Fighters of the Second World War. The fastest fighters of the Second World War. Fighter that could fly at high altitudes
From the moment airplanes have gone from single enthusiast designs to more or less mass-produced and usable practical application aircraft, aviation deserved the closest attention of the military, eventually becoming an integral part of the military doctrine of most developed countries.
The more difficult were the losses of the first days of the Great Patriotic War, when the vast majority of aircraft were destroyed before they even got off the ground. However, the current situation became the best incentive for the development of aircraft construction in all classes - it was necessary not only to replenish the Air Force fleet. In the current critical situation, with an acute shortage of time and resources, create fundamentally different aircraft that could at least fight on equal terms with the Luftwaffe machines, and ideally surpass them.
combat teacher
One of the most recognizable Soviet aircraft of the Great Patriotic War, which brought a huge contribution to the Victory, was the primitive biplane U-2, later renamed Po-2. This two-seat airplane was originally conceived for primary piloting training, and practically could not carry any payload - neither the dimensions of the aircraft, nor its design, nor its take-off weight, nor a small 110-horsepower engine allowed. But the U-2 coped remarkably well with the role of a “training desk” all its life.
However, quite unexpectedly for the U-2, they found quite combat use. Equipped with silencers and holders for light bombs, the aircraft became a light, miniature, but stealthy and dangerous night bomber, firmly established in this role until the end of the war. Later, I even managed to carve out some free weight to install a machine gun. Prior to this, the pilots managed only with personal small arms.
air knights
Some aviation enthusiasts consider WWII to be the golden age of fighter aviation. No computers, radars, missiles with television, radio and heat guidance. Only personal skill, experience and luck.
In the late 30s, the USSR came close to a qualitative breakthrough in the production of fighters. No matter how much the capricious Ishachok I-16 was loved and mastered, if he could resist the Luftwaffe fighters, it was only due to the heroism of the pilots, and at an unrealistically high price. At the same time, in the bowels of the Soviet design bureaus, despite the rampant repressions, fundamentally different fighters were created.
The firstborn of the new approach, the MiG-1 quickly transformed into the MiG-3, which became one of the most dangerous Soviet aircraft of the Second World War, the main German enemy. The plane could accelerate over 600 km / h, and climb to a height of more than 11 kilometers, which was clearly beyond the strength of its predecessors. This is what determined the niche of the MiG-a - it showed itself perfectly as a high-altitude fighter, acting in the air defense system.
However, at altitudes up to 5000 meters, the MiG-3 began to lose in speed to enemy fighters, and in this niche it was supplemented first by the Yak-1, and then the Yak-9. These light vehicles had a large thrust-to-weight ratio and powerful enough weapons, for which they quickly earned the love of pilots, and not only domestic ones - the soldiers of the French Normandie-Neman regiment, having tested several models of fighters from different countries, opted for the Yak-9, which they received a gift from the Soviet government.
However, these relatively light Soviet aircraft had a noticeable drawback - weak weapons. Most often, these were machine guns of 7.62 or 12.7 mm caliber, less often - a 20 mm cannon.
The novelty of the Lavochkin Design Bureau was devoid of this drawback - two ShVAK guns were installed on the La-5. Also on the new fighter, a return was made to air-cooled engines, which were abandoned during the creation of the MiG-1 in favor of liquid-cooled engines. The fact is that the liquid-cooled engine was much more compact - and, therefore, created less drag. The disadvantage of such an engine was its "tenderness" - it is enough for a small fragment or a random bullet to break a tube or radiator of the cooling system, and the engine immediately failed. It was this feature that forced the designers to return to bulky air-cooled engines.
By that time, a new high-power engine, the M-82, had appeared, which subsequently became very widespread. However, at that time, the engine was frankly crude, and caused many problems for aircraft designers who used it on their machines.
However, the La-5 was a serious step in the development of fighters - this was noted not only by Soviet pilots, but also by Luftwaffe testers, who eventually got a captured aircraft in good condition.
flying tank
The design of aircraft during the Great Patriotic War was typical - a wooden or metal frame acting as a power set and taking on all the loads. Outside, it was covered with sheathing - fabric, plywood, metal. An engine, armor plates, and weapons were mounted inside this structure. One way or another, but according to this principle, all the aircraft of the Second World War were designed.
This aircraft became the firstborn of a new design scheme. The Ilyushin Design Bureau realized that such an approach significantly overweights the design. At the same time, the armor is strong enough and can be used as an element of the power structure of the aircraft. The new approach opened up new possibilities for rational use weight. This is how the IL-2 appeared - an aircraft that, because of its armor protection, was nicknamed the "flying tank".
IL-2 was an unpleasant surprise for the Germans. At first, the attack aircraft was often used as a fighter, and in this role it proved to be far from brilliant - low speed and maneuverability did not allow it to fight the enemy on equal terms, and the lack of any serious protection of the rear hemisphere quickly began to be used by Luftwaffe pilots.
And for developers, this aircraft did not become problem-free. Throughout the war, the armament of the aircraft was constantly changing, in addition, the addition of a second crew member (initially the aircraft was single) shifted the center of gravity so much back that the aircraft threatened to become uncontrollable.
However, the efforts paid off. The original armament (two 20 mm guns) was changed to a more powerful caliber - 23 mm, and then 37 mm. With such armament of the aircraft, almost everyone began to be afraid - both tanks and heavy bombers.
According to the recollections of the pilots, while firing from such guns, the plane literally hovered in the air due to recoil. The tail gunner successfully covered the rear hemisphere from fighter attacks. In addition, the aircraft could take several light bombs with it.
All this was successful, and the IL-2 became an indispensable aircraft on the battlefield, and not only the most popular and recognizable attack aircraft of the Great Patriotic War, but also the most massive combat aircraft - more than 36 thousand of them were produced in total. And if we consider that at the beginning of the war there were only 128 of them in the Air Force, then there is no doubt about its relevance.
Destroyers
A bomber has been an integral part of military aviation almost from the very beginning of its use on the battlefield. Small, large, super-large - they have always been the most technologically advanced type of combat aircraft.
One of the most recognizable Soviet aircraft of the Second World War of this type is the Pe-2. Conceived as a super-heavy fighter, over time this aircraft was transformed, becoming one of the most dangerous and effective dive bombers of the war.
It is worth saying that the dive bomber, as a class of aircraft, made its debut in the Second World War. Its appearance was due to the evolution of weapons: the development of air defense systems forced the creation of more and more high-altitude bombers. However, the higher the bombing height, the lower the accuracy of the bombing. The developed tactics of using bombers meant breaking through to targets at high altitude, descending to bombing altitude, and leaving again at high altitude. The idea of dive bombing was only a matter of time.
The dive bomber does not drop bombs in level flight. It literally falls on the target, and resets from minimum height measured in literally hundreds of meters. The result is the highest possible accuracy. However, at low altitude, the aircraft is most vulnerable to anti-aircraft guns - and this could not but leave an imprint on its design.
It turns out that the dive bomber must combine the incompatible. It should be as compact as possible to minimize the risk of being shot down by anti-aircraft gunners. At the same time, the aircraft must be roomy enough, otherwise there will simply be nowhere to hang the bombs. Moreover, we must not forget about strength, because the loads on the aircraft structure during a dive, and especially the withdrawal from a dive, are enormous. And the failed Pe-2 fighter did an excellent job with his new role.
The "Pawn" was supplemented by his relative in the Tu-2 class. A small twin-engine bomber could "work" both from a dive and according to the classic bomber method. His problem is that at the beginning of the war the plane was very, very rare. However, the machine turned out to be so effective and successful that the number of modifications created on its basis is perhaps the maximum for Soviet aircraft of the Second World War.
Tu-2 was a bomber, attack aircraft, reconnaissance, interceptor, torpedo bomber... In addition to all this, there were several different variations that differed in range. However, these machines were far from really long-range bombers.
To Berlin!
This bomber is perhaps the most beautiful of the aircraft of the war years, making the IL-4 impossible to confuse with anyone. Despite the difficulty in control (which explains the high accident rate of these aircraft), the IL-4 was very popular among the troops and was used not only as a "land" bomber. Despite the excessive flight range, the aircraft was used in the Air Force as a torpedo bomber.
However, the IL-4 left its mark in history as the aircraft that carried out the first combat missions to Berlin. It happened in the autumn of 1941. However, soon the front line shifted to the East so much that the capital of the Third Reich became inaccessible to the IL-4, and then other aircraft began to “work” on it.
heavy and rare
During the Great Patriotic War, this aircraft was so rare and “closed” that it was often attacked by its own air defenses. But he performed perhaps the most difficult operations of the war.
The Pe-8 long-range bomber, although it appeared in the late 30s, but for a long time was not just the most modern aircraft of its class - it was the only one. The Pe-8 had a high speed (more than 400 km / h), and the fuel supply made it possible not only to fly to Berlin and back, but also to carry large-caliber bombs, up to the five-ton FAB-5000. It was the Pe-8s that bombed Koenigsberg, Helsinki, Berlin, when the front line was dangerously close to Moscow. Because of the “working range”, the Pe-8 is sometimes called a strategic bomber, and then this class of vehicles was just in its infancy.
One of the most specific operations performed by the Pe-8 is the transportation of the People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs V. M. Molotov to the UK and the USA. The flights took place in the spring of 1942, the route crossed the occupied territories of Europe. The People's Commissar traveled on a special, passenger version of the Pe-8. In total, two such aircraft were built.
Nowadays, aircraft operate several dozen intercontinental flights daily, carrying thousands of passengers. However, in those years, such a flight was a real feat not only for pilots, but also for passengers. It's not even that there was a war, and the plane could be shot down at any moment. In the 1940s, comfort and life support systems in aircraft were very, very primitive, and navigation systems, in the modern sense, were completely absent. The navigator could only rely on radio beacons, the range of which was very limited, and there were none over the occupied territories, and on his own experience and the special instinct of the navigator - after all, on long-haul flights, he, in fact, became the main person in the plane. It depended on him whether the plane would fly to a given point, or would stray over a poorly oriented and, moreover, enemy territory. Say what you like, but the courage of Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov was not to take.
Concluding this brief review of the Soviet aircraft of the Great Patriotic War, it would probably be useful to recall all those who, in conditions of hunger, cold, lack of the most necessary (often even freedom), developed all these machines, each of which was a serious step forward for all world aviation . The names of Lavochkin, Pokryshkin, Tupolev, Mikoyan and Gurevich, Ilyushin, Bartini will forever remain in world history. Behind them will forever be all those who helped the chief designers - ordinary engineers.
History... Everything flows, everything changes. Only memory remains.
The Second World War died down with volleys, and we, recalling the battles in which we did not participate, argue on topics best weapon, the best warriors.
Let's talk today about the planes that cleared our skies during the years of the Great duel. Fighters are great sky cleaners. Who can be called the best warrior of the skies?
The beginning of the war found almost all of the Soviet fighter aviation at the airfields. Almost 900 aircraft were burned by the Germans on the ground in the first hours of the war. I-16s were burning, “rats”, as the Germans dubbed them at the beginning of the war in Spain, apparently because there is a “donkey”, like a rat, if it clings, it will not let go of its strong teeth. Chadili I-15, "snub-nosed", as they were called by the Spanish Republicans.
The flame merrily devoured the MiG-3 and Yak-1 planes, which did not have time to rise into the sky. What they managed to save burned in the sky, crossed out by smoky plumes, went to the ram, directed by the heroes who did not know how to conduct air combat, who shot the meager ammunition in vain.
But stocks great country were truly inexhaustible. From the eastern borders, air regiments armed with new LaGG-3s were hastily transferred. But that didn't help either. Soviet Union from the overwhelming air superiority of the Luftwaffe.
Yak-1
Fighter design Yakovlev. Lightweight, maneuverable, easy to manage, but poorly armed. One 20mm cannon and one 12.7mm machine gun.MiG-3
Fighter designed by Mikoyan and Gurevich. A very ugly story came out with its predecessor, the MiG-1, or I-200, as Polikarpov, the King of Fighters, conceived it. The designers simply appropriated the development of the I-200 while Polikarpov was in Germany, on a trip-excursion to German aircraft factories.
But Polikarpov counted on the I-200 for the AM-38 engine, and Mikoyan and his friend Gurevich put a weaker AM-35 engine on the car. The trouble happened with the MiG-3. His heart was so unreliable that it could fail at any moment, and failed. Pilots died not only aces of the Luftwaffe, but often, Stalin's falcons took death "from their horse"
At the end of 1941, Stalin ordered the MiG-3 to be taken out of production, although the Moscow Air Defense Regiment was formed from the remains of the MiG-3. The pilots in the regiment were test pilots. They
somewhat rehabilitated skittish MiG. For the sake of objectivity, I note that the Germans did not allow the MiG-3 to show themselves with better side. MiG-3 is a high-altitude aircraft. All of it best qualities manifested at an altitude of over 4500 meters. Having learned this, Goering's aces, when meeting with the MiGs, simply left the attack, to the heights, where the MiG lost all its advantages.
LaGG-3 - "Lacquered Guaranteed Coffin"
This name was given by Soviet pilots who flew this aircraft. Weak engine, heavy construction, weak armament. Bad management behavior. Weak landing gear, sometimes just broke under the plane standing on the ground. Often this stubborn little humpbacked horse, just on a bend, fell into a tailspin, from which he came out with great reluctance.
Such was the fighter fleet of the USSR. About the I-16, I-15, I generally keep silent. Moral and physical elders. All air victories in the second half of the 41st and the first half of the 42nd years are the merit of the Soviet pilots who fought for the Motherland during this period. Many did not return to their airfields.
In the middle of 1942, the troops received new fighters, the Yak-7, a training aircraft, and a redesigned air desk. Yak-1B, improved Yak-1, and Yak-9.
Yak-9
Now that was a car. The gun was placed on it differently. 20mm, 37mm and 45mm. The flight range in other modifications reached 1400 km. He could calmly escort the bombers to the target, and kick the tails of the Messers who dared to approach. The Yak-9's ability to modernize has become its true trump card.
Yak-9K - an aircraft with an anti-tank gun on board a 45-mm cannon NS-45. Due to such a large caliber cannon, the aircraft could deploy in combat, so it was recommended to fire in short bursts. But if several shells hit the target, the enemy was doomed.
The most successful modification of the Yak-9 was the Yak-9U. Both the engine and the weapon were, as they say, "what the doctor ordered." But he appeared in the troops only in the fall of the 44th year.
Fighter P-39 "Air Cobra"
Since May 1942, a new P-39 "Air Cobra" fighter has appeared at the front. A large series of fighters, almost 5,000 units delivered under Lend-Lease from the USA to the USSR, including 212 aircraft re-exported from England .. The first Cobra battle took place on May 16, 1942 in the Arctic. Then the "cobras" fought in the Kuban and on the southern wing of the Soviet-German front. A. I. Pokryshkin most he made his fires from German aircraft, on “my kobryak,” as he called it. But was there a "cobra" the best fighter wars? We'll see.
Cobra was created by Bell. In the 40th year, the Cobra was ordered for the Royal Air Force. But in England, only one sortie was made for an attack on October 9, 1941, after which the Cobras did not fly in England, and the contract with Bell was terminated. In the US Air Force, she also did not take root.
So, our American friends gave us for gold, according to the principle: "On you, God, what is not good for me."
The main drawback of the "cobra" was her selfless love for the corkscrew. And she loved the flat corkscrew so much that she did not want to get out of it. The main reason for the accident rate of "cobras" in the Red Army Air Force was this very corkscrew. And yet, the "cobra" did not like it when the pilot left her with a parachute. Often, when jumping out of the car, the pilot was hit by a stabilizer and either injured or killed. So the Hero of the Soviet Union N. M. Iskrin (May 1943) and Boris Glinka (July 1944) received leg injuries.
When overloaded, the tail itself received deformations.
So: a brief conclusion - the American fighters of the Second World War, just trash. And if it were not for the catastrophic shortage of combat vehicles at the front, Pokryshkin, Glinka, Lavrinenkov, Skomorokhov, and many of our other aces, simply would not fly on them. And the history of "cobras" would have ended on October 9, 1941. The Germans did not warn about the appearance of “cobras” in the air, they shouted: “Attention! Pokryshkin is in the air!!!
About the Kittyhawk P-40, which the Americans are still praising, I generally only remember that it was on it that the first Twice Hero in the Second World War, Boris Safonov, died due to a motor stop, on May 30, 1942 during the cover of the convoy PQ-16. The engine stopped and the pilot, who had the opportunity to become another three-time hero, crashed into the water.
P-51 "Mustang" - its engine was unprotected and, any hit on it led to an immediate stop.
At the beginning of 1942, S. A. Lavochkin was under the threat that his country would no longer need him. His LAGG-3 is not just an unsuccessful car, the pilots are afraid to fly on it. It’s all to blame for the overweight design and the weak heart of the machine. Lavochkin finds a brilliant way out.
Back in 1936, Arkady Shvetsov developed his M-62 engine for the Su-2 aircraft. Already in 1941, due to a number of modifications, Shvetsov created the M-82, later the ASh-82. The engines of this model were intended only for the Su-2, but when the Su-2 was taken out of production in early 1942, a large number of engines remained in warehouses.
And now Lavochkin, simply by redesigning the engine compartment of the LaGG-3 and lightening the design somewhat, gets a completely new fighter. These works have already been carried out in secret. By the highest decision, the last plant, which was supervised by Lavochkin, was transferred to Yakovlev.
Mikhail Rodionov, first secretary of the Gorky regional party committee, head of the state commission learns about the new aircraft. But, the commission was assembled to test the Yak-3. Test pilot Ivan Fedorov squeezed everything out of the Yak, to the last. And an inexperienced pilot was put on the La-5. The Yak seemed better to the commission and the decision was made in favor of the Yak-3. Fedorov decided to test the La-5 as well. Having scrolled the whole cascade of figures on it, right after the flight, he saves the car with a personal call to Stalin.
So, in the fall of 1942, the stream of La-5s poured into the front. The Germans, having met him, dubbed him the "new rat" for his resemblance to the I-16. They still remembered how the I-16s were on fire at the beginning of 1941, Goering's aces relaxed, and the obedient, easy-to-handle La-5 turned out to be a dangerous enemy. Not only that, like the LaGG-3, it had a strong construction and did not fall apart after dozens of direct hits, but also the maneuverability, coupled with speed, was high. The turn time was 16.5-19 seconds, the speed exceeded 600. And the Russian rat turned out to be toothy - two 20-mm ShVAK cannons.
Hero of the Soviet Union S. Gorelov once, after a hard battle, returned to the airfield. After landing, the technicians, after examining the car, issued a verdict: "It cannot be repaired."
Still, the main advantage of the La-5 during aerobatics was that, as a disciplined soldier, he did not perform the “corkscrew” aerobatics figure without a direct order from the pilot. And if he had a corkscrew, then he got out of it on the first command. Now, with the help of a "corkscrew", it was possible to escape from the fire.
The shock of the Luftwaffe, after meeting with the "new rats" was so strong that Goering's secret directive forbids attacking the La-5, without numerical superiority.
Since then, the broadcast began to clog incomprehensible words: "Achtung! Achtung! In backlash la funf!!!"
(Attention! Attention! La-five is in the air!!!").
And now, against the backdrop of all this, since 1943, air supremacy from the Luftwaffe was pulled out by two main types of aircraft, Yaks and Lavochkins.
All subsequent modifications of the La-5 are small alterations in the design, installation of new engines. ASh-82F and ASh-82FN. Accordingly: La-5F and La-5FN.
The German response to the appearance of the La-5 was the massive transfer of the FV-190 from the western front. A machine weighing 6 tons, with a powerful cannon and machine gun armament. But they also lost La-5, in a maneuverable high-speed battle.
When our troops began to advance to the west, aviation sometimes lagged behind the front line for many kilometers, and a small supply of fuel reduced the time for covering the troops. Stalin called Lavochkin and ordered to increase the fuel supply on the La-5.
Lavochkin begged the Supreme Commander for some time. He replaced the wooden load-bearing structural elements with duralumin ones, which significantly lightened the car. By reducing the weight of the structure, the weight of the fuel increased, which did not affect the flight performance. Aerodynamics once again licked the design. The aircraft acquired a slightly modified rapid form. And it turned out La-7. Fast, maneuverable and with a long range. The speed and maneuverability of the La-7 allowed him to beat the "Fokkers" and "Messers", regardless of the weather and the political situation.
Some later modifications carried 3 ShVAK guns.
The fastest fighters of the Second World War: Soviet "Yaks" and "La"; German "Messerschmitt" and "Focke-Wulf"; British "Supermarine Spitfire"; American Kittyhawks, Mustangs and Corsairs; Japanese "Mitsubishi A6M Zero".
The summer breeze tickled the grass on the airfield. After 10 minutes, the plane climbed to a height of 6000 meters, where the temperature overboard dropped below -20 °, and the atmospheric pressure became half that at the Earth's surface. In such conditions, he had to fly hundreds of kilometers, in order to then engage in battle with the enemy. Combat reversal, barrel, then - Immelman. Crazy shaking when firing cannons and machine guns. Overloads in a few "same", combat damage from enemy fire ...
Aviation piston engines of the Second World War continued to work in any, sometimes the most cruel conditions. To understand what is at stake, turn a modern car upside down and see where the fluid from the expansion tank will flow.
The question about the expansion tank was asked for a reason. Many of the aircraft engines simply did not have expansion tanks and were air-cooled, dumping excess cylinder heat directly into the atmosphere.
Alas, not everyone adhered to such a simple and obvious path: half of the fleet of WWII fighters had liquid-cooled engines. With a complex and vulnerable "water jacket", pumps and radiators. Where the slightest hole from a fragment could be fatal for the aircraft.
The appearance of liquid-cooled engines was an inevitable consequence of the pursuit of speed: a decrease in the cross-sectional area of \u200b\u200bthe fuselage and a decrease in drag. A sharp-nosed swift "Messer" and a slow-moving I-16 with a blunt wide nose. Like that.
No not like this!
First, the intensity of heat transfer depends on the temperature gradient (difference). The cylinders of air-cooled motors heated up to 200 ° during operation, while max. the temperature in the water cooling system was limited by the boiling point of ethylene glycol (~120°). As a result, a bulky radiator was needed, which increased drag, offsetting the apparent compactness of water-cooled motors.
Further more! The evolution of aircraft engines has led to the emergence of "double stars": 18-cylinder air-cooled engines with hurricane power. Located one behind the other, both cylinder blocks received a fairly good airflow, at the same time, such an engine was placed within the fuselage section of a conventional fighter.
With water-cooled engines it was more difficult. Even taking into account the V-shaped arrangement, it was very problematic to place such a number of cylinders within the length of the engine compartment.
Finally, the efficiency of the air-cooled motor has always been somewhat higher, due to the absence of the need for power take-off to drive the cooling system pumps.
As a result, the fastest fighters of the Second World War often did not differ in the grace of the “sharp-nosed Messerschmitt”. However, the speed records they set are amazing even in the age of jet aviation.
Soviet Union
The winners flew fighters of two main families - Yakovlev and Lavochkin. Yaks were traditionally equipped with liquid-cooled engines. "La" - air.
At first, the championship was for “Yak”. One of the smallest, lightest and most nimble fighters of World War II, the Yak turned out to be perfectly adapted to the conditions of the Eastern Front. Where the majority air battles took place at altitudes of less than 3000 m, and their maneuverability was considered the main combat quality of fighters.
By the middle of the war, the design of the Yaks had been brought to perfection, and their speed was not inferior to American and British fighters - much larger and technically sophisticated machines with fantastic engines.
The record among Yaks with a serial engine belongs to the Yak-3. Various modifications of the Yak-3 developed a speed of 650 ... 680 km / h at an altitude. The performance was achieved using the VK-105PF2 engine (V12, 33 l, takeoff power 1290 hp).
The record was the Yak-3 with an experimental VK-108 engine. After the war, it reached a speed of 745 km / h.
Achtung! Achtung! In the air - La-5.
While the Yakovlev Design Bureau was trying to solve with the capricious VK-107 engine (the previous VK-105 had exhausted its reserves of power increase by the middle of the war), the La-5 star rapidly rose on the horizon. Lavochkin's new fighter, equipped with an 18-cylinder air-cooled "double star".
In comparison with the light, "budget" Yak, the mighty La-5 became the next stage in the careers of the famous Soviet aces. The most famous pilot of the La-5 / La-7 was the most productive Soviet fighter Ivan Kozhedub.
The pinnacle of the evolution of the “Lavochkins” of the war years was the La-5FN (forced!) And its even more formidable successor La-7 with ASh-82FN engines. The working volume of these monsters is 41 liters! Takeoff power 1850 hp
It is not surprising that the “blunt-nosed” Lavochkins were in no way inferior to the Yaks in terms of their speed characteristics, surpassing the latter in takeoff weight, and, as a result, in terms of firepower and the totality of combat characteristics.
The speed record for fighters of its family was set by La-7 - 655 km / h at an altitude of 6000 m.
It is curious that the experienced Yak-3U, equipped with the ASh-82FN engine, developed a greater speed than its “sharp-nosed” brothers with liquid-cooled engines. Total - 682 km / h at an altitude of 6000 m.
Germany
Like the Red Army Air Force, the Luftwaffe was armed with two main types of fighter: the Messerschmitt with a liquid-cooled engine and the air-cooled Focke-Wulf.
Among Soviet pilots, the Messerschmitt Bf.109, conceptually close to the light, maneuverable Yak, was considered the most dangerous enemy. Alas, despite all the Aryan genius and new modifications of the Daimler-Benz engine, by the middle of the war the Bf.109 was completely outdated and required immediate replacement. Which was nowhere to come from. That's how the war ended.
In the Western theater of operations, where air battles were fought mainly at high altitudes, heavier fighters with a powerful air-cooled engine became famous. It was much more convenient and safer to attack the formations of strategic bombers on heavily armed armored Focke-Wulfs. They, like a knife in butter, pierced into the formations of the “Flying Fortresses”, destroying everything in their path (FW.190A-8 / R8 “Sturmbok”). Unlike the light Messerschmitts, whose engines died from one hit by a 50-caliber bullet.
Most of the Messerschmitts were equipped with 12-cylinder Daimler Benz engines of the DB600 line, the extreme modifications of which developed takeoff power of over 1500 hp. The maximum speed of the fastest serial modifications reached 640 km / h.
If everything is clear with the Messerschmitts, then the following story happened with the Focke-Wulf. The new radial engine fighter performed well in the first half of the war, but by early 1944 the unexpected happened. The German superindustry has not mastered the creation of new radial air-cooled engines, while the 14-cylinder BMW 801 has reached the “ceiling” in its development. Aryan Uberconstructors quickly found a way out: originally designed for a radial engine, the Fokku-Wulf fighter ended the war with liquid-cooled V-engines under the hood (the Daimler-Benz mentioned above and the amazing Jumo-213).
Equipped with Jumo-213 "Focke-Wulf" modification D reached great heights, in every sense of the word. But the success of the “long-nosed” FW.190 was by no means due to the radical advantages of the liquid cooling system, but to the banal perfection of the new generation engines, compared to the outdated BMW 801.
1750…1800 hp on takeoff. Over two thousand "horses" when injected into the cylinders of a mixture of Methanol-Wasser 50!
Max. the speed at high altitudes for the Focke-Wulfs with an air-cooled engine fluctuated within 650 km / h. The last of the FW.190s with the Jumo 213 engine could briefly develop a speed of 700 km / h or more at high altitudes. The further development of the Focke-Wulfs, the Tank-152 with the same Jumo 213 turned out to be even faster, developing 759 km / h at the border of the stratosphere (for a short time, using nitrous oxide). However, this outstanding fighter appeared in last days war and its comparison with honored veterans is simply incorrect.
Great Britain
Royal Air Force flew exclusively on liquid-cooled engines. Such conservatism is explained not so much by loyalty to traditions, but by the creation of an extremely successful Roll-Royce Merlin engine.
If you put one "Merlin" - you get "Spitfire". Two is a Mosquito light bomber. Four "Merlin" - strategic "Lancaster". With a similar technique, one could get a Hurricane fighter or a Barracuda carrier-based torpedo bomber - in total more than 40 models of combat aircraft for various purposes.
Whoever says anything about the inadmissibility of such unification and the need to create highly specialized equipment, sharpened for specific tasks, such standardization only benefited the Royal Air Force.
Each of these aircraft could be considered the standard of its class. One of the most powerful and elegant fighters of World War II, the Supermarine Spitfire was in no way inferior to its peers, and its flight characteristics each time turned out to be higher than that of its counterparts.
The extreme modifications of the Spitfire, equipped with an even more powerful Rolls-Royce Griffin engine (V12, 37 liters, liquid cooling), had the highest performance. Unlike the German “wunderwaffe”, British turbocharged engines had excellent high-altitude characteristics, they could produce power in excess of 2000 hp for a long time. (“Griffin” on high-quality gasoline with an octane rating of 150 gave out 2200 hp). According to official data, the Spitfire of the XIV sub-series developed a speed of 722 km / h at an altitude of 7 kilometers.
In addition to the legendary Merlin and the lesser known Griffin, the British had another 24-cylinder Napier Saber supermotor. The Hawker Tempest fighter equipped with it was also considered one of the fastest fighters of British aviation at the final stage of the war. The record he set at high altitude was 695 km / h.
“Captains of Heaven” used the widest range of fighter aircraft: “Kittyhawks”, “Mustangs”, “Corsairs” ... But in the end, the whole variety of American aircraft was reduced to three main engines: “Packard” V-1650 and “Allison” V-1710 water-cooled and a monstrous “double star” Pratt & Whitney R-2800 with air-cooled cylinders.
Index 2800 was assigned to her for a reason. The working volume of the "double star" was 2800 cubic meters. inches or 46 liters! As a result, its power exceeded 2000 hp, and for many modifications it reached 2400 ... 2500 hp.
The R-2800 Double Wasp became the fiery heart of the Hellket and Corsair carrier-based fighters, the Thunderbolt fighter-bomber, the Black Widow night fighter, the Savage carrier-based bomber, the A-26 Invader land bombers and B-26 "Marauder" - in total about 40 types of combat and transport aircraft!
The second Allison V-1710 engine did not gain such great popularity, however, it was used in the design of the mighty P-38 Lightning fighters, also in the family of the famous Cobras (the main Lend-Lease fighter). Equipped with this engine, the P-63 Kingcobra developed a speed of 660 km / h at an altitude.
Much more interest is associated with the third Packard V-1650 engine, which, upon closer inspection, turns out to be a licensed copy of ... the British Rolls-Royce Merlin! The enterprising Yankees only equipped it with a two-stage turbocharger, which made it possible to develop 1290 hp. at an altitude of 9 kilometers. For such heights, this was considered an incredible big result.
It was with this outstanding motor that the glory of the Mustang fighters was associated. The fastest American fighter of World War II developed a speed of 703 km / h at an altitude.
Americans on genetic level the concept of a light fighter was alien. But the creation of large, well-equipped aircraft was hampered by the basic equation for the existence of aviation. The most important rule, according to which it is impossible to change the mass of one element without affecting the rest of the structural elements (provided that the initially specified performance characteristics are preserved). The installation of a new cannon/fuel tank will inevitably entail an increase in the surface area of the wing, which, in turn, will cause a further increase in the mass of the structure. The “weight spiral” will continue to twist until all the elements of the aircraft increase in mass, and their ratio becomes equal to the original (before the installation of additional equipment). In this case, the flight characteristics will remain at the same level, but everything will rest on the power of the power plant ...
Hence the fierce desire of the Yankees to create heavy-duty motors.
The fighter-bomber (long-range escort fighter) Republic P-47 Thunderbolt had a take-off weight twice that of the Soviet Yak, and its combat load exceeded the load of two Il-2 attack aircraft. In terms of cockpit equipment, the Thunderbolt could give odds to any fighter of its time: an autopilot, a multi-channel radio station, an oxygen system, a urinal ... 3400 rounds were enough for a 40-second burst of six 50-caliber Brownings. With all this, the clumsy-looking Thunderbolt was one of the fastest fighters of the Second World War. His achievement is 697 km/h!
The appearance of the Thunderbolt was not so much the merit of the aircraft designer Alexander Kartvelishvili, but the super-powerful double star Double Wasp. In addition, the production culture played a role - due to the competent design and high build quality, the drag coefficient (Cx) of the thick-headed Thunderbolt was less than that of the sharp-nosed German Messerschmitt!
Japan
Samurai won the war exclusively on air-cooled engines. This has nothing to do with the requirements of the Bushido code, but is just an indicator of the backwardness of the Japanese military-industrial complex. The Japanese entered the war on a very successful Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter with a 14-cylinder Nakajima Sakae engine (1130 hp at altitude). With the same fighter and engine, Japan ended the war, hopelessly losing air supremacy by the beginning of 1943.
It is curious that, thanks to the air-cooled engine, the Japanese “Zero” did not have as low survivability as is commonly believed. Unlike the same German Messerschmitt, the Japanese fighter could not be put out of action by a single stray bullet hitting the engine.
There is a lot to be said about World War II. Facts exist simply great amount. In this review, attention should be paid to such a topic as the aviation of the Second World War. Let's talk about the most famous aircraft that were used in combat.
I-16 - "donkey", "donkey". Soviet-made monoplane fighter. It first appeared in the 30s. This happened in the Polikarpov Design Bureau. The first to fly a fighter into the air was Valery Chkalov. It happened at the end of December 1933. The aircraft took part in the civil war that broke out in Spain in 1936, in the conflict with Japan on the Khalkhin Gol River, in the Soviet-Finnish battle. By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the fighter was the main unit of the corresponding fleet of the USSR. Most of the pilots began their careers with the service on the I-16.
Inventions of Alexander Yakovlev
Aviation of the Second World War included the Yak-3 aircraft. It should be understood as a single-engine fighter, the development of which was carried out under the leadership of Alexander Yakovlev. The aircraft became an excellent continuation of the Yak-1 model. The production of the aircraft took place from 1994 to 1945. During this time, it was possible to design about 5 thousand fighters. The aircraft was recognized as the best fighter of the Second World War, designed for low altitudes. This model was in service with France.
Aviation of the USSR has gained a lot since the invention of the Yak-7 (UTI-26) aircraft. This is a single-engine aircraft developed. It was used from the position of a training aircraft. Production began in 1942. About 6 thousand of these models took to the air.
More advanced model
Aviation of the USSR had such a fighter as the K-9. This is the most massive model, the production of which lasted about 6 years, starting in 1942. During this time, about 17 thousand aircraft were designed. Despite the fact that the model had few differences from the FK-7 aircraft, in all respects it became a more perfect continuation of the series.
Aircraft produced under the direction of Petlyakov
When discussing such a topic as the aviation of the Second World War, it should be noted the plane called the Pawn (Pe-2). This is a dive bomber, which is the most massive in its class. This model was actively used on the battlefields.
Aviation of the USSR of the Second World War included in its composition such an aircraft as the PE-3. This model should be understood as a twin-engine fighter. His main feature was an all-metal construction. The development was carried out in OKB-29. The PE-2 dive bomber was taken as the basis. V. Petlyakov supervised the production process. The first aircraft was designed in 1941. It was distinguished from the bomber by the absence of a lower hatch for a rifle installation. There were no brake bars either.
Fighter that could fly at high altitudes
The military aviation of the USSR during the Second World War was supplemented by such a high-altitude fighter as the MIG-3. This aircraft was used in a wide variety of ways. Among the main differences, one can single out the fact that he could rise to a height of up to 12 thousand meters. The speed at the same time reached a fairly high level. With the help of this, they successfully fought against enemy aircraft.
Fighters, the production of which was led by Lavochkin
Speaking on such a topic as World War II aviation, it is necessary to note a model called LaGG-3. This is a monoplane fighter, which was in service with the Red Army Air Force. It was used from the position of a fighter, interceptor, bomber, reconnaissance. Production lasted from 1941 to 1944. The designers are Lavochkin, Gorbunov, Gudkov. Among the positive qualities, one should highlight the presence of powerful weapons, high survivability, minimal use of rare materials. Pine and plywood were used as the main inputs in the creation of the fighter.
Military aviation had in its possession the La-5 model, the design of which took place under the leadership of Lavochkin. This is a monoplane fighter. The main characteristics are the presence of only one place, a closed cockpit, a wooden frame and exactly the same wing spars. The production of this aircraft began in 1942. At the very beginning, only two automatic 20-mm cannons were used as weapons. Designers placed them in front of the motor. Instrumentation did not differ in variety. There was not even a single gyroscopic instrument. And if we compare such an aircraft with those aircraft that were used by Germany, America or England, it may seem that it is very far behind them in technical terms. However, flight performance was at a high level. In addition, a simple design, no need for labor-intensive maintenance, undemanding to the conditions of the take-off fields made the model just perfect for that period. In one year, about one thousand fighters were developed.
The USSR keeps a mention of such a model as La-7. This is a single-seat monoplane fighter designed by Lavochkin. The first such aircraft was produced in 1944. He took to the air in February. In May it was decided to start mass production. Almost all the pilots who became Heroes of the Soviet Union flew the La-7.
Model produced under the direction of Polikarpov
The military aviation of the USSR included the U-2 (PO-2) model. This is a multi-purpose biplane, the production of which was directed by Polikarpov in 1928. The main goal for which the release of the aircraft took place was the training of pilots. It was characterized by the presence of good aerobatic qualities. When did the Great Patriotic War, it was decided to convert the standard models into light, night bomber aircraft. The load at the same time reached 350 kg. The aircraft was mass-produced until 1953. For all the time it was possible to produce about 33 thousand models.
high speed fighter
The military aviation of the Second World War included such a machine as the Tu-2. This model is also known as ANT-58 and 103 Tu-2. This is a twin-engine bomber that could develop a high flight speed. For all the time of its production, about 2257 models were designed. The bomber was in service until 1950.
flying tank
No less popular is such an aircraft as the Il-2. The attack aircraft also bore the nickname "humped". This was facilitated by the shape of the fuselage. The designers called this car flying tank. German pilots called this model a concrete plane and a cemented bomber due to its special strength. Ilyushin was engaged in the production of attack aircraft.
What can be said about German aviation?
The German aviation of the Second World War included such a model as the Messerschmitt Bf.109. This is a low-wing piston fighter. It was used as an interceptor, fighter, bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. This is the most massive aircraft in the history of World War II (33984 models). Almost all German pilots started flying on this aircraft.
"Messerschmitt Bf.110" is a heavy strategic fighter. Due to the fact that it could not be used for its intended purpose, the model was reclassified as a bomber. The aircraft has found wide application in different countries. He took part in hostilities in various parts of the globe. Good luck accompanied such an aircraft due to the suddenness of its appearance. However, if a maneuverable battle flared up, then this model almost always lost. In this regard, such an aircraft was withdrawn from the front already in 1943.
"Messerschmit Me.163" (Comet) - missile fighter-interceptor. First took to the air back in 1941 at the very beginning of September. It did not differ in mass production. By 1944, only 44 models had been produced. The first sortie took place only in 1944. In total, only 9 aircraft were shot down with their help, with the loss of 11.
"Messerschmit Me.210" - a heavy fighter that acted as a replacement for the Bf.110 model. He made his first flight in 1939. In its design, the model had several defects, in connection with which its combat value suffered quite a lot. All about 90 models were published. 320 aircraft were never completed.
"Messerschmit Me.262" - a jet fighter, which also acted as a bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. The first in the world to take part in hostilities. It can also be considered the world's first jet fighter. The main armament was 30-mm air guns, which were installed near the bow. In this regard, heaped and dense fire was provided.
British-made aircraft
The Hawker Hurricane is a British-made single-seat fighter aircraft produced in 1939. For all the time of production, about 14 thousand models were published. In connection with various modifications, the machine was used as an interceptor, bomber and attack aircraft. There were also such modifications that implied the take-off of the aircraft from aircraft carriers. Among the German aces, this aircraft was called the "bucket with nuts." This is due to the fact that he was quite heavy to manage and slowly gained altitude.
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British-made fighter aircraft that has a single engine and an all-metal low-wing monoplane. The chassis of this model could be removed. Various modifications made it possible to use the model as a fighter, interceptor, bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. About 20 thousand cars were produced. Some of them were used until the 50s. They were mainly used only at the very beginning of the war.
The Hawker Typhoon is a single-seat bomber that was produced until 1945. He was in service until 1947. The development was carried out in order to use it from the position of an interceptor. It is one of the most successful fighters. However, there were some problems, of which the low rate of climb can be distinguished. The first flight took place in 1940.
Japanese aviation
The Japanese aviation of the Second World War basically copied the models of those aircraft that were used in Germany. A large number of fighters were produced to support ground troops in combat operations. It also implied local air supremacy. Quite often, World War II aircraft were used to raid China. It is worth noting that there were no strategic bombers in the Japanese aviation. Among the main fighters are: Nakajima Ki-27, Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa, Nakajima Ki-44 Shoki, Kawasaki Ki-45 Toryu, Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien. also used transport, training, reconnaissance aircraft. In aviation, there was a place for models special purpose.
American fighters
What else can be said on such a topic as World War II aviation? The United States also did not stand aside. The Americans, for quite understandable reasons, approached the development of the fleet and aviation quite thoroughly. Most likely, it was precisely such solidity that played a role in the fact that the production facilities were among the most powerful not only in terms of numbers, but also in terms of capabilities. By the start of hostilities, the US was armed with models such as the Curtiss P-40. However, after some time this car was replaced by the P-51 Mustang, P-47 Thunderbolt, P-38 Lightning. As strategic bombers, aircraft of such models as the B-17 FlyingFortress and B-24 Liberator were used. In order to be able to carry out strategic bombing of Japan, Americans designed B-29 Superfortress aircraft.
Conclusion
Aviation played a significant role in World War II. Virtually no battle took place without aircraft. However, there is nothing strange in the fact that states measured their strength not only on the ground, but also in the air. Accordingly, each country approaches both the training of pilots and the creation of new aircraft with a great deal of responsibility. In this review, we tried to consider those aircraft that were used (successfully and not so) in hostilities.
War creates a need unseen in Peaceful time. Countries compete to create the next most powerful weapon, and engineers sometimes resort to intricate methods for designing their killing machines. Nowhere else has this been shown more clearly than in the skies of World War II: daring aircraft designers have invented some of the strangest aircraft in human history.
At the start of World War II, the German Imperial Air Ministry stimulated the development of a tactical reconnaissance aircraft to provide information support for army operations. Two companies responded to the task. Focke-Wulf modeled a fairly standard twin-engine airplane, while Blohm & Voss miraculously came up with one of the most unusual aircraft at the time, the asymmetric BV 141.
Although at first glance it may seem that this model was dreamed of by engineers in delirium, it successfully served certain purposes. By stripping the right side of the aircraft, the “BV 141” gained an incomparable field of vision for the pilot and observers, especially to the right and front, as the pilots were no longer burdened by the huge engine and spinning propeller of the familiar single-engine aircraft.
The design was developed by Richard Vogt, who realized that the then aircraft already had, in fact, asymmetrical handling characteristics. With a heavy engine in the nose, the single-engine airplane experienced high torque, requiring constant attention and control. Vogt sought to compensate by introducing an ingenious asymmetric design, creating a stable reconnaissance platform that was easier to fly than most of her contemporary airliners.
Luftwaffe officer Ernst Udet praised the aircraft during a test flight at speeds up to 500 kilometers per hour. Unfortunately for Blohm & Voss, Allied bombing severely damaged one of Focke-Wulf's main factories, forcing the government to dedicate 80 percent of Blohm & Voss's production space to building Focke-Wulf aircraft. Since the already tiny staff of the company began to work for the benefit of the latter, work on the “BV 141” was stopped after the release of only 38 copies. All of them were destroyed during the war.
Another unusual Nazi project, "Horten Ho 229", was launched almost before the end of the war, after German scientists improved jet technology. By 1943, the Luftwaffe commanders realized that they had made a huge mistake by refusing to issue a long-range heavy bomber, like the American B-17 or the British Lancaster. To rectify the situation, the commander-in-chief of the German air force, Hermann Goering, put forward the demand "3x1000": to develop a bomber capable of transporting 1000 kilograms of bombs over a distance of 1000 kilometers at a speed of at least 1000 kilometers per hour.
Fulfilling the order, the Horten brothers set about designing a "flying wing" (a type of aircraft without a tail or fuselage, like later stealth bombers). In the 1930s, Walther and Raymar experimented with gliders of this type, which showed excellent handling characteristics. Using this experience, the brothers built a non-powered model to reinforce their bomber concept. The design impressed Göring, who handed over the project to the Gothaer Waggonfaebrik aircraft manufacturer for mass production. After some refinement, the Horten glider acquired a jet engine. It was also converted into a fighter aircraft for the needs of the Luftwaffe in 1945. They managed to create only one prototype, which, at the end of the war, was placed at the disposal of the allied forces.
At first, "Ho 229" was considered simply as an outlandish trophy. However, when the similarly designed B-2 stealth bomber entered service, aerospace experts became interested in the stealth performance of its German ancestor. In 2008, Northrop Grumman engineers recreated a copy of the Ho 229 based on a surviving prototype held by the Smithsonian. By emitting radar signals at frequencies used during World War II, experts discovered that the Nazi aircraft was in fact directly related to stealth technology: it had much less visibility in the radar range compared to its combat contemporaries. Quite by accident, the Horten brothers invented the first stealth fighter-bomber.
In the 1930s, Vought engineer Charles H. Zimmerman began experimenting with disc-shaped aircraft. The first flying model was the V-173, which took to the air in 1942. He had problems with the gearbox, but in general it was a durable, highly maneuverable aircraft. While his firm was churning out the famous "F4U Corsair", Zimmerman continued to work on the disk-shaped fighter that would eventually see the light of day as the "XF5U".
Military experts assumed that the new “fighter” would in many ways surpass other aircraft available at that time. Equipped with two huge Pratt & Whitney engines, the aircraft was expected to reach a high speed of about 885 kilometers per hour, decelerating to 32 kilometers per hour on landing. To give the airframe strength while keeping the weight as low as possible, the prototype was built from "metalite" - a material consisting of a thin sheet of balsa wood coated with aluminium. However, various problems with the engines gave Zimmerman a lot of trouble, and the Second World War completed before they could be eliminated.
Vought did not cancel the project, but by the time the fighter was ready for testing, the US Navy decided to focus on jet aircraft. The contract with the military expired, and Vought employees tried to dispose of the XF5U, but it turned out that the metalite structure was not so easy to destroy: the demolition ball that hit the airplane only bounced off the metal. Finally, after several new attempts, the body of the aircraft caved in, and blowtorches incinerated its remains.
Of all the aircraft presented in the article, the Boulton Paul Defiant has been in service longer than others. Unfortunately, this resulted in many deaths of young pilots. The airplane appeared as a result of the delusion of the 1930s regarding the further development of the situation on the air front. The British command believed that the enemy bombers would be unprotected and mostly without reinforcements. In theory, a fighter with a powerful turret could penetrate the attack formation and destroy it from the inside. Such an arrangement of weapons would free the pilot from the duties of a shooter, allowing him to concentrate on bringing the aircraft to the optimal firing position.
And the Defiant did an excellent job during its first sorties of operations, as many unsuspecting German fighter pilots mistook the aircraft for a similar-looking Hawker Hurricane, attacking it from above or from the rear - ideal points for a machine gunner Defiant. However, the Luftwaffe pilots quickly realized what was happening, and began to attack from below and in front. With no frontal weapons and low maneuverability due to the heavy turret, the Defiant aviators suffered huge losses during the Battle of Britain. The Air Force of Foggy Albion lost almost an entire fighter squadron, and the Defiant gunners were not able to leave the plane in emergency situations.
Although the pilots managed to come up with various timing tactics, the Royal air Force soon realized that the turret fighter was not intended for modern air combat. The Defiant was demoted to a night fighter, after which he gained some success sneaking up and destroying enemy bombers on night missions. The rugged hull of the British was also used as a target for practice shooting and in testing the first Martin-Baker ejection seats.
In the period between the First and Second World Wars in various states, there was growing concern about the issue of defense against strategic bombing during the next hostilities. Italian general Giulio Due believed that it was impossible to defend against massive air attacks, and British politician Stanley Baldwin coined the phrase "a bomber will always break through." In response, the major powers have invested huge amounts of money in the development of "bomber destroyers" - heavy fighters designed to intercept enemy formations in the sky. The English "Defiant" failed, while the German "BF-110" performed well in various roles. And finally, among them was the American "YFM-1 Airacuda".
This aircraft was Bell's first foray into the military aircraft industry and featured many unusual features. In order to give the Airacuda the highest chance of destroying the enemy, Bell equipped it with two 37mm M-4 guns, placing them in front of the sparse pusher engines and propellers located behind them. Each gun was assigned a separate shooter, whose main duty was to manually reload it. Initially, gunners also fired weapons directly. However, the results were a disaster, and the design of the aircraft was changed, putting the control levers of the guns in the hands of the pilot.
Military strategists believed that with additional machine guns in defensive positions - in the main fuselage to repel side attacks - the aircraft would be indestructible both when attacking enemy bombers and when escorting B-17s over enemy territories. All these structural elements gave the aircraft a rather voluminous appearance, making it look like a cute cartoon airplane. The Airacuda was a real death machine that looked like it was made to be hugged.
Despite optimistic forecasts, tests revealed serious problems. The engines were prone to overheating and did not produce enough thrust. Therefore, in reality, Airacuda developed a lower maximum speed than the bombers it was supposed to intercept or protect. The original arrangement of the weapon only added to the complexity, since the gondolas in which it was placed were filled with smoke when fired, making it impossible for the machine gunners to work. On top of that, they couldn't get out of their cockpits in an emergency because the propellers were working right behind them, turning their attempt to escape into a meeting with death. As a result of these problems, the US Army Air Force only purchased 13 aircraft, none of which received a baptism of fire. The remaining gliders dispersed across the country to have the pilots add entries about the strange aircraft to their logbooks, and Bell continued to try (already more successfully) to develop a military aircraft.
Despite the arms race, military gliders were an important component aerial technology Second World War. They were lifted into the air in tow and detached near enemy territories, ensuring the rapid delivery of supplies and troops as part of airborne operations. Among all the gliders of that period, the "flying tank" "A-40" of Soviet production, of course, stood out for its design.
The countries participating in the war were looking for ways to quickly and efficiently transport tanks to the front. Transferring them with gliders seemed like a worthwhile idea, but engineers soon discovered that the tank was one of the most aerodynamically imperfect machines. After countless attempts to create good system for the supply of tanks by air, most states simply surrendered. But not the USSR.
In fact, Soviet aviation had already achieved some success in landing tanks before they developed the A-40. Small vehicles like the T-27 were lifted aboard huge transport planes and dropped a few meters from the ground. With the gearbox in the neutral position, the tank landed and rolled by inertia to a stop. The problem was that tank crew had to be delivered separately, which greatly reduced the combat effectiveness of the system.
Ideally, the tankers should have arrived in a tank and be ready for battle after a few minutes. To achieve these goals, Soviet planners turned to the ideas of American engineer John Walter Christie, who first developed the concept of a flying tank in the 1930s. Christie believed that, thanks to armored vehicles with fitted biplane wings, any war would be instantly over, since no one could defend against a flying tank.
Based on the work of John Christie, the Soviet Union crossed the T-60 with an aircraft and in 1942 made the first test flight with the brave pilot Sergei Anokhin at the helm. And although due to the aerodynamic drag of the tank, the glider had to be taken out of tow before reaching the planned height, Anokhin managed to land softly and even brought the tank back to base. Despite the enthusiastic report compiled by the pilot, the idea was rejected after the Soviet specialists realized that they did not have aircraft powerful enough to tow operational tanks (Anokhin flew with a lightweight machine - without most of the weapons and with a minimum supply of fuel). Unfortunately, the flying tank never left the ground again.
After Allied bombing began to undermine the German war effort, Luftwaffe commanders realized that their failure to develop heavy multi-engined bombers was a huge mistake. When the authorities finally established the corresponding orders, most of the German aircraft manufacturers seized on this opportunity. Among them were the Horten brothers (as noted above) and the Junkers, who already had experience in building bombers. Company engineer Hans Focke led the design of perhaps the most advanced German aircraft of World War II, the Ju-287.
In the 1930s, designers came to the conclusion that a straight-wing aircraft had a certain upper speed limit, but at that time it did not matter, since turboprop engines could not get close to these indicators anyway. However, with the development of jet technologies, everything has changed. German specialists used swept wings on early jet aircraft, such as the Me-262, which avoided the problems - air compression effects - inherent in a straight wing design. Focke took this one step further and proposed to release an aircraft with a reverse swept wing, which, he believed, would be able to defeat any air defense. new type The wing had a number of advantages: it increased maneuverability at high speeds and at high angles of attack, improved stall characteristics and freed the fuselage from weapons and engines.
First, Focke's invention passed aerodynamic tests using a special stand; many parts of other aircraft, including captured allied bombers, were taken to make the model. The Ju-287 proved to be excellent during test flights, confirming compliance with all the declared operational characteristics. Unfortunately for Focke, interest in jet bombers quickly waned, and his project was shelved until March 1945. By then, desperate Luftwaffe commanders were looking for any fresh ideas to inflict damage on the Allied forces - production of the Ju-287 was launched in record time, but two months later the war ended, after the construction of only a few prototypes. It took another 40 years for the popularity of the reverse swept wing to begin to revive, thanks to American and Russian aerospace engineers.
George Cornelius is a famous American engineer, the developer of a number of extravagant gliders and aircraft. During the 1930s and 1940s, he worked on new types of aircraft designs, among other things, experimenting with a swept back wing (like the Ju-287). His gliders had excellent stalling characteristics and could be towed at high speeds without much braking effect on the towing aircraft. When World War II broke out, Cornelius was brought in to develop the XFG-1, one of the most specialized aircraft ever built. In essence, the "XFG-1" was a flying fuel tank.
George's plans were to produce both manned and unmanned versions of his glider, both of which could be towed by the latest bombers at their cruising speed of 400 kilometers per hour, twice the speed of most other gliders. The idea of using the unmanned "XFG-1" was revolutionary. The B-29s were expected to tow the glider, pumping fuel from its tank through connected hoses. With a tank capacity of 764 gallons, the XFG-1 would have acted as a flying gas station. After emptying the fuel storage, the B-29 would detach the airframe and it would dive to the ground and crash. This scheme would significantly increase the range of the bombers, allowing raids on Tokyo and other Japanese cities. The manned "XFG-1" would have been used in a similar way, but more rationally, since the glider could be landed, and not just destroyed at the end of the fuel intake. Although it is worth considering what kind of pilot would dare to take on such a task as flying a fuel tank over a dangerous war zone.
During testing, one of the prototypes crashed, and Cornelius's plan was left without further attention when the allied forces captured the islands near the Japanese archipelago. With the new airbase layout, the need to refuel the B-29s to reach their mission goals was eliminated, taking the XFG-1 out of the game. After the war, George continued to pitch his idea to the US Air Force, but by then their interest had shifted to specialized refueling aircraft. And “XFG-1” has simply become an inconspicuous footnote in the history of military aviation.
The idea of creating a flying aircraft carrier first appeared during the First World War and was tested in the interwar period. In those years, engineers dreamed of a huge airship carrying small fighters capable of leaving the mother ship to protect it from enemy interceptors. British and American experiments ended in complete failure, and the idea was eventually abandoned, as the loss of tactical value by large rigid airships became apparent.
But while American and British specialists were curtailing their projects, the Soviet Air Force was just getting ready to enter the development arena. In 1931, aeronautical engineer Vladimir Vakhmistrov proposed using Tupolev's heavy bombers to lift smaller fighters into the air. This made it possible to significantly increase the range and bomb load of the latter in comparison with their usual capabilities as dive bombers. Without bombs, aircraft could also defend their carriers from enemy attacks. Throughout the 1930s, Vakhmistrov experimented with various configurations, only stopping when he attached as many as five fighters to one bomber. By the time the Second World War began, the aircraft designer revised his ideas and came up with a more practical scheme of two I-16 fighter-bombers suspended from the parent TB-3.
The Soviet High Command was impressed enough with this concept to try to put it into practice. The first raid on the Romanian oil storage facilities was successful, with both fighters detaching from the aircraft carrier and striking before returning to the Soviet forward base. After such a successful start, another 30 raids were made, the most famous of which was the destruction of the bridge near Chernovodsk in August 1941. The Red Army tried for months to no avail to destroy it, until they finally activated two of Vakhmistrov's monsters. The carrier planes released their fighters, which began to bomb the previously inaccessible bridge. Despite all these victories, a few months later, the Link project was closed, and the I-16 and TB-3 were discontinued in favor of more modern models. Thus ended the career of one of the strangest - but successful - offspring of aviation in the history of mankind.
Most people are familiar with Japanese kamikaze missions using old aircraft loaded with explosives as anti-ship weapons. They even developed the MXY-7 special-purpose rocket glider. Less widely known is Germany's attempt to build a similar weapon by turning V-1 "cruise bombs" into manned "cruise missiles".
With the end of the war nearing, the Nazi high command was desperately looking for a way to interfere with Allied shipping across the English Channel. The V-1 shells had potential, but the need for extreme accuracy (which was never their advantage) led to the creation of a manned version. The German engineers managed to install a small cockpit with simple controls in the fuselage of the existing V-1, right in front of the jet engine.
Unlike ground-launched V-1 rockets, the Fi-103R manned bombs were supposed to be lifted into the air and launched from He-111 bombers. After that, the pilot needed to make out the target-ship, direct his plane at it, and then take off his feet.
German pilots did not follow the example of their Japanese colleagues and did not lock themselves in the cockpits of aircraft, but tried to escape. However, with the engine roaring just behind the cabin, the escape would probably be fatal anyway. These ghostly chances for the survival of the pilots spoiled the impression of the Luftwaffe commanders from the program, so not a single operational mission was destined to take place. However, 175 V-1 bombs were converted into Fi-103Rs, most of which ended up in Allied hands at the end of the war.