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Luftwaffe Projects - Volume 9

Focke Wulf Fw P222 Schnellbomber

The Focke Wulf Schnellbomber projects, all centered around utilising a pair of the Jumo 222 engines are well known but no drawings were found, until recently that is. Drawings have been found for two of the series, P222.001 and P222.004 both dated September 1942.

The P222.001 design is a slim and attractive design featuring large engine nacelles pushed quite far forward to house the Jumo 222s. The tail is of a twin fin type leaving clearance for the maneuverable rear mounted cannon operating room.

The P222.004 design is also slim and attractive design featuring large engine nacelles but this time mounted further back. Design 004 also has a twin fin tail to leave clearance for the maneuverable rear mounted cannon operating room. What is interesting about this design is the inverted ‘W’ main wings or “M’ wing if such a definition exists. Also the fuselage slopes downwards to the front giving low nose and high tail.

To see the original drawings and data sheets please visit: http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,12184.0.html

Focke Wulf 187 ‘Stuka’

The history of the Fw187 is well documented and it is generally regarded as one of the best WW2 aircraft or at least one of the most promising. Why the RLM ignored it, refusing to put it into full production after splendid prototype results, is a mystery even today. This led to the test aircraft being relegated to the defense of Focke Wulf’s factory for the remainder of the war.

However Focke Wulf believed it had a gem of an aircraft and even after it became clear that neither the Fw187A or the more powerful Fw187B were going to enter production, the company continued working on developing further variants, including a Stuka dive-bomber version as depicted here in answer to new RLM specification No. 235.

For the 2 seat Stuka version the original Junkers Ju 601 engines were replaced with a pair of BMW 801s and the fuselage was completely redesigned. Little else remains and there are no official performance figures but the weapons installation is clear.

Heinkel He 280 Twin Jet Fighter

The He280 is well-documented but largely overlooked, being largely eclipsed by the Messerschmitt Me262. However the He280 is, historically, a very important aircraft; it was the first jet combat aircraft, the first twin-jet aircraft and the first jet aircraft to go beyond mock-up stage.

In prototype form its trials went very well showing a great deal of potential, leading to a contest flight in 1941 comparing an He 280 with a Fw190. The He 280 completed four laps of an oval course before the Fw 190 could complete three. However the RLM showed little interest awarding production go-ahead to the Messerschmitt 262. This was largely due to the fact that the RLM did not like the He280’s tricycle undercarriage, considering it too frail for grass or compacted earth airfield conditions. The Me 262 initially was a tail sitter, and due to this the angle of the engines’ exhausts, caused a great number of grass fires. Ironically the Me 262’s undercarriage was quickly redesigned and a tricycle arrangement was adopted. In all probability the He280 would have proved to be an excellent aircraft.