World War II Database

1.  Bill says:
19 Nov 2010 05:29:08 PM

Pre-production Ju88D reconnaissance aircraft it was similar to the A-5 bomber but, had
additional fuel tanks, and cameras installed
in the bomb bay.
The Luftwaffe used bombers for various duties
the Ju 88 was powered by Jumo liquid-cooled
engines, and BMW air-cooled radial engines.

2.  Bill says:
5 Feb 2011 04:37:14 PM

MISTEL/COMPOSITE:

Junkers Ju-88H 3/4 Long-Range Bomber modified
with a "Stretched Fuselage" several were built before the end of the war. The Germans used them, as a long-range Zerstorer, or as a
Mistel packed with explosives and controlled by the fighter.

VATER UND SOHN:

The Ju88H, was used as a long-range maritime
reconnaissance a/c equipped with surface
FuG-200 Hohentwiel radar, or 6x200mm cannons.

To protect it against enemy fighters, flying
beyond the range of protective fighter cover
the Ju88H, would have its own fighter attached "Piggy Back" or "Parasite Fighter"
to provide cover, and still have enough fuel to return to base.

Of interest was the fact that both aircraft
used octane fuel that wasn't compatible.
The Ju88 had to carried enough fuel for both the fighter and itself. One of the units to use the Ju88H was II./KG200 in 1945.
Another variant was a 4-engine Ju-488 However
it didn't proceed beyond the prototype stage

Vater und Sohn (Father and Son)

3.  Bill says:
5 Feb 2011 11:33:19 PM

OOPS!.. the Junkers Ju88H 3/4 was armed with
6x20mm cannons, or the FuG 200 Hohentwiel
Radar. Correction to number 2.

Did You Know...

Most of the Aircraft, Armored Vehicles and Ships listed here in ww2db, have been produced as plastic models, they range in scale from 1/144, 1/72, 1/48 to 1/32nd scale

The 1/72nd scale AMtech Mistel Conversion
for the Junkers Ju88H is a jewel of a kit.

4.  Bill says:
7 Feb 2011 01:21:42 PM

FUHRUNGSMACHINE JU-88H-1/H-2 & MISTEL H-3/H-4

Starting with the Junkers Ju-88D-1 fuselage and combination of Ju-88G-1 components, wings and BMW engines, the aircraft went through different design changes, to get as much service as possible out of the basic Junkers design.

EXTENDED LONG-RANGE RECONNAISSANCE: JU-88H-1

The Ju-88D fuselage was modified with an added section, or stretch to carry more fuel and a Ju-88G tailplane was added for directional stability.
Powered by 2xBMW 801 air-cooled radial or 2xJunkers Jumo 213E liquid-cooled inline engines.
Designed for long-range operations against Allied convoys, Fliegerfuhrer Atlantik operated the H-1/H-2s there are no known photos of the H-2 model, documents and photographs could have been destroyed at the end of the war.
Ten Ju-88H-1/H-2s were built the H-3 and H-4 models, were converted into Mistel aircraft.

5.  Bill says:
10 Jan 2012 03:51:40 PM

INTRESTING IDEA BUT:

A Junkers test pilot proposed an idea of using older Ju88 airframes loaded with high explosives, controlled by a single-engine fighter to the target. This concept was rejected However, later in the war as the Luftwaffe suffered losses in bomber attacks against convoys, it took another look at this idea.

MISTEL 1 IS BORN:

In 1943 a combination of a Junkers Ju-88 and
Messerschmitt Bf-109 and Focke-Wulf FW-190 fighters were tested and flown.
By 1944 the bombers were modified replacing the nose section and installing a 1,800kg/ 3,960lb hollow charge warhead.
Flight testing was done at Nordhausen later
twelve aircraft of 4./KG 101 were sent to
France after the Normandy invasion. The first
attacks were inconclvsive due to weather, a new unit 3./KG 66 was formed, 5./KG 200
served as a pathfinder and 7./KG 200 became an operational training unit.

Most missions were failures due to difficulities controlling the Mistel after
it was launched by the fighter, and were vuinerable to Allied fighters many missed its
target and exploded in open country, others were just waisted in indivdual targets without success.

LAST MISTEL ATTACKS:

April 1945, some of the last Mistel attacks were aimed at bridges being built by the Russians, along the Oder river, but this only delayed the Red army for one or two days in their push toward Berlin.


The Mistel concept had little effect on the out come of the war, many of the Mistel aircraft were abandoned by the Germns while others were used in last ditch attacks the rest were captured by the Allies.

6.  Bill says:
5 Nov 2013 07:05:13 PM

FLY BY WIRE: AHEAD OF ITS TIME

Did you know that the Germans used an early form of fly by wire system that was developed for the Mistel project. The pilot in the single-engine fighter would operate the controls of the Junkers Ju88 bomber electrically, once near the target within 5 miles, the Ju88 was separated by explosive bolts enabled the fighter to clear and return to base.
The bomber's auto-pilot would continue to glide the aircraft at a selected angle to the target.

Today fly by wire system is used on Commercial, Private and Military Aircraft.

THE MISTEL CONCEPT:

The war at sea cost each side men, material and
equipment. With the loss of Allied warships and merchant ships sunk, this would cost the Luftwaffe as many as twenty-five aircraft and lost crews, during operations. The Mistel was a solution to destroy Allied shipping and other high-value targets.

Mistel 1: Bf109/Ju88A

Mistel 2: FW190/Ju88G

Mistel 3: Me262/mounted on an Ar234

Proposed Mistel FW190/FW154 twin-engine aircraft
twin Me262 piloted aircraft mounted/drone Me262

Mistel 5: Proposed Heinkel He162A/Arado E77A jet powered flying bomb

7.  Bill says:
21 Dec 2013 11:55:34 AM

FUHRUNGSMACHINE Ju88H: CONTINUED FROM COMMENT #4

MISTEL ROLE:

The Ju88H forward cockpit/canopy section, was replaced with a SHI-3500D "Splittereintage" or
(Fragmentation) liner warhead, using the FW190 as the parent aircraft.
Other Ju88H bombers, were assigned to pathfinder roles and long-range reconnaissance, carried a crew of three, two 900 liter drop tanks, FuG 240
Berlin radar installed in the long bulbous nose.

8.  Bill says:
22 Dec 2013 07:22:02 PM

PARASITE FIGHTERS:

Did you know the concept of parasite fighters isn't new. During WWI the British used the BE.2C
fighter that was suspended under an airship to protect it against enemy fighters.

BETWEEN THE WARS:

The British pioneered this concept using the
Short four-engine flying boat S-21 Maia, with the smaller four-engine Short S-20 Mercury piggy back
atop the larger flying boat. This increased the range providing passenger and mail service to the USA and the far reaches of the British Empire and
other destinations during the 1930s and 40s

The US Navy operated parasite fighters aboard its dirigible's (airships) USS Akron, USS Macon and USS Los Angeles during the late 1920s early 1930s

The Russians experimented carrying fighters on top and under the wings of bombers during the 1930s

The Germans planned on the Bordjager, a small parasite fighter to protect and escort long-range bombers...this was only a drawing board design no prototypes of the fighter or bomber were built.

POST-WAR:

Both the US and the USSR experimented with the parasite fighter concept.

The British planned using the RAF Vickers Valiant
jet bomber to carry two small Folland Gnat jet aircraft, as parasite fighters.