The T-version (Trager— carrier) was a proposal for a carrier-borne conversion intended for the aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin; this modified Ju 87 B-1, intended to carry torpedoes, featured folding wings to save storage space, a deck-landing hook placed at the tail, and detachable landing gear for eventual ditching in the sea. Only a few converted Ju 87Ts were made, as the one and only German aircraft carrier was never completed.

On 18 August 1937, the RLM decided to introduce the Ju 87 Tr(C). The Ju 87 C was intended to be a dive and torpedo bomber for the Kriegsmarine. The type was ordered into prototype production and available for testing in January 1938. Testing was given just two months and was to begin in February and end in April 1938. The prototype V10 was to be a fixed wing test aircraft, while the following V11 would be modified with folding wings. The prototypes were Ju 87 B-0 airframes powered by Jumo 211 A engines. Owing to delays, the V10 was not completed until March 1938. It first flew on 17 March and was designated Ju 87 C-1. On 12 May, the V11 also flew for the first time. By 15 December 1939, 915 arrested landings on dry land had been made. It was found the arresting gear winch was too weak and had to be replaced. Tests showed the average braking distance was 20–35 metres (65-115 feet). The Ju 87 V11 was designated C-0 on 8 October 1938. It was fitted out with standard Ju 87 C-0 equipment and better wing-folding mechanisms. The "carrier Stuka" was to be built at the Weserflug Company's Bremen plant between April and July 1940.

Among the "special" equipment of the Ju 87 C was a two-seat rubber dinghy with signal ammunition and emergency ammunition. A quick fuel dump mechanism and two inflatable 750 L (200 US gal) bags in each wing and a further two 500 L (130 US gal) bags in the fuselage enabled the Ju 87 C to remain afloat for up to three days in calm seas. On 6 October 1939, with the war already underway, 120 of the planned Ju 87 Tr(C)s on order at that point were cancelled. Despite the cancellation, the tests continued using catapults. The Ju 87 C had a takeoff weight of 5,300 kg (11,700 lb) and a speed of 133 km/h (82 mph) on departure. The Ju 87 could be launched with a SC 500 kg (1,100 lb) bomb and four SC 50 kg (110 lb) bombs under the fuselage. The C-1 was to have two MG 17s mounted in the wing with a MG 15 operated by the rear gunner. On 18 May 1940, production of the C-1 was switched to the R-1.

Known prototypes

    Ju 87 V10: Registration D-IHFH (changed to Stammkennzeichen of TK+HD). W.Nr 4928. First flown 17 March 1938

    Ju 87 V11: Stammkennzeichen of TV+OV. W.Nr 4929. First flown 12 May 1938

Ju-188 of Luftfotte 5 in Norway 1943

Appearing in the wake of the superlative Ju 88, the Ju 188 proved itself an even better aircraft. It excelled as a bomber, torpedo plane, and reconnaissance platform but came too late and in too few numbers to have an impact.

In 1939 the German Air Ministry announced specifications for a new high-speed bomber to replace the Do 17s and He 111s then in service. Junkers proposed a radical new design, the Ju 288, which was plagued with technical obstacles from the onset and never materialized. Meanwhile, the company also worked on the Ju 188 as a private venture in a logical progression from the already successful Ju 88. The new craft bore marked resemblance to its forebear, but it differed in having a new bulbous canopy section and longer, tapering wings. It also sported a power turret and squared-off tail surfaces. The first Ju 188 was test-flown in 1940 with excellent results, although its initial payload was the same as the earlier craft’s. Nonetheless, production commenced in 1942, and by war’s end 1,076 machines had been delivered.

The Ju 188E was the first production variant and was employed as a radar-equipped torpedo-bomber. It functioned well and was possibly the best of its type during the war. They were followed by the Ju 188F, a high-altitude long-range reconnaissance version that performed useful work in Russia. By 1943 the bugs had been shaken out of the new Jumo 213A engines, and they were fitted to the dedicated bomber variant, the Ju 188A. These proved even faster and more versatile than the already legendary Ju 88s and were very popular with crews. Many were employed as pathfinders during the January 1944 “Little Blitz” against London. The final version, the Ju 188T, was a stripped-down reconnaissance machine that could reach 435 miles per hour at very high altitude. The Ju 188s were excellent machines but appeared too late and in too small numbers to improve Germany’s fortunes.

High-altitude versions

In 1943, it was planned to upgrade the entire lineup with even more wing area and a pressurized cockpit for high-altitude work. A single basic airframe would be offered in three versions, the Ju 188J heavy fighter, Ju 188K bomber, and the Ju 188L reconnaissance version. All three did away with the under-slung gunner's compartment, leading to a cleaner nose profile, and the bomber and recce versions mounted their loads in a long pannier under the middle of the plane instead of the deeper fuselage of the G and H models.

Simpler versions of these with no defensive armament and even longer wings became the Ju 188S fighter and Ju 188T intruder. With Jumo 213E-1 engines 2,050 PS (1,510 kW, 2,020 hp) at take-off and 1,690 PS (1,240 kW, 1,670 hp) at 9,500 m (31,400 ft), the Ju 188T could reach 700 km/h (440 mph). Operating at this altitude, the Ju 188S could carry only 800 kg (1,760 lb) of bombs.

Before any of these could start production, the entire lineup was renamed the Ju 388, the vastly improved performance warranting this change in name.

Ju 188 A & E

The Ju 188 was designed to be fitted with either the 1,750 PS (1,290 kW, 1,730 hp) Jumo 213A or 1,700 PS (1,250 kW, 1,680 hp) BMW 801 G-2 engines without any changes to the airframe. It was originally intended that both would be known as A models, but the naming was later changed: the Ju 188A model powered by the 213, and the Ju 188E by the 801.

The first three production Ju 188 E-1 machines were delivered with the BMW engines in February 1943, another seven in March, and eight in April. A conversion testing unit was formed up in May, and after testing were attached to an operational unit, with the first mission, an attack by three Ju 188E-1s on a factory in Lincoln, Lincolnshire taking place on 18 August 1943. By the end of the year, 283 Ju 188s had been delivered (including Ju 188Fs), and two new factories were added to the production effort. Most operational machines differed from the prototypes only in having a 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon in the nose and dorsal turrets in place of the 13 mm (.51 in) MG 131. The MG 131 I was intended to be used in the Ju 188 E-1 or the G-2. But the heavy armament in the A and E series was the MG 151/20.[5] The Ju 188 E-2 was built as a torpedo-bomber, but was identical to the Ju 188 A-3.

Although the A and E models were to have been delivered at the same time, the Jumo engine was still having difficulties getting into production. Nevertheless, the first Jumo powered Ju 188 A-1 versions were shipped only shortly after the BMW versions, albeit at a much slower rate. By the time delivery rates were finally picking up in late 1943, the Jumo was available in a new MW 50 methanol-water injection "boosted" version that delivered 1,648 kW (2,241 hp) for takeoff. With this engine, the planes were known as the Ju 188 A-2, and started deliveries in early 1944.

A modified version mounting a small FuG 200 Hohentwiel sea-search radar set under the nose and shackles for a torpedo for naval strike missions was delivered as the Ju 188 E-2, and with the Jumo as the Ju 188 A-3. The only other difference was the removal of the outer pair of wing bomb shackles.

For all its good points, the Ju 188 was only a small improvement over the Ju 88 it was supposed to replace. The bombload and bomb bay was no larger than the earlier plane, so although it could handle a larger load by mounting externally, doing so hurt performance. Even then the performance was rather poor considering all the effort - only 523 km/h (325 mph) or less. The dorsal turret had only one gun in it, yet the type retained the single-gun flexible position only a few centimeters away from it. In the meantime, the various projects to finally provide the plane with real tail armament were all abandoned.

Delivery problems of the Jumo were never entirely sorted out, and the only model to be built in large numbers were the E series with the BMW 801. Even then so few were available that they were generally given out to Ju 88 units, who flew them on "special" missions where the longer range or better performance would be helpful.

Some 500 Ju 188A and E variants were built up until the summer of 1944, when production ceased.

Specifications (Ju 188E)

General characteristics

    Crew: 5

    Length: 15 m (49 ft 1 in)

    Wingspan: 22 m (72 ft 2 in)

    Height: 4.4 m (14 ft 7 in)

    Wing area: 56 m² (603 ft²)

    Empty weight: 9,900 kg (21,825 lb)

    Loaded weight: 14,500 kg (31,967 lb)

    Powerplant: 2 × 1 BMW 801 G-2, 1,700 PS (1,250 kW) each

Performance

    Maximum speed: 499 km/h (310 mph)

    Range: 2,190 km (1,360 mi combat)

    Service ceiling: 9,500 m (31,170 ft)

    Wing loading: 258.9 kg/m² (53.0 lb/ft²)

    Power/mass: 0.175 kW/kg (0.106 hp/lb)

Armament

    Guns: 1 × 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon

    3 × 13 mm (.51 in) MG 131 machine gun

    Bombs: 3,000 kg (6,612 lb)

Ju 188 C

It was planned all along to skip over a "B model" to avoid confusion with the original Ju 88 B, but in the original planning the A and E models would both be called A's. The Ju 188 C would thus be the next model in line.

The C series was built to the extent of a single example, by modifying one of the few A-1 machines. To this, they added the new power-operated FA 15 turret in the tail. The turret mounted two 13 mm (.51 in) MG 131s, aimed with a double-periscope (top and bottom) system mounted in the cockpit.

This modification would have greatly improved defensive firepower, always lacking on German designs, but reliability was so poor it was decided to abandon the system.

Ju 188 D & F

In early 1944, it was decided to focus on reconnaissance versions of the A and E models. The airframe was modified with the removal of the bomb aimer and the forward gun, and additional fuel cells were added to extend the range to 3,400 km (2,110 mi). The Ju 188 D-1 was otherwise similar to the A-1, and the Ju 188 D-2 fitted nose radar for naval reconnaissance. Similar conversions of the E models were the Ju 188 F-1 and Ju 188 F-2.

Ju 188 G & H

One problem with the Ju 88 that carried into the 188 was the lack of internal room for bomb storage. Both carried the majority of their bombload on the outside of the plane on racks under the wing, where it greatly affected performance. This was to have been addressed in the G and H models, which extended the fuselage downward for more room with the addition of a wooden pannier.

This modification also left enough room at the tail to fit a manned turret in place of the C model's remote-control one. However this system proved to be just as limited as the remote-control FA 15, being so small that only gunners could fit into it, and had basically no ability to escape in an emergency. The RLM rejected the manned design and planned on mounting the FA 15 even if it were unreliable. Oddly, the designs still had the nose area extended under the plane for a rear gunner, when this would no longer be needed and its removal would have greatly cleaned up the lines of the plane.

With the Jumo 213s now being sent to fighter production, the Ju 188 G-2 was to use the BMW 801 only, with the reconnaissance conversion known as the Ju 188 H-2. Neither entered production before the war ended.

Ju 188 R

In the summer of 1944, three E models were modified as night fighters with the addition of radar and either four 20 mm MG 151/20s or two 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 103 cannons in the nose. However, the added visibility of the 188 was not useful in the night role, and because the added drag of the radar washed out any speed difference, the Ju 188 R-0 was not ordered.

A successor to the Junkers Ju 88 was at an advanced stage of design at the outbreak of World War II, but by late 1942 it had become obvious that the new bomber, the Ju 288, would be late entering service and a stop-gap design was required to bring the series up to date. Junkers had been working as a private venture on an improved Ju 88, and the first interim result of this was the prototype Ju 88B which featured a completely new forward fuselage; 10 pre-production aircraft were built, and these paved the way to the Junkers Ju 188 which featured the new nose; pointed-tip wings with an increase of 6 ft 63/4 in (2.00 m) in span; anew tail unit with the tall, square fin and rudder as used on the Ju 88G; and a streamlined dorsal turret.

The first prototype Ju 188 flew in the spring of 1942 with BMW 801MA radial engines, and was followed by the second prototype in January 1943. The performance warranted production orders, but it was stipulated that the design must be such that either BMW 801 or Jumo 213 engines could be fitted without modifications to the airframe, so that if one type of engine became unavailable it would not affect production. Deliveries of Ju I88E-1 aircraft with 1,600 hp (1193 kW) BMW 801ML engines began in February 1943, and 283 had entered service by the end of the year. ATG, Leipzig and Siebel/Halle opened further lines at the beginning of 1944. Designation of the first model with the Jumo 213A-1 was Ju 188A-2, and with water-methanol injection, its engines were boosted from 1,776 hp (1324 kW) to 2,240 hp (1670 kW) for take-off. The Ju 188A-3 was a minor variant, with nose radar and the ability to carry two torpedoes beneath the wing.

Two reconnaissance versions followed, the Ju 188D-1 and Ju 188D-2, with crew reduced from four to three, the forward-firing 20 mm cannon deleted and with extra fuel tanks fitted to give a range of 2,110 miles (3395 km). The type of cameras carried depended on mission, and the Ju 188D-2 was equipped with nose radar, being intended mainly for over-sea operations. The Ju 18SE variants were for the most part similar to the Ju 188Ds except that they had BMW 801 engines; the Ju 188E-l's 1,600 hp (1193 kW) engines soon gave way to uprated 1,700 hp (1268 kW) BMW 8OlDs, while the Ju 18SE-2 was the BMW-powered equivalent of the Ju 188A-3 torpedo-bomber. Similar reconnaissance equivalents were the Ju 188F-1 and Ju 188F-2 (Ju 188D-1 and Ju I88D-2). The Ju 188G and Ju 18SH models with manned rear turrets did not reach flight-test stage, but three Ju 188R night-fighters were built in 1944. The variant did not go into production, however, since it was unable to offer much improvement over the Ju 88G. High-altitude models proposed originally as the Ju 188J (fighter), Ju 188K (bomber) and Ju 188L (reconnaissance) went ahead, but the types were later redesignated Ju 388J, Ju 388K and Ju 388L. Simpler versions of these (for high-altitude intruder and reconnaissance work, with no defensive armament) became the Ju 188S and Ju 188T. With Jumo 213E-1 engines with water-methanol injection giving 2,168 hp (1617 Kw) at take-off and 1,690 hp (1260 kW) at 31,400 ft (9570 m), the Ju I88T could reach 435 mph (700 km/h) at 37,730 ft (11500 m). Operating at this altitude, the Ju 188S could carry only 1,764 lb (800 kg) of bombs.

Total production of all Ju 188 variants reached 1,076, of which more than half were reconnaissance variants. Probably the most unusual operator was France's Aeronavale, which ordered 12 Ju 188Es just after the war. These were built at Toulouse by SNCASE, from German components, and were used for test purposes.

Junkers Ju 288

The failure of the Junkers Ju 288 series and the programmes cancellation in mid-1943 spawned yet another variant of the ubiquitous Ju 88 airframe.

The Ju 288 had been Junkers' response to a specification issued in July 1939 for a pressurised bomber of advanced design with a maximum speed in excess of 400 mph (645 km/h) and an ability to carry 1,102 lbs (500 kg) of bombs over 3,355 miles (5400 km). Apart from a forward fuselage similar to that of the Ju 188, the new aircraft bore no resemblance to its predecessors, and had twin fins and rudders.

The whole story of the Ju 288 was one of technical problems on the one hand and continual requests for redesign on the other. As an example, the original wing span was to have been 51 ft 6 in (15.70 m), yet the final variant had been stretched to 74 ft 4 in (22.65 m) 1 A total of 22 prototypes of various versions was flown, of which 17 crashed during flight test, but the reasons for final cancellation of the programme were shortages of raw materials and a reluctance to affect other production programmes by initiating a new one at a critical time in the war.

Junkers Ju 388

Against this unfortunate background, it was extremely urgent to fill the gap left by the abandoned Ju 288. Fortunately, Junkers had carried on development of high-altitude models of the Ju 188 and three of these, originally designated Ju 188J, Ju 188K and Ju 188L, became the Ju 388J (all-weather fighter), Ju 388K (bomber) and Ju 388L (photo-reconnaissance) models. Although all were intended originally to have Jumo 213E engines, supplies of these were unreliable since they were in great demand, and the three models thus used the turbo-supercharged BMW 801TJ radial.

Since high-altitude reconnaissance was the biggest priority, the first prototype of the new series was a Ju 388L, converted from a Ju 188T, while the following pre-production batch was converted from Ju 88S airframes, the first of them being handed over to the Luftwaffe in August 1944. Construction of Ju 388Ls totalled 47 by the time production was halted in December 1944 when photo-reconnaissance aircraft were, it was decided, no longer a priority. The Ju 388J fighter was even less fortunate, only three prototypes being completed, and 10 pre-production Ju 388K-0 bombers plus five Ju 388K-1 production models had been completed before the axe fell on this, the final development of the Ju 88.

LINK

Long-Range Bomber and Reconnaissance Aircraft

The Ju 290 long-range bomber was a military development of the Junkers Ju 90, a four-engined airliner which had been in regular service with Deutsche Lufthansa since 1938.

From the beginning of series manufacture of the Ju 290 and the maiden flight of the Ju 290 V1 prototype in July 1942, until production ceased in July 1944, a total of 48 machines had been built and delivered with a whole raft of various equipment fits depending upon each variant's intended operational role. The Junkers Ju 290A-7 was one of the most interesting versions of the A-series. Employed as a long-range bomber and reconnaissance machine against shipping targets, its most prominent external feature was the glazed gun position protruding from the nose. It also included significant improvements in the internal structure.

With its four 1,850 hp BMW 9-801 D-2 engines, the A-7 had a maximum speed of 445 km/h (276 mph) together with a range varying from 6,800 km (4,222 miles) as a bomber, to 11,500 km (7,140 miles) when employed in the long-range reconnaissance role and fitted with additional fuel tanks.

As a long-range anti-shipping weapon the A-7 was equipped with search radar and guidance systems. It was also fitted with ETC- 2000 weapons racks beneath the fuselage and wing outer sections to enable it to carry three Henschel Hs 293 remotely-controlled glide bombs. Defensive armament comprised eight weapons stations, each operated manually by members of the eight- to ten-man crew.

A further development of A-7 was the Ju 290A-8. Also intended for the anti-shipping role, this too carried three Henschel Hs 293 glide bombs but featured increased defensive armament.

The Ju 290B-1 was to have been a long-range bomber version with a strengthened fuselage structure and a take-off weight of 49,500 kg (109,000 Ib) when carrying a 4,500 kg (9,900 lb) bomb load. At an altitude of 5,500 m (18,000 ft) and a speed of 450 km/h (280 mph) the B-1’s estimated range was in the order of 5,600 km (3,475 miles).

A planned further improvement of the Ju 290B-1 bomber was the Ju 290C. This would have had an even stronger fuselage and more powerful 1,850 hp BMW 9-801 engines. Additional projected versions of the Ju 290B-1 included a long-range reconnaissance variant and a heavy transport with a large, ventral loading ramp. The Ju 290D long-range bomber was an improved Ju 190C, as too was the Ju 290E night bomber project, which could carry an even heavier bomb load in its enlarged bomb-bay.

Operational history

A special long-range reconnaissance group, FAGr 5 (Fernaufklärungsgruppe 5), had been formed on 1 July 1943 and during the late summer of 1943 three of the new Ju 290 A-2s were delivered to its 1 Staffel, which became operational at Mont-de-Marsan near Bordeaux on 15 October of that year. They flew their first operational missions in November 1943, shadowing Allied convoys in cooperation with U-boats, and often remaining airborne for up to 18 hours.

Five Ju 290 A-3 aircraft with more powerful BMW 801D engines followed, as did five Ju 290 A-4 aircraft with improved dorsal turrets mounting 20 mm MG 151/20s. The Ju 290s were well suited to their patrol role and began replacing the Fw 200 Condors. An A-4, Works no. 0165, was experimentally equipped with attachments for FX 1400, Henschel Hs 293, and Hs 294 missiles, and fitted with FuG 203e radar; it was surrendered to the US after the war and flown across the Atlantic to the USA.

In November 1943, a second Staffel was activated and, with a range of over 6,100 km (3,790 mi) the Ju 290s ranged far out over the Atlantic, relaying sightings of Allied convoys to U-boats. 11 Ju 290 A-5s with increased armour protection, 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons in place of the earlier waist-mounted machine guns, and self-sealing fuel tanks were delivered to FAGr 5 early in 1944, as were around 12 of the Ju 290 A-7 version; the A-7 could carry three Hs 293 glide bombs or Fritz X anti-ship missiles and featured a redesigned nose section which combined a 20 mm cannon installation with the FuG 200 radar aerial array.

Towards the end of 1943, Admiral Dönitz demanded that the entire output of Ju 290s be made available for U-boat warfare. However, a mere 20 machines were assigned for this purpose. Even though both Hitler and Dönitz demanded an increase, the Luftwaffe General Staff declared it was unable to assign any more for naval reconnaissance purposes. The General Staff argued that there could be no increase in output so long as the Luftwaffe was not conceded "precedence in overall armaments".

In the spring of 1944, after Albert Speer had taken over the direction of air armaments, the Luftwaffe High Command baldly announced that production of the Ju 290 was to be suspended despite it being urgently needed for maritime reconnaissance; suspending production meant that resources could instead be diverted to building fighter aircraft. At that point in time, Speer's position was weak and Hermann Göring was trying to find allies to help him strip Speer of his power, and the Luftwaffe was not prepared to offer the Navy more than "goodwill".

On 26 May 1944, shortly after daybreak, a Sea Hurricane piloted by Sub Lieutenant Burgham from the escort carrier HMS Nairana shot down Ju 290 9K+FK of FAGr 5 over the Bay of Biscay. The afternoon of the same day, Sub Lieutenants Mearns and Wallis attacked two more Ju 290s, Mearns shooting down 9V+GK piloted by Kurt Nonneberg, which ditched in the sea. The other Ju 290 disappeared on fire into cloud and was assumed to have crashed.

As the Battle of the Atlantic swung irrevocably in favour of the Allies with the loss by the Germans of French bases in August 1944, maritime reconnaissance unit FAGr 5 was withdrawn eastwards and the remaining Ju 290s were reassigned to transport duties, including service with KG 200, where they were used to drop agents behind enemy lines and other special missions.

Ju 290 A-5, works number 0178, D-AITR, Bayern of Luft Hansa flew to Barcelona on April 5 1945, piloted by captain Sluzalek. The aircraft suffered damage to its landing gear on landing and was repaired with parts brought from Germany by a Luft Hansa Fw 200. It remained in Spain because the Spanish Government ordered that regular Luft Hansa flights on route K22 be terminated from 21 April and was turned over to the Spanish authorities.

Planned but Not Happening Flights to Japan

Following the invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, plans were made to connect Germany and Japan by air using Luftwaffe aircraft modified for very long range flights. Commercial flights to the Far East by Luft Hansa were no longer possible, and it had become too dangerous for ships or U-boats to make the trip by sea. Field Marshal Erhard Milch authorized a study in to the feasibility of such direct flights. Various routes were considered, including departing from German-occupied Russia and Bulgaria. Nautsi, near Lake Inari in the north of Finland, was finally selected as the optimum starting point for a great circle route along the Arctic Ocean then across eastern Siberia, to refuel in Manchuria before completing the flight to Japan.

In 1943, the Ju 290 was selected for the flights and tests began in February 1944 of a Ju 290 A-5 (works number 0170, KR+LA) loaded with 41 tonnes (45 tons) of fuel and cargo. Three Ju 290 A-9s (works numbers 0182, 0183 and 0185) were modified for long-range work at the Junkers factory in March 1943. The plan was eventually put on indefinite hold after the Japanese failed to agree on a course, as they did not want to provoke the Soviet Union by an overflight of any part of their Siberian territory, and the three aircraft were eventually transferred to KG 200. 0182 was lost in action in Russia, 0183 was wrecked at Travemünde, and 0185 was found to be unrepairable following a mission in Russia, all during 1944.

The Japan flights were revived again in December 1944, mainly to transport Luftwaffe General Ulrich Kessler to Japan as a replacement for the German air attaché in Tokyo. Ju 290 A-3, no. 0163, was flown to Travemünde for the necessary modifications, but the work was delayed and it was decided to send Kessler aboard the submarine U-234 instead. The aircraft was destroyed on May 3 1945 as British troops arrived. Some sources claim that the trips to Japan actually took place, departing from Odessa and Mielec and landing in Manchuria. Bring me Proof!

The Hs 130 was a two-engined, high-altitude reconnaissance and bomber aircraft. A development of the Hs 128 high-altitude research aircraft, the Hs 130A first flew in November 1940, and was used to test engines, turbochargers, remote-control cameras, and other experimental devices. The aircraft had a span of 29 m (95 ft 1.7 in), a length of 14.95 m (49 ft 0.5 in), and a weight (fully loaded) of 11,680 kg (25,750 lbs). Maximum speed was between 470 km/h (292 mph) and 610 km/h (379 mph) and range was between 2,230 km (1,385 miles) and 3,000 km (1,860 miles), depending on engines used. The final development of the Hs 130 was the E model which took to the air in September 1942. The Hs 130E was intend to flight test the new BMW 018 jet engine, when the only complete example was destroyed in an air raid in late 1944. No other engines were finished by the time the war ended.

#

Development of the Hs 130 began with two Hs 128 prototypes, which first flew on 11 April 1939, with the second prototype flying on 20 February 1940. Both prototypes were research aircraft, used for testing pressurized cabins, engine superchargers, and cantilever wings. Different engines powered the two prototypes; the V1 by Daimler-Benz DB 601s and the V2 by Junkers Jumo 210s. Both had fixed landing gear.

While trials of the two prototypes were not successful, the potential of a high altitude aircraft caught the attention of Theodor Rowehl, commander of the Luftwaffe's special reconnaissance unit. Rowehl's interest in the Hs 128's potential for high-altitude reconnaissance missions led Reich Air Ministry to instruct Henschel to continue development of the Hs 128 as a reconnaissance aircraft under the designation Hs 130A.

Three prototype aircraft Hs 130 As were built, the first flying on 23 May 1940. Five pre-production Hs 130A-0's followed, being delivered in early 1941, and featured DB 601R engines, a single-stage supercharger, retractable landing gear, and a bay in the rear to house two Rb75/30 cameras for reconnaissance. The five Hs 130A-0s subsequently underwent trials and testing, which revealed significant problems with the aircraft performance, and reliability problems which prevented operational use.

Two further modified Hs 130A-0s was produced under the designation Hs 130A-0/U6 and featured a greater wingspan, DB 605B engines, Hirth superchargers, GM-1 nitrous oxide power boosting, and under-wing drop tanks, and being ready for flight testing in November 1943, demonstrating an absolute ceiling of 15,500 m (50,570 ft).[3] The Hs 130A-0/U6 variant as well as the other Hs 130A-0s proved unsatisfactory and were never flown operationally.

Further development of the Hs 130 led to bomber variants. The planned Hs 130B was almost the same as the Hs 130A, but with a bomb bay in place of the camera bay, but was never built. The Hs 130C was built as a competitor for the "Bomber B" project, and was very different from the Hs 130A, featuring a shorter wing span, remotely-controlled defensive armament, a more extensively glazed (but still pressurized) cabin and up to 4,000 kg (8,800 lb) of bombs. Three prototypes, V1, V2, and V3 were built, with V1 and V2 were powered by BMW 801 radials, and V3, featuring full armament by DB 603A engines. Further development of the Hs 130 as a reconnaissance aircraft continued with the Hs 130D, which was planned to have DB 605 engines and a complex two-stage supercharger, but was again unbuilt.

The Hs 130E was a re-working of the Hs 130A with the Höhen Zentrale (HZ)-Anlage system in place of conventional superchargers. HZ-Anlage installed a third engine in the fuselage, a DB 605, the only purpose of which was to power a large supercharger to supply air to the wing-mounted DB 603B engines. Such a system had first been tried some twenty-five years previously, on the R.30/16 example of the Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI bomber. Another difference from the Hs 130A was the nose, which was extended forward to offset the weight of the HZ-Anlage engine in the fuselage. Also underwing fuel tanks could be fitted to provide fuel for three engines, and air scoops were fitted under the fuselage to supply the fuselage engine.

Three prototype Hs 130Es were built; Hs 130E V1 first flew in September 1942, and could reach 12,500 m (41,010 ft) when HZ-Anlage was employed. Hs 130E V2 was lost due to an engine fire; V3 was built to replace it.[8] An order for seven pre-production Hs 130E-0s followed, first flying in May 1943, together with a production order was placed for 100 Hs 130E-1s which were to have a remotely controlled defensive armament and provisions for underwing bombs. The order was cancelled due to continuing problems suffered by the Hs 130E-0's HZ-Anlange system. An Hs 130F was planned, which was hoped to solve the problems with HZ-Anlage, by using four supercharged BMW 801 engines, but was never built.

Specifications (Hs 130E)

General characteristics

    Crew: Three

    Length: 22.00 m (72 ft 2 in)

    Wingspan: 33.01 m (108 ft 3¼ in)

    Height: 5.60 m (18 ft 4½ in)

    Wing area: 84.9 m² (914 ft²)

    Empty weight: 12,200 kg [10] (26,901 lb)

    Loaded weight: 16,682 kg (36,700 lb)

    Max takeoff weight: 18,136 kg (39,900 lb)

    Powerplant: 2 × Daimler-Benz DB 603B V-12 liquid cooled engine, 1,388 kW (1,860 hp) at 2,100 m (6,900 ft) each one Daimler-Benz DB 605T, (1,100 kW (1,475 hp[7])) driving HZ-Anlange supercharger in fuselage

Performance

    Maximum speed: 610 km/h (330 kn, 379 mph) at 14,000 m (45,900 ft)

    Cruise speed: 515 km/h (278 kn, 320 mph) at 12,000 m (39,370 ft)

    Range: 2,995 km (1,671 nmi, 1,860 mi)

    Service ceiling: 15,100 m (49,500 ft)

    Wing loading: 196 kg/m² (40.2 lb/ft²)

Manfred Griehl published in Flugzeug 2/99 and onwards some details of these Henschel types (Hs 128 and Hs 130)

WNr Type Reg/Code

1280001 V-1 D-APXB

1280002 V-2 D-ARHD

1300001 V-1 GM+OM

1300002 V-2 GM+ON

1300003 V-3 GM+OO

1300004 V-4 GM+OP

1303005 A-0/V-5 GM+ZF (Hs 130A-01?)

1303006 A-0/V-6 GM+ZG -02?

1303007 A-0/V-7 GM+ZH -03?

1303008 A-0/V-8 GM+ZI -04?

1303009 A-0/V-9 GM+ZJ -05?

1303010 A-0/V-10 GM+ZM -06?

1300011 C-0/V-3 NK+EA?

1300012 C-0/V-4 NK+EB

1300013 C-0 NK+ED?

1300014 to 0030 Not built

1300051 E-0/V-1 CF+OW

1300052 E-0/V-2 CF+OX

1300053 E-0/V-3 CF+OY

1300054 E-0 CF+OZ

1300055 E-0 ??+??

No further WNr listed, so probably no more built

LINK

LINK