^nt lfe . Above: The same l/JG 27 aircraft as seen at far left. This view from above flatters the camouflage capabilities of the 79/80 colour scheme against the North African terrain. 47
Above: Bf 109G-2s of II (left) and lll/JG 54 \"Grunherz\" (Green Heart) geschwader operating on the northern sector of the Eastern Front (probably at Silverskaya) in the summer of 1942. Relative merits of the Luftwaffe and Soviet fighters continue to be hotly debated. Right: The Bf 109G-14/U4 introduced a wooden tail, previous improvements being the clear- view \"Galland\" hood and (five years late, and often incomplete) geared tabs on ailerons and/ or elevators. Me sserschmitt Bf 109G-14/U4 cutaway drawing key: 1 Starboard navigation light 56 Wing/fuselage fairing Tailplane structure 2 Starboard wmgtip 57 Undercarriage emergency Rudder actuating linkage retraction handwheel 3 Fixed trim tab andFuG 25a IFF) Elevator control horn (outboard) Elevator connecting rod 4 Starboard Frise-type aileron Main fuel filler cap Elevator control quadrant 5 Flush-riveted stressed wing- 58 Tail trim handwheel Fuselage top keel Tailwheel leg cuff (connector -stringer) Castoring non- retractable skinning (inboard) tailwheel Aerial lead-in Lengthened tailwheel leg^ 6 Handley Page leading-edge 59 Seat harness Fuselage skin plating Access panel 60 Throttle lever automatic slat sections 61 Control column 7 Slat control linkage U' stringers Tailwheel shock-strut 82 Cockpit ventilation inlet Lifting point 8 Slat equalizer rod 53 Revi 16B reflector gunsight Fuselage frames Rudder cable (monocoque construction) Elevator cables 9 Aileron control linkage - (folding) 93 Tail trimming cables First-aid pack Armoured windshield frame 94 Fin root fairing 10 Fabric-covered flap 65 Anti-glare gunsight screen 11 Wheel fairing 95 Starboard fixed tailplane Air bottles 12 Ammunition-feed fairing 66 90mm armourglass wind- 96 Elevator balance Fuselage access panel (both sides of fuselage) screen 97 Starboard elevator Bottom keel (connector 13 Rheinmetall Borsig 13mm 67 Galland'-type clear-vision Circular access panel 98 Geared elevator tab stringer) hinged canopy Tail trimming cable conduit MG 131 Wireless leads 99 All-wooden fin construction 125 Ventral IFF aerial -3 Framed armourglass head/ 14 Engine accessories back panel MW 50 (methanol water) 100 Aerial attachment 126 Master compass 15 Starboard gun trough o9 Canopy contoured frame tank (25 gal/114 litres 101 Rudder upper hinge bracket 127 Elevator control linkage 16 Daimler-Benz DB 605AM 70 Canopy hinges (starboard) capacity) 7 1 Canopy release catch Handhold 102 Rudder post 128 Wing root fillet twelve-cylinder inverted-vee ~2 Pilot's bucket-type seat Fuselage decking liquid-cooied engine Aerial mast 103 Fabric-covered wooden 129 Camber-changing flap 1\" Detachable cowling panel (8mm back armour) D/F loop Oxygen cylinders (three) 104 rudder structure 130 Ducted coolant radiator 18 Oil filler access \"3 Underfloor contoured fuel 105 Geared rudder tab 131 Wing stringers •9 Oil tank tank (88 gal/400 litres of 106 Rear navigation light 132 Wing rear pick-up point 87 octane B4) Port elevator 133 Spar/fuselage upper pin 20 Propeller pitch-change mechanism 1A Fuselage frame 107 Elevator geared tab VDM21 electrically-operated constant-speed propeller 22 Spinner 2 3 Engine-mounted cannon muzzle 24 Blast tube 25 Propeller hub 25 Spinner back plate 27 Auxiliary cooling intakes 23 Coolant header lank 29 Anti-vibration rubber engine-mounting pads 30 Elektron forged engine bearer 31 Engine bearer support strut attachment 32 Plug leads 3 3 Exhaust manifold fairing strip 34 ejector exhausts J5 Cowling fasteners 36 Oil cooler 3^ Oif cooler intake 38 Starboard mainwheel 39 Oil cooler outlet flap 4C Wing root fillet 41 Wing-fuselage fairing 42 Firewall/bulkhead ^3 Supercharger air intake 44 Supercharger 4 5 20mm magazine 4r 1 3mm ammunition feed 47 Engine bearer upper attachment 48 Ammunition feed fairing 40 MG 131 breeches 52 Instrument panel 51 20mm Mauser MG 151/20 cannon breech 5 2 Heel rests 53 Rudder pedals 54 Undercarriage emergency retraction cables 55 Fuselage frame joint (horizontal) 48
Development I bh to apprecial in in hi :1 I38). Early vi i hi end if August 1 939 941 it was b is alsi i luring thi firsl eai Warrid II tl iub types were called o1 ti ihtei igainsl hid ppo the S| itl h it greatlv outnumber! i ;i2i mi and cheap production, high a good power of manoeuvre Neai 09 Es were i three 20mm cannon, with range and striking powei grea continued on pagn SO eight mi,' .iiibre guns. Drawbacks were the < swing on take-off or landing, extremely poor lateral conl needs, and the fact that in combat the slats on the wings often opened in hums while this prevented a stall, it snatched at the ailerons and thre pilot off his aim After 1942 the dominant version was the 109G (\"Gu which made up over 70 per cent of the total received by the Luftwaffe Though formidably armed and equipped, the vast swarms of \"Gustavs\" Above: Maj Walter Oesau's Bf 109E (7/JG 51. Jan. '40). Left: Obit H-J Marseille's 109F (3/JG 27. score at 101). Below: 109F of Hpm Assi Kahn (lll/JG 2. score 31, later 108). 1 34 Spar/fuselage lower pin 154 Slat equalizer rod join* 155 Handley Page automatic 1 35 Flaps equalizer rod leading-edge slat 1 36 Ruestsatz R3 auxiliary fuel 156 Wing stringers tank ventral rack 157 Spar flange decrease 137 Undercarriage electrical 158 Wing ribs interlock 159 Flush-riveted stressed 1 38 Wing horizontal pin forward wing-skinning pick-up Metal-framed Fnse-type 139 Undercarriage retraction aileron jack mechanism 161 Fixed trim tab 140 Undercarriage pivot/bevel 162 Wingtip construction 141 Auxiliary fuel tank 163 Port navigation light (Ruestsatz R3) of 66 gal 164 Angled pitot head (300 litres) capa 165 Ruestsatz R6 optional I 142 Mainwheel leg • a underwing cannon gondola 143 Mainwheel oleo leg 166 1 4-point plug connection 144 Brake lines 167 Electrical junction box 1 45 Mainwheel fa 168 Cannon rear mounting 146 Port mainwheel bracket 147 Leading-edge 20mm Mauser MG ' 148 Port mainwheel well cannon 1 49 Wing spar Cannon front mou' I 150 Flap actuating linkage bracket 151 Fabric-covered control 171 Ammunition feed chute surfaces 172 Ammunition magaz r 1 52 Slotted flap structure !73 Underwing panel 153 Leading-edge slat actuating 174 Gondola fairing mechanism 175 Cannon barrel
Messerschmitt Bf 109 continued Top: Bf 109F-4/B carrying SC 500 (1.1021b) bomb. This particular machine was that of Staffelkapitan Liesendahl of 10 (Jabo)/JG 2, based at Caen in June 1942. Above: Bf 109F-4/Trop with 66-gallon drop tank. This aircraft belonged to ll/JG 27. based at Sanyet in September 1942. It is finished in the standard \"Colour No 79 Sand-yellow\" specified for upper surfaces of tropical aircraft. The tropical filter is prominent. Below: Typical of the Luftwaffe's chief (and almost sole) type of front-line single-engined fighter during the Battle of France is the Bf 109E flown by Major Erich Mix, CO of lll/JG 2 in May 1940. It forms an instructive counterpart to the aircraft of 10/JG 2 of 1942 pictured at top left. o 1-1 \"1 Vo^^^c^>l bum OMnen rtuhler isl im Noub«rf«l eingebouf N
Top: Bf 109F-2 Trop of III JG 27, based at Qasaba in the autumn of 1942. It was just at this time that Hans-Joachim Marseille, staffelkapitan of III JG 27 and top scoring pilot in the west, was killed after destroying 158 Allied aircraft. Above: One of the pre-war 109s was this Bf 109D-1 of ll/JGr 102, based at Bernburg in the winter 1938-39. Sides and upper surfaces look uniform dark green, but in fact Luftwaffe records show that all authorised colour schemes had very slightly contrasting shades, such as 70 black- green and 71 dark green. 51
Top: Bf 109F-5 of l(F)/122 based in Sardinia in 1943. This Above: This Bf 109E of lll/JG 52, based at Hopstadten in August 1940, has an unusual colour scheme with criss- was a tactical reconnaissance aircraft, with vertical crosses of 71 dark green sprayed on 02 grey. Underside is camera in the rear fuselage (and the engine-mounted cannon removed). Performance was not always high regulation 65 light blue. enough to escape interception, especially by two-stage- Merlin Spitfires. 52
53
Messerschmitt Bf 110
Below: A typical Luftwaffe night fighter of the late war period was this Bf 110G 4 of 7/NJG 4 based at many airfields in northwest Germany and at St Trond and Venlo in the Netherlands. Finished in 76 Light Blue all over, the upper surfaces were then given a sprayed mottle of 75 Grey-Violet. 55
Below: A day-flying DB 605-powered version, a Bf 110G-2 of 5/ZG 76. based at Grossenhain in winter 1943-44. In happier days in 1939-41, ZG 76 had been the original Haifisch unit, with prominent shark mouths on its aircraft noses. Below: Bf 110C-4/B, one of the earlier DB 601 -powered models. It is shown flying with SKG 1 (fast bomber geschwader 1 ) on the Eastern Front, with that theatre's yellow tactical band. SKG 1 retained the wasp motif it had used when it was ZG 1, the original zerstorer geschwader nicknamed Wespen (Wasp).
Germany continued on page 58 57
1 ^^Messerschmitt Bf 110 Bf 1 10B series to H series (data for Bf 110C-4/B) Origin: Bayensche Flugzeugwerke. after 1938 Messerschmitt AG; widely Above: Bf 110D of 8 ZG 26 climbing out of rugged territory in Sicily in 1942 to rendezvous with a bomber force for Malta. dispersed manufacture. Type: Two-seat day and night fighter (also used on occasion for ground attack and reconnaissance). Engines: Two 1.100hp Daimler-Benz DB 601 A; (later C-4s) 1 ,200hp DB 601 N 12-cylinder inverted-vee liquid-cooled; (G. H) two 1.475hp DB 605B. same layout Dimensions: Span 53ft 4|in (16 25m); length 39ft 8iin (12 1m); height 11ft 6in (3 5m). Weights: Empty 9.920lb (4500kg): loaded 15.4301b (7000kg). Performance: Maximum speed 349mph (562km/h) at 22.966ft (7000m): climb to 18.045ft (5500m). 8 minutes: service ceiling 32.800ft (10.000m). range 528 miles (850km) at 304mph (490km/h) at 16.400ft (5000m). Armament: Two 20mm Oerlikon MG FF cannon and four Rheinmetall 7 92mm MG 17 machine guns fixed firing forward in nose, one 7 92mm MG 15 manually aimed machine gun in rear cockpit: C-4/B also fitted with racks under centre section for four 5511b (250kg) bombs. (G-4 night continued on page 60> Messerschmitt Bf 110G-4b R3 cutaway drawing key: 1 Trie Hirschgeweih (Stag s 10 Armoured bulkhead 20 Starboard aileron 35 Aerial mast 53 Elevator tab 75 Wmgtip 1 Supercharger intake 21 Trim tab 36 Upward-firing cannon 54 Centre section fairing 76 Flensburg aerial (see 18> Antlers) array for the FuG 55 Rear navigation light 77 Port navigation light 220b Lichtenstein SN 2 12 Position of nacelle- 22 Slotted flap muzzles 56 Port elevator 78 Leading-edge automatic mounted instruments on 23 Hinged canopy roof 57 Port tailfin radar day fighter model 24 Armoured glass windscreen 37 Two 30-mm MK 108 58 Rudder slat 59 Hinged tab 2 Single-pole type antenna 1 3 Exhaust flame damper (60-mm) cannon in schrage Musik 60 Tailwheel 79 Wing ribs 25 Instrument panel (oblique music) installation 61 Fuselage frames 80 Mainspar for the FuG 212 14 Auxiliary tank 26 Cockpit floor armour firing obliquely upward 62 Control lines 81 Underwing auxiliary fuel 63 Dipole tuner Lichtenstein C-1 radar 15 Three-blade VDM airscrew (4-mm) (optional installation 64 Batteries tank (66 lmpgal/300-l 3 Camera gun supplied as an Umrust- 65 Transformer capacity) 16 Leading-edge automatic 27 Twin 20- mm Mauser MG 66 Sloned flap 82 Landing light 4 Cannon muzzles Bausatz/Factory 67 Fuel tank of 57 3 Imp gal 83 Undercarriage door 5 Cannon ports slat 1 51 cannon with 300 84 Mainwheel well rounds (port) and 350 Conversion Set) (260 51) capacity 85 Supercharger intake 6 Blast tubes 17 Pilot tube rounds (starboard) 38 Ammunition drums 68 Oil tank of 7 7 Imp gal 86 Undercarriage pivot point 7 Starboard mainwheel 18 FuG 227/1 Flensburg 28 Pilot's seat 39 Aft cockpit bulkhead 87 Mainwheel leg 8 Armour plate (10-mm) 29 Control column 40 FuG 10P HF R/T set (351) capacity 88 Mainwheel homing aerial fined to 30 Pilot's back and head 41 FuBI 2F airfield blind 69 Ventral antenna 89 Oil cooler 9 Twin 30-mm Rheinmetall some aircraft by forward armour (8-mm) 70 Coolant radiator 90 Oil cooler intake maintenance units (to 31 Cannon magazine approach receiver 71 Radiator intake Borsig MK 108 (Rus' home on Monica tail- 32 Centre section carry- 72 Hinged intake fairing 91 VDM airscrew warning radar emissions) through 42 Handhold 73 Aileron tab Field Conversion Set 3) 1 9 Stressed wing skinning 33 Radar operator's swivel seat - Oxygen bottles 74 Aileron construction ^^ 34 D/F loop 44 Aerials with 1 35 rpg 45 Master compass t^~ — V^M 46 Starboard tailfin . 18 47 Rudder balance I ^^^SSs^^/*^S*s**s*S*s\"\"*^*-^\"Sn»^ 48 Rudder 49 Tab 50 Starboard elevator 51 Starboard tailplane 52 Variable- incidence tailplane 58
92 Pitch-change mechanism 100 f uselage/matnspar Above: Bf 110C 4 of IM/ZG 76 creates its own sandstorm in 93 Armoured ring (b mm) attachment point the Western Desert in the winter 1941 42. Like the Bf 110 opposite it has yet to receive Sand Yellow livery and the 94 Coolant tank 101 Kiselaye/foiward auxiliary white bands denoting the Mediterranean tactical theatre spar attachment point 95 t KhaitSl flame damper Below: From 1942 onward night fighting was by far the most 102 Watfenwanne 151Z. a important task of the Bf 110. The G-4b/R3 was one of the 90 Anti vibration engine ventral tray housing a pax purpose-designed NJG models with upward-firing cannon. mounting pad of 20 mm MG 1 bl cannon Daimler Ben/ DB 605B 1 (optional) 1 2 cylinder inverted Vee enqine (rated at 1 .4 /bhp tor take off and 1 3bbhp at 18.700ft/b/00m) Gorged engine bearer I uel tank (8? b Imp gal/ 3/b I capacity) ,
fighter) two 30mm MK 108 and two 20mm MG 151 firing forward, and MGtwo 151 in Schrage Musik installation firing obliquely upwards (some- MGtimes two 7 92mm 81 in rear cockpit). History: First flight (Bf 110V1 prototype) 12 May 1936; (pre-production Bf 110C-0) February 1939; operational service with Bf 110C-1. April 1939; final run-down of production (Bf 110H-2 and H-4) February 1945. User: Germany (Luftwaffe). Development: As in five other countries at about the same time, the Above: An unidentified trio of what appear to be Bf 110Ds Reichsluftfahrtministerium decided in 1934 to issue a requirement for a new reveal little beyond the staffel colour of yellow seen on kind of fighter having two engines and exceptional range. Called a Zerstorer the tips of the spinners. They are probably from 9'ZG 26 (destroyer), it was to be as capable as small single-seaters of fighting newly assigned to the North African theatre. other aircraft, possibly making up in firepower for any lack in manoeuvr- ability. Its dominant quality was to be range, to escort bombers on raids Below: Bf 110G-2 of 12/NJG 3 penetrating deep into enemy heartlands. Powered by two of the new DB 600 (Stavanger, 1945); no radar. engines, the prototype reached 316mph. considered an excellent speed, but it was heavy on the controls and unimpressive in power of manoeuvre. Too late to be tested in the Spanish Civil War. the production Bf 110B-1. which was the first to carry the two cannon, was itself supplanted by the C-series with the later DB 601 engine with direct fuel injection and greater power at all heights. By the start of World War II the Luftwaffe had 195 Bf 1 10C fighters, and in the Polish campaign these were impressive, operating mainly in the close-support role but demolishing any aerial opposition they encountered- It was the same story in the Blitzkrieg war through the Low Countries and France, when 350 of the big twins were used. Only when faced with RAF Fighter Command in the Battle of Britain did the Bf 110 suddenly prove a disaster. It was simply no match for the Spitfire or even the Hurricane, and soon the Bf 109 was having to escort the escort fighters! But production of DB 605-powered versions, packed with radar and night-fighting equipment, was actually trebled in 1943 and sustained in 1944. these G and H models playing a major part in the night battles over the Reich in 1 943—45. Below A fine : photo of two Bf 110D-1sof ZG26, soon after the Luftwaffe first went to Africa in 1941. Sand Yellow all over, with white theatre band.
Henschel Hs 129 Hs 129A and B series Origin: Hi Type: Single ipport and g \"H p r- Engines: I two n iw i idi il Dimensions: Span It M lOfl Sin I i \"mil m,.,| Weights: (Typi. il B-1) empty 8.940lb (406\" (51 I Ok n h (408km hi (9000n Performance: (1 pii Bil I) maximum pi limb l --saOft (425m)/min; service ceiling 29.530ft miles (880kmi Armament: See text History: Firs! flight (Hs 129V-1) early 1939; service delivery (129AO) Above: Three view of Hs 129B 1/R4 with bomb kit early 1941 Firsl Might (129B) October 1941; service delivery (129B) kite 1942. Users: Germany (Luftwaffe). Hungary. Romania Development: Though there were numerous types of specialised close RLMitant of all In 1938 the issued a spe' support and ground attack aircraft in World War I, this category was virtually ignored until the Spanish Civil War showed, again, that it is one of the most the whole purpose of the Luftwaffe Blitzkrieg-type battles - to back up thi bomber Henschel's Dipl-lng F Nicholaus dev what resembling the twin-engined fighters of the pe< armour and less-powerful engines (two 495hp Argus As 41 0A 1 inverted-vee-1 2s) The solo pilot sat in the extreme nose behind a v. 3in thick, with armour surrounding the cockpit The triangu fuselage housed self-sealing tanks, guns in the sloping sides and a ham: for a bomb underneath Test pilots at Rechlin damned the A-0 pre-prod>. batch as grossly underpowered, but these aircraft were used on the Eastern Front by the Romanian Air Force The redesigned B-series used the vast numbers of French 1 4M engines that were available and in production by the Vichy government for the Me 323. Altogether 841 B-series were built, and used with considerable effect on the Eastern Front but with less success in North Africa The B-1/R1 had two 7 92mm MG 17 and two 20mm MG 151/20. plus two 1101b or 48 fragmentation bombs The R2 had a 30mm MK 101 clipped underneath and was the first aircraft ever to use a 30mm MGgun in action. The R3 had a ventral box of four 1 7. The R4 carried up to 5511b of bombs. The R5 had a camera for vertical photography. The B-2 MG MGseries changed the inbuilt 17s for 131s and other subtypes had many kinds of armament including the 37mm BK 37 and 75mm BK 7 5 with muzzle about eight feet ahead of the nose The most novel armament, used Above: A Henschel Hs 129B-2/R2 of Schlachtgeschwader 9 on against Russian armour with results that were often devastating, was a the Eastern Front, spring 1943 but still in winter colours. battery of six smooth-bore 75mm tubes firing recoilless shells down and to Below: Another Hs 129B-2, in this case of 4 (Pz)/Sch.G 1, the rear with automatic triggering as the aircraft flew over metal objects. from the same period, with 70/71 oversprayed with white blobs. Below: A highly cleaned-up and somewhat falsified Hs 129B (sub-type obscured by changes ncluding removal of the large pilot sight) in American charge long after World War II. Only two Hs 129s are thought to exist today. 61
Junkers Ju 52/3m Ju 52/3m in many versions; data for 3mg5e to 3mg14e Origin: Junkers Flugzeug und Motorenwerke AG: also built in France on German account by a SNCASO/Breguet/Amiot group; built under licence by CASA. Spain. Type: Passenger and freight transport (also bomber, reconnaissance. mine countermeasures. cas-evac and glider tug). BMWEngines: Three (one in Ju 52) of following types: 600hp Hornet. BMW BMW725hp 132T (standard on nearly all wartime 132A. 830hp versions). 925hp Bristol or PZL Pegasus. 750hp ENMASA Beta E-9C or 710hp Wright Cyclone (all nine-cylinder radials) or Jumo 5 diesel. Jumo BMW206 or VI in-lines Dimensions: Span 95ft 1 1 iin (29 25m); length 62ft (18 9m): height Above: Three-view of typical pre-war civil Ju 52/3m. (landplane) 14ft 9in (4 5m). Weights: Empty 12.3461b (5600kg): loaded 24.3171b (11.030kg). MG15). In 1935 the 3mg3e bomber, with manually aimed 1 5s in a dorsal Performance: Maximum speed 1 90mph (305km/h); initial climb 689ft cockpit and ventral dustbin and bomb load of 3.307lb (1500kg) equipped (210m)/min; service ceiling 18.045ft (5500m): range 808 miles (1300km) the first bomber squadrons of the Luftwaffe. By 1 936 about half the 450 Armament: Usually none: in combat zones it was usual to mount one built had been supplied to the Legion Kondor in Spain and to the Nationalist 13mm MG 131 manually aimed from open dorsal cockpit and two 7 92mm air force, but nearly all were equipped as troop transports, freighters and MG 1 5s manually aimed from beam windows. casualty-evacuation ambulances These were the roles of most military History: First flight (Ju 52) 13 October 1930; (Ju 52/3m) May 1932. (Ju 52/3mg3e bomber) October 1934; final delivery (AAC 1 ) August 1947. versions, which were by far the most common transports on every front on which Nazi Germany fought It is typical of the Nazi regime that, despite a (CASA 352-L) 1952 wealth of later and more capable aircraft, the old 'Auntie Ju\" or \"Iron Annie\" Users: Argentina. Colombia. Ecuador. France. Germany (Luftwaffe. Kriegsmarine. Lufthansa). Hungary, Peru. Portugal. Slovakia. Spam. was kept in full production throughout the war Good STOL performance, with patented \"double wing\" flaps, robust construction, interchangeable Sweden. wheel/ski/float landing gear and great reliability were the Ju 52s attributes Total German output was 4.845 Many were built in France where 400 Development: One of the great aircraft of history, the Ju 52/3m was briefly preceded by the single-engined Ju 52 which had no military history were completed as AAC 1s in 1947 The final 170 were built in Spain as Most early Ju 52/3m versions were 1 5/1 7-passenger airliners which sold CASA 352-Ls for the Spanish Air Force, which used them as T 2B multi- all over the world and also made up 75 per cent of the giant fleet of Lufthansa role transports until 1975. (reducing that airline's forced landings per million kilometres from 7 to only Above: A typical early-wartime model, probably a Ju 52/3mg5e, which served with ll/KGz.b.V 1 in southern Greece in May 1941. Below: A Ju 52/3mg7e pictured crossing the Mediterranean in 1942. Rommel's Afrika Korps increasingly relied upon the \"Tante Ju\" (Auntie Ju), which suffered high attrition. S^foZSJ :< ;
Junkers Ju 86 Ju 86D. E, G, K, P and R Origin : Junki and - and built Type: (I) I G Engines: (D) 600h| BMW800 Di 880hp 132 ni two 905hp Bristol Mercury XIX nine cylindei I I| lumo 207A 1 or 207B 3/V tu led oppo- Dimensions: Span 73ft 1 0. i (P) 84t 12m) length (typical) 58ft 8}in (17 9m). (G) 56ft bin (P. R) 54) Above: Three view of the ultimate extreme-altitude Ju 86. bin (4 7m) the Ju 86R-1 Their chief accomplishment was to trigger the development of numerous Allied high-altitude fighters. Weights: Empty (E-1) 11.4641b (5200kg). (R-1) 14.7711b (6700kg). vulnerable eve r loaded (El) 18.0801b (8200kg). (R-1) 25.420lb (11.530kg) BMW radial, were faster and th< Performance: Maximum speed (E-1) 202mph (325km/h). (R-1) 261 mph engined Ks. of which 40 were built by Ju- • (420km/h). initial climb (E) 918ft (280m)/mm, service ceiling (I 1) 1936) and 16 by Saab (last delivery 3 January 1941) Many D ai 22.310ft (6800m). (R-1) 42.650ft (13.000m). range (E) 746 miles bombers were used against Poland, but that was their swan 1939 Junkers was working on a high altitude version wit! (1200m). (R-1) 980 miles (1577km) engines and a pressure cabin and this emerged as the PI bomb' bomber/reconnaissance which was operational over the Soviet i Armament: (D. E. G. K) three 7 92mm MG 15 manually aimed from nose, gathering pictures before the German invasion of June 1941 The R dorsal and retractable ventral positions, internal bomb load of four 551 lb had a span increased even beyond that of the P and frequently operated over southern England in 1941-2 until - with extreme difficulty - solitary MG(250kg) or 16 1 101b (50kg) bombs: (P) single 7 92mm fixed 1 7. same Spitfires managed to reach their altitude and effect an interception Total military Ju 86 production was between 810 and 1.000 Junkers schemed bomb load. (R) usually none. many developed versions, some having four or six engines History: First flight (Ju 86V 1 ) 4 November 1 934; (V-5 bomber prototype) Below: One of the colourful Ju 86K-2 bombers of the Hungarian 3. /I Bombazo Oszataly, based at Tapolca in 1938 January 1936: (production D-1) late 1936. (P-series prototype) February Few were left when the Axis attacked the Soviet Union in 1941. 1940. Users: Bolivia. Chile. Germany (Luftwaffe. Lufthansa). Hungary. Portugal. South Africa. Spain. Sweden. Development: Planned like the He 1 1 1 as both a civil airliner and a bomber, the Ju 86 was in 1 934 one of the most advanced aircraft in Europe. The design team under Dipl-lng Zindel finally abandoned corrugated skin and created a smooth and efficient machine with prominent double-wing flaps and outward-retracting main gears. The diesel-engined D-1 was quickly put into Luftwaffe service to replace the Do 23 and Ju 52 as the standard heavy bomber, but in Spain the various- D-versions proved Below: The Ju 86G-1 was the only sub-type still in combat service with the Luftwaffe at the start of the Polish campaign in 1939.
Junkers Ju 87 Ju 87A, B and D series Origin: Junkers Flugzeug und Motorenwerke AG: also built by Weser Flugzeugbau and SNCASO. France. Type: Two-seat dive bomber and ground attack. continued on page 66 V Below: The cutaway drawing shows the Ju 87D-3. one of the more powerful and aerodynamically improved D-series that made up more than three-quarters of all production. The bombs shown, with Dienartstab fuzes, are among a great diversity of weapons and equipment that could be carried.
1 Below Though the (utility of using unfunny bombs against tanks was recogmsetf on the fourth il.iy of the Germ. in InvMlOII of the Soviet Union, it was not until 1943 tlmt ,i better .in-.wer became available This Ju 87G 1 was probably serving with 10 (P/) SG 2 on the Eastern Front In October 1943 67 Ad 117 Ba hand grip 1 19 Inboard flap si ie and head 120 Flap hinge arn- 121 Rhemmetall-Borsig MG 17 69 Sliding ca- (shown pan open) machine gun of 7 92 ' 70 Rmg-and bead gunsights cahbre (port and starboard) 122 Ammunition tank (1.000 Mauser MG rounds c = . 81Z machine gun on GSL-K 81 mount of rib 72 Canopy track fairing 73 Peil G IV 0/F equipment 123 Port outer sel? 74 Circular plexiglass access tank (33 Imp gal/1 501 panel Back-to-back L-section stringers (fuselage horizontal break) First-aid stowage 77 Z-section fuselage frames 78 Radio aerial 79 Faired elevator mass balance 80 Starboard elevator cap* 1 24 Corrugated wing rib 125 ETC bomb rack support bar 126 ETC bomb rack unde fairing 127 Port outboard flap 1 28 Port aileron 1 29 Aileron mass balance Corrugated wing rib station 81 Tailplane structure 1 30 Rear spar Reinforced armoured 82 Tailplane brace/spar 131 Wing nb windscreen attachment point 132 Port navigatic Reflector sight 83 Tailplane bracing strut 84 Fuselage skinning 1 33 Front spar Padded crash bar 85 Control runs 1 34 Wing leading edge 86 Tailfin attachment fairing Signal flare tube 87 Tailfin structure 135 Underwing bomb lo = Braced fuselage mainframe 88 Rudder horn balance 110-lb/50-kg bombs) Front spar/fuselage 89 Rudder attachment point 90 Rudder trim tab controls on multi-purpose carrier 91 Rudder trim tab Pilots seat (reinfor:r 92 Rudder control linkage 1 36 Bomb shackles 93 Rudder post 4-mm side and 8-mm rear 94 Rear navigation light 137 Dienartstab 95 Elevator tab 15 Inertia starter cranking armour) 96 Port elevator percussion rod attachments 48 Inter-cockpit bulkhead 97 Faired elevate ~ Spinner point 49 Sliding canopy handgrip 138 ETC 50/VIII fairing Pitch change mechanism 16 Ball joint bulkhead fixing 50 External side armour balance housing 51 Pilot's back armour (8mm) 98 Tailplane front spar 1 39 Air brake (extended) Blade hub (lower) 52 Headrest 99 Control pulley circular 53 Aft-sliding cockpit canopy 1 40 Air brake activating Junkers VS 1 1 constant- 17 Tubular steel mount access panels (shown part open) 1 00 Rudder lower hinge fairing anism speed propeller support strut 54 Radio mast cut-out 1 01 Tailplane bracing strut Anti-vibration engine 55 Anti -crash hoop 102 Emergency tailskid 141 Air brake (retracted) mounting attachments 18 Ventral armour (8mm) 103 Tailwheel 6 Oil filler point and marker 19 Main oil tank (9 9 Imp (magnesium casting) 104 Tailwheel leg 142 Landing lamp 7 Auxiliary oil tank (5 9 Imp 56 Radio mast 105 Jacking point gal /26 81 capacity) gal (451 cac 57 Radio equipment (FuGe 106 Fuselage stringers 1 43 Wheel spat 20 Oil filling point 107 Master compass 144 Fork/spat attachment 8 Junkers Jumo 211 J-1 12- 21 Transverse support frame 16) compartment 1 08 Crew entry step (port and 22 Rudder pedals 145 Port mainwheel cylinder inverted-vee liquid 23 Control column 58 Additional (internal) side starboard) cooled engine 24 Heating point armour 1 09 Entry step support (with 146 Brake reservoir filler point 25 Auxiliary air intake 9 Magnesium alloy forged 26 Ball joint bulkhead fixing 59 Canopy track control run cut-outs) 1 47 Cantilever fork engine mount 60 Handhold/footrests (upper) 61 Braced fuselage mainframe 110 Wing root fairing 1 48 Leather shroud 10 Coolant (Glysantin-water) 27 Bulkhead 111 Non-slip walkway (aft header tank 62 Rear spar/fuselage 149 Oleo-pneumatic shock 28 Oil tank (6 8 Imp gal/311 attachment point section external metal 1 Ejector exhaust stubs absorber 1 2 Fuel injection unit housing capacity) 63 Radio-operator/gunner's strakes) 1 50 Mainwheel leg 13 Induction air cooler 29 Oil filler point and marker 1 4 Armoured radiator seat (folding) 1 51 Siren fairing Intava 100) 30 Fuel filler cap 64 Floor armour (5mm) MG1 52 Barrel of 1 7 machine 31 Self-sealing starboard outer 65 Armoured bulkhead (8mm) 66 Ammunition magazine gun fuel tank (33 Imp gal/1 501 racks 153 Wnd-dnven siren capacity) 1 54 Starboard whe- 32 Underwing bombs with 1 55 PVC ventral bomb rack Dienartstab percussion rods 33 Pitot head 156 Bomb cradle 34 Spherical oxygen bottles 1 57 Starboard wheel fork 35 Wing skinning 36 Starboard navigation light 1 58 Starboard mainwheel 37 Aileron mass balance 38 Double wing' aileron and 1 59 Bomb release trapese 160 551-lb(250-kg) bomb flap (starboard outer) 39 Aileron hinge with Dienartstab attachment Above: This Ju 87R is seen in Norway in April 1940. Then a new model, it carried extra fuel plus underwing tanks. 65
Engine: (Ju 87B-1) one 1.100hp Junkers Jumo 211Da 12-cylinder mverted-vee liquid-cooled; (Ju 87D-1. D-5) 1.300hp Jumo 211J. Dimensions: Span (Ju 87B-1. D-1) 45ft 3^in (13 8m): (D-5) 50ft OJin (1 5 25m); length 36ft 5in (11 -1m); height 1 2ft 9in (3 9m) Weights: Empty (B-1. D-1) about 6.080lb (2750kg). loaded (B-1) 9.3711b (4250kg); (D-1) 12.6001b (5720kg); (D-5) 14.5001b (6585kg). Performance: Maximum speed (B-1) 242mph (390km/h): (D-1) 255mph (408km/h); (D-5) 250mph (402km/h); service ceiling (B-1) 26.250ft (8000m); (D-1. D-5) 24.000ft (7320m); range with maximum bomb load (B-1) 373 miles (600km): (D-1. D-5) 620 miles (1000km) Armament: (Ju 87B-1) two 7 92mm Rheinmetall MG 17 machine guns MGin wings, one 7 92mm 15 manually aimed in rear cockpit, one 1.1021b (500kg) bomb on centreline and four 1101b (50kg) on wing racks; (D-1. D-5) two MG 17 in wings, twin 7 92mm MG 81 machine guns manually aimed in rear cockpit, one bomb of 3.968lb (1800kg) on centreline; (D-7) Above: The Ju 87G-1 anti-tank aircraft with two 37mm guns. two 20mm MG 151/20 cannon in wings; (Ju 87G-1) two 37mm BK (Flak Above: Ju 87D-3 with two two-seat 18. or Flak 36) cannon in underwing pods; (D-4) two underwing WB81 passenger pods, intended to be released and parachuted. MGweapon containers each housing six 81 guns. and many hit the ground In Poland and the Low Countries the Ju 87 was History: First flight (Ju 87V1 ) late 1935: (pre-production Ju 87A-0) terribly effective and it repeated its success in Greece. Crete and parts of the November 1 936; (Ju 87B-1 ) August 1 938: (Ju 87D-1 ) 1 940; termination of Russian front. But in the Battle of Britain its casualty rate was such that it was soon withdrawn, thereafter to attack ships and troops in areas where production 1944. the Axis still enjoyed some air superiority In 1942-45 its main work was close support on the Eastern front, attacking armour with big guns (Ju Users: Bulgaria. Croatia. Germany (Luftwaffe). Hungary. Italy. Romania. 87G-1 ) and even being used as a transport and glider tug. Total production, all by Junkers, is believed to have been 5.709 Slovakia. Development: Until at least 1942 the Ju 87 'Stuka\" enjoyed a reputation that struck terror into those on the ground beneath it First flown with a British R-R Kestrel engine and twin fins in 1935. it entered production in 1 937 as the Ju 87A with large trousered landing gear and full equipment for dive bombing, including a heavy bomb crutch that swung the missile well clear of the fuselage before release. The spatted Ju 87B was the first aircraft in production with the Jumo 211 engine, almost twice as powerful as the Jumo 210 of the Ju 87A. and it had an automatic device (almost an auto- pilot) to ensure proper pull-out from the steep dive, as well as red lines at 60°. 75° and 80° painted on the pilot's side window Experience in Spain had shown that pilots could black-out and lose control in the pull-out. Later a whole formation of Ju 87Bs in Spain was late pulling out over misty ground Left: A Ju 87B-2/Trop serving with MI/StG 1 in Libya in 1941. The equipment of StG 1 had mostly been in action in Poland and the Low Countries. France and England since the start of the war. Below: Flanked by a 1,1021b SC500 bomb, this Ju 87B \"Stuka\" s seen parked on a Greek airfield during the continuation of the Blitzkrieg campaign through the Balkans into north Africa. This was the last campaign in which the Ju 87 demolished its targets and encountered little opposition.
Junkers Ju 88 1 Many versions: data for Ju 88A-4, OfQ C-6. G-7, S-1 .! Above: Three-view of the first loiwj sp.in version, the A 4 Origin: ( izeug und M i di imong \\A I i t ii i i ii i i Type: Military lin i ifi de igned as dive I bi imbing. close sum\" irt. night fi and as pid itle missile. Crew tv. Engines: (A 4) two 1 ,340hp Junkers Jumo 211 J 1? cylindei iled (C-6) same Aas 4. (G /) two 1 .880hp Junki .' cylinder inverted-vee liquid cooled: (S-1) two l./OOhp BMW 1 801 G 18 cylinder two row radials. Dimensions: Span 65ft 1 0^in (20 13m) (early versions 59ft 10 ; 'i ,im (14 4m) (G 7. 54ft liin): height 15ft 1 1 in (4 85m). (C-6) 16ft 7iin (5m) Weights: Empty (A-4) 17.6371b (8000kg): (C-6b) 19.0901b (8660kg). (G-7b) 20.0621b (9100kg). (S-1) 18.3001b (8300kg). maximum loaded (A-4) 30.8651b (14.000kg): (C-6b) 27.500lb (12.485kg): (G-7b) 32.350lb (14.690kg). (S-1) 23.1001b (10.490kg) Performance: Maximum speed (A-4) 269mph (433km/h): (C-6b) 300mph (480km/h). (G-7b) (no drop tank or flame-dampers) 402mph (643km/h). (S-1) 373mph (600km/h): initial climb (A-4) 1.312ft (400m)/ mm. (C-6b) about 985ft (300m)/mm. (G-7b) 1.640ft (500m)/mm: (S-1) 1.804ft (550m)/min. service ceiling (A-4) 26.900ft (8200m): (C-6b) 32.480ft (9900m): (G-7b) 28.870ft (8800m): (S-1) 36.090ft (11.000m): range (A-4) 1.112 miles (1790km): (C-6b) 1.243 miles (2000km). (G-7b) 1.430 miles (2300km): (S-1) 1.243 miles (2000km) Armament: (A-4) two 7.92mm MG 81 MG(or one 81 and one 13mm MG MG MG1 31 ) firing forward, twin 1 31 upper rear, one or two Above: Three-view of the Ju 88G-7a night fighter, with side 81 or one elevations of G-7b (centre. FuG 218 Neptun) and -7c (FuG 240). MG MG81 at rear of ventral gondola and (later aircraft) two 81 at front of gondola. (C-6b) three 20mm MG FF and three MG 17 in nose and two MG20mm 151/20 firing obliquely upward in Schrage Musik installation. History: Fust flight (Ju 88V1) 21 December 1936. (first Ju 88A-1) 7 MG(G-7b) four 151/20 (200 rounds each) firing forward from ventral September 1939: (first fighter. Ju 88C-0) July 1939: (Ju 88C-6) mid-1942, MGfairing, two 151/20 in Schrage Musik installation (200 rounds each) (first G-series) early 1944: (S series) late 1943: final deliveries, only as MGand defensive 131 (500 rounds) swivelling in rear roof: (S-1) one factories were overrun by Allies. MG 131 (500 rounds) swivelling in rear roof: bomb loads (A-4) 1.1001b Users: Bulgaria (briefly). Finland. Germany (Luftwaffe). Hungary. (500kg) internal and four external racks rated at 2.2001b (1000kg) (inners) Romania continued on page 68*- and 1.1001b (500kg) (outers) to maximum total bomb load of 6.6141b (3000kg): (C-6b and G-7b. nil). (S-1) up to 4 410lh ( 7000kg ) on external Left: Ju 88A-4 of l/KG 54 \"Totenkopf\" (Death's Head) racks at Gerbini. April 1942; colours 78/79/80. Below: Yet another A-4, this time belonging to one of the most famous units. I/KG 51 \"Edelweiss\". It was photographed on the Eastern Front in the summer of 1941, in 70/71/65 trim. .-- V \" ' ?%»
: Development: Probably no other aircraft in history has been developed in so many quite different forms for so many purposes - except, perhaps, for the Mosquito Flown long before World War II as a civil prototype, after a rapid design process led by two temporarily hired Americans well-versed in modern stressed-skin construction, the first 88s were transformed into the heavier, slower and more capacious A-1 bombers which were just entering service as World War II began. The formidable bomb load and generally good performance were offset by inadequate defensive armament, and in the A-4 the span was increased, the bomb load and gun power substantially aug- mented and a basis laid for diverse further development. Though it would be fair to describe practically all the subsequent versions as a hodge-podge of lash-ups. the Ju 88 was structurally excellent, combined large internal fuel capacity with great load-carrying capability, and yet was never so degraded in performance as to become seriously vulnerable as were the Dornier and BMWHeinkel bombers. Indeed, with the radial and the Jumo 213 engines the later versions were almost as fast as the best contemporary fighters at all altitudes and could be aerobatted violently into the bargain. A basic design feature was that all the crew were huddled together, to improve combat morale; but in the Battle of Britain it was found this merely made it difficult to add proper defensive armament and in the later Ju 1 88 a much larger crew compartment was provided. Another distinctive feature was the large single struts of the main landing gear, sprung with stacks of chamfered rings of springy steel, and arranged to turn the big. soft-field wheels through 90° to lie flat in the rear of the nacelles. In 1940 to 1943 about 2.000 Ju 88 bombers were built each year, nearly all A-5 or A-4 versions. After splitting Above: One of the first Ju 88 combat missions sta rts engines off completely new branches which led to the Ju 188 and 388, bomber a long-span A-5 model, with yellow-staffel spinne rs and two SC 250 bombs hung externally. development was directed to the streamlined S series of much higher Below: One of countless Ju 88 lash-ups was the P 1 anti-tank performance, it having become accepted that the traditional Luftwaffe species of bomber was doomed if intercepted, no matter how many extra heavy-gun platform with 75mm PaK 40 with large muzzle brake. guns and crew it might carry. Indeed even the bomb and fuel loads were cut in most S sub-types, though the S-2 had fuel in the original bomb bay and large bulged bomb stowage (which defeated the objective of reducing drag). Final bomber versions included the P series of big-gun anti-armour and close-support machines, the Nbwe with flame-throwers and recoilless rocket projectors, and a large family of Mistel composite-aircraft combina- tions, in which the Ju 88 lower portion was a pilotless missile steered by the fighter originally mounted on top. Altogether bomber, reconnaissance and related 88s totalled 10.774. while frantic construction of night fighter versions in 1944-45 brought the total to at least 14.980. The Ju 88 night fighters (especially the properly designed G-series) were extremely formid- able, bristling with radar and weapons and being responsible for destroying more Allied night bombers than all other fighters combined. 19 17
4 Above: One of the outstanding Ju 88 night fighters the G-7a with Jumo 213 engines. Lichtenstein SN-2 FuG 220 radar and devastating armament. Above: Another propaganda film shot of an early raid by a Ju 88A-5. Though still troublesome in 1939-40, the Ju 88 was the best German offensive aircraft. Left: This cutaway reveals most of the salient features of the Ju 88G-1, the first of the purpose-designed night fighter versions with new Ju 188-type tail and completely revised armament. No other night fighter in wide use in World War II carried so many effective sensors; but the RAF played into the enemy's hands by emitting streams of signals. 79 Rudder structure 114 Port outer fuel tank 80 Fin rear spar/fuselage location attachment (91 gal/414 litres) 115 Ventral gun pack (offset to 81 Rudder tab (lower section) 82 Rear navigation light port) 83 Elevator tab 116 Ball and socket fuselage/ 84 Port elevator wing attachment points 85 Elevator balance 117 Port inner fuel tank location 86 Elevator tab actuator (93 4 gal/425 litres) 118 Ammunition boxes (200 87 Heated leading-edge 88 Tailbumper/fuel vent outlet rpg) 89 Tailwheel doors 119 Four Mauser MG 151 90 Tailwheel retraction 20mm cannon mechanism 120 Mainwheel leg retraction Junkers Ju 88G-1 cutaway drawing key: 91 Shock-absorber leg yoke 92 Mudgard 121 Leg pivot member 122 Mainwheel door actuating 93 Tailwheel 1 Starboard navigation light 22 Gyro compass 40 Control linkage 59 Z'-section fuselage frames 94 Access hatch jack 2 Wingtip profile 23 Instrument panel 41 Bulkhead 60 Dinghy stowage 24 Armoured-glass windscreen 42 Armoured gun mounting 61 Fuel vent pipe 95 Fixed antenna 123 Mainwheel door (rear 3 FuG 227 Flensburg 43 Aerial post/traverse check 62 Master compass 96 D/F loop homing receiver aerial sections 44 Fuel filler cap 63 Spherical oxygen bottles 97 Lower longeron section) 45 Whip aerial 64 Accumulator 4 Starboard aileron 25 Folding seat 46 Forward fuselage fuel tank 65 Tailplane centre-section 124 Mainwheel door (front 26 Control column 5 Aileron control lines 27 Rudder pedal/brake cylinder (105 gal/480 litres) carry-through 98 Nacelle/flap fairing section) 47 Fuselage horizontal 6 Starboard flap 28 Control lines 66 Starboard tailplane 99 Port flap 125 Leg support strut 7 Flap-fairing strip 29 Pilot's seal construction joint 67 Elevator balance 100 Wing centre/outer section 126 Port mainwheel 8 Wing ribs 48 Bulkhead 68 Aerial 9 Starboard outer fuel tank 30 Sliding window section 49 Fuel filler cap 69 Starboard elevator attachment point 127 Mainwheel leg 50 Aft fuselage fuel tank (230 70 Elevator tab (91 gal/414 31 Headrest 71 Fin front spar/fuselage 101 Aileron controls 128 Annular exhaust slot 10 Fuel filler cap 32 Jettisonable canopy roof gal/1.046 litres) 11 Leading-edge structure 51 Access hatch attachment 102 Aileron tab (port only) 129 Exhaust stubs (internal) 12 Annular exhaust slot section 52 Bulkhead 103 Aileron hinges BMW130 13 Cylinder head fairings 53 Control linkage access plate 72 Fin structure 801 D engine (part- 1 Adiustable nacelle nose ring 33 Gun restraint 54 Fuselage stringers 73 Rudder actuator 15 Twelve-blade cooling fan 74 Rudder post 104 Rear spar deleted to show gun pack) 16 Propeller boss 34 Radio operator/gunner's seat 55 Upper longeron 75 Rudder mass balance 17 Three blade variable-pitch 56 Maintenance walkway 76 Rudder upper hinge 105 Port aileron 131 Annular oil tank 35 13mm MG 131 gun 57 Control linkage 77 Rudder tab (upper section) 132 Cannon muzzles (5 deg VS 1 1 1 propeller 58 Fuselage horizontal 78 Inspection/maintenance 106 Port navigation light 18 Leading-edge radar array 36 Radio equipment 107 FuG 101 a radio altimeter downward angle) 19 Lichtenstein SN 2 radar array 37 Ammunition box (500 construction joint handhold 20 SN-2 radar aerial 133 Twelve-blade cooling fan 21 Bulkhead rounds) 38 Lichtenstein SN-2 indicator 108 Wing structure (3 17 times propeller speed) 134 Propeller mechanism box 109 Leading-edge radar array 39 FuG 227 Flensburg indicator 110 Front spar 135 Three-blade variable-pitch Pitot head VS 1 1 1 propeller box 111 Landing lamp Mainwheel well rear 136 FuG 16ZY aerial 1 12 113 137 Starboard mainwheel bulkhead 69
Junkers Ju 188 Ju 188A, D and E series, and Ju 388, J, K and L Origin: Junkers Flugzeug und Motorenwerke AG: with subcontract manufacture of parts by various French companies Type: Five-seat bomber (D-2. reconnaissance). Engines: (Ju 188A) two 1.776hp Junkers Jumo 21 3A 12-cylinder inverted-vee liquid-cooled; (Ju 188D) same as A; (Ju 188E) two 1.700hp BMW 801 G-2 18-cylinder two-row radials. Dimensions: Span 72ft 2in (22m); length 49ft 1 in (14 96m); height 16ft -J_ 1 in (4 9m) Weights: Empty (188E-1) 21.8251b (9900kg); loaded (188A and D) 33,730lb (15.300kg); (188E-1) 31.9671b (14.500kg) Performance: Maximum speed (188A) 325mph (420km/h) at 20.500ft (6250m); (188D) 350mph (560km/h) at 27.000ft (8235m); (188E) 31 5mph (494km/h) at 19.685ft (6000m); service ceiling (188A) 33.000ft (10.060m); (188D) 36.090ft (11.000m); (188E) 31.170ft (9500m); range with 3.300lb (1500kg) bomb load (188Aand E) 1.550 miles (2480km) Above: Three-view of the Ju 188E-1 bomber, one of the BMWversions with the Armament: (A. D-1 and E-1) one 20mm MG 1 51/20 cannon in nose, one 801 G-2 radial engine MG MG151/20 in dorsal turret, one 13mm 131 manually aimed at rear MG MGdorsal position and one 1 31 or twin 7 92mm 81 manually aimed at Below: Almost gaudy in 72/73 green shades oversprayed with 65 Light Blue, this Ju 188D-2 was operated by 1 (F)/124 at rear ventral position; 6.6141b (3000kg) bombs internally or two 2.2001b Kirkenes, northern Norway, in 1944. (1000kg) torpedoes under inner wings History: First flight (Ju 88B-0) early 1940; (Ju 88V27) September 1941; (Ju 1 88V1 ) December 1 941 ; (Ju 1 88E-1 ) March 1 942: (Ju 388L) May 1 944 User: Germany (Luftwaffe). Development: In 1939 Junkers had the Jumo 213 engine in advanced development and. to go with it. the aircraft side of the company prepared an Junkers Ju 290 Ju 290A-1 to A-8 and B-1 , B-2 and C Origin: Junkers Flugzeug und Motorenwerke; design and development at Prague- Letnany. prototypes at Dessau and production at Bernberg Type: Long-range transport and reconnaissance bomber BMWEngines: Four 801 14-cylinder radials. (A) usually 1 .700hp 801 D. (B) 1.970hp 801 E. Dimensions: Span 137ft 9Jin (42 00m); length 92ft 1 in to 97ft 9in (A-5. 93ft 11iin. 28 64m): height 22ft 4Jin (6 83m) Weights: Empty, not known (published figures cannot be correct); maximum (A-5) 99.1411b (44.970kg). (A-7) 101.4131b (45.400kg). (B-2) 111.3321b (50.500kg) Performance: Maximum speed (all. without missiles) about 273mph (440km/h); maximum range (typical) 3.700 miles (5950km). (B-2) Above: One of the later sub-types was the Ju 290A-7, one of which is illustrated at the foot of the page. 4.970 miles (8000km) Armament: See text History: First flight (rebuilt Ju 90V5) early 1939. (production 290A-0) October 1 942: programme termination October 1 944. User: Germany (Luftwaffe). Development: In 1936 Junkers considered the possibility of turning the Ju 89 strategic bomber into the Ju 90 airliner With the death of Gen Wever the Ju 89 was cancelled and the Ju 90 became the pride of Deutsche Lufthansa. By 1937 the civil Ju 90S (Schwer = heavy) was in final design, Above: The Ju 90 V4, a development aircraft of 1937 (pre-290). BMWwith the powerful 139 engine. By 1939 this had flown, with a new BMWwing and 801 engines, and via a string of development prototypes led to the Ju 290A-0 and A-1 transports first used at Stalingrad The A-2 was MGan Atlantic patrol machine, with typical armament of five 20mm 1 51 MG(including two power turrets) and six 13mm 131 There were many other versions, and the A-7 introduced a bulbous glazed nose: armament of MG MGthe A-8 series was ten 151 and one (or three) 131, the most powerful carried by any bomber of World War II The B carried more fuel and pressurized crew compartments, and like some A versions had radar and could launch Hs 293 and other air/surface missiles. In 1944 three A-5 made round trips to Manchuria Right: Taken at the Junkers plant at Bernburg, the centre for Ju 290 development, this shows the first production A-7 (Werk-Nr 0186) being readied for flight in May 1944. The A-7 was the most advanced sub-type to reach production status; even so the initial batch of 25 was not completed. 70
18 with a largei 81 tn imlined rew ii ant pointed wings and la |i tail After protracted developi BMWi/ent into production as the lu 1 881 I fitted with 801 b the i\" iwerful lurrv i till not read rhe plani al > I , i i and ' few radai i quipped turretle is I mceI i I beli Ahi mid 1943 finally getting into production with the l i m Leipzig idhfi iu buill the tl pad exhau nighl i iperatii ins and the A I torpedo bombei rhe D as a I aircraft and the Ju 188S i i familv i ii high ipeed i various duties capable oi up to I35mph (696km h) Numi me with a ren ti tiled twin M(i I 11 tail turret led even faster ami highei flying Ju 188 family ol nighl fighters I) n | ;ance (L) and bomber aircraft (K) Altogether about 1.100 Ju 188 i mmabout 120 388s were delivered vhile al the wai s end the andh I irgi i markedly differenl Iu .'88 had been shelved and the ! much enlarged i foul engined 388. had been built at Toulouse All these aircraft and the even greater number of stillborn protects, were evidence \"i the im rea ingl^ urgent need to make up for the absence of properly conceived new designs by wringing the utmost development out of the obsolescent types with which the I utM.ifte had started the war. Above: Capable of carrying two advanced LT 1b or LT F5b torpedoes, and Hohentwiel radar, the Ju 188E-2 was one of the best anti-shipping aircraft of World War II. Above: The Ju 188A-2, a four-seat bomber with Above: Ju 188D-2 (shown in colour opposite). Jumo 213 engines boosted to 2,240hp each. Above: The Ju 188C, with hydraulic tail barbette (abandoned). Above: Ju 188G-0 with wooden bomb pannier and manned turret. Above, from the top: Ju 290A-2, the first ocean patrol type; Above: A rare air-to-air shot of the first Ju 290A-5 to be Ju 290A-8 with ten cannon; and the Ju 290B-1 heavy bomber. delivered to FAGr 5 ocean-reconnaissance geschwader in 1943. Below: This picture of the first Ju 290A-3 (also used by 1/FAGr 5) shows the impressive size of these aircraft. 71 __.
Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet Me163B-1 Origin: Messerschmitt AG Above: Me 163B-1a showing takeoff trolley and landing skid Type Single-seat interceptor. than it was. Even the dramatically unconventional form of the Me 1 63. Engine: One 3.750lb (1700kg) thrust Walter HWK 509A-2 bi-propellant with no horizontal tail and an incredibly short fuselage, did not lead to great difficulty; in fact, the production fighter was widely held to have the best and rocket burning concentrated hydrogen peroxide (T-stoff) and hydrazine/ safest characteristics of any aircraft in the Luftwaffe. But the swift strides into uncharted technology were bold in the extreme. It was partly to save methanol (C'-stoff) weight and drag that the tailless configuration was adopted, and partly Dimensions: Span 30ft 7in (9 3m); length 18ft 8in (5 69m); height because the moving spirit behind the project was at first Dr Alex Lippisch. 9ft Oin (274m) Weights: Empty 4.1911b (1905kg); loaded 9.042lb (4110kg). Performance: Maximum speed 596mph (960km/h) at 32.800ft (1 0.000m); initial climb 16.400ft (5000m)/mm: service ceiling 54.000ft (16.500m); range depended greatly on flight profile but under 100km (62 miles): endurance 2imin from top of climb or eight min total. Armament: Two 30mm MK 108 cannon in wing roots, each with 60 rounds. History: First flight (Me 1 63V1 ) spring 1941 as glider. August 1941 under power; (Me 163B) August 1943; first operational unit (I/JG400) May 1944. User: Germany (Luftwaffe) Development: Of all aircraft engaged in World War II the Me 163 Below: Purging the propellant pipes, with C-stoff generating steam clouds. On the ground the Komet was extremely dangerous Komet (Comet) was the most radical and. indeed, futuristic. The concept of the short-endurance local-defence interceptor powered by a rocket engine ! was certainly valid and might have been more of a thorn in the Allies' side Below: The prototype Me 163A V1 (first prototype), which languished 18 months as a glider before its rocket was fitted. Messerschmitt Me 210 and 410 Hornisse Me 21 0A, B and C series. Me 41 0A and B series Origin: Messerschmitt AG. Above: Three-view of Me 210A-2 (upper side view, A-0). I Type: Two-seat tactical aircraft for fighter, attack and reconnaissance Right: This Messerschmitt Me 410A-3 Hornisse was captured by duties with specialised variants. the RAF at Trapani in Sicily in 1943. Previously operated by 2.(F)/122, it was one of the specialized photo-reconnaissance Engines: (Me 210. usual for production versions) two 1.395hp Daimler- Benz DB 601 F inverted-vee-12 liquid-cooled; (Me 41 0A series, usual for variants with a deepened forward fuselage without an internal weapons bay to allow the installation of two Rb 20/30, 50/30 production versions) two 1.750hp DB 603A of same layout. (Me 41 0B or 75/30 cameras. series) two 1 ,900hp DB 603G Below: Another A-3 showing the deep fuselage. Previous Dimensions: Span (210) 53ft 7Jin. later 53ft 7|in (16-4m): (410) photo-reconnaissance versions of the Me 410 Hornisse had 53ft 7|in: length (without 50mm gun. radar or other long fitment) (210) been mere lash-ups, with the cameras inadequately installed 40ft 3in (12 22m); (410) 40ft 10in or 40ft 1 1 iin (12 45m); height (both) 14ft OJin (4 3m) in the bomb bay and giving extremely poor results. Weights: Empty (21 0A) about 12.0001b (5440kg); (410A-1) 13.5601b (6150kg); maximum loaded (210A-1) 17.8571b (8100kg); (410A-1) 23.483lb (10.650kg). Performance: Maximum speed (both, clean) 385mph (620km/h): initial climb (both) 2.133ft (650m)/min; service ceiling (210A-1) 22.967ft (7000m); (410A-1) 32.800ft (10.000m); range with full bomb load (210A-1) 1.491 miles (2400km): (410A-1) 1.447 miles (2330km). Armament: Varied, but basic aircraft invariably defended by two remotely- controlled powered barbettes on sides of fuselage each housing one 13mm MG 1 31 and. if bomber version, provided with internal weapon bay housing two 1.1021b (500kg) bombs: external racks on nearly all (210 and 410) for two 1.1021b stores (exceptionally, two 2.2041b). Normal fixed forward- firing armament of two 20mm MG 151/20 and two 7 92mm MG 17. Me 410 versions had many kinds of bomber-destroyer armament, as described in the text. History: First flight (Me 210V-1) 2 September 1939; (pre-production 210A-0) April 1941; final delivery (210) April 1942: first flight (310) 11 September 1943: (410V-1) probably December 1942 User: Germany (Luftwaffe). Development: Planned in 1937 as a valuable and more versatile successor to the Bf 1 10 twin-engined escort fighter, the Me 210 was little more than a flop and made hardly any contribution to the German war effort. After severe flight instability and landing-gear problems some progress was made in 1941 towards producing an acceptable machine which could be put into 72
.| Komdi .-it An m.) I63B la \"t II J'< 400 OpCI .il.il B46il Bl .null-, in .-.ii ly 1 I In- Mi- Hi I in-i-ilml nulnn-iivii -. mi i.i I ground I. ii ililiu-. .mil unly nin« .111 in-ill-, wore ever equipped foi 11 Right: An Me 163B 1a of Training- Staffel (Erganzungsstaffel)/JG 400 at Udetfeld in the winter 1944-45 This was a more usual colour scheme Below: The Me 263 (Junkers Ju 248) was planned as a much better successor to the Komet. but it never got into service. who liked tailless designs Choice of two rocket propellents that reacted violently when they came into contact solved the problem of ignition in the combustion chamber but added an extremely large element of danger Moreover, the 163 had no landing gear, taking off from a jettisoned trolley and landing on a sprung skid, and the landing impact often sloshed residual propellants together causing a violent explosion Many aircraft were lost this way. and the. original test pilot, glider champion Heini Dittmar, was badly injured when the skid failed to extend Nevertheless by 1944 these bat-like specks were swooping on US bomber formations with devastating effect. Numerous improved versions were flying at VE day. but only 370 Komets had seen service and these had suffered high attrition through accidents. production against the order for 1.000 placed \"off the drawing board\" in June 1939 Accidents were nevertheless frequent and manufacture was terminated at the 352nd aircraft This major blow to the Luftwaffe and the company, which was reflected in an official demand for Willi Messer- schmitt's resignation from the board, was partly salvaged by a further redesign and change to the DB 603 engine. The Me 310 was a high- altitude fighter-bomber with 58ft 9in wing and pressure cabin, but this was abandoned in favour of a less radical change designated 410 As with the 210. the reconnaissance 410s usually had cameras in the bomb bay and no MG 17s. while some attack or destroyer versions had four forward-firing MG 1 51 cannon, or two MG 1 51 and a 50mm BK 5 gun with 21 rounds The Me 410A-2/U-2 was an important night fighter with SN-2 Lichtenstein radar and two MG 151 and two 30mm MK 108 Many of the 1.121 Me 410s MGcarried Rustsatz external packs housing two more 151. MK 108 or MK MG1 03. and occasionally experienced pilots fitted as many as eight 1 51 all firing ahead. The 210mm rocket tube was a common fitment by 1944. Above: Three-view of Me 410A-1 Hornisse (Hornet). some aircraft having a rotating pack of six tubes in the bomb bay. j 73 —
Messerschmitt Me 262 Me 262A-1a Schwalbe, Me 262A-2 Sturmvogel, Me262B-1a Origin: Messerschmitt AG Type: (A-1a) single-seat fighter. (A-2a) single-seat bomber. (262B-1a) two-seat night fighter. Engines: Two 1.9801b (900kg) thrust Junkers Jumo 004B single-shaft axial turbojets. Dimensions: Span 40ft 11Jin (12 5m). length 34ft 9Jin (10-6m). (262B- 1a. excluding radar aerials) 38ft 9in (11 8m); height 12ft 7in (38m). Weights: Empty (A-1a. A-2a) 8.820lb (4000kg); (B-1a) 9.700lb (4400kg); loaded (A-1a. A-2a) 15.5001b (7045kg); (B-1a) 14.1101b (6400kg) Performance: Maximum speed (A-1a) 540mph (870km/h); (A-2a. laden) 470mph (755km/h): (B-1a) 497mph (800km/h); initial climb (all) Above: Three-view of the Me 262B-1a night fighter; lower side about 3.940ft (1200m)/min; service ceiling 37.565ft (11.500m); range on view, the longer B-2a specially designed for this role. internal fuel, at altitude, about 650 miles (1050km). Armament: (A-1a) four 30mm MK 108 cannon in nose, two with 100 rounds each, two with 80: (A-1a/U1) two 30mm MK 103. two MK 108 and two 20mm MG 151/20: (A-1b) as A-1a plus 24 spin-stabilised R4/M 50mm MKrockets. (B-1a) as A-1a: (B-2a) as A-1a plus two inclined 108 behind cockpit in Schrage Musik installation: (D) SG 500 Jagdfaust with 12 MK50mmrifled mortar barrels inclined in nose; (E) 114 gun or 48 R4/M rockets, bomb load of two 1.1001b (500kg) bombs carried by A-2a. History: First flight (262V1 on Jumo 210 piston engine) 4 April 1941; (262V3on two Jumo 004-0 turbojets) 18 July 1942; (Me 262A-1a) 7 June 1944: first delivery (A-0 to Rechlin) May 1944: first experimental combat unit (EK 262) 30 June 1944; first regular squadron (8/ZG26) September 1944 User: Germany (Luftwaffe). Development: In the Me 262 the German aircraft industry created a Above: Starting the Jumo 004B engines of an A-1a of the Kommando Nowotny in late October 1944 (probably at Achmer). potentially war-winning aircraft which could have restored to the Luftwaffe The Me 262 was potentially the greatest fighter of the war. command of the skies over Germany. Compared with Allied fighter's of its day. including the RAF Meteor I. which entered service a little earlier, it was German axial engines were unreliable and casualties due to engine failure, much faster and packed a much heavier punch Radar-equipped night fighter versions and sub-types designed to stand off from large bomber MKfires or break-up were heavy. The 108 gun was also prone to jam. and formations and blast them out of the sky were also developments against the landing gear to collapse. Yet the 262 was a beautiful machine to handle which the Allies had no answer Yet for years the programme was held back by official disinterest, and by the personal insistence of Hitler that the world- and. while Allied jets either never reached squadrons or never engaged beating jet should be used only as a bomber! It was in the autumn of 1938 that Messerschmitt was asked to study the design of a jet fighter, and the enemy aircraft, the 100 or so Me 262s that flew on operations and had fuel resulting Me 262 was remarkably unerring First flown on a piston engine in available destroyed far more than 100 Allied bombers and fighters. Even the nose, it then flew on its twin turbojets and finally, in July 1943. the fifth more remarkable, by VE-day total deliveries of this formidable aircraft development aircraft flew with a nosewheel. Despite numerous snags. production aircraft were being delivered in July 1944 and the rate of reached 1.433 production was many times that of the British Meteor. On the other hand the Messerschmitt Me 321 and 323 Gigant Me 321A and B, Me 323D and E Origin: Messerschmitt AG Above: Two-view of the Me 323D-1, the most numerous version. Type: (321) heavy cargo glider. (323) heavy cargo transport Engines: C321) none; (323 production variants) six 1.140hp Gnome- Rhone 14N 48/49 14-cylinder two-row radials Dimensions: Span 180ft 5£in (55m): length 92ft 4^in (28 15m); height (321B-1) 33ft 3iin (10 15m): (323) 31ft 6in (96m). Weights: Empty (321 B-1) 27.432lb (12.400kg); (323D-6) 60.260lb (27.330kg); (323E-1) 61.7001b (28.010kg); maximum loaded (321 B-1) 75.8521b (34,400kg); (323D-6) 94.8151b (43.000kg): (323E-1) 99.208lb (45.000kg). Performance: Maximum speed (321 on tow) 99mph (160km/h); (323D series) 1 77mph (285km/h); initial climb (321 towed by three Bf 1 1 0) 492ft (1 50m)/min: (323D series) 710ft (21 6m)/min; service ceiling (323D) about 1 3.1 00ft (4000m); range with \"normal\" payload (presumably not maximum) 684 miles (1100km). Armament: See text History: First flight (321V-1) 7 March 1941; service delivery (321) about June 1941; final delivery (321) April 1942; first flight (323V-1) some reports claim April 1941 but others, much more plausible, state \"autumn 1941\"; service delivery (323D-1) May 1942: final delivery March 1944 User: Germany (Luftwaffe). Development: Following the dramatic vindication of the previously untried Blitzkrieg concept of airborne forces in May 1940 the Reichs- luftfahrtministerium (RLM) asked Junkers and Heinkel to design huge transport gliders far bigger than the little DFS 230 used in the invasion of the Benelux countries. Junkers' Ju 322 Mammut was an expensive failure, but Right: Man-handling an artillery piece, probably a 75mm Pak.40 anti-tank gun. up into the hold of an Me 323D-1. 74
Below: An Me 262A 1 ,i U3 serving with the I iiih.it/koinniiindo iw .nun -
The illustrated encyclopedia of combat aircraft of World War II ( PDFDrive )
Description: The illustrated encyclopedia of combat aircraft of World War II ( PDFDrive )
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