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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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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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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Junkers Ju 52

The Junkers Ju 52 was a German transport aircraft manufactured from 1932 to 1945. It saw both civilian and military service during the 1930s and 1940s. In a military role, it flew with the Luftwaffe as a troop and cargo transport and briefly as a medium bomber. The Ju 52 continued in postwar service with military and civilian air fleets well into the 1980s. The Ju 52 was similar to the company's previous Junkers W33, although larger. In 1930, Ernst Zindel and his team designed the Ju 52 at the Junkers works at Dessau. The aircraft's unusual corrugated duralumin metal skin, pioneered by Junkers during World War I, strengthened the whole structure.

The Ju 52 had a low cantilever wing, the mid-section of which was built into the fuselage, forming its underside. It was formed around four pairs of circular cross section duralumin spars with a corrugated surface that provided torsional stiffening. A narrow control surface, with its outer section functioning as the aileron, and the inner section functioning as a flap, ran along the whole trailing edge of each wing panel, well separated from it. The inner flap section lowered the stalling speed and the arrangement became known as the Doppelflügel, or "double wing".

In 1934, Junkers received orders to produce a bomber version of the Ju 52/3m to serve as interim equipment for the bomber units of the still secret Luftwaffe until it could be replaced by the purpose designed Dornier Do 11. Two bomb-bays were fitted, capable of holding up to 1,500 kg (3,300 ) of bombs, while defensive armament consisted of two 7.92mm MG 15 machine guns, one in an open dorsal position, and one in a retractable "dustbin" ventral position, which could be manually winched down from the fuselage to protect the aircraft from attacks from below. The bomber could be easily converted to serve in the transport role. The Dornier Do 11 was a failure, however, and the Junkers ended up being acquired in much larger numbers than at first expected, with the type being the Luftwaffe's main bomber until more modern aircraft such as the Heinkel He 111, Junkers Ju 86 and Dornier Do 17 entered into service.

The Ju 52 first saw military service in the Spanish Civil War against the Spanish Republic. It was one of the first aircraft delivered to the fraction of the army in revolt in July 1936 as both a bomber and transport. In the former role, it participated in the bombing of Guernica. No more of the bomber variant were built after this war, though it was again used as a bomber during the bombing of Warsaw during the Invasion of Poland of September 1939. The Luftwaffe then relied on the Ju 52 for transport roles during World War II, including paratroop drops.


General characteristics

• Crew: 3 (two pilots, radio operator)
• Capacity: 18 troops or 12 litter patients
• Length: 18.90 m (62 ft 0 in)
• Wingspan: 29.25 m (95 ft 10 in)
• Height: 4.5 m (14 ft 10 in)
• Wing area: 110.5 m² (1,190 ft²)
• Empty weight: 6,510 kg (14,325 lb)
• Loaded weight: 9,200 kg (20,270 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 10,990 kg (24,200 lb)
• Powerplant: 3× BMW 132T radial engines, 533 kW (715 hp) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 265 km/h (165 mph) at sea level
• Cruise speed: 211 km/h (132 mph)
• Range: 870 km (540 mi)
• Service ceiling: 5,490 m (18,000 ft)
• Rate of climb: 17 minutes to 3,050 m (10,000 ft)

Armament

• 1 × 13 mm (.51 in) MG 131 machine gun in a dorsal position
• 2 × 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 15 machine guns
• 454 kg (1,000 lb) of bombs

** Junkers Ju 52 - 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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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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Messerschmitt Me 262

The Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe ("Swallow") was the world's first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft. Design work started before World War II began, but engine problems prevented the aircraft from attaining operational status until mid-1944. Compared with Allied fighters of its day, including the jet-powered Gloster Meteor, it was much faster and better armed.

In combat, when properly flown, it proved difficult to counter due to its speed. Me 262 pilots claimed a total of 509 Allied kills (although higher claims are sometimes made) against the loss of about 100 Me 262s. The design was pressed into a variety of roles, including light bomber, reconnaissance and even experimental night fighter versions.

The Me 262 is considered to have been the most advanced German aviation design in operational use during World War II. The Allies countered its potential effectiveness in the air by relentlessly attacking the aircraft on the ground, or while they were taking off or landing. Maintenance during the deteriorating war situation and a lack of fuel also reduced the effectiveness of the aircraft as a fighting force. In the end, the Me 262 had a negligible impact on the course of the war due to its late introduction and the small numbers that were deployed in operational service.


General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 10.60 m (34 ft 9 in)
• Wingspan: 12.60 m (41 ft 6 in)
• Height: 3.50 m (11 ft 6 in)
• Wing area: 21.7 m² (234 ft²)
• Empty weight: 3,795 kg[62] (8,366 lb)
• Loaded weight: 6,473 kg[62] (14,272 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 7,130 kg[62] (15,720 lb)
• Powerplant: 2× Junkers Jumo 004 B-1 turbojets, 8.8 kN (1,980 lbf) each
• Aspect ratio: 7.32

Performance

• Maximum speed: 900 km/h (559 mph)
• Range: 1,050 km (652 mi)
• Service ceiling: 11,450 m (37,565 ft)
• Rate of climb: 1,200 m/min (At max weight of 7,130 kg) (3,900 ft/min)
• Thrust/weight: 0.28

Armament

• 4 × 30 mm MK 108 cannons (A-2a: two cannons)
• 24 × 55 mm (2.2 in) R4M rockets
• 2 × 250 kg (551 lb) bombs or 2 × 500 kg (1,102 lb) bombs

** Messerschmitt Me 262 - Warbird Fare

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Gotha Go 229

The Horten H.IX, RLM designation Ho 229 (often called Gotha Go 229 due to the identity of the chosen manufacturer of the aircraft) was a late-World War II prototype fighter/bomber designed by Reimar and Walter Horten and built by Gothaer Waggonfabrik. It was the first pure flying wing powered by a jet engine and designed to be more difficult to detect with radar - the first aircraft to incorporate what is now known as stealth technology. It was a personal favorite of German Luftwaffe chief Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, and was the only aircraft to come close to meeting his "3x1000" performance requirements, namely to carry 1000kg of bombs a distance of 1000km with a speed of 1000km/h. Its speed was estimated at 1,024 km/h (636 mph) and its ceiling 15,000 meters (49,213 ft).

The first prototype H.IX V1, an unpowered glider, flew on 1 March 1944. Flight results were very favorable, but there was an accident when the pilot attempted to land without first retracting an instrument-carrying pole extending from the aircraft. The H.IX V1 was followed in December 1944 by the Junkers Jumo 004-powered second prototype H.IX V2; the BMW 003 engine was preferred, but unavailable. Göring believed in the design and ordered a production series of 40 aircraft from Gothaer Waggonfabrik with the RLM designation Ho 229, even though it had not yet taken to the air under jet power. The first flight of the H.IX V2 was made in Oranienburg on 2 February 1945. The test pilot was Leutnant Erwin Ziller. Two further test flights were made between 2 and 18 February 1945. Another test pilot used in the evaluation was Heinz Scheidhauer. Reportedly displayed very good handling qualities, with only moderate lateral instability (a typical deficiency of tailless aircraft). There are reports that during one of these test flights, the H.IX V2 undertook a simulated "dog-fight" with a Messerschmitt Me 262, the first operational jet fighter and that the H.IX V2 outperformed the Me 262.

Despite this setback, the project continued with sustained energy. Ho 229 A-0 day fighters, of which 20 machines had been ordered. V3 was powered by two Jumo 004C engines, and could carry two MK 108 30mm cannon in the wing roots. Work had also started on the two-seat Ho 229 V4 and Ho 229 V5 night-fighter prototypes, the Ho 229 V6 armament test prototype, and the Ho 229 V7 two-seat trainer.


General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 7.47 m (24 ft 6 in)
• Wingspan: 16.76 m (55 ft 0 in)
• Height: 2.81 m (9 ft 2 in)
• Wing area: 50.20 m² (540.35 ft²)
• Empty weight: 4,600 kg (10,141 lb)
• Loaded weight: 6,912 kg (15,238 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 8,100 kg (17,857 lb)
• Powerplant: 2× Junkers Jumo 004B turbojet, 8.7 kN (1,956 lbf) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: Mach 0.92, 977 km/h (607 mph) at 12,000 m (39,370 ft)
• Combat radius: 1,000 km (620 mi)
• Ferry range: 1,900 km (1,180 mi)
• Service ceiling: 16,000 m (52,000 ft)
• Rate of climb: 22 m/s (4,330 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 137.7 kg/m² (28.2 lb/ft²)
• Thrust/weight: 0.26

Armament

• 2 × 30 mm MK 108 cannon
• 2 × 500 kg (1,100 lb) bombs
• R4M rockets

** Gotha Go 229 - Warbird Fare

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Dornier Do 217

The Dornier Do 217 was a bomber used by German Luftwaffe during World War II as a more powerful version of the Dornier Do 17, known as the Fliegender Bleistift "flying pencil". Designed in 1937 and 1938 as a heavy bomber, its design was refined during 1939 and production began in late 1940. It entered service in early 1941 and by the beginning of 1942 was available in significant numbers. The Dornier Do 217 had a much larger bomb load capacity and had much greater range than the Do 17. In later variants, dive bombing and maritime strike capabilities using glide bombs were explored in depth with considerable success in the later role.

Early Do 217 variants were more powerful than the Heinkel He 111 and Junkers Ju 88, having a greater speed, range and bomb load. Owing to this it was designated a heavy bomber rather than a medium bomber. The Do 217 served on all fronts in all roles. On the Eastern Front and Western Front it operated as a strategic bomber, torpedo bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. It also performed tactical functions, either direct ground assault or anti-shipping strikes during the Battle of the Atlantic and Battle of Normandy. The Do 217 was also converted to become a night fighter and saw considerable action in the Defense of the Reich campaign until the last day of the war.

The type also served in anti-shipping units in the Mediterranean, attacking Allied Convoys and Sea power during the campaign. It was in the Mediterranean that the Do 217 became the first aircraft in military aviation history to deploy a form of precision-guided munition, in the form of the Fritz-X radio-guided, free-fall bomb in combat which led to the sinking of the Italian battleship Roma in 1943. After the end of the war, at least one Dornier Do 217 continued in active military operational service with the Swiss Air Force until 1946.

General characteristics

• Crew: 4
• Length: 17.00 m (55 ft 9 in)
• Wingspan: 19.00 m (62 ft 4 in)
• Height: 4.96 m (16 ft 3½ in)
• Wing area: 57.00 m² (613.54 ft²)
• Empty weight: 9,100 kg (20,062 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 16,700 kg (36,817 lb)
• Powerplant: 2× DB 603A 12-cylinder inverted-vee engine, 1,750 PS (1,726 hp, 1,287 kW) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 557 km/h at 5,700 m (347 mph at 18,700 ft)
• Cruise speed: 400 km/h (248 mph)
• Range: 2,145 km (1,332 mi)
• Service ceiling: 7,370 m (24,180 ft (with max bombload))
• Rate of climb: 210 m/min (688 ft/min)

Armament

• 4 × 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 81 machine guns in nose and lateral positions
• 2 × 13 mm (.51 in) MG 131 machine guns in dorsal and ventral positions
• 4,000 kilograms (8,800 lb) Max Load internally & externally

** Dornier Do 217 - Warbird Fare

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Junkers Ju 88

The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early operational roles, but became one of the most versatile combat aircraft of the war. Affectionately known as "The Maid of all Work" (a feminine version of "jack of all trades"), the Ju 88 proved to be suited to almost any role. Like a number of other Luftwaffe bombers, it was used successfully as a bomber, dive bomber, night fighter, torpedo bomber, reconnaissance aircraft, heavy fighter, and even as a flying bomb during the closing stages of conflict.

Junkers Ju 88 Airborne

Despite its protracted development, the aircraft became one of the Luftwaffe's most important assets. The assembly line ran constantly from 1936 to 1945, and more than 16,000 Ju 88s were built in dozens of variants, more than any other twin-engine German aircraft of the period. Throughout the production, the basic structure of the aircraft remained unchanged, proof of the outstanding quality of the original design.

Dr. Heinrich Koppenberg (managing director of Jumo) assured Göring in the autumn of 1938 that 300 Ju 88s per month was definitely possible. Göring was in favour of the A-1 variant for mass production.

Production was delayed drastically with developmental problems. Although planned for a service introduction in 1938, the Ju 88 finally entered squadron service (with only 12 aircraft) on the first day of the attack on Poland in 1939. Production was painfully slow with only one Ju 88 manufactured per week, as problems continually kept cropping up. The Ju 88C series of heavy fighter was also designed very early in 1940, but kept secret from Göring, as he only wanted bombers.

General characteristics

• Crew: 4
• Length: 14.36 m (47 ft 2⅞ in)
• Wingspan: 20.08 m (65.88 ft)
• Height: 5.07 m (16.63 ft)
• Wing area: 54.7 m² (587 ft²)
• Loaded weight: 8,550 kg (18,832 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 14,000 kg (30,865 lb)
• Powerplant: 2× Junkers Jumo 211J liquid-cooled inverted V-12, 1,044 kW (1,420 PS, 1,401 hp) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 510 km/h (317 mph) at 5,300 m (17,388 ft)
• Range: 2,430 km (1,429 mi) maximum internal fuel
• Service ceiling: 9,000 m (29,500 ft) at average weight

Armament

• 1 × 7.92 mm MG 81J machine gun on flexible mount in front, firing forward with 1,000 rounds.
• 2 × 7.92 mm MG 81J on flexible mounts with 1,000 rounds
• 1 × 7.92 MG 81Z twin machine guns with 3,000 rounds
• 3,000 kg (6,614 lb) bombs max load internal and external
• 2 × LT aerial torpedoes

** Warbird Fare - Junkers Ju 88

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Dornier Do 17

The Dornier Do 17, sometimes referred to as the "Flying Pencil", was a World War II German light bomber produced by Claudius Dornier's company, Dornier Flugzeugwerke. It was designed as a Schnellbomber ("fast bomber"), a light bomber which, in theory, would be so fast that it could outrun defending fighter aircraft.

Dornier Do 17 Airborne

The Dornier was designed with two engines mounted on a "shoulder wing" structure and possessed a twin tail fin configuration. The type was popular among its crews due to its manoeuvrable handling at low altitude, which made the Dornier capable of surprise bombing attacks. Its sleek and thin airframe made it harder to hit than other German bombers, as it presented less of a target.

Designed in the early 1930s, it was one of the three main Luftwaffe bomber types used in the first three years of the war. The Do 17 made its combat debut in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War, operating in the Legion Condor in various roles. Along with the Heinkel He 111 it was the main bomber type of the German air arm in 1939-40. The Dornier was used throughout the war, and saw action in significant numbers in every major campaign theatre as a front line aircraft until the end of 1941, when its effectiveness and usage was curtailed as its bomb load and range were limited. Production of the Dornier ended in the summer of 1940, in favour of the newer and more powerful Junkers Ju 88. The successor of the Do 17 was the much more powerful Dornier Do 217, which started to appear in strength in 1942. Even so, the Do 17 continued service in the Luftwaffe in various roles until the end of the war, as a glider tug, research and trainer aircraft. A considerable number of surviving examples were sent to other Axis nations. Few Dornier Do 17s survived the war.

General characteristics

• Crew: 4 (pilot, bomb aimer/gunner, two gunners)
• Length: 53 ft 3¾ in. (16.24 m)
• Wingspan: 59 ft 0¾ in. (18 m)
• Height: 14 ft 2 in. (4.56 m)
• Wing area: 592 ft² (54.99 m²)
• Empty weight: 9,920 lb (4,499 kg)
• Loaded weight: 14,991 lb (6,799 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 15,520 lb (7,039 kg)
• Powerplant: 2× BMW VI 7.3 litre 12-cylinder liquid cooled in-line engines, 750 hp (559 kw) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 236 mph (379 km/h) at sea level
• Range: 990 mi (1,593 km) with 1,760 lb bomb load
• Service ceiling: 18,050 ft (5,501 m)
• Maximum diving speed: 342 mph (550 km/h)
• Landing speed: 68 mph (109 km/h)

Armament

• 3 x 7.92 mm MG 15 machine guns
• 2,200 lb (997 kg) of bombs

** Dornier Do 17 - Warbird Fare

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Heinkel He 111

The Heinkel He 111 was a German aircraft designed by Siegfried and Walter Günter in the early 1930s in violation of the Treaty of Versailles. Often described as a "Wolf in sheep's clothing", it masqueraded as a transport aircraft, but its purpose was to provide the Luftwaffe with a fast medium bomber.

Perhaps the best-recognised German bomber due to the distinctive "greenhouse" nose of later versions, the Heinkel was the most numerous and the primary Luftwaffe bomber during the early stages of World War II. It fared well until the Battle of Britain, when its weak defensive armament, relatively low speed, and poor manoeuvrability were exposed. Nevertheless, it proved capable of sustaining heavy damage and remaining airborne. As the war progressed, the He 111 was used in a variety of roles on every front in the European Theatre. It was used as a strategic bomber during the Battle of Britain, a torpedo bomber during the Battle of the Atlantic, and a medium bomber and a transport aircraft on the Western, Eastern, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and North African Fronts.

Although constantly upgraded, the Heinkel He 111 became obsolete during the latter part of the war. It was to have been replaced by the Luftwaffe's Bomber B project, but the delays and eventual cancellation of the project forced the Luftwaffe to continue using the He 111 until the end of the war. Manufacture ceased in 1944, at which point, piston-engine bomber production was largely halted in favour of fighter aircraft. With the German bomber force defunct, the He 111 was used for transport and logistics.

The design of the Heinkel endured after the war in the CASA 2.111. Its airframe was produced in Spain under license by Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA. The design differed significantly in powerplant only. The Heinkel's descendant continued in service until 1973, when it was retired.

General characteristics

• Crew: 4
• Length: 16.4 m (53 ft 9½ in)
• Wingspan: 22.60 m (74 ft 2 in)
• Height: 4.00 m (13 ft 1½ in)
• Wing area: 87.60 m² (942.92 ft²)
• Empty weight: 8,680 kg (19,136lb lb)
• Loaded weight: 12,030 kg (26,500 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 14,000 kg (30,864 lb)
• Powerplant: 2× Jumo 211F-1 or 211F-2 liquid-cooled inverted V-12, 986 kW (1,300 hp) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 440 km/h (273 mph)
• Range: 2,300 km (1,429 mi) with maximum fuel
• Service ceiling: 6,500 m (21,330 ft)
• Rate of climb: 20 minutes to 5,185 m (17,000 ft)
• Wing loading: 137 kg/m² (28.1 lb/ft²)
• Power/mass: .082 kW/kg (.049 hp/lb)

Armament

• 7 × 7.92 mm MG 15 or MG 81 machine guns
• 1 × 20 mm MG FF cannon (central nose mount or forward ventral position)
• 1 × 13 mm MG 131 machine gun (mounted dorsal and/or ventral rear positions)
• 2,000 kg (4,409 lb) carried internally (eight 250 kg max)
• 2,500 kg (5,512 lb) on two external racks

** Heinkel He 111 - Warbird Fare

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Junkers Ju 87 Stuka

The Junkers Ju 87 Stuka (from Sturzkampfflugzeug, "dive bomber") was a two-seat (pilot and rear gunner) German ground-attack aircraft. Designed by Hermann Pohlmann, the Stuka first flew in 1935 and made its combat debut in 1936 as part of the Luftwaffe's Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War.

The aircraft was easily recognizable by its inverted gull wings, fixed spatted undercarriage and its infamous Jericho-Trompete ("Jericho Trumpet") wailing siren, becoming the propaganda symbol of German air power and the "Blitzkrieg" victories of 1939–1942. The Stuka's design included several innovative features, including automatic pull-up dive brakes under both wings to ensure that the aircraft recovered from its attack dive even if the pilot blacked out from the high acceleration. Although sturdy, accurate, and very effective, the Ju 87 was vulnerable to modern fighter aircraft, like many other dive bombers of the war. Its flaws became apparent during the Battle of Britain; poor manoeuvrability, lack of speed and defensive armament meant that the Stuka required heavy fighter escort to operate effectively.

The Stuka operated with further success after the Battle of Britain, and its potency as a precision ground-attack aircraft became valuable to German forces in the Balkans Campaign, the African and Mediterranean Theaters and the early stages of the Eastern Front campaigns where Allied fighter resistance was disorganised and in short supply. Once the Luftwaffe had lost air superiority on all fronts, the Ju 87 once again became an easy target for enemy fighter aircraft. In spite of this, because there was no better replacement, the type continued to be produced until 1944. By the end of the conflict, the Stuka had been largely replaced by ground-attack versions of the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, but was still in use until the last days of the war. An estimated 6,500 Ju 87s of all versions were built between 1936 and August 1944.


General Characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 11.00 m (36 ft 1.07 in)
• Wingspan: 13.8 m (45 ft 3.30 in)
• Height: 4.23 m (13 ft 10.53 in)
• Wing area: 31.90 m² (343.37 ft²)
• Empty weight: 3,205 kg (7,086 lb)
• Loaded weight: 4,320 kg (9,524 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 5,000 kg (11,023 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× Junkers Jumo 211D liquid-cooled inverted-vee V12 engine, 1200 PS (1184 hp, 883 kW)
• Propellers: Three-blade Junkers VS 5 propeller

Performance

• Never exceed speed: 600 km/h (373 mph)
• Maximum speed: 390 km/h @ 4,400 m (242 mph @ 13,410 ft)
• Range: 500 km (311 mi) with 500 kg (1,102 lb) bomb load
• Service ceiling: 8,200 m (26,903 ft) with 500 kg (1,102 lb) bomb load

Armament

• 2× 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17 machine gun forward
• 1× 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 15 machine gun to rear
• 1× 250 kg (551 lb) bomb beneath the fuselage normal load
• 2× 50 kg (110 lb) bombs underneath each wing.

** Junkers Ju 87 Stuka - Warbird Fare

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Focke-Wulf FW-190

The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Würger was a German single-seat, single-radial engine fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank in the late 1930s. It was used by the Luftwaffe during the Second World War in a variety of roles. Like the Messerschmitt Bf 109, the Fw 190 was employed as a "workhorse", and proved suitable for a wide variety of roles, including air superiority fighter, strike fighter, ground-attack aircraft, escort fighter, and operated with less success as a night fighter.

When it was first introduced in 1941 it was quickly proven to be superior in all but turn radius to the Royal Air Force's main front-line fighter, the Spitfire Mk. V variant. The 190 wrested air superiority away from the RAF until the introduction of the vastly improved Spitfire Mk. IX in July 1942 restored qualitative parity. The Fw 190 made its air combat debut on the Eastern Front much later, in November/December 1942.

Soviet pilots regarded the Bf 109 as the greatest threat in combat on the Eastern Front. Nevertheless, the Fw 190 made a significant impact. The fighter and its pilots proved just as capable as the Bf 109 in aerial combat, and in the opinion of German pilots that flew both German fighters, the Fw 190 presented increased firepower and manoeuvrability as low to medium altitude. The Fw 190 became the backbone of Jagdwaffe (Fighter Force) along with the Bf 109. On the Eastern Front, owing to its versatility, the Fw 190 was used in Schlachtgeschwader (Destroyer Wings) which were specialised ground attack units. The units achieved much success against Soviet ground forces. As an interceptor, the Fw 190 underwent improvements to make it effective at high altitude allowing the 190 to maintain relative parity with its Allied counterparts. The Fw 190A series' performance decreased at high altitudes (usually 6,000 m (20,000 ft) and above) which complicated its use as a high-altitude interceptor, but these complications were mostly rectified in later models, notably the Focke-Wulf Fw 190D variant which was introduced in September 1944. In spite of its successes, it never entirely replaced the Bf 109.

In autumn 1937, the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM) ("Reich Air Ministry") asked various designers for a new fighter to fight alongside the Messerschmitt Bf 109, Germany's front-line fighter. Although the Bf 109 was at that point an extremely competitive fighter, the RLM was worried that future foreign designs might outclass it and wanted to have new aircraft under development to meet these possible challenges.

Kurt Tank responded with a number of designs, most incorporating liquid-cooled inline engines. However, it was not until a design was presented using the air-cooled, 14-cylinder BMW 139 radial engine that the RLM's interest was aroused. It was believed that because the Fw 190 used a radial engine it would not affect production of the Bf 109, furthering the RLM's interest in the Fw 190. At the time, the use of radial engines on land-based fighters was relatively rare in Europe, as it was believed that their large frontal area would cause too much drag on a design as small as a fighter. Tank was not convinced of this, having witnessed the success of radial engines as used by the US Navy, and felt a properly streamlined installation would eliminate this problem.

Tank's solution was to tightly cowl the engine in its entirety. Normally, radial engines would be left open at the front, in order to allow in sufficient air to cool the engine. Instead, Tank's cowl completely enclosed the engine. Cooling air was instead admitted through a hole in the front of an oversized propeller spinner. A cone in the middle of the hole was intended to compress the air, allowing the small opening to create sufficient airflow. In theory, the use of the tight-fitting cowling also provided some thrust due to the compression and heating of air at speed through the cowling.

Another revolutionary aspect of the new design was the extensive use of electrically-powered equipment replacing the hydraulic systems used by most aircraft manufacturers of the time. On the first two prototypes (described below) the main undercarriage was hydraulic. Starting with the third prototype, the undercarriage was operated by push-buttons in the cockpit controlling electric motors in the wings, and was kept in position by electric up- and down-locks. Similarly, the electrically operated landing flaps were controlled by buttons in the cockpit as was the variable incidence tailplane, which could be used to flight-trim the aircraft. The fixed armament was also charged and fired electrically. Tank believed that service use would prove the electrically-powered systems would be more reliable and more rugged than hydraulics, as well as being much easier to service when needed and the absence of flammable hydraulic fluids and vulnerable piping, which was usually prone to leakage, would reduce the risk of fire.

Tank also designed an extremely clean cockpit layout, aided by the use of the electrical equipment. The cockpit had most of the main controls laid out in a logical pattern and incorporated into consoles on either side of the pilot, rather than being placed on the fuselage skinning.

Although nearly all variants of the Fw 190 could carry bombs and other air-to-ground ordnance, there were two dedicated attack versions of the Fw 190. The Luftwaffe was looking for aircraft to replace the Henschel Hs 123 biplane, which was seriously outmatched in 1942, as well as the slow and heavy Junkers Ju 87. The Fw 190 was well-liked by its pilots. Some of the Luftwaffe's most successful fighter aces flew the Fw 190, including Otto Kittel with 267 victories, Walter Nowotny with 258 victories and Erich Rudorffer with 222 claimed kills. A great many of their kills were claimed while flying the Fw 190.


General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 9.00 m (29 ft 5 in)
• Wingspan: 10.51 m (34 ft 5 in)
• Height: 3.95 m (12 ft 12 in)
• Wing area: 18,30 m² (196.99 ft²)
• Empty weight: 3,200 kg (7,060 lb)
• Loaded weight: 4,417 kg (9,735 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 4,900 kg (10,800 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× BMW 801 D-2 radial engine, 1,250 kW (1,700 PS) , 1,471 kW (2,000 PS) with boost

Performance

• Maximum speed: 656 km/h (408 mph) at 19,420 ft (5,920 m), 408 mph (657 km/h) with boost
• Range: 800 km (500 mi)
• Service ceiling: 11,410 m (37,430 ft)
• Rate of climb: 13 m/s (2,560 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 241 kg/m² (49.4 lb/ft²)
• Power/mass: 0.29-0.33 kW/kg (0.18-0.21 hp/lb)

Armament

• 2 × 13 mm (.51 in) MG 131 machine guns with 475 rpg
• 4 × 20 mm MG 151/20 E cannons with 250 rpg in the wing root and 140 rpg

** Focke-Wulf FW-190 - Warbird Fare

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Messerschmitt Bf-109

The Messerschmitt Bf 109 was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s. It was one of the first true modern fighters of the era, including such features as an all-metal monocoque construction, a closed canopy, a retractable landing gear, and was powered by liquid-cooled, inverted-V12 aero engines. The 109 first saw operational service during the Spanish Civil War and was still in service at the dawn of the jet age at the end of World War II, during which time it was the backbone of the Luftwaffe's fighter force. From the end of 1941 the Bf 109 was supplemented, but never completely replaced in service, by the radial engined Focke-Wulf Fw 190.

Originally conceived as an interceptor, later models were developed to fulfill multiple tasks, serving as bomber escort, fighter bomber, day-, night- all-weather fighter, bomber destroyer, ground-attack aircraft, and as reconnaissance aircraft. It was supplied to and operated by several states during World War II, and served with several countries for many years after the war. The Bf 109 was the most produced warplane during World War II, with 30,573 examples built during the war, and the most produced fighter aircraft in history, with a total of 33,984 units produced up to April 1945.

The Bf 109 was flown by the three top-scoring German fighter aces of World War II, who claimed 928 victories between them while flying with Jagdgeschwader 52, chiefly on the Eastern Front, as well as by the highest scoring German ace in the North African Campaign. It was also flown by several other successful aces from Germany's allies, notably Finland, including the highest high-scoring non-German ace Ilmari Juutilainen, and pilots from Romania, Croatia and Hungary. Through constant development, the Bf 109 remained competitive with the latest Allied fighter aircraft until the end of the war.

Originally the aircraft was designated as Bf 109 by Reichsluftfahrtministerium (German Aviation Ministry, RLM), since the design was submitted by the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (literally "Bavarian Aircraft Factory") company. However, the company was renamed Messerschmitt AG after 11 July 1938 when Erhard Milch finally allowed Willy Messerschmitt to acquire the company. Subsequently, all Messerschmitt aircraft that originated after that date, such as the Me 210, were to carry the "Me" designation. Despite regulations by the RLM, wartime documents from Messerschmitt AG, RLM and Luftwaffe loss and strength reports continued to use both designations, sometimes even on the same page. All extant airframes are described as "Bf 109" on identification plates, including the final K-4 models, with the noted exception of aircraft either initially built or re-fitted by Erla Flugzeugwerke, which sometimes bore the Me 109 stamping. "Me-109" is usually pronounced in German as may hundert-neun ("hundred-nine") while English-speakers usually say "emm ee one-oh-nine".

The aircraft was given several nicknames by its operators and opponents, generally derived from the name of the manufacturer (Messer, Mersu, Messzer etc.), or the external appearance of the aircraft the G-6 variant was nicknamed by Luftwaffe personnel as Die Beule ("the bump/bulge") because of the cowling's characteristic covers for the breeches of the later Bf 109G's synchronized 13 mm (.51 in) MG 131 machine guns, while Soviet aviators nicknamed it as "the skinny one" for its sleek appearance. The names "Anton", "Berta", "Caesar", "Dora", "Emil", "Friedrich", "Gustav" and "Kurfürst" were derived from the variant's official letter designation (e.g. Bf 109G – "Gustav"), based on the German phonetic alphabet of World War II, a practice that was also used for other German aircraft designs.

Soon after the public debut of the new fighter, in July 1937 three Bf 109Bs took part in the Flugmeeting in Zürich. Under the command of Major Seidemann, they won in several categories First Prize in a 202 km speed race, First prize in the Class A category in the international Alpenrundflug for military aircraft, and also victory in the international Patrouillenflug. On 11 November 1937 the Bf 109 V13 flown by Messerschmitt's chief pilot Dr. Hermann Wurster, and powered by an 1650 1,650 hp (1,230 kW) DB 601R racing engine set a new world air speed record for landplanes with piston engines to 610.55 km/h (379.38 mph) and won the title for Germany for the first time. Converted from a Bf 109D, the "V13" had been fitted with a special racing DB 601R engine that could deliver 1,650 hp (1,230 kW) for short periods. Heinkel, having had the He 112 rejected began work on the He 100. On 6 June 1938, the He 100 V3, flown by Ernst Udet, established a new record of 634.7 km/h (394.4 mph), and later, on 30 March 1939, test pilot Hans Dieterle surpassed that record, reaching 746.61 km/h (463.92 mph) with the He 100 V8. Messerschmitt soon regained the lead in this race. On 26 April 1939, Flugkapitan Fritz Wendel, flying the Me 209 V1, raised the figure to 755.14 km/h (469.22 mph). This was a racing aircraft having little in common with the Bf 109, powered by the DB 601ARJ, producing 1,156 kW (1,550 hp) but capable of reaching 1,715 kW (2,300 hp). For propaganda purposes, the machine was called the Bf 109R, suggesting it was just another version of the standard fighter. This world record for a propeller-driven aircraft was to stand until 1969.

When the Bf 109 was first designed in 1934, by a team led by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser, its primary role was that of a high-speed, short range bomber interceptor. The 109 was also designed to take advantage of the most advanced aerodynamics of the time and embodied structural techniques which were an advance on its contemporaries. In the years of the Blitzkrieg, the Bf 109 was the only single engined fighter operated by the Luftwaffe, until the appearance of the Fw 190.

The 109 remained in production from 1937 through to 1945 embodying many different variants and sub-variants; the primary engines were Daimler-Benz DB 601 and DB 605, with the Junkers Jumo 210 powering the most of the pre-war variants. The most produced Bf 109 model was the 109G series; more than a third of all 109s built were the G-6 series, with some 12,000 units being manufactured from March 1943.

The Bf 109 was credited with more aerial kills than any other aircraft. One hundred and five (possibly 109) Bf 109 pilots were credited with the destruction of 100 or more enemy aircraft. Thirteen of these men scored more than 200 kills, while two scored more than 300. Altogether this group were credited with nearly 15,000 kills between them. Official ace status was granted to any pilot who scored five or more kills. Applying this to Luftwaffe fighter pilots and their records reveals that "Ace" status belonged to more than 2,500 German pilots. Against Soviets, the Finnish-flown Bf 109Gs claimed a victory ratio of 25:1 in favour of the Finns.

Some Bf 109s remained in service for many years after the war. Hungarian 109s were destroyed in Germany by their own crews on 6 May 1945, Romania used its Bf 109s until 1955. The Finnish Air Force did not retire their Bf 109Gs until March 1954. The Spanish Hispanos, however, flew longer. Some were still in service into the late 1960s. They appeared in films (notably The Battle of Britain) playing the role of the Bf 109.


General characteristics

• Crew: One
• Length: 8.95 m (29 ft 7 in)
• Wingspan: 9.925 m (32 ft 6 in)
• Height: 2.60 m (8 ft 2 in)
• Wing area: 16.05 m² (173.3 ft²)
• Empty weight: 2,247 kg (5,893 lb)
• Loaded weight: 3148 kg (6,940 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 3,400 kg (7,495 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× Daimler-Benz DB 605A-1 liquid-cooled inverted V12, 1,475 PS (1,455 hp, 1,085 kW)
• Propellers: VDM 9-12087 three-bladed light-alloy propeller

Performance

• Maximum speed: 640 km/h (398 mph) at 6,300 m (20,669 ft)
• Cruise speed: 590 km/h (365 mph) at 6,000 m (19,680 ft)
• Range: 850 km (528 mi) 1,000 km (621 mi) with droptank
• Service ceiling: 12,000 m (39,370 ft)
• Rate of climb: 17.0 m/s (3,345 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 196 kg/m² (40 lb/ft²)
• Power/mass: 344 W/kg (0.21 hp/lb)

Armament

• 2 × 13 mm (.51 in) MG 131 machine guns with 300 rounds per gun
• 1 × 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon as Motorkanone with 200 rpg. G-6/U4 variant: 1 × 30 mm
• 2 × 20 mm MG 151/20 underwing cannon pods with 135 rpg
• 2 × 21 cm (8 in) Wfr. Gr. 21 rockets
• 1 × 250 kg (551 lb) bomb or 4 × 50 kg (110 lb) bombs

** Messerschmitt Bf-109 - Warbird Fare

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