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Aviation History
1939
1939-1- - 0937.PDF
OCTOBER 5- T939 ffi0& 287 The Messerschmitt Me no twin-engined fighter and multi-purpose machine with Daimler-Benz DB 601 engines. were fitted with the Junkers Jumo 210. The high wing load ing made the fitting of a v.p. airscrew imperative even in the earlier models. The radiator is fitted beneath the engine cowling as on the Messerschmitt, and fuel is carried in the inboard portions of the wing. Armament, of course, can be varied, but our drawing shows two synchronised rifle-calibre machine guns installed in the fuselage and a pair of shell-guns in the wing. The version offered for export could carry six fragmentation bombs of about 22 lb. each. The following figures were issued by the manufacturers. It is believed that those for the version with the Daimler Benz engine (wing loading about 31 lb./sq. ft.) are pub lished in this country for the first time. Jumo 21 oG Daimler Benz 601A Maximum power 670 h.p. 1,070 h.p. Rated altitude 13,100 12,150 Weight empty 3,5711b. 4,188 lb. All-up weight 4,960 lb. 5*620 lb. Speed near ground 267 m.p.h. 285 m.p.h. Top speed 317 m.p.h. 354 m.p.h. Height for top speed . . 15,420ft. 14,760ft. Climb to 6,560ft 2.6 min. 2.5 min. Climb to 13,120ft 6 min. 5 min. Climb to 19,680ft 9.5 min. 7.5 min. Service ceiling 31,000ft. 31,000ft. Landing run 350 yd. 415 yd. It would appear on the face of things that the He 112 would make a better potential record-breaker than the Messerschmitt as its lines approach aerodynamic perfection. Certainly developments of the He 112 have reached amazing speeds, the fastest being 463.95 m.p.h. ; but as we have stated, the Messerschmitt did over 469 m.p.h. This figure stood as the world's record before Wendel's effort, and was attained by'Heinkel's test pilot, Hans Dieterle, on March 30 this year. Apparently the designation He 112U is applied both to the record-breaker and to a single-seater fighter which to all outward appearances is very similar to it and which, according to the manufacturers, is in series production for fte'Luftwaffe. The only detailed photograph of the fighter version appeared in Flight of April 20, 1939. This was taken from a news-reel film made at the time of Dieterle's record, and snowed Dieterle leaving his machine after what was sup posed to be the record-breaking flight. Actually this could not have been the case, as the aircraft shown was fitted with a wireless aerial and carried service markings. On the other hand, it is to be questioned if the machine de picted was a fighter off the production line, as the word n-emkcl " appeared in large letters on the engine cowling. ihe He 112U fighter has a different fuselage and tail ln the earlier type already described, and the cockpit enclosure is built into the fuselage rather than being in- a ed as a unit on top. Rearward vision has accordingly en sacrificed. The wing appears to be much the same, butU-M? * ma^ ^e °^ reduced area and of modified section, the undercarriage is of wider track and greater height and retracts inwardly. The engine is a Daimler Benz 601A driving a three-bladed constant-speed V.D.M. airscrew. Performance is probably improved slightly by tile rear ward-facing exhaust stubs, which are faired at back and front. The windscreen of the record-breaker is longer than that of the fighter to give better entry, and is moulded in one piece, whereas that of the military machine has an optic ally perfect flat panel to permit the best use to be made of the reflector gun sight. No gun troughs appear in the fuselage of the fighter, though there can be precious little room left in the wing for armament in view of the size of the undercarriage. Messerschmitt Me 110 Like the other Powers, Germany has developed twin- engined fighters, the standard type being the Messer- schmitt no two-seater. A machine of this type was demonstrated at Nuremberg in September, 1938, and since that time has been issued in quantity to squadrons of the Luftwaffe. At least one squadron took part in the fly-past in June this year in honour of Prince Paul, Regent of Jugoslavia. Little information is available on the new Messerschmitt, but the machine is depicted on this page. The prototype was equipped with two Daimler- Benz DB 601 engines with two-speed superchargers. Each of these units, according to a French source, delivered a maximum of 1,360 h.p. and gave a top speed of 379 m.p.h. at 16,400ft. Possibly some of the production machines have been powered with Junkers Jumo 211s. The armament of the Me no is two fixed shell-guns (20 or 23 mm.) and four machine guns, which may be of heavier calibre than is normally fitted. It may be assumed that the range of the Me no is considerably longer than that attainable by the single- engined fighters, and the machine is accordingly suitable for escort work. In addition, it can be used for light bombing, ground attack or reconnaissance, or may func tion as a " fighter-command '' tj^pe or what the French call (commandement a la chasse). It is known that the Foekc-Wulf concern produced a fighter prototype which also appeared at Nuremburg last year. This machine had a pusher propeller, but other details are lacking. It is not thought that the type has been ordered for series product'on. U-Boats Notwithstanding U NSUNG, and almost unknown, the experimental flights across the Atlantic scheduled by Imperial Airways months ago have continued, and not until it was announced that Cabot had made a record flight the other dav from Ireland to Newfoundland in 13 hours 2 minutes was the general public permitted to know that these flights are taking place. Incidentally, it may be assumed that the crews of the Short flying boats have had navigational problems set them which were not originally contemplated. Obviously the assistance from shipping, in the way of giving positions, has not been forthcoming, and navigation has had to be entirely by the means carried on board the flying boats.
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