bf 110's lack of agility in the air was its primary weakness. This flaw was exposed during the Battle of Britain, when some Bf 110-equipped units were withdrawn from the battle after very heavy losses and redeployed as night fighters, a role to which the aircraft was well suited. The Bf 110 enjoyed a successful period following the Battle of Britain as an air superiority fighter and strike aircraft in other theatres. During the Balkans Campaign, North African Campaign and on the Eastern Front, it rendered valuable ground support to the German Army as a potent fighter-bomber (Jagdbomber-Jabo).




Later in the war, it was developed into a formidable night fighter, becoming the major night-fighting aircraft of the Luftwaffe. Most of the German night fighter aces flew the Bf 110 at some point during their combat careers, and the top night fighter ace of all time, Major Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, flew it exclusively and claimed 121 victories in 164 combat missions.


General characteristics

• Crew: 2 (3 for night fighter variants)
• Length: 12.3 m (40 ft 6 in)
• Wingspan: 16.3 m (53 ft 4 in)
• Height: 3.3 m (10 ft 9 in)
• Wing area: 38.8 m² (414 ft²)
• Empty weight: 4,500 kg (9,921 lb)
• Loaded weight: 6,700 kg (14,771 lb)
• Powerplant: 2× Daimler-Benz DB 601B-1 liquid-cooled inverted V-12, 809 kW (1,085 hp)1,100 PS each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 560 km/h (348 mph)
• Range: 2,410 km (1,500 mi)
• Ferry range: 2,800 km (1,750 mi)
• Service ceiling: 10,500 m (35,000 ft)
• Wing loading: 173 kg/m² (35.7 lb/ft²)
• Power/mass: 0.3644 kW/kg (0.155 hp/lb)

Armament

• 2 × 20 mm MG FF/M cannons (180 rpg - 3 drums with 60 rpg)
• 4 × 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17 machine guns (1,000 rpg)
• 1 × 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 15 machine guns for defense

** Messerschmitt Me 110 - Warbird Fare

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Reggiane Re.2001 Falco

The Reggiane Re.2001 Falco II was an Italian fighter aircraft, serving in the Regia Aeronautica (Italian Air Force) during World War II. A contemporary of the renowned Macchi C.202, the production of this type was to be limited to only 252, but it was a flexible design that proved to be able to undertake a number of roles. Thanks to its manoeuvrability it could dogfight with more powerful opponents like the Supermarine Spitfire. The Re.2001 became the basis of a later, more formidable fighter, the Re.2005.

The Reggiane Re.2001 was a development of the Re.2000 Falco I which had been rejected by the Regia Aeronautica primarily because of its engine. This was the main problem the Falco II set out to fix, now having a 1,175 hp Alfa Romeo inline engine (a licence-built German DB 601) rather than a 986 hp Piaggio P.IX radial engine.




The Re.2001 reached operational status late in 1941 with 2° Gruppo (part of 6° Stormo) that had returned from North Africa without aircraft in September 1941. Its three Squadriglie, 150a, 152a and 358a, were based at Gorizia and then relocated to Rome-Ciampino in December. But due to technical reasons the unit was not fully equipped and trained until February 1942. Finally, on 4 May 1942 it moved to Caltagirone in Sicily, with 18 Reggiane under command of Colonnello Bajlon. In May 1942, Re.2001s began to fly escort missions over Malta, encountering British Spitfire Mk Vs.


General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 8.36 m (27 ft 5 in)
• Wingspan: 11 m (36 ft 1 in)
• Height: 3.15 m (10 ft 4 in)
• Wing area: 20.4 m² (219.58 ft²)
• Empty weight: 2,495 kg (5,500 lb)
• Loaded weight: 3,280 kg (7,231 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× Alfa Romeo RA 1000 RC 41-la Monsone (license-built DB 601A-1), 871 kW (1,175 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 542 km/h (337 mph)
• Range: 1,100 km (684 mi)
• Service ceiling: 11,000 m (36,090 ft)
• Rate of climb: 780 m/min (2,591 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 32.93 lb/ft²

Armament

• Two 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns in upper cowling
• Two 7.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns in wings

** Reggiane Re.2001 Falco - Warbird Fare

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Macchi C.202 Folgore

The Macchi C.202 Folgore (Thunderbolt) was a World War II fighter aircraft built by Macchi Aeronautica and operated by the Regia Aeronautica. Macchi aircraft designed by Mario Castoldi received the "C" letter in their model designation, hence the Folgore is referred to as the MC.202. Considered one of the most beautiful fighters to fly with wartime Axis forces, the C.202 was a development of the earlier C.200 Saetta, with a more powerful German Daimler-Benz DB 601 engine and with an extremely streamlined fuselage. Undoubtedly the best wartime fighter to serve in large numbers with the Regia Aeronautica, the Folgore operated on all fronts.

The Folgore went into service with the Regia Aeronautica in July 1941 and immediately proved to be an effective and deadly dogfighter. The Australian ace Clive Caldwell, who fought a wide variety of German, Italian and Japanese fighters during 1941–45, later stated that the C.202 was "one of the best and most undervalued of fighters". Nonetheless, the C.202 had its defects: like its predecessor, the Macchi C.200, it could fall in dangerous autorotation. It was insufficiently armed, with just two machine guns that easily jammed. The radios were unreliable, forcing the pilots to communicate by waggling wings. The oxygen system was inefficient, causing 50 to 60 per cent of the pilots to break missions off, sometimes even causing fatal accidents.

The Folgore was put into production using imported DB 601Aa engines, while Alfa Romeo set up production of the engine under license as the R.A.1000 R.C.41 Monsone (Monsoon). Due to initial delays in engine production, Macchi resorted to completing some C.202 airframes as C.200s with Fiat radial engines. Nevertheless, by late 1942, Folgores outnumbered all other fighter aircraft in the RA.




The first units selected to be equipped with the C.202 Series I are the 17° and 6° Gruppi, from 1° Stormo, based on airfield of Campoformido, near Udine, and the 9° Gruppo of 4° Stormo, based in Gorizia. Their pilots start to train on the new fighter in May–June 1941, on Lonate Pozzolo (Varese), the airfield of the Macchi. Although deployed in mid-1941, the C.202 did not see action until later that fall, because of the many defects of the first machines.

Allied pilots who flew against the Folgore were impressed with its performance and manoeuvrability. The Macchi C.202 was considered superior to both the Hawker Hurricane and the Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawks it fought against, at first on the Libyan front, and the equal of the Spitfire Mk V. The C.202 was able to out-turn all three although the Spitfire had a superior rate of climb. Although the C.202 could effectively fly against Hurricane, Lockheed P-38 Lightning, Bell P-39 Airacobra, Curtiss P-40 and even the Spitfire at low altitudes, the aircraft's combat effectiveness was somewhat hampered by its weak armament.


General characteristics

• Crew: One
• Length: 8.85 m (29 ft 0.5 in)
• Wingspan: 10.58 m (34 ft 8.5 in)
• Height: 3.49 m (11 ft 5 in)
• Wing area: 16.82 m² (181.04 ft²)
• Empty weight: 2,491 kg (5,492 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 2,930 kg (6,460 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× Daimler-Benz DB 601 (Alfa Romeo R.A.1000 R.C.41I / R.C.44I) liquid-cooled supercharged inverted V-12, 1,175 hp (864 kW) at 2,500 rpm for takeoff

Performance

• Maximum speed: 600 km/h (324 knots, 372 mph) at 5,600 m (18,370 ft)
• Range: 765 km (413 nm, 475 mi)
• Service ceiling: 11,500 m (37,730 ft)
• Rate of climb: 18.1 m/s (3,563 ft/min)
• Wing loading: kg/m² (35.68 lb/ft²)
• Power/mass: W/kg (hp/lb)

Armament

• 2 × 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns in the engine cowling, 360/400 rpg
• 2 × 7.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns in the wings, 500 rpg
• 2 × 50, 100, or 160 kg (110, 220, or 350 lb) bombs
• 2 × 100 L (26.4 US gal; 22.0 imp gal) drop tanks

** Macchi C.202 Folgore - Warbird Fare

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Messerschmitt Me 410

The Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse ("Hornet") was a German heavy fighter and Schnellbomber used by Luftwaffe during World War II developed from the badly flawed Me 210. Essentially a straightforward modification of that type, the Me 210 had garnered such a negative reputation it was renamed the Me 410 to avoid association with its predecessor.

The major change between the Me 210 and 410 was the introduction of the larger and more powerful Daimler-Benz DB 603A engines, which improved power to 1,750 PS (1,730 hp, 1,290 kW) compared to the 1,475 PS DB 605s used on the Me 210C. The engine performance increased the Me 410's maximum speed to 625 km/h (388 mph), greatly improved rate of climb, service ceiling, and most notably the cruise speed, which jumped to 579 km/h (360 mph). It also improved payload capability to the point where the aircraft could lift more war load than could fit into the bomb bay under the nose. To address this, shackles were added under the wings for four 50 kg (110 lb) bombs. The changes added an extra 680 kg (1,500 lb) to the Me 210 design, but the extra engine power more than made up for the difference.

Deliveries began in January 1943, two years later than the original plan had called for, and continued until September 1944, by which point a total of 1,160 of all versions had been produced by Messerschmitt Augsburg and Dornier München. When it arrived, it was liked by its crews, even though its improved performance was not enough to protect it from the swarms of high performance Allied fighters they faced.

The Me 410 was also used as a bomber destroyer against the daylight bomber streams of the USAAF. They were moderately successful against unescorted bombers, with a considerable number of kills against USAAF day bomber formations being achieved. Unfortunately for the Luftwaffe, the Me 410 was no match in a dogfight with the lighter Allied single-engine fighters.


General characteristics

• Crew: 2 (pilot and gunner)
• Length: 12.56 m (41.2 ft)
• Wingspan: 16.34 m (53.6 ft 7 in)
• Height: 3.7 m (12,14 ft)
• Wing area: 36.20 m² (390 ft²)
• Empty weight: 6,627 kg (14,597 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 11,244 kg (24,766 lb)
• Powerplant: 2× Daimler-Benz DB 603A liquid-cooled V12 engine, 1,750 PS each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 624 km/h (388 mph)
• Range: 2,300 km (1,400 mi) combat
• Service ceiling: 10,000 m (32,800 ft)

Armament

• 2 × 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17 machine guns with 1,000 rpg, firing forward
• 2 × 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons with 350 rpg, firing forward
• 2 × 13 mm (.51 in) MG 131 machine guns with 500 rpg
• 1,000 kg (2,204 lb) bombs

** Messerschmitt Me 410 - Warbird Fare

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