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  #1  
Old 04-05-2002, 05:53 PM
Richard T Eger Richard T Eger is offline
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From 12 O'Clock High!:

Jared Zichek
Arado Ar 240 Successor Studies
Wed Mar 20 19:12:16 2024
128.151.210.225

I recently received Aviatic Verlag's new book on the Me 110-210-410 and there is an interesting section on the Ar 240 with some plans (top view only, unfortunately) of post Ar 240 studies for twin engine Zerstoerers. I don't have the book in front of me, so I can't be more specific. Any idea if somewhere full 3-views exist for each of these studies exist? I believe some of these were illustrated in Motorbuch Verlag's recent book on German bomber projects, but without 3-views.

-Jared Zichek
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  #2  
Old 04-05-2002, 05:53 PM
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From TOCH!:

Graham Boak
Ar.440s?
Thu Mar 21 09:02:02 2024
195.50.81.249

I would have advised to to get hold of Heinz Mankau's series of articles on the Ar.240/440 in Flugzeug a few years ago, but now that Flugzeug has been taken over by Flugzeug Classics I don't know if they still have backnumbers. It's well worth a try.

You could also try the history of the Arado company published in both German and English, by Dr.Krantzhoff - drop me a line and I will pass you the information.

A 3-view of the Schnellbomber can be found in Griehl's Luftwaffe Bombers: basically all these Ar.440 projects are the same as the old drawings found in Green's Warplanes of the Third Reich - you can also find them in Kosin's German Fighters from Putnam (I don't know the original German title of this book).

If you mean something beyond the 440 I can't help you.
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  #3  
Old 04-05-2002, 05:54 PM
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From TOCH!:

Les Whitehouse
Ar Projects
Thu Mar 21 14:36:44 2024
194.105.72.70

Sorry Graham, he really means the post 440 aircraft which moved into the swept back wing twin turboprop or jet era.

If there are none in the Motorbuch Verlag "Secret Project" series then there is little hope in the short term. When the English versions of the above came out they were very much cut down and many-many of the accurate original illustrations were abandoned to retain the more artistic but "fake" colour perspectives which the publisher probably felt were more interesting and dramatic - but of course totally useless.

On the Ar240/440 itself there were some specials done by Luftfahrt-Geschichte (Schmidt Publications, Stuttgart) these 6-7 page fold out leaflets included a three view of the 240/440 in one of them and I have that one somewhere in one of their bound series - which took about four of each and stapled them together in a booklet about the size of a magazine. The other 240/440 book you mention is still available in the UK at some shops. Neither covers the types he is refering to.
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  #4  
Old 09-02-2002, 01:03 PM
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From within a thread on 12 O'Clock High!:

Tom Fischer
Myhra's books
Fri Jul 19 22:31:17 2024
217.162.129.212

Very true.

Apart from endlessly repeating the same photos, some of Myhra's books contain almost unbelievable factual errors. "Secret Aircraft Designs of the Third Reich" is perhaps a prime example, the list of glaring errors in the photo captions alone is astonishing.

Tom
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  #5  
Old 10-27-2002, 08:42 PM
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From 12 O'Clock High!:

Alex Martin
New Secret Projects book
Tue Sep 17 05:10:18 2024
64.7.166.129

Hi,

According to www.motorbuch.de, the following title is expected to be released in October: Schlachtflugzeuge und Kampfzerstorer- Geheimprojekte der Luftwaffe Band 3
Autor: Dieter Herwig/Heinz Rode

I guess I was too excited.

Regards,
Al

(Going to the site Al recommended, here is the description of the book both in German and roughly translated by Altavista into English:

In Fortführung der Buchreihe Geheimprojekte der Luftwaffe werden in vorliegendem Band III Entwicklungen, Prototypen und Projekte von so genannten Kampfzerstörern und Schlachtflugzeugen vorgestellt, die teilweise noch im Einsatz waren oder die nur als Projekte existierten. Schlachtflugzeuge waren jene Sondergattung von Flugzeugen, die zum direkten Einsatz gegen Frontstellungen des Gegners eingesetzt wurden, um Nachschubkolonnen, Schützengräben und Panzeransammlungen anzugreifen. Die Bezeichnung »Kampfzerstörer« wurde von der Marine übernommen und verkörperte das strategische Jagdflugzeug. Die mit leistungsstarken Kolben- und Strahltriebwerken ausgestatteten deutschen Projekte fanden in Sachen Konzeption und Auslegung kein gleichwertiges Gegenstück bei den damaligen Gegnern. Bedingt durch ihr vielseitiges Konzept konnten sie als taktische Bomber, Abwurflastenträger, Erkunder und Schlachtflugzeuge eingesetzt werden. Das Werk untersucht auch die Gründe, warum Behörden und führende Personen diese Flugzeugentwicklungen stoppten oder verboten, bzw. deren Weiterbau und Konstruktionsfortführung untersagten.

And in English:

In continuation of the book series of secret projects of the Air Force in available volume III developments, prototypes and projects of combat destroyers and battle airplanes so mentioned, are presented which were partly still in use or which existed only as projects. Battle airplanes were to be attacked that special kind of airplanes, which were used to the direct employment against front positions of the opponent, in order supply columns, contactor ditches and accumulations of tank. The designation "combat destroyer" was taken over by the navy and embodied the strategic fighter. The German projects equipped with high performance piston and jet engines did not find an equivalent counterpart in things conception and interpretation with the opponents at that time. Due to their versatile concept they could be used as tactical bombers, release carriers, Erkunder and battle airplanes. The work examines also the reasons, why authorities and prominent persons stopped or forbade these airplane developments, and/or forbade their building of far and construction continuation.

Regards,
Richard)
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  #6  
Old 11-25-2002, 06:13 PM
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From 12 O'Clock High!:

Stefano Schembri
Vergeltungswaffe Eins: eine kleine Frage
Thu Oct 17 15:01:42 2024
212.171.146.36

Good morning Gentlemen,

I'm looking for some information about the V1 concerning its paint schemes. Has anybody a profile set with views from the top as well? I would like to know, in particular, if the mottled camouflage wore by some V1 was also painted on the wings or just on the fuselage.

Ich danke Ihnen!

Ciao!
Stefano,
Italien.
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  #7  
Old 11-25-2002, 06:13 PM
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From TOCH!:

Jim Haycraft
V1 Camo Scheme
Thu Oct 17 20:01:55 2024
209.240.198.61

See Miranda and Mercado's "Die Geheimen Wunderwaffen des III Reiches 1934-1945" (Flugzeug Publikations - German /English edition or Schiffer Publications Ltd. US edition) which illustrates a side and top profile (page 108) of a V1, showing a green & gray mottle camo pattern (colors not identified in the text) on the top of the wings, top half of the pulse jet engine and on the top half of the fuselage; bottoms seem to be RLM 65 Hellblau or similar. Book also illustrates 6 different side views (of test and operational versions) in different color schemes.
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  #8  
Old 11-25-2002, 06:14 PM
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From TOCH!:

Stefano
Thanks
Thu Oct 17 20:16:31 2024
151.28.17.228

Thank you Jim, that's what I hoped and was looking for!

Bye,
Stefano.
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  #9  
Old 11-25-2002, 09:21 PM
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From 12 O'Clock High!:

julian herrero
Russian Fw Ta 183 ????
Sun Oct 20 12:24:36 2024
62.174.18.149

Is it true, as some surces state, that some (2 to 6) Fa Ta 183 were build ans tested in the Soviet Union right after the wear?
I've found a picture of the Huckbein in Russian markings, but it seems to be a fake...........
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  #10  
Old 11-25-2002, 09:22 PM
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From TOCH!:

West
Not confirmed
Mon Oct 21 03:56:13 2024
64.7.163.190

There is a drawing of such an aircraft in Jet Planes of the Third Reich, Volume One by Manfred Griehl, but the reports of such an aircraft have not been verified.
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  #11  
Old 01-01-2003, 07:59 PM
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From 12 O'Clock High!:

Erik van den Hoogen
B&V P215.02
Fri Nov 15 17:29:16 2024
213.75.235.112

Hello,
Who can help me with getting information about the Blohm & Voss P215.02 project from early 1945 by dr R.Voght?
It was proposed to be a "Schlechtwetter und Nachtjaeger"
Many thanks in advance, Erik
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  #12  
Old 01-01-2003, 08:00 PM
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From TOCH!:

Mikael Östberg
Luft46
Sat Nov 16 13:34:30 2024
212.217.191.21

This is a good place to start: http://www.luft46.com/bv/bvp215.html

Cheers!
/Mikael
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  #13  
Old 01-01-2003, 08:00 PM
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From TOCH!:

seth
REICHDREAMS #15
Fri Dec 6 03:04:12 2024
62.233.149.93

hi,

I am also looking for information about this aircraft.
There is booklet in series 'REICHDREAMS' called BATWINS.
Check this link: http://www.luft46.com/rd/rdreams.html (Dossier #15).
There should be a lot info about this plane.
I am trying to buy it, but it sems realy hard...

If You will find something please let me know by mail: seth@gd.pl

regards
Marcin
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  #14  
Old 01-01-2003, 08:33 PM
Richard T Eger Richard T Eger is offline
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Following up on Marcin's recommendation, I went to the page recommended on Dan Johnson's Luft 46 website. The page covers the publications of J. Miranda & P. Mercado, the authors of the book Secret Wonder Weapons of the Third Reich: German Missiles 1934-1945, Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., Atglen, PA, U.S.A., c. 1996. The authors have produced a number of interesting booklets under the Reichdreams logo:

Dossier No. 1. Selbstopfermänner
Dossier No. 2. The First Missiles in the World
Dossier No. 3. Milsteln Devices and Other Composite Airplanes
Dossier No. 4. Vergeltungswaffe V-1
Dossier No. 5. Vergelungswaffe V-2 (out of print)
Dossier No. 6. "Projekt Amerika" (out of print)
Dossier No. 7. The First Antiaircraft Missiles
Dossier No. 8. Bordwaffen, Abwurwaffen, Flygkörper (out of print)
Dossier No. 9. V.T.O. Rocket Interceptor in Germany 1939-45
Dossier No. 10. German Flying Discs, The Origin of a Myth
Dossier No. 11. Strange Phenoma in the German Skies During the WWII
Dossier No. 12. German High-Altitude Interceptors
Dossier No. 13. Asymmetrical Fighter-Bombers
Dossier No. 14. Swept-Forward Wing
Dossier No. 15. Bat Wing
Dossier No. 16. Arado Jet Fighters
Dossier No. 17. Arado Jet bombers
Dossier No. 18. Lippisch & Messerschmitt Supersonic Projects
Dossier No. 19. Focke Wulf Advanced Fighters

In addition to the above, the authors offer:

Packfile No. 1 "Light Fighters 1936-1945" - 160 pages, including 3-views on 92 aircraft of apparently at least some of advanced design from Germany, Great Britain, France, The Netherlands, Italy, Poland, and Latvia.

Packfile No. 2 "German Rocket Planes" - 200 pages, including 3-views on 98 aircraft.

Unknown! No. 1 - 36 pages, including 3-views of 23 unknown aircraft.

Reichdreams Research Databook 2024 - 200 pages of text in 3 different sections:

Reichdreams Guide of German Codenames
Reichdreams Series Index
Reichdreams Data Tables

Payment is by check or International Money order through postal mail. An email address is provided.

Regards,
Richard
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  #15  
Old 01-15-2003, 05:51 PM
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From 12 O'Clock High!:

Alex Martin
New LW Secret Projects book
Sat Nov 23 03:51:56 2024
64.7.162.168

Hi,

Today I have received volume 3 of Geheimprojekte der Luftwaffe, the actual title being: Schlachtflugzeuge und Kampfzerstorer 1935-1945 by Dieter Herwing and Heinz Rode. It is 282 pages and even though in German, it is a remarkable record with color drawings, many three views and some photographs. As a student of German Aviation Technology during this time period, I now know more about what the Allies uncovered. The following is a list of the contents as shown on the back cover. I am unable to add the umlaut due to the limitations of my keyboard.
AGO FP-30 (Ao 225)
Arado Ar 234 B-1
Arado Ar 234 R
Arado Ar 240
Arado Ar 240 TL
Arado E 377 (Gleitbombe)
Arado E 381
Arado E 395.01
Arado E 395.02
Arado E 500
Arado E 530
Arado E 556
Arado E 560
Arado E 561
Arado E 583.05
Arado E 583.06
Arado E 654
Argus-Junkers-Schlachtflugzeug
Automatische Schragschussanlage MG FF/M
Bachem Ba 349 >>Natter<<
Blohm & Voss BV 40
Blohm & Voss BV 237
Blohm & Voss P 163.01 und P 163.02
Blohm & Voss P 170
Blohm & Voss P 192.01
Blohm & Voss P 193.01
Blohm & Voss P 194.01
Blohm & Voss P 196.01
Blohm & Voss P 203.01
Blohm & Voss P 204.01
Blohm & Voss P 214
Bordkanone BK 3,7
Bordkanone BK 5
Bordkanone BK 7,5
Bordkanone Mauser MK 214 A
Bordrakete R4M >>Orkan<<
Bordrakete RZ 65
Bordrakete RZ 100
DFS-Bombensegler
DFS-Rammjager >>Eber<<
Dornier Do 29
Dornier Do 217 N
Dornier P 232.02
Dornier P 238.01
Dornier P 247.01
Dornier P 252.01
Dornier P 254.01
Dornier P 256.01
Dusenkanone Duka 88
Dusenkanone Duka 280
Fiesler Fi 103 (V 1)
Flammolwerfer GERO FmW-51
>>Fliegende Panzerfaust<<
Focke-Wulf Fw 57
Focke-Wulf Fw 189 V1 b
Focke-Wulf-Schlechtwetterzerstorer
Focke-Wulf P VII
Focke-Wulf-Schnellbomber und Zerstorer
Gerat 104 >>Munchhausen<<
Gotha P 60 C
Hamburger Fluzeugbau Ha 137
Heinkel >>Lerche II<<
Heinkel P 1055.01-16
Heinkel P 1065.01-20
Heinkel P 1068.01-83
Heinkel P 1077 >>Julia I<<
Heinkel P 1079
Henschel Hs 123
Henschel Hs 124 V3
Henschel Hs 129
Henschel Hs 132
Henschel Hs 293 (Flugbombe)
Henschel Hs P 87
Henschel JP 600/67
Henschel P 122
Hutter-Fernzerstorer
Hutter Hu 136
Hutter Hu 211
Hutter-Tiefangriffsflugzeug von 1945
Junkers EF 82
Junkers EF 112
Junkers EF 126
Junkers EF 127
Junkers J 4
Junkers J 10
Junkers Ju 87 D-3 und D-5
Junkers Ju 88 C-6
Junkers Ju 187
Junkers Ju 268
Junkers Ju 287
Junkers K 47
Lippisch-Messerschmitt P 04-106
Lippisch P 09
Lippisch P 09 (r)
Lippisch P 010
Lippisch P 10-108
Lippisch P 11-21 (Delta IV)
Lippisch P 11-92
Lippisch P 11-105
Lippisch P 13
Messerschmitt Bf 110
Messerschmitt-Lippisch Me 329
Messerschmitt Me 163 B
Messerschmitt Me 262 (Doppel)
Messerschmitt Me 263
Messerschmitt Me 265
Messerschmitt Me 328
Messerschmitt Me 609
Messerschmitt P 1079/10c
Messerschmitt P 1079/18 >>Schwalbe<<
Messerschmitt P 1099
Messerschmitt P 1100
Messerschmitt P 1101/28
Messerschmitt p 1101/92
Messerschmitt p 1101/99
Messerschmitt p 1101/104
Messerschmitt p 1104 Messerschmitt p 1112 Messerschmit-Zerstorer von 1941/42
Rammschussjager fur Selbstopfer-Einsatz
Sombold So 344
Wurfgranate 42/Spreng
Wurfkorper 28/32 cm
X 7 >>Rotkappchen<<
Zeppelin-Jagdsegler >>Rammer<<
Zerstorerprojekte der Gothaer Waggonfabrik

ISBN 3-613-02242-7

Regards,
Al
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  #16  
Old 03-17-2003, 02:30 PM
Richard T Eger Richard T Eger is offline
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From 12 O'Clock High!:

Alex Martin
Luftwaffe Secret Projects books Part I
Sun Feb 9 03:04:26 2024
64.7.163.77

This article is the beginning of an attempt to list some notable books in English about secret Luftwaffe aircraft designs and prototypes. Of course, there will be mention of books about captured aircraft since many of the more advanced prototypes were captured by the Allies or completed under their supervision. Once again, this is not everything, just an attempt to assist the beginner in this fascinating field and perhaps even the more advanced researcher. No attempt has been made to review the books, only provide information about their contents, and any comments by me reflect only my own enthusiasm. I am not an agent, employee or bookseller for any of the authors or publishing companies, just a guy who enjoys sharing what he's picked up over the years.

Secret Aircraft Designs of the Third Reich by David Myhra. At over 345 pages, this book covers many project aircraft through original and contemporary drawings, photographs and scale models. The author also shows post-war aircraft that, in his opinion, were influenced by war-time German designs. The book begins with Arado and focuses on the Ar 234 jet and its development. Also included is a look at the HWK solid fuel booster rockets used on this aircraft. Then it turns to projects like the Ar P.NJ-2, NJ-1, E.381, and E.581.4. Next is the Bachem company and its Natter manned missile and its development. Then Blohm und Voss and the the assymetrical Bv 141, P.111, P.170, P.192 P.194.01, P.196 and P.237. At this point in the book I was amazed at how much had been thought of, buildable/practical or not, but already contemplated before the end of 1945. And projects like the P.155B, Bv Ae 607 (a design that may or may not have been created during the war, depending on author), P.211, P.212.03, P.213, P.215, the forward swept wing P.209.02 and P.188 bomber. Also, some information about designer Richard Vogt's post-war work in the U.S., including nuclear powered bombers. To those who are not familiar with the P (Projekt or project in English) designations, let me just say that these designs need to be seen to be believed and I am certain this book will not disappoint the novice. Continuing with Blohm und Voss, Proect 202 is an aircraft with wings that swivel in the center, a concept that NASA tested in the early 1980's with its AD-1 aircraft (tail code NASA 805). Moving on to BMW (Bayerische Motoren Werke), it opens with information on its two bomber projects, one tailless and a turbo-prop powered, swept forward winged high speed bomber (Strahlbomber I and Schnellbomber II) and then information about BMW engines as they might be applied to other aircraft designs such as the Heinkel He P.343 and Junkers Ju 287 V3 (also referred to as Ju EF 131), a jet aircraft with six engines. And a project involving a large aircraft acting as a flying aircraft carrier! Then there is the DFS (Deutsches Forschungsinstitut fur Segelflug or German Institute for Gliding Flight). Not only gliders are mentioned but the Focke, Achgelis-Delmenhorst Fa 224 helicopter which was flown inside a building as a demonstration of its handling. The Mistel, where a fighter is attached above an explosives laden, unmanned bomber which is then released against its target. The DFS 228, a very high altitude reconnaissance aircraft that was actually built, a pressurized cabin for the aircraft, and the DFS-346 supersonic aircraft, a protype that was flown in the U.S.S.R. after the war. Next is Dornier with flying boats, and the remarkable Dornier 335 with a tractor propeller in the nose and a pusher propeller in the tail, actually built, and a few other projects. Next is Focke-Wulf, with the Ta (designation after designer/test pilot Kurt Tank) 183, which the author credits as the design ancestor to the MiG 15 jet. Then imagine an aircraft that sits on its tail with three wings that rotate around the body with ramjets on the end of each. It was called the Triebflugel. Then the Fw Ta 283 with two jet engines attached to the sides of the horizontal tails of the aircraft. Then the Focke-Wulf designs for a long range Amerika bomber and others. Next is Gothaer, most noted for its tailless Horten Ho 229 (also called Ho 9 or Go 229). This is a remarkable jet powered flying wing with its engines buried in the fuselage and exhausts uncowled and set back from the tail. It appears not unlike the modern B-2 bomber of the U.S. Actually built. The Gotha P-60C, another flying wing that was about to go into production. Moving on to Heinkel and their jet projects like the He 162, actually built. An earlier, rocket powered aircraft (the first to fly in the world), the He 178. The He 280, a competitor to the Me 262. The four jet He 343. The He P.1077 Julia, P.1078A, P.1078B (quite bizarre), P.1078C, and P.1079A. After is Henschel. There is a photo of the BK 75mm anti-tank cannon being prepared for shipment to the U.S. Air to ground missiles like the Hs 293 and Hs 295. The P.75 with a pusher propeller and canards in the nose. The Hs 132 and a color gallery of paintings of some of the aircraft described in this book, including some computer rendered images that are less than impressive in some cases, and color photos of some scale models. We then turn to the Horten flying wing aircraft, including a four engine flying wing bomber designed to fly to America. Then Junkers, with the Ju 248, EF 009 vertical take-off and landing interceptor. The Ju 287 with two jet engines mounted just behind cockpit and to each side, with forward swept wings and two engines mounted under each, actually built. The EF 140 Amerika Bomber, the EF 128, and Ju 287. Continuing with the work of Alexander Lippisch who worked with Messerschmitt to create the Me-163 Komet rocket plane. The remarkable delta DM-1 (built) and the proposed DM-2. In my opinion, the most futuristic design is the Lippisch Li P.12. Two views of a wind tunnel model are shown and I find it hard to believe this kind of design existed at the time. Along with other, unusual Lippisch aircraft designs. Then Messerschmitt, with early designs, the Me 262 and proposed future versions. The P.1106 and P.1101, an aircraft whose wing sweep could be adjusted on the ground, captured and sent to the U.S., it was revised as the Bell X-5 which could change its wing sweep in flight. And other projects. Next, the Sanger Orbital Bomber. A remarkable concept to use V-2 rocket engines to propel a long-range aircraft along a slightly inclined ramp which would then ignite its own rocket engine or engines and proceed to the edge of space, skipping like a flat stone thrown across a pond on the upper atmosphere. Along with his work on ramjets. Moving further, imagine an aircraft whose nose is actually a missile that is fired into a group of enemy bombers and detonated by remote control. This is the Sombold 344. There is also information on the SD-1400-X (or Fritz X) guided missile and the X-4 wire guided missile. The book ends with the manned Zeppelin Rammer, an aircraft with rockets in its nose that once fired, would then attempt to ram/slice a bomber in an effort to bring it down.

Part II when I have time...

P.S.
I have read that David Myhra's books contain some inaccuracies. Be that as it may, I still would like to share this piece of history, especially if the vast majority is accurate. Keeps the hobby (sorry, being a serious researcher is not for me, at least at this time) going, I think.

Regards,
Al
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  #17  
Old 03-17-2003, 02:31 PM
Richard T Eger Richard T Eger is offline
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From TOCH!:

Tom Fischer
I respectfully disagree (long)
Sun Feb 9 16:26:31 2024
80.218.105.202

Hi Alex!

As somebody whose own Luftwaffe enthusiasm is focused on German aircraft types and aircraft design of the period, I am of course also interested in German prototypes, trial aircraft and aircraft proposals/projects - as long as the respective information is based on serious research and not on fantasy or "what if".

However, in the specific case of David Myhra's "Secret Aircraft Designs of the Third Reich" (Schiffer Publishing Ltd), I feel a pronounced warning is appropriate, and not a wholehearted recommendation.

Alex, I have read the "PS" in your post, and I agree that it is important to share history. So please accept that this information is *not* directed against your person or your post by any means - I am simply interested in facts and solid research, and I feel authors who are negligent in this respect are doing the Luftwaffe (and aviation) community a huge disservice, especially in this day and age where tedious research has become perhaps slightly easier through computers, internet, newly accessible archives and so on.

The following is an outtake of some thoughts on Myhra's "Secret Aircraft Designs of the Third Reich" which I wrote for the Luftwaffe Verband some years ago:


It would have been reasonable to look forward to this book which, due to its sheer size and the inclusion of hundreds of illustrations, could have been a standard work of reference. But I also feel that the publication of inaccurate reference material is detrimental to our hobby, our interests. I am afraid that this book's effect will be to petrify previous misinformation and to amplify the prejudice against what is actually a highly interesting and influential part of Germany's aviation industry during Word War II. I was disappointed to find that the book contains numerous misinterpretations and inaccuracies, some trivial, many grave, which the detailed research that one expects to go into a publication of this size should have avoided. To randomly pick a few:

- The "Fa 224" (page 93, bottom left and bottom right) is, in fact, the famous Fw 61 during the flights in the Deutschlandhalle - these were perhaps the most famous helicopter flights up to 1945, and it's an accomplishment to get this wrong. The actual Fa 224 was never completed.

- In spite of recently published correct information, the book fossilises the ancient misconception of what the Heinkel He 176 looked like, by using the utterly outdated and fictional artist's impression originally based on Hans Regner's incorrect interpretation of the aircraft's shape (p. 162). In view of the importance the He 176 assumes in aviation history, it would be appropriate to refer instead to photos and three-view drawings originally published by Dr. Volker Koos in Germany's Jet & Prop (issue 1/1994) and Flieger Revue (issue 5/1995) magazines. Even more so as David Myhra did actually correct the comparable and equally popular artist's impression of the Henschel Hs 132 by featuring photos of the actual unfinished prototype.

- The picture of the "warhead" of Heinz Sombold's So 344 (p. 328) is obviously really the forward fuselage of the C 2 "Wasserfall" ground-to-air missile.

- The artist's impression of a "collection of anti aircraft missiles" (p. 24) shows, in reality, a variety of pulse-jet and rocket-powered manned aircraft (combat a/c and interceptors) and unmanned missiles, among them ground-to-ground weapons.

- The postage stamp "showing ground-to-air missiles" (p. 25, top) actually portrays the launch of ground-to-ground Nebelwerfer rockets (an artillery weapon used by infantry).

- Countless three-view drawings are rendered unusable by pixel distortion beyond recognition.

- The picture on page 299 does not show the Messerschmitt Me 262 C-1a (V 186, Werknummer 130186) as stated in the caption. It is instead the Me 262 C-1b (V 074, Werknummer 170074) which featured a completely different dual rocket motor installation.

- The Bachem Ba 349 "Natter" did not carry "Henschel Hs 217 Föhn" air-to-air rockets (p. 49) but RZ 73 "Föhn" or R4M "Orkan" air-to-air rockets (as later correctly stated on p. 51 and p. 54).

- The Consolidated Vultee (Convair) XF-92 was not named "Cutlass" (p. 277, top). The name "Cutlass" was assigned to Chance Vought's F7U fighter. The XF-92 bore the unofficial name "Seven-Balls-Two" (as in model 7002).

- Perhaps the most significant characteristic of the Lippisch P 15 is not even mentioned (p. 289). According to Lippisch himself (in "Ein Dreieck fliegt", Stuttgart, 1976, by Lippisch and Trenkle), the P 15 was to be a combination of existing parts from other contemporary aircraft: He 162 forward fuselage and cockpit, Me 163 wings and vertical tail, Ju 248 landing gear. Lippisch also states that the P 15 was to be powered by the HeS 011 A turbojet (as opposed to David Myhra's Jumo 004 D).

- According to Lippisch himself, the air raid on the Luftfahrtforschungsanstalt Wien (LFW), which killed 45 members of his staff, took place in June 1944, not in April 1945 (p. 281). It is also hardly possible that the "coal fuelled P 13" was destroyed in this raid (also p. 281), since the aircraft had not yet been built. What existed were large-scale free-flight models of the P 13, which might have been destroyed in the raid (as later correctly stated on p. 288).

- The rocket-powered Hatry Flugzeug was not the important Lippisch-Opel collaboration (p. 271). According to Lippisch, the partnership between Sander, Opel and Lippisch resulted in the installation of rockets in the Lippisch-typical "Ente" (duck) trial design in 1928, with which Fritz Stamer subsequently made a number of powered flights. A further aircraft, which Lippisch designed specifically for Opel's rocket experiments, was never completed due to disagreements between Opel and Lippisch. This aircraft, the "Raketen-Versuchsflugzeug" (rocket trial aircraft), was a very advanced concept for its time (1929) - it was to be a swept-back flying wing.

- The translation of the German-language inscription on the air war memorial in Dresden is entirely incorrect (p. 337). The actual translation would be: "How many died? Who knows the number? In your wounds, one can see the agony of the nameless who burned in the man-made hell fire. - To the memory of the victims of the air attack on Dresden on February 13 - 14, 1945."

- The Fieseler Fi 103 shown on page 136 (centre) is not a "Reichenberg" version, but a regular Fi 103 as air-launched by KG 53. Also, the manned Fi 103 was named Reichenberg, not "Reichenburg", as mistakenly stated in several places.

- The picture on page 142 (top right) does not show a "Vampire" but the very different Sea Vixen.

- The "Russian flying test bed for the Soviet-redesigned Jumo 022-K turboprop" is, in fact, a heavily modified Junkers Ju 252, used for flight tests of the Junkers Jumo 222 24-cylinder liquid-cooled radial engine.

- The aircraft on page 156, top left, is not a Heinkel He 70, but a He 64.

- The "Messerschmitt Bf 108" on page 290 (bottom right) is, in fact, a Bücker Bü 181.

- The "Messerschmitt Me 209 V1 in flight" (p. 291) is, in fact, a retouched picture of the Me 209 V4.

- The Henschel Hs 295 was not a "high-tech air-to-air anti aircraft missile" (p. 183, bottom), but an air-to-ground missile.

- The "Shuttle Columbia as seen from above prior to its first space flight" (p. 286) is in fact seen from below. And since Columbia never made any free flights prior to it's first space flight (only the Enterprise did), it is in fact seen returning from a space mission.

- The model on page 229 (bottom) does not represent the Ho 9 V2, but what the V3 perhaps would have looked like with armament.

- The aircraft designations are a hopeless mess and, for example, change throughout the book even for one and the same type. They are also often written and/or identified incorrectly or with fictitious manufacturer's prefixes.

- The repetition of the same photos over and over in the same book (a trademark of Myhra's work) is simply unprofessional.


It's astonishing, but this list could be continued almost indefinitely.

There are a few positive points about this book, but they also serve to expose the negligence and simplistic approach that characterises "Secret Aircraft Designs of the Third Reich" in my opinion, especially if one considers the book's retail price. The mere accumulation of uncounted illustrations fails to make up for a lack of research and accuracy.

My discontented conclusion would therefore be that anybody seriously interested should instead stick with the following publications, which are of course not perfect either but provide much superior and factual research on this somewhat controversial and touchy topic:

- Jet Planes of the Third Reich - the Secret Projects (Volume One), Manfred Griehl (Monogram Aviation Publications, ISBN 0-91414-36-7)

- Geheimprojekte der Luftwaffe (Band I: Jagdflugzeuge 1939-1945), Walter Schick & Ingolf Meyer (Motorbuch Verlag, ISBN 3-613-01631-1)

- Geheimprojekte der Luftwaffe (Band II: Strategische Bomber 1935-1945), Dieter Herwig & Heinz Rode (Motorbuch Verlag, ISBN 3-613-01788-1)

- Geheimprojekte der Luftwaffe (Band III: Schlachtflugzeuge und Kampfzerstörer 1935-1945), Dieter Herwig & Heinz Rode (Motorbuch Verlag, ISBN 3-613-02242-7)
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  #18  
Old 03-17-2003, 02:32 PM
Richard T Eger Richard T Eger is offline
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From TOCH!:

Richard T. Eger
Wonderful!
Sun Feb 9 17:00:45 2024
162.33.247.192

Dear Alex and Tom,

I commend you both for your efforts.

Alex has tried to at least state what the book is all about, but without making a judgment call. For someone trying to decide whether this book has material of interest to him or not, this can be most helpful.

Tom, if Alex has succeeded in nothing else, he has elicited a critical review of the book from you. Fantastic.

Both commentaries will eventually be transferred to the Luftwaffe Archives Group's (LWAG) site (lwag.org) "References & Reference Materials" forum. TOCH! commentaries giving summaries and opinions on books form a unique collection on LWAG for readers to assess whether a particular topic exists in book form and, if so, whether it is worth the money to purchase.

As for David Myhra's books, in general, they are a mixed bag, indeed. Tom, you are quite correct in criticizing some of the slopiness in David's books. Perhaps the worst example that I know of to date is his book on the Gotha P.60, which actually seems to have more on the Ho 229 than on the P.60.

But, to his and Schiffer's credit, David also gets into print more arcane photos and drawings than most other authors and, if for no other reason, most of his books are worth buying. Schiffer, in particular, is to be commended for tackling subjects that other publishers won't touch because I believe the fear is that they won't sell enough copies to make a profit. That doesn't mean that Schiffer is without its own problems, but we'd be far poorer if it were not for their publishing efforts.

I do concur with Tom's assessment that misleading information is dangerous. In this case, all I can say is: "Buyer beware!!" If you have built up a sufficiently large collection on your favorite topic and augmented this with archival research, it frequently becomes apparent where an author has gone astray. Yet, that picture of your favorite aircraft showing just what that thingie looked like that you've never seen anywhere else before can make the cost worthwhile.

Still, like Tom, I would be much happier if the author would get his act together and get it right in the first place. Numerous errors are like rotten parts of an apple, quickly tainting anything else the author has to say. Inclusion of primary references indicate, if there is any question, that the author has done his homework and helps to add credence to his effort.

Regards,
Richard
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Old 03-17-2003, 02:33 PM
Richard T Eger Richard T Eger is offline
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From TOCH!:

Tom Fischer
I wholeheartedly agree, Richard! Thanks! n/t (nm)
Sun Feb 9 17:14:11 2024
80.218.105.202
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  #20  
Old 03-17-2003, 02:34 PM
Richard T Eger Richard T Eger is offline
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From TOCH!:

Alex Martin
Thank you
Mon Feb 10 17:47:20 2024
64.7.166.109

Hi Tom,

You have done a great service for me, and I suspect others, by identifying the publications with the correct information. I will get them. However, as annoying as having a book filled with errors is, there is also the problem of those who cannot read German. While no history can be called such if it presents incorrect information, I must admit that if I had not seen some of David Myhra's books I would not know a fraction of what I know today. As far as the general public, it is my guess that these types of publications are easier to find and create an interest.
I very much enjoyed reading your post.

Kind regards,
Alex
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