Category Archives: WW2

World War 2 saw the airplane rise to even greater importance than in the first World War. Air superiority became a crucial component of battlefield operations and air forces were massively expanded during the conflict.The Allied and Axis sides of the war developed enormous war machines, capable of developing and rolling out unprecedented numbers of advanced new military equipment in rapid response to changing conditions on the battlefield, as well keeping up with the technological advances of adversaries.

High altitude bombing raids and night fighting were hallmarks of the War for Europe, whilst aircraft carrier battles pitched the American and Japanese fleets against one another. The technology of the day was pushed to it’s limit with the use of superchargers in aircraft engines, the introduction of radar, and the rapid development of the jet engine by the war’s end.

The period ended as the Nuclear Age and subsequent Cold War were ushered in by the tremendous and tragic blows to Japan’s wearied people.

A7He1 (He 112) in Japanese Service

Empire of Japan (1937)
Fighter Aircraft – Number Operated 30

During the war with China, the Japanese Air Forces encountered enemy fighters that were much better than what they currently had in their inventory. As their modern fighters were either under development or only available in limited numbers, they tried to acquire new fighters from aboard.  The options for acquiring such fighters were rather limited, and the Japanese turned to the Germans for a solution. This came in the form of 30 He 112 known in Japanese service as the A7He1.

The He 112 in Japanese service. Source: D. Bernard Heinkel He 112 in Action

A brief He 112 history

Before the Second World War, the Luftwaffe was in need of a new and modern fighter that was to replace the older biplane fighters in service, such as the Arado Ar 68 and Heinkel He 51.  For this reason, in May 1934 the RLM issued a competition for a new and modern fighter plane. While four companies responded to this request, only the designs from Heinkel and Messerschmitt were deemed sufficient. The Heinkel He 112 was a good design that offered generally acceptable flight characteristics and possessed a good basis for further improvements. The Bf 109 on the other hand had slightly better overall flight performance and was much simpler and cheaper to build. Given the fact that the Germans were attempting to accelerate the production of the new fighter, this was seen as a huge advantage over the He 112. Ultimately it would not be accepted for service, and only 100 or so aircraft would be built. These would be mainly sold abroad, with those remaining in Germany used for various testing and evaluation purposes.

He 112 the unsuccessful competitor of the Bf 109. Source: www.luftwaffephotos.com

While the He 112 project was canceled by the RLM, to compensate for the huge investment in resources and time into it, Heinkel was permitted to export this aircraft. A number of countries such as Austria, Japan, Romania, and Finland showed interest, but only a few actually managed to procure this aircraft, and even then, only in limited numbers.

Attempts to make a deal with Japan 

In 1937 a war between Japan and China broke out. While Japan had a better-equipped and more organized army, it faced stiff resistance. The Chinese were supported by the Soviet Union which supplied them with weapons and equipment, including aircraft. These caused huge concern within the Imperial Japanese Navy. Their newest fighters were either present only in small numbers or were still under development. As a temporary solution, IJN officials decided to approach Germany for assistance in the hope of acquiring new fighters.

For this reason, a military delegation was dispatched to Germany in the Autumn of 1937. Despite its later known fame, the German Air Force at that time was still in its early stage of rebuilding and realistically did not have much to offer, being in need of modern fighters themselves.  This would come in the form of the Messerschmitt Me 109. Its competing Heinkel He 112 lost the competition but was allowed to be sold abroad if anyone was interested. It was probably for this reason that the Japanese delegation visited the Heinkel factory at Marienehe. There they had the choice to observe the He 112 V9 aircraft. They were generally satisfied with what they saw and placed an initial order for 30 He 11Bs. If these proved to be as good as they hoped they would be, another, larger order for 100 more aircraft was to be given. As a confirmation of this agreement, the Japanese delegation returned with one He 112 aircraft that was to be used for familiarization and evaluation.

One of the 30 He 112 sold to Japan in 1938, Source: D. Bernard Heinkel He 112 in Action

Naming Scheme

As this aircraft was expected to enter service, it was designated as A7He1 by the IJN. The capital ‘A’ stands as a designation for a fighter. The number ‘7’ represents that this aircraft was to supersede the type 6 designation fighter. He stands for the Heinkel, and lastly the ‘1’ stands for the first variant of this type.  The Allied intelligence services discovered its existence within the IJP and awarded it the code name Jerry. 

Testing In Japan

Four aircraft arrived in 1937, and the last one arrived at the end of 1938. As the first aircraft began to arrive, the IJN began testing the A7He1’s performance in contrast to other fighters that they had in inventory, namely the Mitsubishi A5M2. While the A7He1 proved to be some 65 km/h faster, in other regards such as climbing speed and general maneuverability it proved equal or even worse than the Japanese fighter.  The Japanese were not satisfied with the A7He1 engine which was deemed too complex. These factors ultimately led the commission which examined it to propose that it should not be adopted, nor that any further orders should be given. After the arrival of the last A7He1, the order for an additional 100 aircraft was canceled.

Ultimate Fate 

As the A7He1 was not adopted for service, the IJN had to decide what to do with the 30 aircraft. They still represent a financial investment that could not be simply discarded. Some of these were allocated to various research institutes for future studies and evaluation, the remainder were given to training schools. None were ever used operationally in combat either in China or in the Pacific.

Quite surprisingly given their age and the rather limited numbers that were acquired, a few He1 survived the war and were captured by the Allies. One example was found in Atsugi airfield near Honshu in early October 1945. Unfortunately, the fate of these captured aircraft is not known but they were likely scrapped at some point after the war.

Despite the limited number of acquired aircraft, some of them survived the war and were later captured by the Allies. Source: www.destinationsjourney.com
Another aircraft (on the left) is being photographed by the Allied soldiers. It is possible that it was the same aircraft as in the previous photograph just taken later when it was being scraped. Source: www.destinationsjourney.com

Technical Characteristics

The He 112 was an all-metal single-engine fighter. The monocoque fuselage consisted of a metal base covered by riveted stress metal sheets. The wing was slightly gulled, with the wingtips bending upward, and had the same construction as the fuselage with a combination of metal construction covered in stressed metal sheets.

During its development life, a great number of engines were tested on the He 112. For the main production version, the He 112 B-2, the 700 hp Jumo 210G liquid-cooled engine was used, and some were equipped with the  680 hp Jumo 210E engine. The He 112 had a fuel capacity of 101 liters in two wing-mounted tanks, with a third 115-liter tank placed under the pilot’s seat.

The landing gear was more or less standard in design. They consisted of two larger landing wheels that retracted into the wings and one semi-retractable tail wheel. The He 112 landing gear was wide enough to provide good ground handling and stability during take-off or landing.

The cockpit received a number of modifications. Initially, it was open with a simple windshield placed in front of the pilot. Later models had a sliding canopy that was either partially or fully glazed.

While the armament was changed during the He 112’s production, the last series was equipped with two 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns and two 2 cm Oerlikon MG FF cannons. The ammunition load for each machine gun was 500 rounds, with 60 rounds each for the cannons. If needed, two bomb racks could be placed under the wings.

Conclusion

While the He 112 was often portrayed as a modern fighter, from the Japanese point of view it proved to be disappointing in any case. While expecting a potentially effective fighter that was better with everything they had, the He 112 proved to be quite the opposite. After the 30 aircraft arrived no further orders were given. This only serves to prove that the old saying the grass is always greener on the other side is correct once in a while.

He 112B-2 Specifications

Wingspans 29  ft 10  in / 9.1 m
Length 30  ft 2 in / 9.22 m
Height 12 ft 7 in  / 3.82  m
Wing Area 180  ft² / 17 m²
Engine One 700 hp Jumo 210G liquid-cooled engine
Empty Weight 3,570  lbs / 1,620 kg
Maximum Take-off Weight 4,960 lbs / 2,250 kg
Climb Rate to 6 km In 10 minutes
Maximum Speed 317 mph / 510 km/h
Cruising speed 300 mph / 484 km/h
Range 715 miles / 1,150 km
Maximum Service Ceiling 31,170 ft / 9,500 m
Crew 1 pilot
Armament
  • Two 20 mm (1.8 in) cannons and two machine guns  7.92 mm (0.31 in) machine guns and 60 kg bombs

 

He 112 v5 as it was tested by Japan

Credits

  • Written by Marko P.
  • Edited by  Henry H.
  • Illustrations by Godzilla

Source:

  • Duško N. (2008)  Naoružanje Drugog Svetsko Rata-Nemаčaka. Beograd
  • J. R. Smith and A. L. Kay (1990) German Aircraft of the Second World War, Putnam
  • D. Monday (2006) The Hamlyn Concise Guide To Axis Aircraft OF World War II, Bounty Books
  • D. Bernard (1996) Heinkel He 112 in Action, Signal Publication
  • R.S. Hirsch, U, Feist and H. J. Nowarra (1967) Heinkel 100, 112, Aero Publisher
  • C. Chants (2007) Aircraft of World War II, Grange Books.
  • https://airpages.ru/eng/lw/he112_combat_use.shtml

 

MS 406 in Croatian Service

Independent State of Croatia flag Independent State of Croatia (1943-1945)
Fighter –  36 to 46 Operated

During the Second World War, the German puppet state the Nezavisna Država Hrvatska NDH (Eng. Independent State of Croatia), tried to develop its own Air Force. Unfortunately for them, its German and Italian allies simply did not have the industrial resources, nor spare planes to allow them to build a significant air force. Still, the NDH’s persistence in asking for such equipment paid off in 1944 when they received over 30 captured French MS 406 fighters.

The Morane-Saulnier MS 406 in NDH service. Source: T. Likso and Danko Č. The Croatian Air Force In The Second World War

History

After Italy’s unsuccessful invasion of Greece, Benito Mussolini was forced to ask his German ally for help. Adolf Hitler agreed to assist, fearing that a possible Allied attack through the Balkans would reach Romania and its vital oil fields. In the path of the German advance towards Greece stood Yugoslavia, whose government initially agreed to join the Axis side. This agreement was short-lived, as the Yugoslav government was overthrown by an anti-Axis pro-Allied military coup at the end of March 1941. Hitler immediately gave an order for the preparation of the invasion of Yugoslavia. The war that began on 6th April 1941, sometimes called the April War, was a short one and ended with a Yugoslav defeat, and the division of its territory between the Axis powers.

With the collapse of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Croatia, with German aid, was finally able to declare independence, albeit becoming a fascist puppet state. It was officially formed on the 10th of April 1941. The new state received a significant territorial expansion by annexing most of western Yugoslavia, including Bosnia, parts of Serbia, and Montenegro.

While the conquest of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia proved to be an easy task for the Axis, holding these territories proved to be much more difficult. This was mainly due to two resistance movements that were actively engaged in sabotage, destroying railways and bridges, and attacking isolated occupation units’ positions and strong points. Despite attempts to suppress these attacks, the resistance movements, especially the Communist Partisans, grew rapidly, forcing the Germans and their Allies to introduce ever-larger occupation forces. The NDH forces were especially targeted as they committed mass murders and deportations to concentration camps. Thanks to the German help, they managed to form a small Air Force that in its inventory consisted of all kinds of obsolete, and in rarer cases, new equipment. By 1943, it was in the process of reorganization and the NDH officials during this time often asked their German overlords for more modern aircraft. Sometimes they even portrayed their own Air Force as weaker than it was.

The NDH Air Force was particularly poorly equipped with fighter aircraft. Luckily for them, the Germans at that time occupied what remained of Vichy France, capturing all kinds of military equipment. This also included the MS 406 fighters which was agreed to be sent to NDH by the end of 1943.

A Brief MS 406  History

At the start of the Second World War, the Morane-Saulnier MS 406 was one of the more modern French fighters built using metal components whose development began in mid-1930s. The first prototype under the designation MS 405 made its maiden test flight on the 8th of August 1935. Following successful testing and good performance, the French Ministry of Aviation issued a request for the first 50 aircraft in February 1938. Given the rising tension in Europe at that time the order was eventually increased to an additional 825 aircraft to be built. By the time, the French surrendered to the Germans over 1,000 aircraft of this type were built.

French Morane-Saulnier MS 406 fighter. Source: Wiki

The MS 406 was a good design that was nearly equal to the German Bf 109 models near the start of the war. During the War with the Germans in 1940, the MS 406 managed to achieve some success against the Germans but ultimately proved incapable of stopping the enemy. Some 300 aircraft of this type would be lost during this brief war, either due to the action of enemy fighters, ground anti-aircraft fire, or accidents. The MS 406 also achieved some success on the foreign market with 12 being sold to China, 30 to Finland, and the Swiss obtained a license for production. Poland also expressed interest in acquiring 150 aircraft of this type but nothing came of this as a result of the German invasion that began in September 1939.

In NDH service

The precise number of available MS 406 or the date when they arrived is not clear.  According to A. Pelletier ( French Fighters Of World War II in Action) the NDH received 46 MS 406 in early 1943. Author V. V. Mikić ( Zrakoplovstvo Nezavisne Države Hrvatske 1941-1945) on the other hand mentioned a lower number of 38 which began to arrive at the end of 1943 and early 1944. These aircraft received registration numbers from 2301 to 2338.  According to T. Likso and D. Čanak (The Croatian Air Force In Second World War) between 36 to 38 were sent to the NDH during 1944.

In late 1943, these aircraft, together with Italian-supplied Fiat G.50s, were to be used to equip the 11th Group consisting of three squadrons (21st, 22nd, and 23rd). The MS 406s were expected to arrive at the start of 1944. The first operational units were to be formed by mid-February. To help train the pilots, one Seiman 200 and ex-Yugoslav P.V.T aircraft were to be supplied. The training operations were carried out at Lučko airfield, starting from October 1943.

Once in Croatia, the MS 406 was used together with the Fiat G.50 fighter aircraft. Source: Wiki

The situation in the air and the ground significantly worsened for NDH at the start of 1944. It was especially hard-pressed as the Allies began bombing operations in occupied Yugoslavia. Thanks to their advances in Italy, they managed to set up many air bases from which these attacks could be launched. They bombed many military installations including ammunition depots, fuel production facilities, and NDH airfields.

An NDH MS 406 w heavily damaged during one of many Allied bombing attacks. The aircraft while damaged beyond repair was not written off, as it was used to cannibalize any usable spare parts. Source: T. Likso and D. Čanak The Croatian Air Force In The Second World War

On the 5th or 6th of April 1944, the Lazužani airfield where the NDH 5th Air  Base was located was bombed by the Allied 2nd SAAF Squadron. They managed to completely destroy 11 and damage 20 more aircraft. One MS 406 was destroyed when an Allied bomb landed next to it. The pilot Cvitan Galić did not survive the explosion. The loss in material was such that the 23rd Lovačko Jato was disbanded. Another MS 406 was lost during a second Allied bombing run on Borongaj and Lučko air bases that occurred on the 12th of April 1944.

In March 1944 Hrvatska Zrakoplovna Legija HZL (Eng. Croatian Air Force Legion) arrived at the NDH capital Zagreb. This unit was formed way back in 1941 and was in direct control by the Germans. Its pilots participated under German controls on the Eastern Front and were quite experienced. The Germans demanded that at least two MS 406s be given to this unit to be used as training aircraft. The NDH officials could do little not to comply.

By 15th September 1944, there were 19 available MS 406 aircraft. Of this number only 7 were fully operational. On September 18th, or on the night of the 21st the sources are not clear, the Partisan forces managed to capture an NDH airfield near Banja Luka. Some 30 ,or 11 depending on the source, aircraft stationed there were captured. The NDH personnel either joined the Partisans or fled leaving behind valuable equipment and supplies. The Partisans managed to capture 3 MS 406 fighters, two were under repair. These were used against their former owners, but one was damaged in an accident and was written off.

In late 1944, the few surviving MS 406 were used in desperate attempts to stop the victorious Partisans forces that were liberating Yugoslavia from the Axis occupiers. By this point, the NDH Air Force could do little to stop them given the chronic lack of fuel. Unfortunately, the precise information about the fate of many NDH aircraft in the last few months of the war was not recorded well. While the Partisans managed to capture a few MS 406 their use was limited at best, and unfortunately, none of them is known to have survived the war.

An MS 406duirng the winter of 1944. Source: T. Likso and D. Čanak The Croatian Air Force In The Second World War

Camo and markings

The MS 406 appears to have been left in German late time war type camouflage. This usually consisted of  Dunkelgrun (Eng. Dark green) and Grau  (Eng. Grey) on the upper aircraft surfaces, and  Hellblau (Eng. Sky Blue) on the lower surfaces. A standard Croatian white and red checkerboard coat of arms was painted on the wings and the fuselage sides. Starting from 24th February 1945 the NDH Air Force introduced the use of a black trefoil that was painted on the aircraft fuselage sides.

Near the end of the war, the NDH Air Force introduced the use of a black trefoil that was painted on the aircraft fuselage sides. Source: https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/threads/morane-saulnier-ms-406.50613/page-2

Technical Specification

The MS 406 was designed as a low-wing mix-construction fighter.  Its designers went for a conventional construction aircraft design. The fuselage frame was made using aluminum tubes connected and covered with Plymax. This is a  composite material that consists of layers of aluminum and plywood. The wings were constructed using a combination of spars and steel tubes also covered in this material. It was powered by one 860 hp Hispano-Suiza liquid-cooled engine. Most produced aircraft used a three-bladed two-pitch propeller, while some received variable-pitch propellers. The armament consisted of one 20 mm (0.78 in) Hispano-Suiza S9 cannon and two 7.5 mm (0.29 in) MAC 1934 machine guns. The cannon fired through the propeller shaft.  The total ammunition load for the cannon was 60 and for the two machine guns 600 rounds.

Conclusion

The MS 406 was one of the few more modern fighter aircraft that was available in any significant number. But despite that, it was already obsolete and could realistically do little against Allied bombers and fighters. It was mostly used to fight the advancing Partisan formations. Few remaining aircraft were used in this role up to the end of the war.

MS 406  Specifications

Wingspans 10.6 m / 34  ft 10  in
Length 8.13 m / 26 ft 9  in
Height 2.71 m / 8  ft 10  in
Wing Area 17.1 m² / 184 ft²
Engine One 860 hp Hispano-Suiza 12Y-31 liquid-cooled engine
Empty Weight 1,900 kg / 4,190  lbs
Maximum Take-off Weight 2,426 kg / 5,790  lbs
Climb Rate per minute 850 m / 2,790 ft
Maximum Speed 485 km/h / 302 mph
Range 1,000 km / 620 miles
Maximum Service Ceiling 9,400 m / 30,840 ft
Crew 1 pilot
Armament
  • One 20 mm (0.78 in) cannon and two 7.5 mm (0.29 in) machine guns

Illustration

 

Credits

  • Article written by Marko P.
  • Edited by  Henry H.
  • Illustration by Godzilla

Source:

  • A. Pelletier (2002) French Fighters Of World War II in Action, Squadron/Signal Publication
  • Duško N. (2008)  Naoružanje Drugog Svetsko Rata-Francuska. Beograd
  • V. V. Mikić, (2000) Zrakoplovstvo Nezavisne Države Hrvatske 1941-1945, Vojno  istorijski institut Vojske Jugoslavije.
  • T. Likso and Danko Č. (1998) The Croatian Air Force In The Second World War, Nacionalna Sveučilišna Zagreb
  • J. R. Smith and A. L. Kay (1990) German Aircraft of the Second World War, Putnam
  • D. Monday (2006) The Hamlyn Concise Guide To Axis Aircraft OF World War II, Bounty Books
  • T.L. Morosanu and D. A. Melinte Romanian (2010) Fighter Colours 1941-1945 MMP Books
  • D. Bernard (1996) Heinkel He 112 in Action, Signal Publication
  • R.S. Hirsch, U, Feist and H. J. Nowarra (1967) Heinkel 100, 112, Aero Publisher
  • C. Chants (2007) Aircraft of World War II, Grange Books.

 

 

 

 

ANT-1

 USSR (1921)
Experimental Single-seat light aircraft – 1 Prototype Built

While the Russian Civil War was raging on, there were early attempts to rebuild its shattered aviation industry.  Aviation engineers and enthusiasts attempted, despite the chaos around them, to build small experimental aircraft to test their ideas and concepts. One such young individual was Andrei Nikolayevich Tupolev. His ANT-1 was a specialized design to test the concept of using metal alloys in aircraft construction.

The ANT-1 experimental aircraft. Source: www.globalsecurity.org/military

History

Tupolev began his career as an aircraft engineer in 1909, when he was admitted to the Moscow Higher Technical School. There he met Professor Nikolai Yagorovich who greatly influenced Tupolev’s interest in aviation. In the following years, he spent time developing and testing various glider designs. When the First World War broke out Tupolev managed to get a job at the Russian Dux Automotive factory in Moscow, which produced a variety of goods, including aircraft. There he gained valuable experience of aircraft manufacturing.

Andrei Nikolayevich Tupolev was one of the greatest Russian/Soviet aviation engineers and designers. Source: Wiki

In 1917, the October Revolution plunged the disintegrating Russian Empire into total chaos. The few aircraft manufacturing centers were either abandoned or destroyed. All work on the design and construction of new aircraft was essentially stopped. The Dux was one exception and continued to work at a limited capacity. It was renamed to Gosudarstvennyi aviatsionnyi zavod (Eng. State aircraft factory) or simply GAZ No.1. Given that he was one of few aviation engineers left, with most skilled either being killed or fled the country, Tupolev remained working for the GAZ No.1. He spent a few years working on various projects such as designs improving weapon mounts for older aircraft that were still in service.

In 1921, Tupolev was elected as the deputy of the Aviatsii i Gidrodinamiki AGO (Eng. Aviation and Hydrodynamics Department). This department was tasked with developing various aircraft designs but also including torpedo boats. In 1921 he and his team from AGO began working on a new aircraft design that was to test new concepts. Two new innovative features were that it should be a monoplane, and be built using mainly metal alloy. Its primary purpose was not to gain any production orders, but instead to serve as a test bed for new ideas and concepts. The aircraft was named ANT-1, where ANT stands for the initials of  Andrei Nikolayevich Tupovlev.  This designation should not be confused with a snowmobile developed by  Tupolev, which shared its name.

During this period, Soviet aviation officials and the German Junkers company spent years negotiating the possibility of producing a Duralumin alloy that could be used for aviation construction. Junkers proved the validity of this concept on the J.I saw service during the First World War. The German company wanted to avoid sanctions on arms and aviation development imposed by the Allies, while the Soviets wanted the technology for themselves, not wanting to depend on the Germans entirely. The Soviet Union in 1922, managed to produce their own copy of Duralumin known as Kol’schugaluminiyem alloy. The name was related to a small village Kol’chugino where this factory was located. Limited production of this alloy began in 1923.

Due to problems with the production of the new alloy, Tupolev was forced to postpone the development of his new aircraft until 1922. At that time the alloy was not yet available, so Tupovlev decided to go on with a standard all-wood design. The benefit of using wood was that it was an easily available material, with almost unlimited supply in Russia. It was cheap and there were plenty of skilled woodworkers. However, there were also numerous flaws in using wooden materials. The greatest issue was a generally short service life in harsh climates as in Russia, in addition, standardization of spare parts is almost impossible to do.

Tupolev himself preferred the new metal technology believing that it would offer many benefits to the aircraft industry,  giving new aircraft a lighter and stronger overall construction. Tupolev eventually decided to go for a mixed-construction solution. His decision was based on a few factors, such as the general lack of this new material, and he wanted to be on the safe side as using metal in aircraft construction was still a new and not yet fully proven concept. In addition, he wanted to be sure about the Aluminum alloy material’s quality before proceeding to design a fully metal aircraft.

Once the choice for the construction material was solved the next step was to decide whether it was to be a single or two-seat configuration. The wing design was also greatly considered. After some time spent in calculations and small wind testing, the choice was made to proceed with a single engine and low-wing monoplane.

For the engine, three different types were proposed including 14hp and 18 hp Harley-Davidson and a 20 hp Blackburn Tomtit. Despite Tupovlev’s attempts, he failed to acquire any one of these three. It was not until early 1923 that he managed to get his hands on an old 35hp Anzani engine which was over 10 years old by that point. Despite its poor mechanical state, Tupovlev knowing that nothing else was available decided to try salvage it.

Testing and the Final Fate

The construction of this aircraft took over a year to complete. Given the general chaos at that time, this should not be surprising. It was finally completed in October 1923, and the first test flight was carried out on the 21st of October of the same year. Despite using the older engine, the flight proved successful. It was piloted by Yevgeni Pogosski.

The completed ANT-1 test aircraft. Source: www.globalsecurity.org

Following this, the ANT-1 was used mainly for various testing and evaluation. It would see service in this manner for the next two years. In 1925 the aging engine finally gave up, and this made the aircraft unflyable. Tupovlev tried to find a factory that could potentially refurbish it. He ultimately failed, as the engine was simply beyond repair by that point.

The aircraft was for some time stored at Factory No.156.  The fate of this aircraft is not clear in the sources, however, there are few theories about what happened to it. After Tupovlev’s imprisonment by Josef Stalin, his plans and documentation were confiscated. The aircraft was believed to be also confiscated and scrapped in the late 1930s. Another possibility is that it was moved to another storage facility where it was eventually lost during the Axis Invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941.

Specification

The ANT-1 was designed as a cantilever low-wing monoplane aircraft of mixed construction. The fuselage consisted of four spruce longerons. The lower two were connected to the wing spars and  were held in place with four bolts. The parts of the fuselage starting with the pilot cockpit to the engine were covered in the metal alloy. This alloy was also used to provide additional strength of some internal wooden components of the aircraft fuselage. The pilot Pilot cockpit was provided with a small windscreen. Inboard equipment was spartan consisting only of an rpm counter, oil pressure indicator, and ignition switch.

The cantilever wings were made of single pieces. At the end of the two tips  (on each side of the wings) large wooden spars were installed. Some parts of the wing were built using metal parts such as the wing ribs,  The rest of the wing was mainly covered in fabric. The tail unit was made of wood, its surfaces were covered with a metal-fabric cover.

The fixed landing gear consisted of two large wheels. These were connected to a metal frame which itself was connected to the aircraft fuselage. Small rubber bungees acted as primitive shock absorbers.

Given that nothing else was available, the ANT-1 was powered by an old, refurbished 35-hp strong Bristol Anzani engine.

A good view of the ANT-1 internal wing and fuselage construction. Source: www.globalsecurity.org
The cantilever wings received on each side one large wooden spar. Source: Wiki
The pilot cockpit received only a few basic instruments and a small windshield. Source:www.globalsecurity.org

Conclusion

The ANT-1 despite its simplicity, and being built a single, cobbled-together prototype, could be considered a great success for Tupolev. Through this experimental aircraft, Tupovlev gained valuable experience in designing an aircraft by using metal alloy. This success emboldened Tupovlev to go even further and design and build the Soviet first all-metal construction aircraft known as ANT-2. The ANT-1 was Tupovlev’s first stepping stone in a long and successful career as an aircraft designer in the following decades.

ANT-1 Specifications

Wingspans 7.2 m / 23ft 7 in
Length 5.4 m / 17 ft 8 in
Height 1.7 m / 5 ft 7 in
Wing Area 10 m²  / 108 ft²
Engine One 35 hp Bristol Anzani engine
Empty Weight 230 kg / 5,070 lb
Maximum Takeoff Weight 360 kg / 7,940 lb
Maximum Speed 125 km/h / 78 mp/h
Range 400 km / 250 miles
Maximum Service Ceiling 600 m /  1,970 ft
Maximum Theoretical Service Ceiling 4,000 m / 13,120 ft
Crew 1 pilot
Armament
  • None

 

Gallery

 

 

Credits

  • Article written by Marko P.
  • Edited by  Henry H.
  • Illustration by Godzilla

Sources:

  • Duško N. (2008)  Naoružanje Drugog Svetsko Rata-SSSR. Beograd.
  • Y. Gordon and V. Rigmant (2005) OKB Tupolev, Midland
  • P. Duffy and A. Kandalov (1996) Tupolev The Man and His Aircraft, SAE International
  • B. Gunston () Tupolev Aircraft Since 1922, Naval Institute press

 

Westland Whirlwind

Great Britain (1939)

Twin-engined fighter-bombert Number built: 114 plus two prototypes

In the history of aviation, small production numbers usually indicated that a particular aircraft did not meet the desired results, or was simply a bad design. However, there were designs that performed well in their designated roles, but still built in few numbers. In such cases, external factors were usually to blame for that aircraft’s downfall. These were typically connected to production difficulties, such as the unavailability, or the unreliability of components. This was the case with the UK Westland Whirlwind, a twin-engined fighter that despite its excellent performance, failed due to engine supply issues, and was built in limited numbers.

The Westland Whirlwind twin-engined day and night fighter. Source: Wiki

History

The 1930s saw the United Kingdom Royal Air Force’s extensive adoption of new technologies. Improvements in fuselage design, new materials, heavier armaments, and more powerful engines were key in this period. These allowed for the development of faster, harder-hitting fighters than those previously in service. At that time, the fighter force of the RAF consisted of biplanes such as the Bristol Bulldog, for example. These were becoming obsolete in regard to speed of and offensive armament. In 1934, the development of much better low-wing fighters was initiated by the Air Ministry. These would evolve into the well-known Hurricane and Spitfire fighters. Such aircraft were armed with licensed 7.62 mm (0.3 in) Browning machine guns, but something with a heavier punch was also considered. For this purpose, the French Hispano-Suiza company was contacted. This company produced the well-known 20mm (0.78 in) Hispano cannon. A license was acquired and these cannons would be built by the BSA company. The delivery of new guns was carried out at a slow pace, and it was not produced in great quantities up to 1942. With the acquisition of a sufficiently strong armament and the availability of more powerful engines, the Air Ministry issued a request for more heavily armed twin-engined aircraft designs. This included the single and a two-seat day and night fighter configuration.

The final specifications for such aircraft were issued in 1936. The principal concept of this new aircraft was to focus a strong armament of four 20mm cannons inside of the aircraft nose. Several companies responded to these requests. The Air Ministry was mostly satisfied with the work of the Bristol, Supermarine, and Westland companies.

Westland Aircraft Ltd., was a relatively new, but successful aircraft manufacturer in mid-1930, and they were highly interested in the new twin-engine fighter project. For this, a team was gathered under the leadership of was designed by W.E.W. Petter.  The project was initially designated as P.9, “P” stands for Petter but has nothing to do with its chief designer, and was presented to the Air Ministry. The following year the Westland project was deemed the best design and given the green light. Orders for the construction of two prototypes were issued, initially designated L6844 and L6845, in February 1937.  The first wind-tunnel tests showed that some changes were needed regarding the model tail assembly due to longitudinal control problems. The Whirlwind was initially to have a twin rudder and fins configuration, but this was changed to a high-set tailplane to solve the problem. In May 1937 the first mock-up was completed. As it was deemed sufficient, work on the first prototype began shortly after its unveiling.  Due to delivery problems, this aircraft could not be completed until October 1938.

The first prototype during its early testing phase. Source: M. Ovcacik and K. Susa Westland Whirlwind

At that time, the project was officially designated as Whirlwind. The same month, the first ground test was completed, and shortly after that the maiden flight was made. The aircraft was flight-tested by Westland’s own chief pilot Harald Penrose. Following that, it was allocated to the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough for future testing.

During this early testing stage, numerous problems were encountered. The engine was somewhat problematic as it was prone to overheating. Another major problem was poor directional stability during flight. This was solved by increasing the rudder area at the tailplanes. In addition, the engineers added a concave-shaped surface on the rudders. To further stabilize the aircraft during stall and dives, an oval-shaped extension was added at the connection point of the vertical and horizontal stabilizers.

With these modifications, the flight testing of the first prototype continued into 1939. At that time the work on the second prototype was nearing completion. It would be tested with engines that rotated in the same direction. As this did not affect its overall performance, it made the production slightly easier. As both prototypes performed well, a production order of 200 aircraft was placed at the start of 1939.

However, precise specifications needed for production were not made until May 1939. The delay was caused by the indecisiveness regarding which engine to use, during this period various proposals were made. Further tests showed problems with exhaust systems, which had to be replaced with simpler designs. The overheating problems led to the redesigning of the pressurized cooling system.

The second prototype aircraft. Source: Wiki

As there were no available 20mm cannons, the prototypes were initially not fitted with any offensive armament. Once these were available, they would be fitted on both prototypes. Additional firing trials were to be carried out. These were to test various other proposed armaments

Following the successful testing of the first prototype, it would be allocated to the No.4 School of Technical Training. The second prototype would be allocated to  RAF No. 25 Squadron In June 1940. It would remain there until it was damaged in an accident and removed from service in June 1941.

Despite the whole project being undertaken in secrecy, both Germany and France were aware of its existence. The French even published technical papers mentioning this aircraft, with the Germans publishing their own in 1940. However, in Britain, the existence of this aircraft was only publicly announced in 1942.

Production

The production of the Whirlwind was delayed due to a lack of engines up to May 1940. The fighter versions that slowly began to be issued for operational use were designated Whirlwind  MK. I. The production version was slightly different from the prototypes. The mudguards on the landing wheels were removed and the exhaust was modified. Some other changes would be implemented during its production, such as moving the position of the radio mast. Initially, it was positioned on the sliding hood but later it would be moved further forward. Beyond that, the cockpit underwent a minor redesign. There were plans to adopt this fighter for service in other parts of the British Empire, but this request was never implemented.

As the production was slowly going on, another order for 200 more aircraft was placed in 1939. But this production quota would be canceled at the end of 1940. The Air Ministry limited the production of this aircraft to only 114 examples. The reasons for these limited production numbers were a general lack of Peregrine engines. These engines were actually being phased out of production in favor of more powerful engines, namely the Rolls Royce Merlin. The last aircraft was completed in December of 1941 or January 1942 depending on the source. Production was carried out at the newly built factories at Yeovil.

Service

Given their small production numbers, it should not come as a surprise that the distribution of this aircraft to frontline units was limited. The first three operational aircraft were allocated to No.25 Squadron stationed at North Weald. These were only briefly used by this unit from June to mid-July 1940. It was decided to instead re-equip the unit with the Beaufighter Mk. IF. The RAF’s No.263 squadron stationed at Grangemouth was next to be supplied with the Whirlwinds. The deliveries of the first aircraft were scheduled to arrive in July 1940. On the 7th of August, an accident occurred where one aircraft was lost. During a take-off, one of the tires blew out damaging the loading gear. Despite this, the pilot managed to retain control and fly off the aircraft away from the airstrip. Once in the air, he was informed of the damage sustained during the take-off. The pilot at that point had two options, either to try a hard landing and hope to survive or to simply bail out of  the aircraft and use his parachute. The pilot chose the latter option, while the aircraft was completely lost, the pilot was unharmed. Due to slow delivery, only 8 aircraft were received by this unit by October 1940. At the end of that year, the unit was repositioned to Exeter. The first combat action occurred on the 12th of January 1941. One aircraft took off and tried to engage returning German bombers. After a brief skirmish, one German Ju 88 was reported to be damaged.  The first air victory was achieved a month later when a Whirlwind managed to shoot down an Arado 196 near Dodman Point.

In March, some 9 out of 12 operational Whirlwinds would be damaged in one of many German air raids. For this reason, the unit was moved to Portreath and then to Filton. During this period the unit suffered further casualties, of which three were in action while the majority were lost during accidents.

On the 14th of June, some 6 aircraft were used in ground attack operations against German airfields at the Cherbourg peninsula. Due to bad weather, the attack was rather unsuccessful. In August, this squadron was repositioned to Charmy Down. From this base it flaw several escort missions. The same month several air raids against enemy air bases were also undertaken. These were successful, with the Whirlwinds managing to destroy many enemy aircraft on the ground. These included: three Ju 88s, possibly up to eight Ju 87s, and a few Bf 109s. Interestingly, even one German submarine was reportedly destroyed.

On a few occasions, enemy aircraft were engaged in the air. During one air clash, some 20 Bf 109s engaged a group of four Whirlwinds. In the following skirmish, the Germans lost two fighters. The British had two damaged aircraft, with one more being lost after a forced landing due to damage sustained during this fight.

No.137 squadron was another operational unit that had some Whirlwinds in its inventory. It was fully operational starting from October 1941 when it was stationed at Charmy Down. This unit was formed with the assistance of the previously mentioned squadron which provided experienced pilots and ground crew. One of the first combat actions of this unit occurred in February 1942. During an engagement with German Bf 109 fighters, this unit lost four Whirlwinds. Both units would continue to operate the Whirlwinds in various combat missions, which usually involved attacking ground targets and facilities, either along the English Channel or in Western parts of occupied Europe.

With its four 2 cm cannon armament this aircraft possesses quite strong firepower. Source: Wiki
Given their limited numbers, only two squadrons would be ever equipped with this type of aircraft during the war. Source: Wiki

Fighter-Bomber Adaptation 

While the armament of four cannons offered strong offensive capabilities, a bomb load would expand the air-to-ground capabilities of the plane even further. Such rearmament was proposed in September 1941 by T. Pugh, one of the squadron leaders. Given their limited number and the urgency of other projects, the first tests were not carried out until July 1942. One aircraft was modified at the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment to be able to carry either 113 kg (250 lb) or 226kg (500 lb) bombs placed beneath the outer wings. The results were positive and mechanics from the No.263 squadron began adding the bomb bracket on the wings starting from August 1942. No.137 squadron followed up soon with the same modifications. While no official designations were issued for these modifications, the units that used them referred to them as Whirlibombers. In total, some 67 such modifications would be carried out.

The first combat action of these modified aircraft occurred on the 9th of September 1942. The British launched an attack on German trawler ships near Cherbourg. These aircraft would see extensive use up to 1943 against various ground targets. Trains were a common target, with some 67 being destroyed.

With the addition of bombs the firepower of this aircraft was greatly boosted. Source: www.staplesandvine.com
Close-up view of the bomb release mechanism. Source: Pinterest

Whirlwind Mk.II Project

While having a good overall design, the Whirlwinds had a few shortcomings. While having excellent flight performance at low altitudes, at greater heights its performance dropped sharply. The main reason for this was that its Peregrine engines used a small, single-stage, single-gear supercharger, and the small engine lost a considerable amount of power in thinner air. But there were some attempts made to further improve its performance, designated as Mk.II. The main drawback of the whole design was the engines, which while good had the potential to be further improved, and they were quite underpowered compared to the Rolls Royce Merlin engines. In 1940 it was proposed to use stronger Peregrine engines, a modified armament, and an increased fuel load. The armament would have consisted of four 2 cm Hispano Mk.II cannons which were belt-fed. While the fuel load would be increased by 42 gallons. Given that the main producer of engines, Rolls-Royce, was focusing all available resources on Merlin engine production there was simply no room for other projects. Thus the Air Ministry would simply abandon plans to further improve this aircraft.

Final Fate

All produced aircraft would be only used by these two units. Eventually, due to limited production numbers, and the wear of equipment, they were relegated to limited service. No.137 squadron retained its Whirlwinds up to June 1943 before they were replaced with  Hurricane Mk.IVs. The other unit operated them a bit longer, until the end of the year. These would be replaced with the Hawker Typhoon. The surviving aircraft were gathered at various maintenance depots before finally being declared obsolete and scrapped in late 1944. Only one aircraft survived the war. It remained in service up to 1947 before it too was scrapped.

Limited Export Service

As very few aircraft were produced, there was little prospect of them being exported to other Allied nations. An exception would be one aircraft (P6994) which was shipped to America in June 1942. There it was likely used for evaluation and testing, but its history or fate is unknown.

Technical characteristics

The Whirlwind was designed as a twin-engined low-wing, all-metal, day and night fighter. Despite being originally intended for this double role, it was never used in night operations.  The fuselage was oval-shaped and consisted of 17 metal formers that were connected together. The front sections were built using aluminum while the rear part used magnesium alloy. The nose is where the main armament was located, along with a 9 mm thick armor plate to protect the pilot.

The tail assembly had the same construction. Which consisted of a metal frame covered in duralumin sheeting. But if in need of repairs, the whole rear section could be removed. As mentioned the horizontal stabilizers had to be moved further up the fin. An interesting feature of this aircraft was the two-part rudder. Initial testing showed that they were quite ineffective during take-off. For this reason, they were replaced with new ones that were concave,on both sides, in shape.

The wings were constructed using metal frame ribs. These were then covered with duralumin sheeting which was flush riveted. Several various sizes of access panels were added to help the ground repair crew during the maintenance or replacement of damaged parts of the wings. The ailerons were also covered in metal. These were provided with trimming tabs which could be adjusted when the aircraft was on the ground. The wings on this aircraft incorporated the two-engine nacelles. These fairly large, but aerodynamically well-shaped nacelles were used to store the engine, fuel, and oil pumps that the front landing gear units. A highly interesting design decision was to add coolant radiators which were located on the central part of the wing trailing edges. This allows them to reduce the drag as much as possible.

Behind the aircraft’s nose, the cockpit was located. It had a large canopy which provided an excellent all-around view for the pilot. Given the offensive role of the aircraft, the pilot was fairly well protected. To the front, a 9 mm armor plate was positioned. While on the rear and lower parts of the seat were protected by a 6 and 4-mm thick armor plate. The cockpit itself was connected to the main fuselage by using bolts. The front part of the canopy was protected by bullet-resistant laminated glass. Under and behind the cockpit various equipment was stored. This included a radio unit,  de-icing tanks, accumulators, exigent tanks, etc.  To have easy access to some of these a small hatch was installed on the right side of the rear fuselage.

The Whirlwind was designed as a twin-engined low-wing all-metal day and night fighter. Some of the easily recognizable features were the enlarged glazed cockpit and the positions of the tail horizontal stabilizers. Source: Wiki

The landing gear consisted of two wing-mounted retractable wheels. With one smaller tailwheel placed. To provide a smoother landing, the front landing gear units used a pair of heavy shock absorbers. These use 790 x 270  mm (31 in x 10 in) Dunlop-type wheels. All three landing gear units retracted to the rear. The two larger wheels retracted into the engine nacelles. The lowering or retracting of the landing gear was controlled by the pilot by using a lever.

This aircraft was powered by two compact, 880 hp Rolls-Royce Peregrine I engines. These were actually fairly underpowered, they weighed about as much as a Merlin but were significantly less powerful. It’s a major reason this plane wasn’t retained, they simply couldn’t upgrade it with a better, but larger engine. These two engines were provided with a 25 cm  (10 in) diameter thick de Havilland three-bladed with variable pitch propellers. This engine was electrically started. The engine was seated on a specially designed mount which consisted of two bearers and bracing tubes. The engine, while enclosed, was provided with several small hatch access points for repair and maintenance. Fuel was supplied to the engine using two separate systems of power by pumps. The fuel was stored inside two tanks located in each wing. These were encased in a duralumin shell. To avoid spilling the fuel inside the aircraft, a self-sealing covering was also used. The total fuel capacity was 609 liters (134 gallons).

This aircraft was powered by two Rolls-Royce Peregrine engines. The lack of this engine ultimately leads to the abandonment of the whole project. Source: dingeraviation.net

The main armament of this type consisted of four 2 cm Hispano Mk.I type 404 cannons. These were mounted in pairs and located in the front aircraft nose. Its ammunition load consisted of 60 rounds per gun set in large drum magazines. Before the aircraft was to fly into action the Hispano cannons had to be manually cocked while still on the ground. Initially, a hydraulic firing mechanism was used. It would be replaced later in the production by a pneumatic firing system.

Besides the use of four cannons various other armament installations were also proposed or tested. For example, a redesigned nose mounting that consisted of 12 Browning machine guns was tested. Another experimental mount consisted of four vertically positioned cannons and three machine guns.  Additional tests were carried out with larger 3.7 cm and 4 cm guns. The plans of using two 4 cm guns were quickly discarded as it would require extensive rework of the aircraft design. In 1942 attempts were made to add two machine guns for self-defense but this was abandoned too.

 

Once the nose cover was removed we can clearly see the arrangement of the four 2 cm Hispano Mk.I type 404 cannons. The ground crew member to the left is holding the 60-round drum magazine. Source: /dingeraviation.net

 

Other experimental proposals included adding 12 machine guns. Source: M. Ovcacik and K. Susa Westland Whirlwind
While this proposal included four horizontally positioned cannons and three more machine guns. In either case, none of these would be adopted. Source: M. Ovcacik and K. Susa Westland Whirlwind

Production Versions

    • Two Prototypes – Both used for varius testing and evaluation with one being lost in an accident
    • Mk. I Fighter-bomber – over 60 aircraft were armed with bombs
    • Mk.II – Proposed improved versions, none built

Operators

    • UK – The only operator of these aircraft
    • USA – One Aircraft was shipped to America for testing and evaluation, but its fate is unknown

 

Westland Whirlwind Reconstruction

The completed pilot cockpit and the armament are located at the Kent Battle of Britain Museum. Source: https://www.whirlwindfp.org/

 

Conclusion

The Westland Whirlwind was a quite advanced twin-engined fighter design for its day. Although initially designed as a day and night fighter, it would never fully be used in this role due to problems with the acquisition of stronger engines and limited production run. Thanks to its strong armament it saw combat service as a ground attack aircraft with good results.

But despite its performance, the lack of sufficiently strong engines and general lack of vision for this aircraft ultimately killed the project. It was more a case that the aircraft was built around an engine that just wasn’t very good, and it couldn’t accept the larger, but much more powerful Merlin engine.

 

Westland Whirlwind  Specifications

Wingspans 13.7 m / 45 ft
Length 9.8 m / 32 ft 3 in
Height 4.9 m / 16 ft 3 in
Wing Area 23.23 m² / 250 ft²
Engine Two 880 hp Rolls Royce Peregrine inline piston engine
Empty Weight 3.770 kg /8.310 lb
Maximum Takeoff Weight 5.180 kg /11.410 lb
Climb Rate to 6.1 km In 8 minutes
Maximum Speed 580  km/h / 360 mph
Diving speed 645 km/h / 400 mph
Range 1,115 km / 630 miles
Maximum Service Ceiling 9.240 m / 30.300 ft
Crew 1 pilot
Armament
  • Four 2 cm ( 0.78in) cannons
  • Payload of 454 kg (1,000 lb kg) bombs

Credits

  • Article written by Marko P.
  • Edited by  Henry H.
  • Ported by Marko P.
  • Illustrated By Godzilla

Illustrations

Whirlwind in the Battle of Britain era camouflage scheme.
Whirlwind in the 1942/43 livery

 

 

Source:

  • M. Ovcacik and K. Susa (2002) Westland Whirlwind, 4+ Publication
  • D. Monday (1994) British Aircraft Of World War II, Chancellor Press
  • Duško N. (2008)  Naoružanje Drugog Svetsko Rata-.Beograd
  • P. J. R. Moyes  The Westland Whirlwind, Profile Publication
  • https://www.whirlwindfp.org/

 

He 112 in Hungarian Service

Hungarian Flag Kingdom of Hungary (1938)
Fighter Aircraft – 4 aircraft operated

Despite being not adopted for service by the German Luftwaffe, the He 112 had great potential as an export aircraft. Spain, Romania, and Japan were some of the countries that got their hands on fighter aircraft. Hungary, with its close ties to Germany, also wanted this fighter in its inventory, though it was not to be. Unfortunately for them, despite their efforts, only a few of these aircraft would ever see service with their Air Force. This was mainly due to the reluctance of Germany to provide the necessary parts and licenses, and the start of the Second World War. The few aircraft that did reach Hungary were mainly used for crew training and even saw limited combat use.

One of few He 112 in Hungarian service. Source: www.destinationsjourney.com

A brief He 112 history

Prior to the Second World War, the Luftwaffe was in need of a new and modern fighter to replace the older biplanes that were in service, such as the  Arado Ar 68 and Heinkel He 51.  For this reason, in May 1934, the RLM issued a competition for a new, modern fighter plane. While four companies responded to this request, only the designs from Heinkel and Messerschmitt were deemed sufficient. The Heinkel He 112 was a good design that offered generally acceptable flight characteristics and possessed a good foundation for further improvements. The Bf 109 on the other hand, had slightly better overall flight performance and was much simpler and cheaper to build. Given the fact that the Germans were attempting to accelerate the production of the new fighter, that alone was seen as a huge advantage over the He 112. Ultimately it would not be accepted for service, and only 100 or so aircraft would be built. These would be mainly sold abroad, with those remaining in Germany being used for various testing and evaluation purposes.

He 112 the unsuccessful competitor of the Bf 109. Source: www.luftwaffephotos.com

While the He 112 project was canceled by the RLM, to compensate for the huge investment in resources, Heinkel was permitted to export this aircraft.  A number of countries such as Austria, Japan, Romania, and Finland showed interest, but only a few actually managed to procure this aircraft, and even then, only in limited numbers.

Hungarian Interest in the He 112

Being that it was on the losing side of the First World War, the Hungarians were in a similar situation to Germany in regard to military restrictions under the Treaty of Versailles. Crucially, it prohibited the Hungarians from developing their air forces. In time though, the Allies became less and less involved in maintaining the Treaty, and the Hungarians began slowly rebuilding their air force.  By 1938 the  Magyar Királyi Honvéd Légierő MKHL (English: Royal Hungarian Home Defence Air Force) was openly presented to the world. At that time, the Hungarians undertook steps to rebuild their armed forces in the hope of reclaiming some of their lost territories. For a modern air force, they needed better fighter designs, as their aged biplanes would not be sufficient. By 1938, they had improved their relations with Germany, and it was then possible to acquire new equipment from them.

The Hungarian military delegation that was in Spain during the civil war observed the relatively new Heinkel He 112 fighter in action and immediately became interested in it. In June 1938, a military group disguised as a civilian delegation visited Heinkel’s company. Three Hungarian pilots had the chance to flight test the He 112V9 aircraft. They were highly impressed and urged the Hungarian Army officials to adopt this aircraft. Unsurprisingly, based on the glowing report, the Hadügyminisztérium (Ministry of War Affairs) asked Heinkel for 36 such aircraft.

Unfortunately for them, Heinkel never actually put the He 112 into mass production, given the fact that it was not adopted for service with the German Air Force. It did, however, build a small series that was intended for Spain and Japan. The Hungarian offer was not considered as important, and thus no aircraft would be delivered to them. The Reichsluftfahrtministerium RLM (English: German Ministry of Aviation) also intentionally delayed the delivery of weapons to Hungary. This was done to politically and economically pressure the Hungarians and Romanians who were on the brink of war at that time, in an attempt to reduce tensions.

Still, the Hungarians persisted, and at the start of 1939, they requested again for the 36 aircraft, and once again, the Germans denied this request. However, a single He 112 V9 was given to Hungary and was used for flight testing near Budapest. On the 5th of February 1939, it crashed during a test flight against a CR-32 biplane fighter.  In March 1939, another aircraft was sent to Hungary, this one being a He 112 B-1. It was extensively tested by the Hungarians who generally liked its design.

The He 112 V9 was lost in an accident during its first test flight. Source: D. Bernard Heinkel He 112 in Action

As the Romanians acquired a batch of 24 He 112 In 1939, the Hungarians were concerned over their neighbor’s growing military strength. Realizing that the Germans would not deliver the promised aircraft, they decided to ask for a production license instead. This was granted, and Heinkel also delivered two more He 112 B-1 with the Jumo 210E engine. When the license document arrived in Hungary in May 1939, a production order for the 12 first aircraft was given to the Weiss Manfréd aircraft manufacturer. Several changes were made, including the installation of 8 mm 39.M machine guns and the addition of bombing racks. In addition, the original 2 cm cannons were to be replaced by the Hungarian, domestically built, Danuvla 39, though it is unclear if any were actually installed. As the preparation for the production was underway the three available He 112 were adopted to service. This received coded designation V.301 to 303 where the V stands for Vadász (English: Fighter).

The B-series was in many aspects a complete redesign of the previous series. Including the introduction of a new tail unit, and part of the fuselage, to name a few. Source: www.luftwaffephotos.com

Despite the best Hungarian attempts to put the He 112 in production, the situation was made impossible by the coming war between Poland and Germany. The RLM would officially prohibit the export of any German aircraft engines and equipment at the start of the war. This meant that the vital delivery of the Jumo 210 and DB 601 engines could not be made. Based on this fact, all work on the Hungarian He 112 was canceled. Instead,  Weiss Manfréd investigated to see if it could reuse most of the He 112 production line to produce a new domestic design named WM–23 Ezüst Nyíl (English: Silver arrow). While one prototype was built it was lost in an accident which ended the project.

The WM–23 Ezüst Nyíl prototype. Source: www.destinationsjourney.com
The V.303 during pilot training in 1940. Source: www.destinationsjourney.com
Despite their best efforts, the Hungarians managed to operate only three He 112 (not including the single aircraft last way back in Budapest) Source: www.destinationsjourney.com

In Combat

In the Summer of 1940, the rising tension between Romania and Hungary over Transylvania reached a critical point. Transylvania was once part of Hungary but was lost after the First World War when it was given to Romania. By 1940, the Hungarian Army began preparing for a possible war with Romania over the territory. As neither side was willing to enter a hastily prepared war, negotiations began to find a possible solution. But despite this, there were some minor skirmishes, and Hungarian aircraft made several reconnaissance flights over Romania. The three Hungarian He 112 were stationed near the border, and the Romanians also had some He 112 in their inventory. While the Hungarian He 112’s did take up to the sky, no combat action by them was reported. Ultimately, at the end of August, Romania asked Germany to arbitrate the issue regarding the disputed territory, With Hungary being given the northern part of Transylvania in the settlement.

During the Axis invasion of Yugoslavia in April 1940, Hungary once again mobilized its He 112s. These were stationed near the border with Yugoslavia but they were not used in any combat operations.

By the time the Axis attacked the Soviet Union in June 1941 all three He 112 were used as training aircraft, with their secondary role being to protect the Weiss Manfréd factory. Due to a lack of spare parts, there was no point in sending this aircraft to the frontline. Two aircraft were involved in a landing accident where they were damaged. While their final fate is not completely clear, they may have been destroyed in 1944 when the Allies intensified their bombing campaign against Hungary. It is unlikely that the He 112s were operational at this point.

The V.301 had an accident where the pilot forgot to activate the landing gear. This is not surprising given that most pilots at that time mainly flaw on the older biplanes that had fixed landing gear. Source: www.destinationsjourney.com
In the Summer of 1941 the V.303 was damaged during a landing where the left landing gear wheel simply broke off. Source: www.destinationsjourney.com

Technical Characteristics

The He 112 was an all-metal, single-engine fighter. The monocoque fuselage consisted of a metal base covered by riveted stress metal sheets. The wing was slightly gulled, with the wingtips bending upward, but otherwise had a conventional construction.

During its development life, a great number of different engines were tested on the He 112. For the main production version, the He 112 B-2, it carried a 700 hp Jumo 210G liquid-cooled engine, with some others being equipped with the  680 hp Jumo 210E engine. The He 112 had a fuel capacity of 101 liters in two wing-mounted tanks, with a third 115-liter tank placed under the pilot’s seat.

The landing gear was more or less standard in design. It consisted of two larger landing wheels that retracted into the wings and one semi-retractable tail wheel. The He 112 landing gear was wide enough to provide good ground handling and stability during take-off or landing.

The cockpit received a number of modifications. Initially, it was open with a simple windshield placed in front of the pilot, with Later models having a sliding canopy.

The armament was changed throughout the He 112’s production, and the last series was equipped with two 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns and two 2 cm MG FF cannons. The ammunition load for each machine gun was 500, with 60 rounds for each of the cannons. If needed, two bomb racks could be placed under the wings.

Conclusion

The He 112, although few in number, provided the Hungarian Air Force with one of its first modern fighter aircraft. Despite the Hungarian attempts to acquire over 30 aircraft from Germany, this was never achieved. In the end, the Hungarians only had three operational He 112, and one  was lost in an accident during testing. While these were stationed on the front line on two occasions they never saw actual combat action. By 1941 due to a lack of spare parts, they were allocated for training purposes. The Hungarians eventually got a production license for the Messerschmitt Bf 109G making the few available He 112 unnecessary.

 

He 112B-1 Specifications

Wingspans 29  ft 10  in / 9.1 m
Length 30  ft 2 in / 9.22 m
Height 12 ft 7 in  / 3.82  m
Wing Area 180  ft² / 17 m²
Engine One r 680 hp Jumo 210E  liquid-cooled engine
Empty Weight 3,570  lbs / 1,620 kg
Maximum Take-off Weight 4,960 lbs / 2,250 kg
Climb Rate to 6 km In 10 minutes
Maximum Speed 317 mph / 510 km/h
Cruising speed 300 mph / 484 km/h
Range 715 miles / 1,150 km
Maximum Service Ceiling 31,170 ft / 9,500 m
Crew 1 pilot
Armament
  • Two 20 mm (1.8 in) cannons and two machine guns 8 mm (0.31 in) machine guns and 60 kg bombs

Credits

  • Article written by Marko P.
  • Edited by  Henry H.
  • Ported by Marko P.
  • Illustrated By Godzilla

Illustrations

Source:

  • Duško N. (2008)  Naoružanje Drugog Svetsko Rata-Nemаčaka. Beograd
  • G. Punka (1994) Hungarian Air Force, Squadron Publication
  • J. R. Smith and A. L. Kay (1990) German Aircraft of the Second World War, Putnam
  • D. Monday (2006) The Hamlyn Concise Guide To Axis Aircraft OF World War II, Bounty Books
  • D. Bernard (1996) Heinkel He 112 in Action, Signal Publication
  • R.S. Hirsch, U, Feist and H. J. Nowarra (1967) Heinkel 100, 112, Aero Publisher
  • C. Chants (2007) Aircraft of World War II, Grange Books
  • S. Renner. (2016) Broken Wings The Hungarian Air Force, 1918-45, Indiana University Press

 

Lippisch P 13a

Nazi flag Nazi Germany 

Ramjet powered aircraft

None built

In the later stages of the Second World War, it was becoming apparent to both the Luftwaffe  (English German Air Force) and the German Government that the Allied air forces were gaining air superiority. This realization saw them turn to new and fantastical ideas in a desperate attempt to turn the tide of the war. Some of these represented new improvements to existing designs, the introduction of the newly developed turbojet engine, and even more esoteric and experimental methods. In many cases, these were pure fantasies, unrealistic or desperate designs with no hope of success. Few of them reached any significant development, and among them were the works of Alexander Martin Lippisch. While Lippisch helped develop the Me 163, the first rocket-powered interceptor, his other work remained mostly theoretical. One such project was the unusual P 13a, ramjet-powered aircraft that was to use coal as its main fuel source. While some work was carried out late in the war and soon faced insurmountable technical problems, thus nothing came of the project.

Artistic presentation of how the P 13a may have looked. Source:  Luftwaffe Secret Jets of the Third Reich

History

Before the start of the Second World War, aviation enthusiast and engineer Alexander Martin Lippisch, was fascinated with tailless delta wing designs. Lippisch’s early work primarily involved the development of experimental gliders. Eventually, he made a breakthrough at the Deutsche Forschungsinstitut, where he worked as an engineer.  His work at DFS would lead to the creation of the rocket-powered glider known as the DFS 194. As this design was a promising experiment in a new field, it was moved to Messerschmitt’s facility at Augsburg. After some time spent refining this design,  it eventually led to the development of the Me 163 rocket-powered interceptor.  While it was a relatively cheap aircraft, it could never be mass-produced, mostly due to difficulties associated with its highly volatile fuel. In 1942, Lippisch left Messerschmitt and ceased work on  the Me 163 project. Instead, he joined the Luftfahrtforschungsanstalt Wien (English: Aeronautic Research Institute in Vienna) where he continued working on his delta-wing aircraft designs. In May 1943 he became director of this institution, and at that time the work on a supersonic aircraft was initiated.

In the later war years, among the many issues facing the Luftwaffe, was a chronic fuel shortage. Lippisch and his team wanted to overcome this problem by introducing alternative fuels for their aircraft. Luckily for his team, DFS was testing a new ramjet engine. They were designed to compress air which would be mixed with fuel to create thrust but without a mechanical compressor. While this is, at least in theory, much simpler to build than a standard jet engine, it can not function during take-off as it requires a high airflow through it to function. Thus, an auxiliary power plant was needed. It should, however, be noted that this was not new technology and had existed since 1913, when a French engineer by the name of Rene Lorin patented such an engine. Due to a lack of necessary materials, it was not possible to build a fully operational prototype at that time, and it would take decades before a proper ramjet could be completed. In Germany, work on such engines was mostly carried out by Hellmuth Walter during the 1930s. While his initial work was promising, he eventually gave up on its development and switched to a rocket engine instead. The first working prototype was built and tested by the German Research Center for Gliding in 1942. It was later tested by mounting the engine on a Dornier Do 17 and, later, a Dornier Do 217.

The Dornier Do 217 was equipped with experimental ramjets during trials. Source: tanks45.tripod.com

In October 1943, Lippisch won a contract to develop the experimental P 11 delta-wing aircraft. While developing this aircraft, Lippisch became interested in merging his new work with a ramjet engine. This would lead to the creation of a new project named the P 12. In the early stage of the project, Lippisch and his team were not completely sure what to use as fuel for their aircraft, but ramjets could be adapted to use other types of fuel beyond aviation gasoline.

Unfortunately for them, LFW’s facilities were heavily damaged in the Allied bombing raids in June 1944. In addition to the damage to the project itself, over 45 team members died during this raid. To further complicate matters, the scarcity of gasoline meant that Lippisch’s team was forced to seek other available resources, such as different forms of coal. This led to the creation of the slightly modified project named P 13. In contrast to the P 12, the cockpit was relocated from the fuselage into a large fin. This design provided better stability but also increased the aircraft’s aerodynamic properties.  The overall designs of the P 12 and P 13 would change several times and were never fully finalized.

The P 12 and 13 small-scale models, in both configurations, were successfully tested at Spitzerberg Airfield near Vienna in May 1944. The project even received a green light from the Ministry of Armaments. In the early stages of the project, there were some concerns that the radical new design would require extensive retraining of pilots. However, the wind tunnel test showed that the design was aerodynamically feasible and that the aircraft controls had no major issues. Based on these tests,  work on an experimental aircraft was ordered to begin as soon as possible.

A proposed P 12 aircraft. Its designs changed greatly over time, before being finally discarded in favor of the letter P 13. Source: The Delta Wing History and Development

The DM-1 Life Saver 

While working on the P 12 and P 13, Lippish was approached with a request from a group of students from Darmstadt and Munich universities. They asked Lippisch to be somehow involved in the P 12 and 13 projects. Lippisch agreed to this and dispatched one of his assistants under the excuse that for his own project, a wooden glider was to be built and tested. The previously mentioned student’s and Lippisch’s assistant moved to a small warehouse in Prier and began working on the Darmstadt 33 (D 33) project. The name would be changed to DM 1 which stands for Darmstadt and Munich.

At this point of the war, all available manpower was recruited to serve the German war effort. For young people, this often meant mobilization into the Army. One way to avoid this was to be involved in some miracle project that offered the Army a potentially war-winning weapon. It is from this, that numerous aircraft designs with futuristic, and in most cases unrealistic, features were proposed. Many young engineers would go on  to avoid military service by proposing projects that on paper offered extraordinary performance in combat.

The students and Lippisch managed to nearly complete their DM1 test glider when the war ended. Source: airandspace.si.edu

While it was under construction, preparations were made to prepare for its first test flight. As it was a glider it needed a towing aircraft that was to take it to the sky. A Sibel Si 204  twin-engine aircraft was chosen for the job. However, this was not to be done like any other glider, being towed behind the larger aircraft. Instead, the DM-1 was to be placed above the Si 201 in a frame, in a similar combination as the Mistel project. The estimated theoretical speeds that were to be reached were 560 km/h (350 mph).

Allegedly, there were four different proposals for the DM’s that were to be fully operational. The DM 2 version was estimated to be able to reach a speed of  800-1,200 km/h (500 – 745 mph). The DM 3’s theoretical maximum speed was to be 2,000 km/h (1,240 mph) while the fate of the DM 4 is unknown. Here it is important to note that these figures were purely theoretical, as there were no supersonic testing facilities to trial such a design. It is unclear in the sources if these additional DM projects even existed, even if in only written form. We must remember that the whole DM 1 glider idea was made to help the students avoid military conscription and that Lippisch himself never saw the DM 1 as any vital part of the P 13.

In any case, the glider was almost completed by the time the war ended and was later captured by the Western Allies. Under the US Army’s supervision, the glider was fully completed and sent to America for future evaluation. It would then be given to the Smithsonian Institution.

 

A DM 1 test glider being under construction. Source: hushkit.net
The Siebel Si 204 was to be used as a carrier for the DM 1 glider for the expected first-flight tests. Due to the end of the war, this was never achieved. Source: www.silverhawkauthor.com

Work on the P 13

As the work on the P 13 went on, the name was slightly changed. This was necessary as different variations of the P 13 were proposed. The original  P 13 received the prefix ‘a’ while the later project’s designation continued alphabetically for example P 13b. After a brief period of examination of the best options, the P 12 project was discarded in favor of P 13. The decision was based on the fuel that the aircraft should use. What followed was a period of testing and evaluation of the most suitable forms of coal that could be used as fuel. Initial laboratory test runs were made using solid brown Bohemian coal in combination with oxygen to increase the burn rate. The fuel coal was tube-shaped, with an estimated weight of 1 kg, and encased in a mesh container through which the granulated coal could be ejected. The testing showed serious problems with this concept. While a fuel tube could provide a thrust that on average lasted 4 to 5 minutes, its output was totally unpredictable. During the testing, it was noted that due to the mineral inconsistency of the coal fuel, it was impossible to achieve even burning. Additionally, larger pieces of the coal fuel would be torn off and ejected into the jet stream. The final results of these tests are unknown but seem to have led nowhere, with the concept being abandoned. Given that Germany in the last few months of the war was in complete chaos, not much could be done regarding the Lippish projects including the P 13a.

As more alterations to the original design were proposed its name was charged to P 13a. Here is a drawing of a P 13b that was briefly considered but quickly discarded. Source: The Delta Wing History and Development

In May 1945, Lippish and his team had to flee toward the West to avoid being captured by the advancing Soviets. They went to Strobl in Western Austria, where they encountered the Western Allies. Lippisch was later transported to Paris in late May 1945 to be questioned about his delta wing designs. He was then moved to England, and then to America in 1946. The following year,  American engineers tested the DM 1 glider at the wind tunnel facility of the Langley Field Aeronautical Laboratory. The test seems promising and it was suggested to begin preparation for a real flight. A redesign of the large rudder was requested. It was to be replaced with a much smaller one, where the cockpit would be separated from the fin and placed in the fuselage. Ironically Lippish was not mentioned in this report, as technically speaking he was not involved in the DM 1 project. Nevertheless, he was invited for further testing and evaluation of this glider. If this glider and the Lippish work had any real impact on the US designs is not quite clear.

Despite no aircraft being ever completed, one full-size replica of this unusual aircraft was built after the war. It was built by Holger Bull who is known for building other such aircraft.  The replica can now be seen at the American Military Aviation Museum located in Virginia Beach.

An interesting full-size replica of the P 13 located at the American Military Aviation Museum. Source: Wiki

Technical characteristics

DM 1

The DM 1 glider was built using wooden materials. Given that it was constructed by a group of young students, its overall design was quite simple. It did not have a traditional fuselage, instead, its base consisted of a delta wing. On top, a large fin was placed. The cockpit was positioned in front of the aircraft within the large vertical stabilizer. To provide a better view of the lower parts of the nose, it was glazed. The landing gear consisted of three small landing wheels which retracted up into the wing fuselage. Given that it was to be used as a  test glider, no operational engine was ever to be used on it.

The DM 1 side view. In contrast to the later P 13a design, the pilot’s cockpit position was placed above the wings. This was necessary as the engine was to be added. Source: airandspace.si.edu
A DM 1 was captured by the Allies after the war. Its unique shape is quite evident in this photograph. Source: Wiki
A good example of DM 1 (to the right) and P 13a models that showed the difference between these two. The P 13a could be easily distinguished by its engine intake and the different position of the pilot cockpit. Source: Wiki

A good example of DM 1 (to the right) and P 13a models that showed the difference between these two. The P 13a could be easily distinguished by its engine intake and the different position of the pilot cockpit. Source: Wiki https://imgur.com/a/QW7XuO5

P 13a

The P 13 is visually similar but with some differences. The most obvious was the use of a ramjet. This means that the front, with its glazed nose, was replaced with an engine intake. Here, it is important to note, that much of the P 13a’s design is generally unknown, and much of the available information is sometimes wrongly portrayed in the sources. The P 13a never reached the prototype stage where an aircraft was fully completed. Even as the war ended, much of the aircraft’s design was still theoretical. Thus all the mentioned information and photographs may not fully represent how the P 13 may have looked or its precise characteristics, should it have been finished and built.

The exact ram engine type was never specified. It was positioned in the central fuselage with the air intake to the front and the exhaust to the back. As the main fuel, it was chosen to use small pieces of brown coal which were carried inside a cylindrical wire mesh container. The total fuel load was to be around 800 kg (1,760 lbs). Combustion was to be initiated by using small quintiles of liquid fuel or gas flames.  The overall engine design was changed several times during the work on the P 13 without any real solution to the issues of output consistency. Given that the ramjets could not work without an air thrust, an auxiliary engine had to be used during take-off, though a more practical use would be to tow the P 13 until it could start its engine. A rocket takeoff ran the risk of the engine failing to ignite, leaving the pilot little time to search for a landing spot for his unpowered aircraft.

 

An illustration of the proposed P 13a engine interior. The use of coal as fuel may seem like a cheap alternative but given that this kind of technology was never employed may be an indication of its effectiveness. Source: theaviationgeekclub.com

The wing construction was to be quite robust and provided with deflectors that would prevent any potential damage to the rudders. The wing design also incorporated a sharp metal plate similar to those used for cutting enemy balloons cables. These proposed properties of the wings are another indicator that the P 13 was to be used as an aircraft rammer. Another plausible reason for this design was the fact that given it had no landing gear the aircraft design had to be robust enough as not to be torn apart during landing. The wings were swept back at an angle of 60 degrees. The precise construction method of the wings (and the whole P 13 a on that matter) are not much specified in the sources. Given the scarcity of resources in late 1944 it is likely that it would use a combination of metal and wood.

A drawing of the P 13a interior. Its overall construction was to be more or less standard in nature. This could not be said for the aircraft’s overall shape design. Source: D. Sharp Luftwaffe Secret Jets of the Third Reich

The fin had to be enlarged to provide good flight command characteristics. In addition, given that the position of the cockpit was in the fin, it had to be large. The fin was more or less a direct copy of one of the wings. So it is assumed that it too would share the overall design.  The fin was connected to the aircraft by using four fittings.

The cockpit design was to be simple and cheap to build. The pilot was to have plenty of room inside the large fin. The cockpit was provided with a large glazed canopy that provided a good view of the front and sides. The seat and the instrument panel were bolted to the cockpit floor and walls. These could be easily detached for repairs. The instrument panel was to include an artificial horizon indicator, altimeter, compass, and radio equipment, Given that it was to operate at a high altitude oxygen tanks were to be provided too. Despite being intended to fly at high altitudes the cockpit was not to be pressurized. Another unusual fact was that initially the P 13 was to have a crew of two, but this was quickly discarded.

A possible example of how the inside of the pilot cockpit may have looked. Source: D. Sharp Luftwaffe Secret Jets of the Third Reich

Here it is important to note that the version of the P 13 with the large fin is often portrayed as the final version of this aircraft. However, Lippisch never fully decided whether he should go for this version or the second that used a smaller fin with the pilot cockpit placed above the engine intake. Depending on the proposed version they are drastically different from each other. Lippisch, for unknown reasons, presented the British intelligence officer with the version that used the smaller fin and the American with the second version.

During its development phase, many different alterations of the P 13 were proposed. Isource: D. Sharp Luftwaffe Secret Jets of the Third Reich

Landing operations were a bit unusual. To save weight no standard landing gear was to be used. Instead, Lippisch reused the Me 163 landing procedure.  As the  P 13 was immobile on its own, a small dolly would be used to move the aircraft. Once sufficient height was reached the dolly was to be jettisoned. In theory, this was an easy process, but in practice, this operation offered a good chance of failure and was much less safe than conventional landing gear. Sometimes the dolly either failed to eject or it bounced off the ground hitting the Me 163 in the process, with often fatal consequences.

The Me 163 which did not have traditional landing gear, had to be prior to the flight, transported to the airfield before launching into the sky. Source: warbirdphotographs.com

The aircraft was to land with the nose raised up from the ground. This limited the pilot’s view of the ground. In addition due to its small size and in order to save weight, nontraditional landing gear was provided, instead, it carried a landing blade skid. To help absorb the landing impact, additional torsion springs were to be used. This bar had to be activated prior to the landing, it would emerge from beneath the aircraft fuselage, with the rotation point located at the front. Once released it was to guide the aircraft toward the ground. After that, the torsion springs were to soften the landing. This whole contraption seems like a disaster just waiting to happen and it’s questionable how practical it would be.

A drawing that showed how the P 13a was to land using a guiding landing blade skid. Source: D. Sharp Luftwaffe Secret Jets of the Third Reich

One interesting feature of the P 13 was that it could be easily disassembled into smaller parts which would enable effortless transport. Another reason was that due to the engine’s position in order to make some repairs or replacement of the engine, the remaining parts of the wing and the large fin had to be removed.

Was it an aircraft rammer? 

The precise purpose of the P 13a is not quite clear, even to this day. Despite being briefly considered for mass production, no official offensive armament is mentioned in the sources. So how would the P 13a engage the enemy? A possible solution was that it would be used as a ram aircraft that was supposed to hit enemy aircraft damaging them in the process. In an after-the-war interrogation by British officers, Lippisch was asked if the P 13 was to be used as an aerial ram aircraft. Lippisch responded the following “

“.. The possibilities of using the P.13 as a ramming aircraft had been considered but Dr Lippisch did not think that athodyd propulsion was very suitable for this purpose owing to the risk of pieces of the rammed aircraft entering the intake. This would be avoided with a rocket-propelled rammer…”

This statement contradicts the building description issued by the LFW issued in late 1944. In it was stated the following about this potential use. “…Due to tactical considerations, among other things, the speed difference of fighters and bombers, preferably when attacking from behind, though the thought was given to the installation of brakes ..  and although ample room for weaponry is present, the task of ram fighter has been taken into account – so that the ramming attack will not lead to the loss of the aircraft, thanks to its shape and static structure.”

This meant that this concept may have been considered by Lippisch at some point of the project’s development. The P 13 overall shape resembles closely to aircraft that was intentionally designed for this role. That said, it does not necessarily mean that the P 13 was to ram enemy aircraft. The use of such tactics was considered but their use was discarded, as it was seen as a futile and flawed concept. The project itself never got far enough to have an armament decided for it.

The precise method of how to engage the enemy aircraft is not clear as the P13a was not provided with any armament. It is sometimes referred to in the sources as it was to be used as a ram aircraft. Source: theaviationgeekclub.com

Conclusion

The Lippisch P 13 is  an unusual aircraft project in nearly all aspects. Starting from its shape, which proved, at least during wind tunnel tests, that the concept was feasible. On the other hand, its engine seems to have simply been abandoned after discouraging test results. It is unlikely that such a combination would have worked to the extent that the P 13 designer hoped it would. During the testing, they could not find a proper solution to providing a constant thrust with sufficient force to reach a speed that was expected of it. So the whole concept was likely to be doomed from the start.

The DM 1 however, while it was never seriously worked on by Lippisch himself, managed to save a group of young students who used the project to avoid being sent into combat.

DM-1 Specifications

Wingspans 5.92 m / 19  ft 5 in
Length 6.6 m / 21  ft 7 in
Height 3.18 m / 10 ft 5 in
Wing Area 20 m² / 215 ft²
Engine None
Empty Weight 300 kg / 655 lbs
Maximum Takeoff Weight 460 kg / 1,015 lbs
Maximum Speed 560 km/h / 350 mph (gliding)
Landing speed 72 km/h / 45 mph
Release altitude 8,000 m  (26,240 ft)
Crew 1 pilot
Armament
  • None

 

Theoretical Estimated Lippisch P 13 Specifications

Wingspans 5.92 m / 19  ft 5 in
Length 6.7 m / 21  ft 11 in
Height 3.18 m / 10 ft 5 in
Wing Area 20 m² / 215 ft²
Engine Unspecified ramjet
Maximum Takeoff Weight 2,300 kg / 5,070 lbs
Maximum Speed 1,650 km/h / 1,025 mph
Flight endurance 45 minutes
Fuel load 800 kg / 1,760 lb
Crew 1 pilot
Armament
  • None mentioned

Illustrations

The Lippisch DM-1, unnecessary to the overall project, it none the less allowed a group of students to escape military service.

 

A possible silhouette of the P13.

Credits

  • Article written by Marko P.
  • Edited by  Henry H.
  • Ported by Marko P.
  • Illustrated By Medicman11

Source:

  • A. Lippisch (1981) The Delta Wing History and Development, Iowa State University Press
  • D. Nesić  (2008)  Naoružanje Drugog Svetsko Rata-Nemačka. Beograd.
  • D. Monday (2006) The Hamlyn Concise Guide To Axis Aircraft OF World War II, Bounty Books.
  • J. R. Smith and A. L. Kay (1972) German Aircraft of the WW2, Putham
  • B. Rose (2010) Secret Projects Flying Wings and Tailless Aircraft, Midland
  • D. Sharp (2015) Luftwaffe Secret Jets of the Third Reich, Mortons

 

 

WM–23 Ezüst Nyíl

Hungarian Flag Kingdom of Hungary (1939)
Fighter Aircraft – One prototype

In their search for a new fighter, the Magyar Királyi Honvéd Légierő MKHL (English: Royal Hungarian Home Defence Air Force), approached the Germans for help. Initially, a deal was made with the German Heinkel company for the delivery of new He 112 fighters and a production license. However, nothing came of this deal, which led to the Hungarians attempting to develop their own fighter, partially based on the He 112.

The WM–23 Ezüst Nyíl prototype. Source: www.destinationsjourney.com

The He 112 In Hungary

In the late 1930s, the Hungarian Air Force was slowly in the process of rebuilding its combat strength by the acquisition of new aircraft. For a modern air force, they needed better fighter designs, which they were then seriously lacking. Luckily for them, they began to improve their relations with Germany, so it was possible to acquire new equipment from them. In June 1938, a  Hungarian delegation was sent to the Heinkel company, and the pilots that accompanied this delegation had a chance to fly the He 112 fighter. This aircraft was  Heinkel’s response to the Reichsluftfahrtministerium’s (English: German Ministry of Aviation) request for a new fighter. While generally a good design, it ultimately lost to Messerschmitt Bf 109. While the He 112 project was canceled by the RLM, to compensate for the huge investment in resources and time to it, Heinkel was permitted to export this aircraft to foreign buyers.  Several countries such as Austria, Japan, Romania, and Finland showed interest, but only a few actually managed to procure this aircraft, and even then, only in limited numbers.

He 112 the unsuccessful competitor of the Bf 109. Source: www.luftwaffephotos.com

The Hungarians were impressed with the He 112 and placed an order for 36 such aircraft. For a number of logistical and political reasons, the decision to sell these aircraft to Hungary was delayed.  A single He 112 was given to Hungary in February for evaluation but was lost on its first flight. Realizing that the Germans would not deliver the promised aircraft, the Hungarians instead decided to ask for a license. This was granted and Heinkel also delivered two more He 112 B-1s. When the license arrived in Hungary in May 1939, a production order for the 12 first aircraft was given to Weiss Manfréd aircraft manufacturer.

The first He 112 to reach Hungary, it was lost in an accident during its maiden test flight. Source: D. Bernard Heinkel He 112 in Action

A New Fighter

Despite the best Hungarian attempts to put the He 112 in production, this was prevented by the war between Poland and Germany. At the start of the Second World War, RLM officially prohibited the export of any German aircraft engines and equipment. This meant that the vital Jumo 210 and DB 601 engines would not be available. Based on this fact, all work on the Hungarian He 112 had to be canceled.

The Hungarian Air Force only operated a few He 112, which saw limited service before being reused as training aircraft. Source: www.destinationsjourney.com

As the Hungarians had the license for the He 112, some parts could still be domestically produced. In essence, this offered the Hungarians the chance to develop a new fighter, based on the He 112 blueprints. Not wanting to waste this opportunity, the Hungarian Ministry of War Affairs issued a directive to commence developing a new domestic fighter by reusing some components from the He 112. The whole project was undertaken by WM’s own chief designer Bela Samu, who began development in early 1939. To speed up development, the He 112 wing design was copied, but given the comparatively underdeveloped Hungarian aircraft industry, the wing was to be built of wooden materials instead of metal, as it was on the He 112. Other differences included using an oval-section fuselage, different armament, a new engine, and a cockpit redesign.

The first prototype was completed quickly by the end of 1939. In its prototype stage, the aircraft was painted in a light gray livery, earning it the nickname Ezüst Nyíl (English: Silver arrow)  from the personnel that worked on it. Once it was issued to the Air Force for testing, it received the standard Hungarian camouflage scheme, and the designation V/501 was also allocated to it. The maiden test flight was undertaken close to Budapest on the 23rd of February 1940. The flight proved successful and a maximum speed of 530 km/h (330 mph) at a height of 5 km (16.400 ft) was achieved. Some issues were detected, the most problematic proved to be the strong vibration caused by the exhaust system. Despite this, the project development pressed on.

The WM 23, possibly at an early stage of development. It was powered by a 1,030 hp WM K-14B engine which gave it comparable power to the He 112. Source: www.destinationsjourney.com

Short Service Life

Despite the time and effort put into the project, it all went for nothing as the prototype was lost in an accident in February, or April, depending on the source, 1942. During a test flight at high speeds, one of the ailerons simply broke off. The pilot lost control of the aircraft and had to bail out. The uncontrolled plane hit the ground and was utterly destroyed, and with it, the whole project was canceled.

Beyond this major setback, another reason why this project was canceled was the start of the license production of the German Bf 109G fighter. It was much easier, and faster, to commence production of this aircraft, thanks to German technical support, than to completely develop new tooling and equipment for the WM 23.

Technical Characteristics

The WM 23 was a mixed-construction single-engine fighter heavily inspired by the German He 112. Given its somewhat obscure nature, not much is mentioned in the sources about its overall construction. Given the urgency of the project, instead of the monocoque fuselage, the Hungarian engineers decided to use a simpler oval-section fuselage which consisted of welded steel tubes and then covered with plywood. The wings, as mentioned, were taken from the He 112, but had one huge difference, being made of wood, including its control surfaces.

The landing gear was another part more or less taken directly from the He 112. They consisted of two larger landing wheels that retracted into the wings, and one semi-retractable tail wheel. But based on the photographic evidence, their overall design changed during the prototype’s development. On the prototype, possibly at an early stage, a V-shaped front landing gear strut was used. This was later replaced by a large single-leg landing gear. The cockpit was equipped with a sliding canopy that slid to the rear.

The WM 23 was powered by a 1,030 hp WM K-14B (sometimes marked as 14/B) engine. This engine was developed based on the license of the  French Gnome and Rhone 14K engine, a fourteen-cylinder radial engine equipped with a single-stage, single-speed supercharger. As mentioned, during the fifth test maximum achieved speed was 530 km/h (330 mph).

While the prototype was never fitted with an offensive armament, the Hungarians had plans for a potential armament In the wing, two 8 mm (0.33 in) machine guns were to be installed. In addition, two 12.7 mm (0.5 in) heavy machine guns were to be added atop the engine compartment. Lastly it was to have a  payload of two 20 kg bombs  (44 lbs).

 

There are very few surviving photographs of the WM 23. While showing promising performance, the destruction of the only prototype and the commencement of the Bf 109G’s production in Hungary ultimately lead to the cancelation of this project. Source: D. Bernard Heinkel He 112 in Action

Conclusion

The WM 23 was an interesting Hungarian attempt to domestically develop and build a fighter aircraft that was greatly influenced by the He 112. It showed to be a promising design, with the prospect of entering serial production. However, the loss of the single prototype put an end to this project. By 1942, the Hungarians simply did not have the time to start over again with the WM 23, so they abandoned it in favor of the license production of the German Bf 109G.

WM 23 prototype Specifications

Wingspans 31  ft 5  in / 9.6 m
Length 29  ft 10 in / 9.1 m
Height 10 ft 9 in  / 3.3  m
Wing Area 199  ft² / 18.5 m²
Engine One 1,030 hp strong WM K-14B
Empty Weight 4,850  lbs / 2,200 kg
Maximum Take-off Weight 5,733  lbs / 2,600 kg
Maximum Speed 330 mph / 530 km/h
Crew 1 pilot
Proposed Armament
  • Two 12.7 mm (0.5 in) heavy machine guns and two machine guns  8 mm (0.33 in) machine guns plus a bomb load of 20 kg (44 lbs)

Credits

  • Article written by Marko P.
  • Edited by  Henry H.
  • Ported by Marko P.
  • Illustrated By Carpaticus

Illustrations

The WM-23’s factory test colors
WM-23 with Hungarian Airforce livery

Source:

  • D. Monday (2006) The Hamlyn Concise Guide To Axis Aircraft OF World War II, Bounty Books
  • D. Bernard (1996) Heinkel He 112 in Action, Signal Publication
  • G. Punka, Hungarian Air Force, Signal Publication
  • R.S. Hirsch, U, Feist and H. J. Nowarra (1967) Heinkel 100, 112, Aero Publisher
  • C. Chants (2007) Aircraft of World War II, Grange Books
  • J. R. Smith and A. L. Kay (1990) German Aircraft of the Second World War, Putnam

 

 

 

 

 

Boulton Paul P.105 & P.107

Great Britain (1944)

Strike Fighter Concept

Side view of the Boulton Paul P.105C. This was the single-seat fighter version of the aircraft, armed with four 20mm cannons. (Boulton Paul Archive Photos)

The Boulton Paul P.105 was a concept for a multi-purpose, single-engine aircraft that was designed to fill a number of carrier based roles. To do so, the P.105 would utilize a unique and innovative method that would use interchangeable fuselage sections and cockpit modules that would allow the aircraft to perform different missions. These modules could be changed quickly to fill a needed role aboard carriers or airbases. The aircraft would not be chosen for production, and The P.105 would be developed further into the P.107, a land-based escort version. The P.107 would have a rear-facing turret and a twin boom tail design to allow greater traverse of the gun. This design wouldn’t be adopted either, and the program would conclude before the war’s end.

History

Late in the Second World War, the Royal Naval Air Arm began seeking out a new aircraft design that would be able to fill both the fighter and bomber roles aboard their carriers. Having one aircraft perform multiple roles would eliminate the need for specialized carrier-borne aircraft to fill the fighter, dive bomber, and torpedo bomber roles that were currently in operation. No official requirements were ever put out to build such an aircraft, but several companies had begun developing aircraft that would fit this role, which had become known as the “Strike Fighter”. Westland, Blackburn, Fairey and Boulton Paul would all develop designs that correspond to the strike fighter role. Boulton Paul’s aircraft design would be known as the P.105.

After the production of their Defiant turret fighter was finished, Boulton Paul began producing the Fairey Barracuda carrier bomber under license. After working extensively with a naval aircraft of this type, lead aircraft designer of Boulton Paul, John North, began to show interest in developing new aircraft to serve the Royal Navy’s carriers. The timing for this interest was beneficial too, as the Royal Air Arm began showing interest in new aircraft that were to be used in the Pacific Theater. He would first design a single engine fighter, dubbed the P.103 which would compete for the Navy’s Specification N.7/43 aircraft project. The P.103 was a heavily reworked Defiant with the turret removed and the design heavily cleaned up to make for a more effective fighter. Two designs existed for the P.103; the A and B, with the A using a Rolls Royce Griffon engine and the B using a Bristol Centaurus engine. The P.103 would utilize a number of innovative features, such as contra-rotating propellers, a low drag wing, specialized landing gear that became shorter when stowed, and elevators with automatic trim tabs. In addition, a more radical design was also submitted, the P.104, which was a twin-boom pusher. Despite both the P.103 and P.104 satisfying the specification, the Navy ultimately would find that a Hawker Tempest variant that was to be produced could easily be adapted to this role. This aircraft would become the Hawker Fury, and naval-ized into the Sea Fury.

While the P.103 wouldn’t be built, there were plans to test many of its design features on an existing aircraft. A Defiant was chosen to be extensively modified with most of the features found on the P.103, including the contra-rotating “dive-brake” propellers driven by a Centaurus engine, electric trim tabs, specialized shortening landing gear, and automatically closing landing gear doors. This aircraft, known as the Special Features Defiant, would also go unbuilt, with only a Defiant being modified with the elevator trim tabs. Boulton Paul wouldn’t yield any aircraft from this specification, but a new design would soon come from John North, who would continue working on Naval aircraft projects, looking to create an aircraft that would replace the Fairey Barracuda. Using design aspects intended for the P.103, and newer features found on the Special Features Defiant, he would design the P.105.

Static model of the standard P.105A. (British Secret Projects 1935-1950)

The P.105 was a small, high-performing aircraft that was meant to perform a number of duties aboard carriers. To achieve this the P.105 would have a unique design feature. To fill the variety of carrier-borne roles, the P.105 would have modular cockpit and bomb bay sections. Each of these modules would pertain to a particular role and would include necessary equipment to operate for the given task. The interchangeable modules included a two-seat torpedo-bomber with the necessary modifications to carry a torpedo (P.105A), a two-seat reconnaissance aircraft with an extended cockpit with changes to improve visibility (P.105B), a single-seat fighter armed with four 20mm cannons (P.105C) and a dive-bomber (P.105D). All aircraft aside from the C would be armed with four 12.7mm machine guns. With this system, it was thought more P.105 airframes could be stored inside hangars and carriers, while the unused modules could easily be stored and would take up less space, compared to having a number of different aircraft specified for specific roles, in theory, increasing the combat capacity of the carrier the P.105 would be stationed on. Boulton Paul expected the aircraft to be very high performance, and the P.105C fighter version, would be thought to serve as an excellent penetration fighter. Like its predecessors, the P.105 was originally going to utilize a Griffon 61 engine, but before performance predictions were done on the design, it would change to a Centaurus with counter-rotating propellers. The brochure on the details of the aircraft was submitted to the RNAA, but no order for production came about.While no particular reason was given for the design not being chosen, the modularity concept may have been less convenient in practice then on paper. Another reason could be that current aircraft at the time were deemed to have been performing adequately and didn’t need such an extensive replacement.

A side view plan drawing showing the layout of the Boulton Paul P.107. (Boulton Paul Archive Photos)

Although the P.105 wasn’t granted production, the design was further reworked into the Boulton Paul P.107. The P.107 was a return to basics for Boulton Paul, being a single-engine two-seat fighter with a turret. It can be assumed the P.107 began development during or shortly after the P.105 had been created. John North expressed many concerns with aircraft meant to operate in the Pacific War, with the biggest issue being the extreme range an aircraft would need in order to operate efficiently in this conflict. While details are sparse on its development, the P.107 extended range escort fighter appears to be his own attempt to create an aircraft meant to amend this issue. Overall, the P.107 shared many aspects of the P.105C, continuing to use the same overall design, Centaurus engine with contra-rotating propellers, and the same armament of four 20mm cannons. However, the P.107 wasn’t meant to operate from carriers, instead being designed as a land-based aircraft. Changes done to the design for this reason include the lack of folding wings and the removal of the torpedo blister. The aircraft would also benefit with the addition of a turret housing two 12.7mm machine guns. To improve the firing efficiency of the turret, the single fin of the P.105 was changed in favor of a twin fin design, which improved the firing range of the guns. The P.107 could also be configured for different roles, such as a dive bomber and for reconnaissance, but it is unknown if it used the same modular system the P.105 used. As was the case with his earlier designs, the P.107 wasn’t selected for production either.

Design

3-Way drawing of the P.105B. This was the reconnaissance version. (British Secret Projects 1935-1950)

The Boulton Paul P.105 had a conventional monoplane fighter layout. In the front, it would utilize a 6-bladed contra-rotating propeller that had reversible pitch. Originally, the design would have mounted a Griffon 61 V-12 inline engine but was changed in favor of the Centaurus 18-cylinder radial CE.12.SM engine instead. The wings on the P.105 were inverted gull wings, much like those on the Vought F4U Corsair or Junkers Ju 87 Stuka, which allowed the mounting of a larger propeller. To allow for easy storage aboard carriers, the wings were able to fold inwards. The fuselage had the most interesting aspect of the design overall, and that was its interchangeable cockpit and lower fuselage modules. Each variant of the P.105 would use different modules that would pertain to the intended role it served. The P.105A was a torpedo bomber and would use the torpedo blister present under the tail, and provisions for carrying another crewmember. The P.105B was a reconnaissance aircraft, and its cockpit would be lengthened to sit a pilot and observer. It would use a glass hull beneath the observer to assist in spotting. The P.105C was an escort fighter and would be a one-man aircraft. The last was a dive-bomber version, which only has very sparse details available. The dive bomber would carry up to two 1,000 lb (450 kg) bombs, most likely in an internal bomb bay module. The tail of the aircraft would be a conventional single rudder and tailplane arrangement. The armament of the P.105 was a standard two to four 12.7mm machine-guns in the wings of the aircraft, with the only deviation being the P.105C, which would use four 20mm cannons instead.

3-Way view of the P.107. Notice the turret and twin tail. (British Secret Projects 1935-1950)

The P.107 borrowed many aspects of the P.105 design, but changed some details to better fit its role. The engine and front sections would stay the same, keeping the contra-rotating propellers and Centaurus engine. Reference materials refer to the aircraft as being able to convert from an escort fighter to either a fighter-bomber, or photo reconnaissance aircraft. However, whether it was a conventional conversion, or via the module system the P.105 used is unknown, the latter being most likely. The wing design would stay the same, with the inverted gull wing style. Given its land-based nature, the wings no longer needed to be folded to conserve space, and the torpedo blister under the tail was removed. Behind the pilot, a gunner would sit and remotely control two 12.7mm machine guns. The machine-guns would be housed within the aircraft, with only the ends of the barrel protruding out. To give the gunner a better firing arc, the single tailfin was switched to a double tailfin. The turret and twin tail design are the most obvious differences between the P.107 and P.105. The aircraft’s fuel would be stored in a main tank beneath the crew members and two smaller drop tanks. The fuel amount was expected to give the aircraft a 3,000 mi (4,827 km) range, with up to 30 minutes of combat. The drop tanks could be switched for 2,000 Ib (900 Kg) of bombs. For offensive armament, the P.107 would use four 20m cannons mounted in the wings.

Conclusion

While no P.105 or P.107 would be constructed, the designs do attempt to amend issues that were present at the time. The Strike Fighter designation would eventually become a standard type of aircraft aboard carriers, and aircraft meant to fulfill multiple roles would also eventually be developed, but none would ever use such a unique system as the interchangeable fuselage of the P.105. It is interesting to note that the P.105 and P.107 appear to be the last military propeller aircraft that Boulton Paul would design before their switch to trainers and jet powered research aircraft, the aircraft themselves being distantly related to their Defiant fighter that they became known for during the war.

Variants

 

  • Boulton Paul P.105A– Two-seat torpedo bomber version of the P.105.
  • Boulton Paul P.105B– Two-seat reconnaissance version of the P.105. This version would have a glazed hull for the observer.
  • Boulton Paul P.105C– Single-seat Fighter version of the P.105.
  • Boulton Paul P.105 Dive bomber– Dive bomber version of the P.105. No designation was given to this design. (P.105D?)
  • Boulton Paul P.107– Land-based escort fighter derived from the P.105. The P.107 shared many design aspects with the P.105 but would remove features that would be needed for carrier use, such as the lack of folding wings. The P.107 would also have a turret and the tailplane would be switched to a double rudder design to accommodate the turret’s firing arc. Photo reconnaissance and fighter bomber versions of the P.107 are also mentioned.

Operators

 

  • Great Britain – Had they been built, the P.105 and P.107 would have been used by the Royal Fleet Air Arm, with a focus of being used in the Pacific Theatre aboard carriers and from land.

Boulton Paul P.105 Specifications

Wingspan 38 ft / 11.6 m
Length 34 ft 5 in / 10.5 m
Folded Width 15 ft 4 in / 4.67 m
Wing Area 250 ft² / 23.3 m²
Engine 3,000 hp ( 2,200 kW ) Centaurus CE.12.SM engine
Fuel Capacity 260 gal (1,180 lit)
Weights 12,285 Ib / 5,572 kg with torpedo

12,509 Ib / 5,674 kg with bombs

Climb Rate 3,660 ft/min / 1,110 m/min
Maximum Speed 469 mph / 755 km/h at 20,000 ft / 6,000 m
Cruising Speed 407 mph / 655 km/h
Range 1,300 mi / 2100 km – 3,320 mi / 5340 km
Crew Pilot

Other crew member (Depending on the variant)

Armament
  • 2-4 12.7mm machine guns (All versions)
  • 1x Torpedo (P.105A)
  • 2x 1,000 Ib (454 kg) bombs (Dive Bomber)
  • 4x 20mm cannons (P.105C)

Boulton Paul P.107 Specifications

Wingspan 38 ft / 11.6 m
Length 34 ft 8 in / 10.6 m
Wing Area 250 ft² / 23.3 m²
Engine 3,000 hp ( 2,200 kW ) Centaurus CE.12.SM engine
Fuel Capacity Main: 495 gal (2,250 lit)

Drop Tanks: 140 gal (640 lit)

Weight 15,900 Ib / 7,200 kg
Max Speed 470 mph / 755 km/h at 22,000 ft / 6,700 m
Range With Drop Tanks: 3,000 mi / 4,800 km

Without: 2,200 mi / 3,540 km

Fighter-Bomber: 700 mi / 1,120 km

Crew 1 Pilot

1 Gunner

Armament
  • 4x 20 mm guns
  • 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in rear facing turret
  • 2,000 Ib (907 kg) of bombs

Illustrations

Boulton-Paul P.107
Boulton-Paul P.105 Reconnaissance Variant

Credits

  • Article written by Medicman11
  • Edited by  Henry H.
  • Ported by Henry H.
  • Illustrated by Haryo Panji

Sources

Si-204E

Siebel 204

Nazi flag Nazi Germany (1940)
Light Transport and Trainer – Number built: 1,175

While often seen as less exciting than their combat counterparts, transport and auxiliary aircraft provided vital services in moving cargo, and training new pilots. Light transports which could combine both duties were thus extremely desirable during the war as theaters stretched across continents and pilot attrition was high. Luckily for the Luftwaffe, the Siebel company provided them with a simple but effective aircraft that could easily fulfill both roles. This was the Si 204, which saw wide-scale use both during, and after, the conflict.

The Si 204. Source: www.airwar.ru/

Siebel company history

The story of  Siebel began back in 1936 when Hans Klemm opened a new aircraft factory the,  Flugzeugbau Halle GmbH.  This company would go on to produce license-built aircraft, including the Focke-Wulf Fw 44, and Heinkel He 46. Between 1936 and 1937, a new project led by Hans Klemm was initiated. This was a light twin-engined transport aircraft designated as Fh 104. While the work was going on, Klemm decided to hand over the factory to well-known aircraft enthusiast Fritz W. Siebel. The same year the name was changed to Siebel Flugzeugwerke Halle GmbH. Under new management, the work on the renamed Siebel Fh 104 continued. The Siebel Fh 104 would prove to be a solid design and was pressed into Luftwaffe service as a communication and liaison aircraft. In 1942 the production of this aircraft was terminated, by which time only some 46 were built. The Siebel factory would survive the war and even produce a few new aircraft designs. It would continue to exist up to 1968 when it was merged with Messerschmitt-Bolkow GmbH.

The first aircraft to come out of the o Siebel Flugzeugwerke production was the Siebel Fh 104 Source: hwww.armedconflicts.com

The Siebel 204 

Following the success of the Fh 104, Siebel received a request from the Luftwaffe officials in 1939 to design and build a new twin-engine, 8-passenger transport aircraft.  So Siebel and his team of engineers began working on such a design. While they may have used the experience gained while working on the Fh 104, their next project was a completely new design. The first prototype Si 204 V1 (D-AEFR) was completed in early 1940, and was flight tested on the 25th of May the same year. Sources disagree about the year when the maiden flight was made. For example, D. Nešić and M. Fratzke mentioned that it happened in 1941 while M. Griel placed it in 1940. The test flight proceeded without any major issues, so the development of this aircraft carried on. In October 1940 the Si 204 V2 (D-IMCH) was flight tested. Both of these would serve as bases for the pre-production A-0 series which were to be operated by the German Lufthansa airline. The first prototype was scrapped in 1942 while the second remained in use up to early 1944 when it was lost in an accident.

Following its successful testing, the first production version known as Si 204A was built. It was powered by two 360 hp, or 465 hp depending on the source, Argus As 410 engines. The Si 204A-0 and A-1 were put into production in 1941, the precise numbers are not clear but were likely limited. As the war dragged on these were mainly used for crew training, a role to which they proved well suited.

The Luftwaffe was generally satisfied with the Si 204A’s performance as a trainer but requested that a new version of it be built. This version was dedicated to various crew training tasks including; radio navigation, instrument flying, bombing, and communication. Other requests were made regarding its front canopy design and stronger power units. For this reason, the engines were replaced with two  600-hp Argus As 411 12-cylinder engines. Additionally, the original stepped canopy was replaced with a fully glazed canopy.

The new version was to be designated Si 204D. The fate of the skipped B and C versions is unclear, but these were likely only paper projects.  The Si 204V3 and V4 served as bases for the Si 204D aircraft. Both were flight tested in early 1941, withhe V3 being lost in an accident during mid-1942 while the fate of the V4 is not known.

Technical characteristics

The Si 204 was designed as a low-wing, twin-engine, all-metal transport, and training aircraft. Its fuselage was made of round-shaped formers each connected with a series of metal bars. These were covered with sheet metal plating. On the fuselage sides, there were four rectangular windows.

The wings and tail units were also of an all-metal construction. The wings were built using only a single spar. The dihedral tailplane was divided into two fins and rudders, which were located on their tips.

In the last months of the war, due to shortages of resources, Siebel attempted to replace some metal components using wooden materials. The end of the war prevented any of these wooden components from ever being used.

The pilot and his assistant were positioned in the front. As many German bombers had a fully glazed canopy, to help with the training and adaptation of new pilots, the Si 204 was also equipped with such a designed canopy. It largely resembled the one used on the He 111. Thanks to it the pilot had an excellent view during the flight.

As mentioned earlier, Si 204D was powered by two 600 hp Argus As 411 12-cylinder engines, these used two variable pitch blade propellers. The maximum speed achieved with these engines was around 364 km/h. With a fuel load of 1.090 liters, the maximum operational range was around 1.800 km.

The landing gear was more or less a standard design. It consisted of three wheels. The landing gear retracted back into the engine nacelles. These were not fully enclosed and part of the wheels was exposed. The tail wheel was not retractable.

While initially designed as a passenger transport aircraft, the Si 204 would be primarily used for crew training. For this reason, its interior compartment could be equipped with different training equipment depending on the need. Including radio, radar, or navigation equipment.

The Siebel 204D side view. Its overall design is quite similar to the German he 111 bombers. Source: www.airwar.ru
Siebel pilot cockpit interior. The pilot and his assistant had an excellent view of the surrounding thank to the large glazed cockpit. Source: www.airwar.ru
The Siebel 204D had standard landing gear. The two front wheels retracted back into the engine nacelles. These were not fully enclosed and part of the wheels was exposed. Source: www.airwar.ru

Production

Despite being Siebel’s own design, the factory itself lacked production capabilities as it was already heavily involved in the manufacturing of other designs including the Ju 88. The actual production was redistributed to two occupied foreign factories. The first were the SNCAC factories located in Fourchambault and Bourges in France, which came under German control after the successful end of the Western Campaign in 1940. The second production center was located at the  Czechoslovakian Aero factory, which was also occupied by the Germans even before the war started. Other companies like BMM and Walter were also involved in the production of this aircraft.

The production numbers were initially low, for example, the SNCAC only managed to build five aircraft per month during 1942. From 1942 to 1944 this company produced some 150 Si 204D aircraft. Czechoslovakian production capabilities proved to be better, managing to manufacture some 1007 such aircraft by the end of the war. The total production of all versions during the war is around 1.175 aircraft according to H. A. Skaarup. This number, as is the case with many German production numbers, may be different in other sources.

Service

As mentioned earlier the Si 204 was mainly used for crew training for various roles, transportation, and glider towing. While there is quite limited information on their precise service life, it appears to be quite a successful design and was praised by the Luftwaffe pilots. By the end of the war, some were even equipped with various radar equipment including FuG 217R and FuG 218V2R tail warning radars to train night fighter pilots. Interestingly the Si 204 was employed for the training of further Me 262 pilots.

It is often mentioned that the Si 204 was the last Luftwaffe aircraft to be shot down. Near Rodach in Bavaria, just a day before the Germans capitulated to the Allies. That kill is accredited to Lieutenant K. L. Smith, a pilot of a P-38 Lightning from the 474th Fighter Group. How valid this claim is difficult to know precisely due to the general chaotic state in Germany at that time.

During its service life, the Si 204 proved to be an effective aircraft, completely suited for its designated role. Source:www.airwar.ru

Combat adaptation attempts

For fighting against Partisan movements in occupied Europe, older or modified aircraft were often reused, preserving the more modern aircraft for the front line use.  The Si 204 was seen as tempting for such a  modification, so the Siebel engineers tried to develop a fully armed combat version of this aircraft. To fulfill this role some extensive modifications were needed.

Inside its front fuselage, two 13 mm MG 131 heavy machine guns were placed. Each was supplied with 500 rounds of ammunition, stored in a metal ammunition bin. These were to be operated by the pilot. For this reason, he was provided with a Revi 16A-type gun sight. For protection against enemy aircraft, on top of the fuselage, a fully glazed turret armed with one 13 mm MG 131 was added. The turret movement was electrically controlled. Elevation was -10 to +80 while it could achieve a full 360 rotation.

The interior of the Si 204 received a bombing bay that could carry 12 70 kg bombs. External bomb racks with a capacity ranging from 50 to 500 kg were added. The pilot seat received armor plates for his protection from enemy fire on the Si 204E.  Due to its relatively slow speed, using this aircraft against a well equipped enemy was dangerous, so it was to be restricted to night bombing action only.

In 1944 two prototypes were completed and tested. Besides these two, the number of Si 204E’s built is unknown. Given its experimental nature, possibly only a few prototypes were ever completed. Allegedly these saw limited action fighting the Belarusian Partisans. The extent to which they were used in this role if used at all, remains unknown.

The Siebel 204E could be easily distinguished by its glazed turret, located on the fuselage top. This version is somewhat obscure as it is not known how many were built and if they ever saw action in combat. Source: www.silverhawkauthor.com

Carrier proposal

With the Allies slowly getting the upper hand in the air over Europe, the Luftwaffe became ever more desperate to find a solution to this problem. Mass production of cheap fighters was seen as a possible solution. One such project was proposed by Professor Alexander Lippisch, best known for designing a series of glider fly-wing designs. He was also involved in designing various bizarre aircraft projects, including the unusual  P 13a  aircraft.

A drawing of Professor Alexander Lippisch P 13a fighter. Source: D. Sharp Luftwaffe Secret Jets of the Third Reich

While working on the P 13, Lippish was approached with a request from a group of students from Darmstadt and Munich universities who wanted to avoid conscription to join his work. Lippisch agreed to this and dispatched one of his assistants under the excuse that for his own project, a wooden glider was to be built and tested. They together managed to build an experimental  DM-1 glider.. However, this aircraft was not to be towed like any other glider. Instead, the DM-1 was to be placed above the Si 201 on brackets and carried.  However, nothing came of this project, and no such attempt at deploying the glider was made as the war ended.

Professor Alexander Lippisch’s work involved designing unusual and unorthodox aircraft designs including the Li DM 1. Source: Professor Alexander Lippisch’s work involved designing unusual and unorthodox aircraft designs including the Li DM 1. Source: www.fiddlersgreen.net

After the war

When the war ended, the Si 204 would see more service in the hands of many other nations. The advancing Allies managed to capture a number of fully operational aircraft. These were immediately put to use either as transport, liaison, and evaluation purposes. At least one Si 204D was extensively used by the British pilot Captain Eric Brown, who was the chief test pilot of the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough. He was involved in a British project tasked with taking over German war research installations and interrogating technical personnel after the war.

He was generally impressed with the Si 204D’s overall performance, performing many flights on it. He later wrote about its performance. “The Si 204D was really a viceless airplane to handle, with inherently good stability about all three axes and good harmony of control. It was very well equipped for its tasks, and the later model I flew had an autopilot fitted. Like all German aircraft of that era, it was a mass of electrics, with extensive circuit breaker panels, and all very reliable.  However, the one thing the Germans never got right was wheel brakes, and the Sievel was no exception..”

A group of six or more Si 204 was captured by the Allies. Source: www.asisbiz.com

The Siebels that were moved to Farnborough were extensively used during 1945 for various roles, like communication, providing navigational guidance, and transporting pilots to various captured Luftwaffe airfields. The last operational flight of the Si 204D at this base was recorded at the start of 1946.

After the war, the Si 204 saw the most common use in French and Czechoslovakia, which actually continued to produce this aircraft. In French service, these were known t as NC 700, powered with As 411 engines, NC 701 ‘Martinet’, powered by two Renault 12S  engines, and NC 702,  a modified version of the Si 204A. In total the French constructed over 300 aircraft of this type. Some would see service in French Asian and African colonies. The last operational flight was carried out in 1964. Two NC 702’s would be given to Maroko in 1960, but their use and fate is unknown.

After the war, the French sold 7 NC 701 to Poland. They were used mainly for mapping photography. These were operated until the mid-1950s’ before being put out of service.

By mid-1960 some 5 French-built Siebels were given to the Swedish National Geographic Institut. These were mainly used for taking meteorological photographs.

The second country that produced the Si 204 was Czechoslovakia. They were built in two versions, the C-3 for the army and C-103 for civilian use. Both were mainly operated in their original transport roles. From 1945 to 1950 some 179 would be built.

The Soviets also managed to capture an unknown number of operational Si 204. These were briefly pressed into service before being replaced by domestic-built designs.

Switzerland also operated at least one Si 204D. This aircraft and its crew escaped from Germany on the 7th of May 1945 and landed at Belp near Bern. The Si 204D  would remain in Switz use under the B-3 designation.

Soviets operated an unknown number of Si 204. Their use was brief as it was replaced with new Soviet-built designs. Source: www.armedconflicts.com
During late 1945 and early 1946 the Si 204 were used by the Western Allies for transport and evaluation. Source: www.airwar.ru

Production Versions

  • Si 204 –  Prototype series
  • Si 204A – Transport and training version built in small numbers
  • Si 204B and C – Unknown fate, but likely paper projects only
  • Si 204D – Model with a new glazed cockpit and powered with a stronger engine
  • 204E – Experimental modification for combat operational use
  • Flying carrier – One Si 204 was to be modified as a carrier for the Doctor Alexander Lippisch experimental all-wing fighter, but was never fully implemented

Operators

  • Germany – Most produced planes were used by the Luftwaffe primarily used for crew training
  • Czechoslovakia – Produced some 179 additional aircraft for military and civilian use
  • France –  Over 300 modified aircraft (with French engines) were produced in France and saw wide service up to 1964.
  • Soviet Union –Operated some captured  Si 204
  • Poland – Brought 7  NC.701 from France after the war
  • Macoro – Operated two French NC 702
  • Sweden –  Operated five French-built Siebels
  • Switzerland – Used at least one Si 204 under the designation B-3
  • American and Great Britain – Both briefly operated a number of captured Si 204 after the war

Surviving aircraft

Today there are a number of partially or wholly survived aircraft Si 204. For example, the French Aviation Museum in Paris had one Si 204A and another located in the Escadrille du Souvenir close to Paris. One Si 204 is located at Sweden Lygvapen Museum.

Conclusion

While Germany in the Second World is better known for designing and producing a series of combat aircraft, their auxiliary aircraft are often overlooked. The Si 204 was one such case, despite its successful design, it is rather poorly documented in the sources. Its design was a success which can be seen in its after-war use, most notably by the French up to the mid-1960.

 

Si 204 D Specifications
Wingspans 21.33 m / 70 ft
Length 12 m / 39 ft 3 in
Height 4.25 m / 14 ft
Wing Area 46 m² / 495 ft²
Engines Two Argus As 411 engines
Empty Weight 1.500 kg / 3.300 lbs
Maximum Takeoff Weight 3950 kg / 8,710 lbs
Climb Rate to 1 km In  3 minute  30 seconds
Maximum Speed 364 km/h / 226 mph
Cruising speed 340 km/h / 210 mph
Range 1,800 km / 1,120 miles
Maximum Service Ceiling 7,500 m /  24,600 ft
Crew Pilot and his assistants plus eight-passenger
Armament
  • None

Illustrations

Si-204D
Si-204D
Si-204E
Si-204E

Credits

  • Article written by Marko P.
  • Edited by  Henry H. & Stan L.
  • Ported by Marko P.
  • Illustrated By Ed Jackson

 

Sources

  • D. Nešić (2008), Naoružanje Drugog Svetskog Rata Nemačka Beograd
  • H. A. Skaarup (2012) Axis Warplane Survivors
  • D. Mondey (2006). The Hamlyn Concise Guide To Axis Aircraft OF World War II, Bounty Books.
  • D. Donald (1998) German Aircraft Of World War II, Blitz Publisher
  • J. R Smith and A. L. Kay (1972) German Aircraft of the Second World War, Putnam
  • Jean-Denis G.G. Lepage (2009), Aircraft Of The Luftwaffe 1935-1945, McFarland & Company Inc
  • Captain E. ‘Winkle’ Brown (2010) Wings of the Luftwaffe, Hikoki Publication
  • M. Griehl (2012) X-Planes German Luftwaffe Prototypes 1930-1945, Frontline books
  • T. H. Hitchcock (1998) Jet Planes Of The Reich The Secret projects, Monogram Aviation Publication
  • M. Frazke Siebel Fh 104/Si 204, Flugzeug Profile

 

Focke-Wulf Ta 152H

Nazi flag Nazi Germany (1945)

Fighter: Approximately 60 built

A Ta 152H undergoing compass calibration. (flugrevue)

Introduction:

Throughout the Second World War, the job of the interceptor would become ever more challenging. Their targets, mostly bombers and photo reconnaissance aircraft, would fly ever higher and faster thanks to new advancements in turbo and supercharging. With Germany under a state of permanent siege and surveillance by aircraft like the Boeing B-17 and De Havilland Mosquito, it was clear the Luftwaffe needed a specialized interceptor to effectively reach these high flying threats and the multitude of new fighters that were appearing in growing numbers. After several failed attempts to develop the Fw 190 into such an interceptor, Kurt Tank designed the Ta 152H. The short lived design incorporated all of the available developments in high altitude flight available to German aviation in an attempt to create the ultimate high altitude fighter.

High altitude threats and Interceptors

In the summer of 1941, the Mosquito was making its first reconnaissance sorties and becoming one of the gravest threats to German aerial defenses. Operating above 7km and capable of reaching speeds upwards of 560 km/h, the aircraft was almost untouchable after it had reached its destination. Once they had taken their photos, they turned for home and entered a shallow dive that allowed them to accelerate to speeds beyond those of pursuing fighters who were not already chasing them from a higher altitude. With such a small interception window, they were a chief concern to the Luftwaffe. Doubly so were the bomber variants of the aircraft, which raided targets all over North Western Europe.

The following year saw the entrance of the United States into the Second World War, their air force possessing some of the most capable high altitude aircraft at the time. Investments in engine turbocharging allowed them to field a number of bombers and fighters with exceptional high altitude performance. B-17’s were conducting regular operations above 7 km. At first, they undertook operations at significantly lower altitudes, never straying too far from their air bases in southern England, but it was becoming clear that they would soon pose a threat that the Luftwaffe was ill equipped to combat.

The De Havilland Mosquito was quickly recognized as a serious threat not long after its introduction. Photorecon versions, like this later Mk XVI here, could surveil Germany with little fear of interception. (wikimedia)

The only two fighters of consequence employed by the Luftwaffe, the Bf 109 and Fw 190, were effective low to medium altitude fighters. However, through 1942, both were operating with engine power restrictions, and supercharger related performance bottlenecks. While inferior alloys and lubricants were causing a variety of issues, that was less of a concern than the engines themselves not being designed for use at high altitudes. The Bf 109G’s DB 605A, with its variable single stage blower, provided a full throttle height of roughly 6.5 km, depending on the variant. The Fw 190’s BMW 801, with its significantly simpler, single stage, double speed supercharger, was even worse off. Its critical altitude was only roughly 6 km, leaving it, and the 109, distinctly lacking in power at the over 7.5km B-17’s often flew at. Above these altitudes, neither engine could maintain the manifold pressure needed for combat power, putting them at a distinct disadvantage in trying to catch the Mosquito, or fighting American high altitude fighters which were soon making forays into German airspace. As the USAAF began its strategic bombing campaign against Germany proper, there were deep concerns within the Luftwaffe about the battle they were soon to fight, and for which they were clearly technically unprepared for. Even more concerning was the fear that the RAF would soon be operating the Vickers Wellington V bomber, which was reportedly capable of operating at an almost untouchable altitude of 12 km. They never entered service, but were the impetus for the creation of a specialized high altitude fighter with the Höhenjäger program.

With these anxieties building, the RLM convened a conference on the development of high altitude fighters on May 20, 1942 at Messerschmitt’s plant in Augsburg. In addition to the high altitude British bomber, further concerns were spelled out over the recent study of the new Merlin 61 engine, which, with its two stage, two speed supercharger, promised to make the Spitfire and Mosquito even more challenging opponents at high altitude. Of particularly grave concern was that the German aviation industry could not simply follow the same development path as the Allies. The poor qualities of their available alloys and the inadequate supplies of high octane fuels meant that even, if they had a factory furnished with all the tools to manufacture an engine like the Merlin 61, they simply could not build or operate it with the materials at hand.

As such, they had to pursue less conventional means of improving performance. Messerchmitt proposed a redesign of a former naval fighter proposal for high altitude use. The Me 155 carrier based fighter design, with its very long wingspan, was proposed to be converted for high altitude use, the work being done mostly at the S.N.C.A.N plant in Paris. The design would later be taken up and heavily altered by Blohm & Voss, who went on to design the Bv 155, with turbochargers and GM-1 nitrous boosting. Neither design came to fruition. A secondary design, the Bf 109H, would involve stretching the wingspan of a Bf 109F, and later G, and installing the high altitude GM-1 engine boost system. Likewise, this design was not pursued. In the end, Messerschmitt would go on to design a mass production, high altitude variant of their standard Bf 109G with a pressurized cockpit and nitrous boosting. While it would prove fairly adequate for the time, it was held back by the need for GM-1, which was difficult to transport in large quantities without a pipeline.

Focke-Wulf would face an even greater challenge with their program. While their Fw 190 was proving to be among the best medium altitude fighters of the war, its short wingspan and outdated supercharger meant it would take a considerable effort to make a high altitude fighter out of it.

The Höhenflieger Fw 190

Focke-Wulf first pursued turbocharging to get their fighter to reach the adequate level of performance for the Höhenjäger project. Almost immediately, they ran into the issue that it was almost impossible to fit a suitable turbocharger into a Fw 190A, though an externally mounted, and almost completely unwieldy unit was suggested. The first serious effort came with the proposal for the Fw 190B fighter, or Höhenjäger 1, in August of 1942. The design would take the then in production Fw 190A-3, increase its wingspan from 10.5 to 12.4 meters (increasing its area from 18.3 to 20.3 m^2), and install a pressurized canopy. The engine was initially unmodified and nitrous boosting was not pursued, in the hope a suitable turbocharger would be developed. The prototype, Fw 190V-12, began testing, but was abandoned in favor of using older, pre-production Fw 190A-0 prototypes before moving on to pre-production. The Fw 190B-0 received the new BMW 801 D-2 and several other modifications going into the new A-5 fighter. It began testing in December of 1942, and despite some faults with the pressurized canopy, which were later corrected, the aircraft had considerably better high altitude handling than the original A model. All four of the A-0’s were converted, but the program showed little promise. Despite the effort, the improvements were not enough and the aircraft was still too slow at high altitude. It was clear that the aircraft needed a heavily modified, or entirely different engine, in order to attain the level of performance needed.

Perhaps the most promising development for the next generation of the Fw 190, the C series, hoped to install a much more powerful DB 603 engine. Harsh teething issues and limited supplies for the engine doomed the project. (grafiq)

In parallel with the B-project, the decision was made to re-engine the aircraft with either the Junkers Jumo 213, or Daimler Benz’s DB 603. Both promised better high altitude performance over the BMW 801 along with a considerable overall increase in engine output. The DB 603 project would proceed with the designation Fw 190C, and the Jumo 213, Fw 190D. The first Fw 190C prototype, V13, had a DB 603 installed, with an annular radiator at the nose of the aircraft and its supercharger intake mounted between its two oil coolers, these modifications presenting a longer, but more streamlined profile. Little drag was added to the airframe with the modifications initially, but they would be forced to mount the supercharger scoop externally. The aircraft first flew in March of 1942, and overheating, along with general teething issues would be noted. Two more prototypes were converted, V15 and 16, receiving the longer wing from the B-project and GM-1 equipment. Turbocharging was also proposed, but not pursued until much later on. The program continued through May at a decent pace and they were achieving high speeds, one aircraft reaching 696 km/h at 6,950 m, but overheating and engine failure remained serious issues. Similar problems were likewise being experienced with the Jumo 213. The results, however, prompted Focke-Wulf to expand the program with six more prototypes, V13,15,16, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, and 27 carrying the DB 603, and V22 and 23 using the Jumo 213. Despite the focus on the DB 603, the company was prepared to switch to the Jumo 213, which they could obtain a much larger supply of.

The large, drag inducing turbocharger scoop earned this aircraft the moniker ‘kangaroo’. Aerodynamically unsound, it proved unsatisfactory for service. (wwiiforum)

The final design for the Fw 190C featured the DB 603A with its supercharger intake mounted on the port engine cowling, with various provisions for an armament of MG 131 machineguns, MG 151/20, and MK 108 autocannons. Its highest tested speed was an impressive 722 km/h at 9 km, without armament or armor plates. Production was strongly considered, and then canceled. The DB 603, in its fighter configuration, was still proving troublesome, and V13 was written off after an engine failure forced the pilot to crash land. The engine itself had a comparatively small production run compared to the Jumo 213, and was being shared with a number of twin engine bombers and night fighters. As the older, and massive Jumo 211 production lines were transitioning to the more powerful Jumo 213, it was by far the better choice for a new mass production fighter.

The Fw 190D or ‘Dora’ project continued, though its development path did not lead to a mass produced, high altitude fighter. Rather, it became a project to facilitate getting the Jumo 213 into a fighter as fast as possible, as it was one of the few German engines capable of competing with Western Allied models in most areas. The only mass produced variant, the D-9, is often mislabeled as a high altitude fighter, though its engine was designed for low to medium altitude use. A small number of high altitude models, with the appropriate engines, were produced, but were nothing compared to the D-9’s production run of well over a thousand aircraft by the end of the war.

Shifting programs aside, Focke-Wulf would continue with the new Höhenjäger II project, now seeking to build a truly superb high altitude fighter by taking several of the Fw 190C prototypes and equipping them with Hirth TK 11 turbo-superchargers. With the Fw 190B improvements, the 2000 hp DB 603 S, and a pressurized cockpit, it was hoped that a number of exceptional high altitude fighters could be produced, even if they could never reach the production figures of the Dora. They attempted to solve the earlier issue with the unmanageable size of the turbosupercharger by installing it partially outside of the fuselage, with an air scoop at its front. V18 received the necessary modifications and flew in December of 1942, with serious cooling problems being noted. Further modifications were made after the first several flights, most notable being that a larger oil cooler was mounted, the tail was enlarged to improve high altitude control, and the next prototype, V30, was re-equipped with a four bladed Schwarz propellor. Their extreme high altitude performance was superior to the C, with the aircraft reaching a speed of 670 km/h at 11 km, though they were proving far more temperamental. Turbine and engine issues continued to cut test flights short, though more prototypes were constructed through early 1943, V29 to V33. However, turbine issues persisted, and the entire scoop set up was found to be aerodynamically poor, and the design was proving very disappointing in comparison to the fully recessed models in service with the USAAF. Its performance too was deemed inadequate, and the project was canceled.

Falling behind

Apart from expedient designs, like the GM-1 boosted Bf 109’s, German efforts to produce a high altitude fighter had largely stagnated during 1943, and by the beginning of 1944, they were at a distinct disadvantage. For the past two years, most of the aero engine industry was working hard to modify their existing models to run at their full power using the inferior materials and fuel that were available to them. Among the clearest problems this caused was with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 G, or ‘Gustav’ model, which was only finally cleared to run at its full combat power in the summer of 1943, almost two years after its introduction. Under such conditions, developing new engines was a mostly hopeless effort, and to make matters worse, Allied developments in this field were unfolding brilliantly. While Focke-Wulf and Messerschmitt had failed to deliver on their high altitude fighters, the RAF began to fully transition to the use of the two-stage Merlin in their Spitfires, while the even more powerful Griffin was in development. By the end of 1943, USAAF finally introduced the P-51B, using a licensed Packard Merlin engine, and the P-47 had seen significant performance improvements which gave it unparalleled performance above 9 km. The P-51 proved perhaps the most concerning, as it not only had the benefit of a significantly more advanced engine, but it had been designed with aerodynamic concepts that were not available to aircraft designers before the war. It was an altogether modern aircraft, whereas the German air force would remain dependent on modified versions of planes which had been flying before the war had begun. The Bf 109G had fallen behind its Western contemporaries in most areas of performance, while the Fw 190 still clung to a competitive edge in low to medium altitude engagements. At high altitudes, especially above 7.5 km, there were only a comparative handful of GM-1 boosted Bf 109G’s that could really challenge the Allies, and even then, not on equal terms.

Germany did not possess the materials needed for robust and reliable exhaust valves, bearings, or more efficient, high pressure, high temperature radiators like those on Western Allied planes. However, there were areas of hopeful improvement. Foremost was that, by the autumn of 1943, German engine manufacturers had developed nickel coatings for engine pistons to overcome corrosion problems, and had modified the DB 605’s oil scavenge system to allow it to run at its originally planned combat power. While they would not be able to produce engines as reliable as those in the service of the RAF and USAAF, it was clear that the performance disparity could be reduced. Just as crucially, improvements were being made in regards to radiator design, particularly the annular units which were being tested on the high altitude Focke-Wulf projects. The new AJA 180 on the Fw 190 series was both approaching the pressure and temperature tolerance of Allied models, and was very compact, allowing the Fw 190 to retain its aerodynamic sleekness even when it switched engines.

The Fw 190D project transitioned away from high altitude fighters when the demand for better general purpose fighters grew. Rushed into production, it had more than its fair share of blemishes but, nonetheless, was an effective successor to the earlier ‘Anton’. (worldwarphotos)

While Messerschmitt had already succeeded in producing an acceptable high altitude fighter in the GM-1 boosted Bf 109G, Focke-Wulf’s projects took a different turn. The high altitude Fw 190D project shifted focus to produce a medium altitude fighter, the Fw 190D-9, and another project would seek to build a successor to the Fw 190, the new plane being named Ta 153. The designation changed to reflect Kurt Tank’s role as the head designer at Focke-Wulf. With this new design, hopes for significant high altitude improvements were again stoked, but as had become clear by their earlier failures, such improvements could not come from any unfamiliar solutions or technically complex methods, like turbocharging.

The Successor

The Ta 153 was so designated as it was not a variant, but a successor to the original aircraft. It featured a new fuselage and wings and the occasionally troublesome electrically driven landing gear actuators were changed for hydraulically driven ones. Being almost entirely divorced from the Fw 190’s supply chain, it was thus denied for production in March of 1943, given the amount of labor and time it would take to set up tooling. A compromise model between the design and the Fw 190D was selected, designated the Ta 152.

The Ta 152C program attempted to replace the Fw 190 A&D and correct the faults of the Dora. In the end, it proved too similar to justify shifting production before the end of the war. (ta-152.de)

There were several types planned, namely Ta 152 A,B,C and H. These were standard fighters, heavy fighters for use against bombers, fighter bombers, and a high altitude interceptor. The A and B were designed to use the Jumo 213A & E, respectively, the C the DB 603, and the H, the Jumo 213E. To avoid impacting the production of the Fw 190D, the high altitude model was the first to be developed. These planes featured a hydraulic landing gear system as opposed to the electric actuators on the Fw 190, an improved vertical stabilizer from the Fw 190C program, larger wings, and a half meter fuselage extension in the rear fuselage, with the ensuing redistribution of weight helping to correct for an issue with the aircraft’s center of gravity.

While it may seem odd that they were essentially pursuing two fighter designs to succeed the Fw 190A, the Luftwaffe was desperately looking for higher performance fighters. Hopes were placed on the new Jumo 213 in the Fw 190D, and the new DB 605D in the Bf 109K, to keep pace with the Allies. The Dora was an expedient solution which could use the same supply chain as the original fighter, and the Ta 152 would be a more thoroughly improved model which would be transitioned to once the Dora’s supply chain was well established. In any case, only the high altitude Ta 152 variant was pursued with any substantial amount of resources, given it would be assigned a mission the Bf 109K and Fw 190D models were not suitable for. Jets were, of course, also quite promising, but they were still an immature technology, and it was clear that the leap from pistons to turbines could not be made in 1944.

The new fighter would be designed with both high altitude and low altitude performance in mind. To meet this challenging requirement, both the GM-1 high altitude, and MW 50 low altitude engine boost systems were to be installed aboard the aircraft. Kurt Tank selected several of the old Fw 190C prototypes to be converted for the new program, these being V18, 29, 30, 32, and 33. V33 was the first to undergo modification and was redesignated V33/U1, now featuring a three bladed VS 9 propeller, a forward fuselage lengthening of .5 meters, a rear fuselage lengthening of 0.772 m, a new high aspect wing with an area of 23.5m^2, a hydraulically actuated undercarriage, and two 20 mm MG 151/20’s mounted in the wing roots.

It first flew on July 13, 1944, and was lost after it crashed during its 36 minute test flight at Vechta. The second prototype, V30/U1, flew on August 6, and like the first, was again lost, though this time resulting in the death of its pilot, Alfted Thomas. More success was had with the third prototype, V29/U1, which flew on September 29, 1944, and the fourth, V18/U2, which flew shortly after. With pre-production beginning in November, this left them about a month to perform flight tests on their surviving prototypes.  Serious trouble with the program was encountered as late as November, when test pilot Hans Sander had to crash land his aircraft after his engine seized due to fuel starvation. It was found a hydraulic valve had been installed in the fuel line, an accident most likely a result of the aircraft’s rushed development.

The losses and damages experienced at this point in testing were threatening to seriously interrupt the pace of the project, but in the end, they rushed through development with some of the stability issues unresolved. This effectively led to the aircraft entering production with only slight adjustments from the prototypes. However, the plane was achieving good high altitude performance, both in terms of speed and ceiling. Test pilot Friedrich Schnier would fly V29/U1 to an incredible height of 13.6 km on January 20th, 1945. Beyond this, the fourth and final converted aircraft was V32/U1, which was fitted with a four bladed Schwarz propeller and the new MG 213 revolver cannon. It first flew in January of 1945, though none of the equipment would be worked into any production aircraft.

The eccentric profile of the aircraft, with its high aspect ratio wings. (destination’s journey)

The H was unique among the Ta 152 series, with its long, high aspect wings designed for high altitude use, a pressurized cockpit, and the installation of both the GM-1 high altitude, and MW 50 low altitude boost systems. While together, they promised incredible performance at any height, GM-1 was never carried aboard any of the operational fighters due to its container’s adverse effects on stability. Eager to have this aircraft as soon as possible, Focke-Wulf sprinted through its development, and the Ta 152H entered pre-production in November of 1944. The extremely rapid pace of development was emblematic of the very desperate situation the German air force was in at the time. This resulted in the delivery of an aircraft that was effectively unfinished.

The Ta 152H-0 entered service without several of the key features that the plane was set to carry, lacking the outer wing fuel tanks, and the engine boost systems. As such, it was considerably lighter, and better handling than the planned production model, but without the boost systems, it was much slower.  For the time being it judged necessary, as there were serious weight distribution issues with wing fuel tanks and boost systems aboard. While it was designed with wing tanks, GM-1, and MW 50, the production model of the aircraft would not be permitted to fly with all three. In the end only the MW 50 and the wing tanks were permitted to be used together, but the GM-1 system would prove more troublesome. A stop gap solution late in the war would allow for the use of GM-1, but only GM-1. By the time the war ended, there was still no solution on how all three pieces of equipment would be added to the plane without jeopardizing its flying characteristics.

It was in this rough state when it was delivered to the Luftwaffe for testing in December. Due to supply chain issues, production was slow and the aircraft were finally delivered to the Luftwaffe until January 27, 1945.

Operational History

Given their very late introduction during the war, the Ta 152H saw very little action and its combat record is extremely limited. The aircraft was only supplied to the Stab, the squadron staff group, and Gruppe III of JG 301, a dual night and day fighter squadron which transitioned to them from Fw 190A-8’s on January 27. The squadron had a good pool of experienced pilots already familiar with Focke-Wulf aircraft, though their mechanics would have a far more difficult task, as the Ta 152H-0 had been pushed into service without maintenance manuals. At the airfield at Alteno, they received 11 aircraft, with 16 others having been destroyed or damaged on the ground before they could reach the unit. Familiarization and training proceeded until the end of February and was not without incident. One aircraft (150037) was lost in a training incident, a second damaged but repaired, and serviceability fell from 75% to 30% after an incident with water contaminating fuel supplies. The squadron would go on to receive several more aircraft before rebasing to Sachau when Alteno was overrun. They would attempt to engage Allied bombers on March 2, but the 12 Ta 152H’s would fail to reach them, as they were attacked by the Bf 109s of another squadron which mistook their unfamiliar planes for the enemy. No aircraft were lost in the engagement. A second high altitude interception against a DeHavilland Mosquito was also attempted, though engine trouble forced the pilot to return to base before contact was made.

One of the only photographs of Ta 152H’s in operation with JG 301. (destination’s journey)

The unit rebased again to Stendal near Erfurt, where they joined JG 301’s Gruppe II, during which one aircraft was lost, and the pilot, Jonny Wiegeshoff, was killed on the landing approach. This was believed to be the result of the propeller reduction gear failing and becoming stuck in an almost feathered position. By March 14th, the understrength unit was supplied with several Fw 190A-9s. Outnumbered and with little security, the Ta 152H’s often flew top cover for the rest of the unit during what few operations were undertaken. On April 10, Erfurt was contested, and during the fighting, the eight serviceable Ta 152’s engaged a flight of fifteen P-47’s near Brunswick, resulting in one victory claim.

Gruppe III’s last actions were conducted from Neustadt-Glewe. On April 15th, the unit suffered its first combat loss. During operations that day, four Ta 152s sortied to attack a pair of RAF Hawker Tempests engaging in a low level sweep. According to Obfw. Willi Reschke, the Ta 152H in the number two position, flown by Obfw. Sepp Sattler, suddenly lost control and crashed before contact was made, seemingly suffering a fatal malfunction, while other accounts claim he was brought down by one of the RAF Tempests. The remaining two Ta 152’s engaged the Tempests of No. 486 Squadron. In the ensuing battle, Obfw. Willi Reschke entered an intense, low level dogfight with one of the Tempests. Near the beginning of the engagement, he fired on and struck the tail of a Hawker Tempest flown by Lt. Mitchell, his gun’s electrical circuit seemingly failing shortly after. However, when Mitchel attempted to turn away from his opponent, he lost control of his damaged aircraft and crashed. Reschke swore by the low speed maneuverability of the Ta 152, which he felt was critical in this engagement, and his survival through the last days of the war. The Ta 152H flown by the Schwarm leader, Oberstleuteneant Fritz Auffhammer, suffered an engine failure, though the pilot successfully restored power and returned to base with his supercharger broken. Sattler and Mitchel were both buried at a cemetery in Neustadt-Glewe.

The last actions of the squadron were in the last stages of the Battle for Berlin, and on April 24th, the Ta 152s and Fw 190As of the IInd and IIIrd Gruppe attacked Soviet positions and engaged Yak 9’s. The final mission was flown over Berlin in poor conditions, and during an engagement with a flight of four Yak 9’s, Hauptman Hermann Stahl was killed during the engagement, with the four Yak-9’s being claimed by the unit. After the surrender, the unit rebased to Leck in Schleswig-Holstein, where they were disbanded and one of the serviceable Ta 152H’s was transferred to England by the RAF so that it could be evaluated. A second Ta 152H was also claimed by the USAAF for evaluation purposes, the plane being another H-0 which likely belonged to a testing unit at Rechlin.

One of the only serviceable planes was taken to the UK for testing. The other was taken in hand by the US. (Alessandro Orseniga)

In all, the Ta 152H was never actually used for any high altitude combat operations and its service was restricted to a single under strength unit. With at most ten victories and four operational losses, it is difficult to give any appraisal for its performance from its brief career with JG 301. Obfw. Josel Keil, was the only pilot to qualify as an ace on the Ta 152H, and together with Willi Reschke, who had two credits in the Ta 152H, and 24 in other aircraft, held nearly all of the aircraft’s combat credits between them.

Handling and Flying Characteristics

While the Ta 152H’s combat record leaves a lot of questions left unanswered, most pilots who had the chance to get behind the controls of the aircraft can at least agree that the aircraft flew very well. Among its most famous advocates was Royal Navy Test pilot Eric Brown. He would praise its excellent climb performance, maneuverability at high altitude, stability, and good landing characteristics. His only negative remarks were that its roll rate was reduced over the older Fw 190A, that its stick forces were notably heavier, and that its wheel brakes were still awful and prone to fade after a few moments of use. He otherwise considered it an excellent aircraft and the best high altitude piston engined fighter he had flown, comparing it favorably to a Spitfire Mk IXX. It must be noted that he misidentifies the aircraft as an H-1 in his book, and not the substantially lighter H-0, which is visually identical.

Captain Brown’s remarks are matched by those of the pilots who assessed the aircraft in the Stab and III/JG 301. The Ta 152H-0 had the best evaluation received by a front line operator of a Focke-Wulf aircraft. The aircraft possessed most of the best qualities of the earlier Fw 1,0D-9 without having its poor accelerated stall characteristics. While still described as uncomfortable like the Fw 190D it was so similar to, it was much improved and less prone to the aggressive snap rolling. So, while the aircraft was less maneuverable, generally speaking, most pilots were more comfortable pulling harder turns. In tests at the unit, some new pilots in Ta 152H’s were able to turn with seasoned pilots in Fw 190A’s. Take off runs were short, and the landing approach could be conducted at low speeds. Generally speaking, it was a fairly forgiving aircraft. The only negative notes on the aircraft were from the findings of the Rechlin Test Center, which found the aircraft became seriously unstable in dives exceeding 600 km/h and that level flight required excessive trimming of the horizontal stabilizer.

The enlarged tail and redesigned wings helped give these aircraft better handling characteristics than the Fw 190D. (Grafiq)

The stick forces were notably fairly high, but they were harmonized well, and the push rod control system ensured inputs were very responsive. Stability about the vertical axis was poor, and there was a tendency to skid. This tendency grew worse at higher altitudes and motivated them to install a level flight autopilot. The aircraft possessed good visibility to the back, sides, and rear, with the view over the nose being mediocre to poor. The controls were placed conveniently, with the instrument panel layout being clean and easy to read.

Most of its good qualities were not found in the fully equipped H-1 production model of the aircraft. Numerous problems were encountered when the full set of engine boosting equipment and fuel tanks were installed and filled. The added weight of the boost systems and wing tanks was substantial, and asymmetric. The GM-1 system and the wing tanks were particularly problematic, and the aircraft was unstable if the GM-1 container and fuel tanks were filled. Stability with the GM-1 system was only possible with a ballast kit, empty wing tanks, the removal of the MW 50 system, and a set fuel limit for the rear fuselage fuel tank. These issues were not resolved by the time the war ended, and there was no way the aircraft could use any combination of these systems without seriously jeopardizing its flying characteristics. MW 50 was usable aboard only the H-1 production model, but it may not have been available to JG 301 in the field. The squadron was still mostly composed of BMW 801 equipped Fw 190A’s which did not use the system.

Mechanics generally found the aircraft easier to maintain than the Fw 190, however there were some issues. The new hydraulic system for the landing gear was experiencing teething and quality control issues. The position of the landing gear wheel well was also found to be at issue, as when launching from damp conditions, the propeller cast mud and water into the well, which made its way inside the wing. This caused issues with the hydraulic systems and the autocannons fitted in the wing root.

Comparisons with contemporary fighters

The Ta 152H represented a leap in Germany high altitude fighter design, though not necessarily one that took them beyond the competition. (flugrevue)
Aircraft (manifold pressure) Speed at Sea Level (km/h) Speed 3050 m (10,000 ft) (km/h) Speed 6096 m (20,000 ft) (km/h) Speed 9144 m (30,000 ft) (km/h) Speed 9.5 km (31,168 ft) (km/h)
Ta 152H-1 (1.92 ata) 580 640 690 725 732
Fw 190D-9 (1.82 ata) 611 645 689 653 645
P-51B-15 (75″ Hg) 616 675 709 688 685
P-47N-5-RE (72″ Hg) 587 643 708 740 759
P-47M (72” Hg) 587 646 701 753 762
P-38L (60” Hg) 550 608 646 663 659
Spitfire Mk 21 (+21 lbs) 592 658 700 704 703
Me 262 A-1a 800 x 870 845 x

*The Ta 152H-1 could reach a maximum speed of 760 km/h at 12.5 km using the GM-1 boost system. While it was never cleared for operational use, on paper, it made the Ta 152H the fastest fighter at that altitude. The Fw 190D-9 represents a late model, having received an MW 50 boost system, as was available near the end of 1944.

The Ta 152 entered service on a battlefield where the Western Allies already had high altitude supremacy, and had a number of improved designs that had yet to make their debuts by the time the war in Europe was ending. By January of 1945, the German air force was no longer dealing just with long range escort fighters over its own soil, but virtually every fighter the Allies could throw at it, such as P-47’s, Spitfires of several marks, La-7’s, and Tempests, just to name a few.

Fw 190D-9 (Graphiq)

Against its contemporary Fw 190D-9 counterpart, it is clear that the Ta 152H did not represent a comprehensive upgrade. The Dora shared much of the same fuselage, though it retained the wings and tail sections of the older Anton series fighter, and it carried the Jumo 213A engine designed for use at lower altitudes. In regards to linear speed and acceleration below 6 km, the Dora roughly matched or exceeded the Ta 152H. This, however, was not the case at higher altitudes, where the high altitude specializations of the fighter showed their worth. The Ta 152H was known to be more maneuverable in flat turns and much more forgiving in most aggressive maneuvers, a result of its high aspect ratio wings which lacked the less than ideal tendency for snap rolling without much warning that the older Fw 190’s were known for. In a dive, the Dora was notably superior, as the aforementioned wings of the Ta 152H made it notably unstable at high speed. The H-1 carried, but was not cleared to use GM-1, nor does it seem they would have ever been supplied with the mixture. This is a discrepancy of several hundred kilograms, leaving the true climb performance of the aircraft somewhat ambiguous, with a claimed 20 m/s at sea level without MW 50.

The P-51B’s and D’s had marginal differences in performance They were among the most aerodynamically clean fighters of the war, boasting an extremely streamlined fuselage, laminar flow wings, and a radiator scoop which produced thrust that offset upwards of 90% of its own drag. To increase maneuverability in high speeds and in power dives, the control surfaces were internally sealed and used a diaphragm to reduce stick forces. The engine was a Packard Merlin V-1650-7 with an intercooled, two stage, two speed supercharger. Even though the engine was actually geared for lower altitude use than its predecessor, the combination of these features made the aircraft a very fast, maneuverable fighter which could boast of high performance at most altitude ranges.

Against the Ta 152H-1, the Mustang held to a higher top speed at low to medium altitude, better maneuverability at high speed, and far better dive performance. At extreme altitudes, the H-1 outstripped the Mustang in top speed, and across most altitudes would have had better low speed maneuverability. The high aspect ratio wings of the Ta 152 both gave it better handling at high altitude, and much improved stall characteristics over its predecessors down low. Curiously enough, both the Ta 152H and the Mustang were far more maneuverable than their wing loading would suggest, a result of high aspect ratio and laminar flow wing designs, respectively. However, in the Ta 152’s case, this came at the cost of a slower roll rate, and unstable high speed dive characteristics. While the Ta 152H could prove an exceptionally challenging high altitude opponent to all of the contemporary Allied fighters, it was a competitive, but not particularly impressive aircraft at lower altitudes. Performance wise, it could be said to fly like a more maneuverable, if slower, Fw 190D when at lower altitudes.

There is of course the story of Kurt Tank himself escaping a pair of P-51’s at low altitude in a Ta 152 prototype. Near the end of 1944, the designer himself was flying one of the prototypes to a conference in Cottbus, Germany, where he was happened upon by two P-51’s. Using the MW 50 boost system in the aircraft, Tank slipped away from his pursuers and arrived in Cottbus unscathed. Some laud this encounter a sign of the aircraft’s superiority, however, it is not a useful measure of the performance of any of the combat models of the aircraft. At Kurt Tank’s instruction, the prototype in question was unarmed and, more than likely, carrying no armor plate, which would have made the aircraft substantially lighter than any operational Ta 152H fighter.

The Spitfire Mk 21 represented the final evolution of the wartime Spitfire, by then nearing its tenth year in the air. A far echo from the Mk I, the 21 featured a vastly more powerful Griffin 61 engine. Much like its late Merlin powered predecessors, it possessed an intercooled, two stage, two speed supercharger. Unlike them, it was massive and much more powerful. After incorporating structural improvements and modifying controls for high speed, the Spitfire aged perhaps the best of any fighter of the war. Compared to the Ta 152H, it lacked the sheer distance in top speed performance of the P-51, but more than challenged the Focke-Wulf in linear speed and climb rate across most altitudes. However, at and above 7 km, the 152H had a confident advantage in speed and maneuverability.

The P-47N represented the final evolution of the Thunderbolt. Though not destined for Europe, it performed similarly to the P-47M which debuted in combat roughly the same time as the Ta 152H. (wikimedia)

Compared to the most modern Allied high altitude fighters, the Ta 152H lost most of its edge. The P-47N and M represented the final evolution of the American high altitude fighter, featuring a new 2800 hp, R-2800 turbocharged engine, and a variety of aerodynamic improvements to increase control at high speed. By the late Summer of 1944, the Western Allies had already gained air superiority over Europe, and so the new aircraft was stockpiled in the US for use in the Pacific, with the first deliveries being made in September of 1944. There was a similar performing model in Europe, the P-47M, though it was a limited production aircraft designed for chasing V-1 flying bombs and other high speed targets. Teething issues would keep it from entering service roughly until the Ta-125H did, in March of 1945. In the end though, the Luftwaffe had become so degraded that clearly no new updated models would be required and the performance increases would not justify the effort to refamiliarize pilots and maintenance personnel.

In terms of top speed, the P-47M&N handily outperformed the Ta 152H at all altitudes, the only exception being at extremely high altitudes when the Ta 152H employed GM-1. In contrast, the Focke-Wulf enjoyed a better climb rate and was likely the more maneuverable of the two, although it was certainly less capable in a dive. The late war Thunderbolts were certainly the fastest high altitude fighter which saw combat, the Ta 152H’s of JG 301 never having carried GM-1.

The P-38L was the last fighter variant of the Lightning fighter, the first model having been in service prior to the US entry to the war. With its turbo supercharged Allison engines, it was among the first fighters of the war that was designed for high altitude use. However, by the end of the war, it left something to be desired in terms of both its top speed, and like the Ta-152H, its high speed dive performance. Its low critical Mach number meant that the plane encountered compressibility at lower speeds than all of the fighters presented here. At high speeds and altitudes, the plane locked up and would remain uncontrollable until its high speed breaks were deployed, or it had descended into lower, denser air. Of all the Allied high altitude fighters, the Lightning compared fairly unfavorably with the Focke Wulf.

Most easily glossed over is the performance compared to jet fighters, which by the time the Ta 152H was introduced, could not exactly be called new. The Messerschmitt 262 had re-entered service in November of 1944 after earlier operational problems, and once training and maintenance programs were revised, the plane quickly proved itself. While it was slow to accelerate and climb, it was unapproachable in terms of top speed. Extreme high altitude use of the temperamental Jumo 004 turbojet engine was limited, though as a means of attacking high altitude formations of Allied bombers, it was by far the best equipped aircraft Germany possessed. Its slow acceleration meant that any energy-demanding maneuvers were largely off the table, but when flown by a pilot that understood its strengths, the plane was untouchable save for when it was taking off or landing. Though largely an issue post war, the Me 262 demonstrated the difficulty in justifying further piston engine fighter development at this point in aircraft development.

The Ta 152H began production after the Me 262 jet fighter had already entered service, so it, and many other programs, had to compete with it for resources. As the turbojet was already showing to be the future of fighter design, the Ta 152 was difficult to sell to the Luftwaffe. (I.PINIMG)

Overall, the Ta 152H certainly was not a Wunderwaffe by any means. At all but the highest altitudes, the aircraft was not a particularly better performer than its preceding, and much more numerous, Fw 190D counterpart. Even at extreme altitudes, it more than had competition in the form of the Thunderbolt N and M, which not only outstripped it in performance in a number of areas, but beat it into production by several months. It’s only truly exceptional performance was achieved using a high altitude engine boost system that was never made available to the unit carrying the aircraft, and in any case, it would have required a redesign of the aircraft to be used properly. Nevertheless, it represented a stark improvement in high altitude performance over previous German fighters. It too, could boast of extreme maneuverability at high altitudes, even if it didn’t lead the pack in pure speed. Top speed aside, its wings lent it a great degree of maneuverability at high altitude, and its overall performance at and above the altitudes Allied bombers flew at was considerable. This is also to say nothing of its trio of cannons; two 20mm MG151/20’s and its single 30mm MK108, which leant it incredible striking power. While the incorporation of the Jumo 213E, MW 50, and on paper, GM-1, did not produce the pinnacle of fighter design, the result was still a capable high altitude interceptor capable of engaging the highest flying targets of its day.

Construction

The construction of the Ta 152H’s fuselage was essentially that of a modified Fw 190A-8. The fuselage was largely the same with the following modifications: the forward fuselage was lengthened by 0.772 m in order to fit in a Mk 108 autocannon, the wing connecting section was moved forward 0.420 m to correct for the center of gravity, and the rear fuselage was lengthened by 0.5 m. The leading edge of the tail was exchanged for that on the Fw 190C, being considerably larger. Given the deteriorating situation near the end of the war, the new tail surfaces were wood, rather than metal skinned. The fin and rudder were enlarged for better control, with the new surface area of the tail stabilizers measuring 1.77 m2 for the vertical and 2.82 m2 for the horizontal. The changes to the fuselage necessitated strengthening, which saw some duralumin framing elements replaced with steel. In order to reduce the number of assembly jigs they needed to produce, the forward fuselage extension was bolted through the former engine attachment points.

The Ta 152H-1 featured all the fuel tanks pictured here, the preproduction H-0 had only those in the fuselage. (Deutchesluftwaffe.de)

The Ta 152H-1 featured all the tanks pictured here, the preproduction H-0 had only those in the fuselage. (Deutchesluftwaffe.de)

The wings were entirely redesigned from the Anton and changed to a high aspect model which increased the wingspan to 14.4 m, and to an area of 23.3 m2. Structurally, it remained a monocoque structure, but its rear spar and leading edge were used to absorb transverse forces and it was structurally reinforced with additional stiffening ribs. The landing gear were the same as the Fw 190A-8’s, but they were hydraulically and not electrically operated. They mounted 740 mm by 210 mm wheels to accommodate the increased weight of the aircraft. The inboard section of the wing mounted an MG 151/20 autocannon with provisions for 175 rounds of ammunition each.

Clean instrumentation, a high level of engine automation, and good visibility made the Ta 152H a fairly straightforward aircraft to fly. (destination’s journey)

The aircraft possessed a pressurized canopy to reduce the physiological stresses of high altitude flight. It was a very rudimentary system, with the cockpit rivets being sealed with DHK 8800 paste, and the sliding hood being sealed by means of a cylindrical rubber tube liner. Pressurization was regulated by means of a 1 liter air bottle supplied by a Knorr 300/10 air compressor which was geared to the engine with no intermediate gearing. The system was engaged at 8 km and maintained a constant .36 atmospheres. To prevent windscreen fogging, it was double-paned, with silica packets installed in the gap. Quality control issues saw varying effectiveness at altitude. On the record setting flight, Friedrich Schnier reported the system leaked badly above 12 km and shortly after he suffered joint pain, impaired vision, and numbness in his extremities due to low air pressure.

The Ta 152H carried an armament of two MG 151/20 20 mm cannons in each wing root and a centerline MK 108 30 mm cannon which fired through the propeller hub. The 20 mm guns were supplied with 175 rounds per gun, and the 30 mm with 90. The gunsight was the standard Revi 16b sight, which was eventually supposed to be replaced by the new EZ 42 gyroscopic sight which, when properly used, gave the pilot an accurate gunsight lead against his target. The aircraft was well armored with two engine plates, and six to protect the pilot, with a combined weight of 150 kg. The 8 mm plate behind the pilot was judged inadequate, though plans to increase its thickness to 15 mm were not carried out. A single hardpoint could be attached to the underside of the aircraft to install a 300 liter drop tank, but there were no provisions for carrying bombs.

The engine was a 35 liter Jumo 213E inverted V-12. Originally developed from the Jumo 211, which saw heavy use in bombers much earlier in the war, the new Jumo 213 was what most of the Luftwaffe’s hopes were placed on to compete with newer, more powerful Allied engines. It featured a new AJA 180 streamlined annular radiator that supported the oil and engine coolant. Critically, it was able to operate at significantly higher temperatures and pressures than older models, though not quite at the standards of the Western Allies. However, unlike Allied models, the Jumo was heavily automated. The Bediengerat, or control device, was a hydro-mechanical computer that managed the propeller RPM, mixture, supercharger speed, and radiator based on the pilot’s throttle inputs. This helped to relieve the pilot’s workload, as the Kommandogerat did on the BMW 801 powered models.

The Jumo 213E was the high altitude model which featured an intercooled, two stage, three speed supercharger. To further improve on high altitude performance, the aircraft would use a GM-1 nitrous boosting system. The system consisted of an 85 liter tank behind the pilot, and a crescent shaped liquid nitrous tank that sat at the right front side of the cockpit. The mixture was fed into the supercharger by a pump when the system was activated. As an oxygen carrier, the job of the nitrous is to provide an oxygen rich mixture to the engine when the supercharger is operating at altitudes where it is unable to provide the compression, and thus enough oxygen, needed to maintain a high manifold pressure. For the Jumo 213E, this was above 11 km. The drawbacks of the system were its uselessness below 11 km, and the bleed off of the evaporating liquid nitrous, which prevented it from being efficiently stored aboard the aircraft beyond several hours. Unlike its use on other aircraft, like Bf 109’s and Ju 88’s, the position of the nitrous tank aboard the Ta 152H proved dangerous, as it severely impacted the plane’s stability. It is unlikely the system would have been very effective without a major redesign of the fuel and mixture tanks, as even with a ballast kit that stabilized a GM-1 carrying plane, the aircraft could not carry anywhere near its full fuel load or its MW 50 boost system. While, on paper, the system promised unparalleled performance at extreme altitudes, it was almost unusable given its unstable configuration.

The MW 50 system was the low altitude boost system. It consisted of a 70 liter tank in the port wing containing MW 50, being roughly 49% methanol and 49% water, with the remainder being an anti corrosion measure. When active, the solution was pumped into the supercharger. The system was designed to boost engine power and overcome the less than ideal quality of German aviation fuels. Poor detonation characteristics, especially of the lower octane B4 fuels, forced the Germans to run at lower manifold pressures and thus lower power to avoid damaging their engines. Methanol boosted the octane rating of the fuel-air mixture entering the manifold, and the water cooled the mixture, with both factoring to bring major improvements in engine power via their combined anti-detonation, or knock, effects. The system made its debut in the summer of 1944, and was essential in allowing the later Bf 109G and Fw 190D series aircraft to stay competitive with their Allied counterparts. However, it was not without its drawbacks. It could not be used effectively above around 6 kilometers, and it was highly corrosive, severely limiting the lifespans of corrosion prone German engines. Aboard the Ta 152, it was to be installed in either a 70 liter wing tank or a standard 115 liter tank behind the pilot.

The Jumo 213E Kraftei. The entire assembly was bolted to the front of the fuselage and streamlined engine swaps. (ta152.de)

The engine had a bore and stroke of 150 mm and 165 mm, a compression ratio of 6.5:1, and a dry weight of 1040 kg. It differed from the standard model in that it had a slightly smaller bore, and the larger supercharger assembly and the associated intercooler added some 300 kg. It used B4 fuels which had a minimum octane rating of 87. The engine drove a constant speed 3.6 m VS 9 wooden propeller with a reduction gear of 1:2.40, and produced a maximum of 1753 PS (1729 hp) at sea level and 1260 PS (1242hp) at an altitude of 10.7 km. The oil header tank sat atop the front of the engine, and the coolant tank sat at the rear. On the Jumo 213A, these had a capacity of 55 and 115 liters respectively. The entire engine assembly was a Kraftei, or power-egg, consolidated unit, allowing the engine and its associated coolant systems to be easily removed or added to the aircraft.

Its radio and navigation systems included the FuG 16ZY ground control transceiver to allow it to be tracked and directed from ground based stations, a FuG 25A erstling IFF, and a FuG 125 radio direction finder for beacon homing. Some aircraft were also fitted with a K 23 level autopilot to reduce fatigue when flying the aircraft at high altitudes and in poor weather. The autopilot was accompanied with a heated windscreen and a FuG 125 Hermine radio navigation system as part of the R11 Rüstzustand equipment package.

Production of the Ta 152H

The Ta 152H was introduced in an environment where all quality control measures had already been cut down for every aspect of production. The lack of skilled labor and poor materials meant that building a reliable aircraft engine in Germany had become almost impossible by the spring of 1944. Slave labor and foreign, drafted workers had become the base of the labor pool, as most of Germany’s factory workers had been drafted to fight, resulting in a sharp decrease in quality. This was not only a result of poor working conditions and the inexperience of the workers, but sabotage became widespread, especially among those pulled to work from concentration camps. Even more desperate measures began to be instituted in the summer of 1944, as the re-use of parts from salvaged aircraft became more commonplace, and engine test runs were ever more limited to conserve dwindling fuel supplies.

The first Ta 152H-0 was completed in November of 1944 after considerable delays due to several sets of blueprints being found to be inaccurate, and sets of jigs had been lost in France the previous summer. The first planes were sent to the Rechlin test center in December of 1944, while Focke Wulf considered how to accelerate production. While doing so, they were hobbled when the Jagerstab, which managed strategic fighter production, shifted more and more resources to jet fighters and older, established piston engined fighters. Ta 152H production standards continued to decline in the midst of the widespread economic collapse of Germany. Near the end of January 1945, it became almost impossible to build any more Ta 152H’s, as the decentralized production system began to collapse, the rail system became unusable, and the wing and fuselage production center at Pozen was overrun by the Allies.

By the war’s end, approximately 60 Ta 152H fighters had been completed at the Focke Wulf facility at Cottbus. The series suffered extreme quality control issues in service with JG 301, which included supercharger surging and the failure of a propeller reduction unit, which resulted in the death of a pilot. In April of 1945, the plans were sold and shipped to Japan, where unsurprisingly, there was no new production of the aircraft.

Conclusion

The sole remaining Ta 152H is in storage at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, where it awaits restoration. (Smithsonian)

The Ta 152H is often seen as one of the great ‘what if’s’ of the Luftwaffe, but in reality, the aircraft was a good, rather than truly exceptional fighter. While on paper, the Ta 152H was to be an incredible aircraft at high altitude, it’s rushed development, and hasty introduction into service saw it fly without the GM-1 boost system that it needed to achieve these feats, and in a rather regrettable state in terms of build quality. It stacked up well against many of the older aircraft in the theaters it fought in, like the Yak-9, Spitfire Mk IX, or the P-38L, and against its contemporary Allied rivals, it was a competitive fighter at high altitudes.

Specification:

Specification Ta 152H-0 H-1
Engine Junkers Jumo 213E Junkers Jumo 213E
Engine Output 1753 PS, 2050 PS w/ MW50 1753 PS, 2050 PS w/ MW50
Empty Weight 4031 kg
Loaded Weight 4730 kg 5220 kg
Maximum Range 2000 km
Maximum Endurance 3.3 hrs
Maximum Speed [At altitude] approximately 720 km/h [10.9 km] 760 km/h w/GM-1 [12.5 km]
Service Ceiling 15 km w/ GM-1 (estimated)
Armament 1×30 mm MK 108, 2×20 mm MG 151/20 same
Crew 1x pilot same
Length 10.82 m 10.82 m
Wingspan 14.44 m 14.44 m
Wing Area 23.3 m^2 23.3 m^2
Height 3.38 m 3.38 m

 

Variants:

Ta 152H-0: Pre-production model, no wing fuel tanks, no MW 50 provisions, GM-1 capability but never cleared for operational use.

Ta 152H-0/R11: Poor weather pre-production series with level autopilot. Most pre-production aircraft were built in this configuration.

Ta 152H-1: Production model, wing fuel tanks, 85 liter GM-1 provisions but not supplied due to operational concerns. 70 liter MW 50 low pressure system installed. Fuel tankage increased from 595 liters to 995 liters with unprotected bag tanks in wings.

Ta 152H-1/R11: Poor weather model, autopilot. Most production aircraft were built in this configuration.

Ta 152H-1/R21: Equipped with Jumo 213EB intercooled engine, high pressure MW 50 system installed. Not operational.

Ta 152H-1/R31: Jumo 213EB, ballast kit to allow GM-1 use. No MW 50 and fuel capacity restricted. Not operational.

Ta 152H-2: FuG 15 radio set instead of FuG 16. Canceled in December 1944.

Ta 152H-2/R11: Bad Weather model.

Ta 152H-10: Photoreconnaissance model based on H-0.

Ta 152H-11: Photoreconnaissance model based on H-1.

Ta 152H-12: Photoreconnaissance model based on H-2.

Illustrations

The unique paint scheme of this aircraft was an identification measure, as the plane was largely unknown to German Flak and fighter crews. It was flown in this state to a conference.

 

 

Credits

  • Article written by Henry H.
  • Edited by  Henry H. & Stan L.
  • Ported by Henry H.
  • Illustrated by Hansclaw

Sources:

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Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment Boscombe Down Spitfire F. Mk. 21 LA.187 (Griffon 61) Climb and Level Speed Trials. 10 October 1945.

Einmotorige Jäger: Leistungsdaten, 1.10.44

Ersatzteil-Liste TA 152. Konstruktionsgruppe 7 Triebwerksanlage. Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau G.M.B.H. Bremen.

Fighter Offensive Performance at Altitude Model P-47N-5RE Engine P&W R-2800-73 GP=45:1 Propeller-4 Blades- 13’0” DIA. (Curtis 836) War Emergency- 2800/2800 S.L. to Critical Altitude G.W.=13962 LBS. Republic Aviation Corporation. Farmingdale L.I., New York.

Horizontalgeschwindigkeit über der Flughöhe mit Sonderleistung. Leistungsvergleich Fw 190 – Ta 152. Focke-Wulfe Flugzeugbau G.M.B.H. 3.1.45

P-51B-15-NA 43-24777 (Packard Merlin V-1650-7) Performance Tests on P-38J, P-47D and P-51B Airplanes Tested with 44-1 Fuel. (GRADE 104/150). 15 May, 1944.

Smith F., M.A. and Brotherton J. Note on the performance in flight of the German jet-propelled aircraft Messerschmitt 262, Heinkel 162, and Arado 234. Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough. October 1945.

Secondary:

Brown, Eric Melrose. Wings of the Luftwaffe. Hikoki, 2010.

Douglas, Calum E. Secret Horsepower Race: Second World War Fighter Aircraft Engine Development on the Western Front. TEMPEST, 2020.

Green, William. The Warplanes of the Third Reich. Doubleday & Company. 1970.

Harmann, Dietmar. Focke-Wulf Ta 152 the Story of the Luftwaffe’s Late-war, High-Altitude Fighter. Schiffer Military History. 1999.

Smith, J. & Creek, Eddie. Focke-Wulf Fw 190, Vol. 3: 1944-1945. Specialty Pr Pub & Wholesalers. 2015.

Smith, J. & Creek, Eddie. Me 262 Volume Two. Crecy Publishing. 2007.

Weal, John. Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Aces of the Western Front. Osprey Publishing. 1996.