This 262 is towing a ? - Aircraft of World War II

beaupower32 · 08-26-2009, 03:22 PM

Anyone have any idea what this is. Im thinking it might be something to release in or near a bomber stream.

Colin1 · 08-26-2009, 03:40 PM

In picture 1
an Me262 V10 W.Nr 130005 is towing a 2,205lb (1,000Kg) bomb. These tests were postponed when it was found that the bomb tended to 'porpoise', becoming so bad during one flight that the test pilot, Gerd Lindner, was forced to bail out. The programme got a new aircraft but the issues were never fully resolved.

In picture 2
the same Me262 V10 W.Nr 130005 is on this occasion towing a 1,102lb (500Kg) bomb. Both tests were carried out at Lechfeld late 1944. Gerd Lindner once again at the controls.

beaupower32 · 08-26-2009, 03:42 PM

Sweet, thanks for the info Colin, I was wondering what that was.

BikerBabe · 08-26-2009, 03:42 PM

A Deichselschlepp winged bomb?

Colin1 · 08-26-2009, 03:47 PM

The coupling located beneath the rudder of the Me262 V10 W.Nr 130005 which served to hold the 13ft (4m) rigid tow-line

beaupower32 · 08-26-2009, 03:50 PM

You got any more pictures of this project Colin?

Colin1 · 08-26-2009, 03:59 PM

During the middle of October 44, proposals were made for towing both extra fuel and ordnance behind the Me262 in the Deichselschlepp rigid tow arrangement. In this, the bomb or drop tank had an auxiliary wing mounted above it and was fitted with a two-wheeled take-off dolly. It was attached to the aircraft by a 19ft 8in (6m) hollow pole, this having a double joint to allow both vertical and horizontal motion.

After take-off the wheels were jettisoned by exploding bolts and on reaching the target, the aircraft was put into a shallow dive, the weapon being targetted using the normal Revi sight and launched via another exploding bolt.

When a fuel tank was used, the line passed through the centre of the hollow pole.

Following the repair of the W.Nr 130005 which had been damaged by an air attack on the Leipheim field on 12Sep44, the aircraft flew the first test with a towed 500Kg bomb on 22Oct44. It later tested a 1,000Kg weapon but this caused many problems. Messerschmitt test pilot Gerd Lindner, who conducted trials with the Deichselschlepp arrangement found that the larger bomb tended to 'porpoise' disconcertingly.
On one occasion the explosive bolts failed to jettison the bomb and Lindner had to land with the bomb still attached.
During another test, putting the aircraft into too tight a turn caused the towing swivel to break away and damage the rear fuselage.

Despite this Lindner considered that with an improved wing and the addition of a vertical fin, good results could have been obtained with towed bombs.

Colin1 · 08-26-2009, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beaupower32

You got any more pictures of this project Colin?

One or two
just looking around

beaupower32 · 08-26-2009, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Colin1

During the middle of October 44, proposals were made for towing both extra fuel and ordnance behind the Me262 in the Deichselschlepp rigid tow arrangement. In this, the bomb or drop tank had an auxiliary wing mounted above it and was fitted with a two-wheeled take-off dolly. It was attached to the aircraft by a 19ft 8in (6m) hollow pole, this having a double joint to allow both vertical and horizontal motion.
After take-off the wheels were jettisoned by exploding bolts and on reaching the target, the aircraft was put into a shallow dive, the weapon being targetted using the normal Revi sight and launched via another exploding bolt.

When a fuel tank was used, the line passed through the centre of the hollow pole.

Following the repair of the W.Nr 130005 which had been damaged by an air attack on the Leipheim fied on 12Sep44, the aircraft flew the first test with a towed 500Kg bomb on 22Oct44. It later tested a 1,000Kg weapon but this caused many problems. Messerschmitt test pilot Gerd Lindner, who conducted trials with the Deichselschlepp arrangement found that the larger bomb tended to 'porpoise' disconcertingly.
On one occasion the explosive bolts failed to jettison the bomb and Lindner had to land with the bomb still attached.
During another test, putting the aircraft into too tight a turn caused the towing swivel to break away and damage the rear fuselage.
Despite this Lindner considered that with an improved wing and the addition of a vertical fin, good results could have been obtained with towed bombs.

Great info

Colin1 · 08-26-2009, 04:06 PM

A 2,205lb (1,000Kg) bomb attached to the tail of the Me262 V10 using the rigid tow pole method. This photograph shows the auxiliary wing mounted above the bomb and the jettisonable wheeled dolly below. Taken just before the damage caused on the third flight.

imalko · 08-26-2009, 04:12 PM

Yep, I've seen it before. Some ideas that German engineers came up with towards the end of war were just bordering with crazy...

beaupower32 · 08-26-2009, 04:16 PM

Looks like the 262 is pulling its little ba$tard child behind it. Just like the parents at the airport who have a leash on their kid so they dont get lost.

Colin1 · 08-26-2009, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by imalko

Some ideas that German engineers came up with towards the end of war were just bordering with crazy...

Lindner rated it despite the tribulations it gave him

ccheese · 08-26-2009, 06:04 PM

That's quite interesting. I never knew the Luftwaffe tried this sort of thing.

Charles

Colin1 · 08-26-2009, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ccheese

That's quite interesting. I never knew the Luftwaffe tried this sort of thing

Just realised
I didn't actually answer BP's question
it seems it was used against ground targets BP (hence the shallow dive/Revi targetting), not for bomber streams.

I'm just wondering how accurate it would have been. If the pilot had to really walk it to the target then he's laying himself open to all manner of flak whilst on the targetting run-in. Would it/could it have been any more accurate than say, a Mistel combination? It wouldn't have had the same yield, that's for certain.

08-26-2009, 03:22 PM	#1
beaupower32 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Charleston, South Carolina Posts: 721	This 262 is towing a ? Anyone have any idea what this is. Im thinking it might be something to release in or near a bomber stream. __________________ The four elements: Earth, Air, Water, and Fire. Of these, I call your attention to two: Air and Fire. Though it is your privilege to live in the air, you will die by fire. Last edited by beaupower32; 08-26-2009 at 03:45 PM.

08-26-2009, 03:40 PM	#2
Colin1 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 1,766	In picture 1 an Me262 V10 W.Nr 130005 is towing a 2,205lb (1,000Kg) bomb. These tests were postponed when it was found that the bomb tended to 'porpoise', becoming so bad during one flight that the test pilot, Gerd Lindner, was forced to bail out. The programme got a new aircraft but the issues were never fully resolved. In picture 2 the same Me262 V10 W.Nr 130005 is on this occasion towing a 1,102lb (500Kg) bomb. Both tests were carried out at Lechfeld late 1944. Gerd Lindner once again at the controls. Last edited by Colin1; 08-26-2009 at 04:46 PM.

08-26-2009, 03:42 PM	#3
beaupower32 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Charleston, South Carolina Posts: 721	Sweet, thanks for the info Colin, I was wondering what that was. __________________ The four elements: Earth, Air, Water, and Fire. Of these, I call your attention to two: Air and Fire. Though it is your privilege to live in the air, you will die by fire.

08-26-2009, 03:42 PM	#4
BikerBabe Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Denmark. Posts: 964	A Deichselschlepp winged bomb? __________________ Kein Anderer als ein Jäger spürt - Den Kampf und Sieg so konzentriert, Das macht uns glücklich, stolz und froh - Der Jägerei ein Horrido! "

08-26-2009, 03:50 PM	#6
beaupower32 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Charleston, South Carolina Posts: 721	You got any more pictures of this project Colin? __________________ The four elements: Earth, Air, Water, and Fire. Of these, I call your attention to two: Air and Fire. Though it is your privilege to live in the air, you will die by fire.

08-26-2009, 03:59 PM	#7
Colin1 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 1,766	During the middle of October 44, proposals were made for towing both extra fuel and ordnance behind the Me262 in the Deichselschlepp rigid tow arrangement. In this, the bomb or drop tank had an auxiliary wing mounted above it and was fitted with a two-wheeled take-off dolly. It was attached to the aircraft by a 19ft 8in (6m) hollow pole, this having a double joint to allow both vertical and horizontal motion. After take-off the wheels were jettisoned by exploding bolts and on reaching the target, the aircraft was put into a shallow dive, the weapon being targetted using the normal Revi sight and launched via another exploding bolt. When a fuel tank was used, the line passed through the centre of the hollow pole. Following the repair of the W.Nr 130005 which had been damaged by an air attack on the Leipheim field on 12Sep44, the aircraft flew the first test with a towed 500Kg bomb on 22Oct44. It later tested a 1,000Kg weapon but this caused many problems. Messerschmitt test pilot Gerd Lindner, who conducted trials with the Deichselschlepp arrangement found that the larger bomb tended to 'porpoise' disconcertingly. On one occasion the explosive bolts failed to jettison the bomb and Lindner had to land with the bomb still attached. During another test, putting the aircraft into too tight a turn caused the towing swivel to break away and damage the rear fuselage. Despite this Lindner considered that with an improved wing and the addition of a vertical fin, good results could have been obtained with towed bombs. Last edited by Colin1; 08-27-2009 at 05:00 AM.

08-26-2009, 04:12 PM	#11
imalko Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Vojvodina, Serbia Posts: 1,307	Yep, I've seen it before. Some ideas that German engineers came up with towards the end of war were just bordering with crazy... __________________ "Find your enemy and shoot him down - everything else is unimportant."

08-26-2009, 04:16 PM	#12
beaupower32 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Charleston, South Carolina Posts: 721	Looks like the 262 is pulling its little ba$tard child behind it. Just like the parents at the airport who have a leash on their kid so they dont get lost. __________________ The four elements: Earth, Air, Water, and Fire. Of these, I call your attention to two: Air and Fire. Though it is your privilege to live in the air, you will die by fire.

08-26-2009, 06:04 PM	#14
ccheese Older Than Dirt Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia Posts: 7,309	That's quite interesting. I never knew the Luftwaffe tried this sort of thing. Charles __________________ I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day. Tomorrow doesn't look good either....

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