Secret Weapons of Luftwaffe

[bf-fly]

Thank you. The only one remaining is in the Smithsonian Annex at Dulles International outside of Washington D.C. I've seen it twice. Pretty cool to reach out and touch it (as well as a Comet and others). I read somewhere that after the war it was escorted by Mustangs out of Germany. It ran away from them very easily.

[bf-fly]

The Do-335, the Arado, and a comet sit next to each other at the annex. True war booty, to the victor's go the spoils I guess...,

The comet comes up to about your waist. Not much of a super weapon to look at. (only shot down 16 bombers total)

[HunterFN]

Mno, but some 11000fpm climbrate, that is the price you pay. I saw one in Gatow, Germany, in a museum. I knew what the plane looked like but you really can't understand how small it really is before you stand next to one, it's absolutely tiny.

Had it entered service earlier and with a more refined engine it would'be been something you don't want to mess with, I think.

[osuorsa]

I finally found what I was looking for! This bird is Messerschmitt P.1101 prototype. It's the second generation of jet fighters for the Third Reich!
It also has an early version of variable-geometry wings which could be adjusted from 30, 40 to 45 degrees. The wingsweep can be changed in ground! It also flew, it's first flight was in June 1945.

After war it was seized by the Americans and was the basis for the Bell's X.5 experimental plane...

Below. Messerschmitt P.1101

[osuorsa]

I think that Messerschmitt has a very big resemblance to more modern MiG-15, Sabre and Saab's Tunnan

[osuorsa]

Here's a very good information site about the P.1101:
http://www.luft46.com/mess/mep1101.html

[cee47]

Originally Posted by bf-fly

...Comet rocket plane was cool and impressive, but how successful was it?

I would agree there! I think the Luftwaffe lost more Comets and Comet pilots from landing accidents due to exploding fuel remnants (hydrogen peroxide and alcohol) than they did to enemy action.
Took these at the Australian War Memorial recently


Very dark/subdued lighting, difficult to photograph, even with a flash.

[sicsok]

These pictures look like they were taken at the National Air and Space Museum, Washington D.C. Anyone to confirm or deny?

[sicsok]

The Me 262 had one of the simplest, and neatest cockpit. The engines were started by the mechanic, pulling a string from the central cone, starting a "lawnmower engine" which had a centrifugal clutch to the main shaft of the jet engine, revving it up. The engine response to the throttle was sluggish, and the thrust on the ground taxiing was quite unsatisfactory. But once this neat "swallow" got into the air and tucked the wheels...that was another story entirely! And most of today's sport planes have more gizmos to bother with in the pilot's department than the 262 had. No tricky habits of these planes, just get airborne with it!