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Focke-Wulf Fw 238

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nr. 238
Role Strategic bomber project
National origin Germany
Manufacturer Focke-Wulf

The Focke-Wulf Nr. 238 Fernkampfflugzeug was a four-engine strategic bomber developed by the German aeronautical company Focke-Wulf-Flugzeugbau AG in the early 1940s and remained at the project stage. Designed to the same specifications issued by the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM) which led to the Focke-Wulf Ta 400 and Junkers Ju 390, its development was cancelled by the RLM.

Design and development

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In March 1941 the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (ministry of the air, abbreviated RLM), the ministry that during the Nazi period was responsible for the whole aviation of Germany, expressed the need to acquire a new long-range bombardment aircraft capable of carrying a war load of 5,000 kg of bombs with a range of 15,000 km. Focke-Wulf and Junkers responded to the request by starting a project for a large tactical bomber suitable to meet the specifications issued.

Focke-Wulf planned the development of an all-encompassing four-engine aircraft in a trailing configuration that could be equipped with the best engines currently being developed, the BMW 803 of 3 900 PS combined with four-bladed propellers counter-rotating or BMW 801. The baseline design conceived under drawing Nr. 238 had four BMW 803s, a long fuselage integrated the cockpit pressurized for the five (or according to other sources ten) crew members on the front, the ventral bomb compartment and an twin-tail, chosen to improve the field of fire of the two barbette hydraulically driven dorsal turrets equipped with a pair of MG 151/20 gauge 20 mm autocannons. An additional two identical ventral turrets and, optional for the anti-shipping configuration, a gondola equipped with 4 cannons MK 108 caliber 30 mm. The landing gear was the typical tail-wheel configuration, with the two front axle springs cushioned and equipped with twin wheels integrated by a retractible tailwheel. A somewhat smaller four-engine version, equipped with radial BMW 801 D, with a length of 30.6 m by 5.8 m height with a 50 m opening wing and a surface area of 240 . Although these designs are known in some sources as Fw 238, this was a postwar invention by some aviation historians derived from Nr. 238 for the early BMW-powered Focke-Wulf Fernkampfflugzeug designs.[1]

In reality none of the versions passed the design phase and their development, which according to some estimates could have been completed with a prototype able to fly by the end of 1944, was terminated by an order dated 14 February 1943 in which the RLM required companies to devote themselves as a priority to the development of models to be used in the air defense of the Reich.

Variants

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Nr 238
four-engine version equipped with BMW 803 radial engines driving counter-rotating propellers.
Nr. 238H
small four-engine variant, length - 30.6 m (100 ft), height - 5.8 m (19 ft), span - 50 m (160 ft), wing area 240 m2 (2,600 sq ft), equipped with BMW 801 engines.

Specifications (Nr. 238, larger design)

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Data from Die Deutsche Luftrüstung 1933–1945 Vol.2 – Flugzeugtypen Erla-Heinkel[2]

General characteristics

  • Length: 35.3 m (115 ft 10 in)
  • Wingspan: 52 m (170 ft 7 in)
  • Height: 8.7 m (28 ft 7 in)
  • Wing area: 290 m2 (3,100 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 55,620 kg (122,621 lb)
  • Gross weight: 114,530 kg (252,495 lb)
  • Powerplant: 4 × BMW 803 28-cylinder 7-bank liquid-cooled coupled inline radial engine 3,900 PS (3,800 hp; 2,900 kW)
  • Propellers: 8-bladed Contra-rotating propeller

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 670 km/h (420 mph, 360 kn) at 8,000 m (26,000 ft)
  • Cruise speed: 500 km/h (310 mph, 270 kn)
  • Landing speed: 130 km/h (81 mph; 70 kn)
  • Range: 14,100 km (8,800 mi, 7,600 nmi)

References

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  1. ^ Sharp, Dan. (2016) Luftwaffe: Secret Bombers of the Third Reich. Mortons.
  2. ^ Nowarra, Heinz J. (1993). Die Deutsche Luftrüstung 1933–1945 Vol.2 – Flugzeugtypen Erla-Heinkel (in German). Koblenz: Bernard & Graefe Verlag. pp. 104–105, 266–267. ISBN 3-7637-5464-4.

Further reading

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