I love the 335 Dave!
Not only a big beast to look at but by all accounts it was a beast to fly.
Named the "arrow" they were more prone to 'snaking' & 'porposing' rather than going straight as an arrow.
Still it was a great idea at the time.
Dan
" I'm putting off procrastination until next week "
Hi Dan,
By all accounts they certainly were handfull to fly as well as difficult to get off the ground. The twin motor push-pull design was very innovative for it's time. I read somewhere that they got more top end speed from this design at altitude by feathering the front prop with only the pusher prop engaged.
They were a thing of great beauty and power.
Cheers mate
Dave
The Do-335 in in fact the fastest propeller driven fighter during WWII. Faster than a P-51D.
I once heard that a P-51D Mustang pilot was shock to see a Do-335 passed from behind in an enormous speed.
Cheers!
Taka
Vary neat. The "arrow" is one crazy plane. Apparently to bail out the planes rear part would just pop off sucking the pilot out.
[QUOTE=Panzersaurus;1063357]Vary neat. The "arrow" is one crazy plane. Apparently to bail out the planes rear part would just pop off sucking the pilot out.[/Q
Hi Panzersaurus,
Yes mate that I believe is correct. It was due to the tailplane design. The tailplane and rear pusher prop could be ejected from the airframe so it did not impede the pilot bailing out. No Martin Baker ejector seats here.
[QUOTE=Thanatos;1063359] No, certainly not! Getting stuck up on the tailplane while bailing out was probably the worst thing that could happen to a pilot. I remember hearing about Gloster Meteor pilots who's only hope for survival while bailing out was that their tail had been blow off.
I've always thought that these planes just looked fast! However, I must admit to only either seeing pictures of them on the runway or in the air.
I am somewhat 'gob-smacked' at the actual size of it.
It is indeed an interesting image. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers
Tim
Speaking of bailing out, did they set a 88mm shell underneath a pilot seat of the Me-163 Komet ???
Regards,
Taka
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