Me Wespe

[gooba]

Hi guys,

I'm trying to track down info on the Me Wespe. In particular I'm looking for info on the Wespe's...

Max Speed
Service ceiling
Range

All help much appreciated: I've been searching the net for a while now, and the only specifications I've found are for the nose to tail length, the height, and the wing span (and one reference to a proposed armament). Also, if anyone knows where the Wespe was tested/operated from, that would be a great help too.

Cheers!

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Are you talking about the Me-410? It is the Hornisse (Hornet) not Wespe (Wasp)

Doing a quick 30 sec. search came up with this:

General characteristics
Crew: 2 (pilot and gunner)
Length: 40 ft 8 in (12.4 m)
Wingspan: 53 ft 8 in (16.38 m)
Height: 13 ft 9in (4.2 m)
Empty weight: 13,448 lb (6,100 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 23,479 lb (10,650 kg)
Powerplant: 2× DB 603A liquid-cooled in-line V12, 1,750 hp (1,305kW) each
Performance
Maximum speed: 388 mph (625 km/h)
Range: 1,429 mi combat (2,300 km)
Service ceiling: 32,808 ft (10,000 m)
Rate of climb: m/min (ft/min)
Wing loading: kg/m² (lb/ft²)
Power/mass: W/kg (hp/lb)
Armament
2 x 20 mm MG 151
2 x 7,92 mm MG 17
2 x 13 mm MG 131
2,200 lb (1000 kg) of bombs

The first unit to operate the aircraft was V./KG 2 and was also used by II/ZG 26 and aprox. 1200 were built.

The Me-410 was a development of the Me-210.

Me-210

General characteristics
Crew: 2 (pilot and gunner)
Length: 40 ft 3in (9.83 m)
Wingspan: 53 ft 1 1/4in (13.72 m)
Height: 14 ft 1/2in (4.28 m)
Empty weight: 12,000 lb (5,440 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 17,857 lb (8,100 kg)
Powerplant: 2× DB 601F liquid-cooled inverted V-12, 1,350 hp (993 kW) each
Performance
Maximum speed: 385 mph (620 km/h)
Range: 1,491 mi combat (2400 km)
Service ceiling: 22,967 ft (7,000 m)
Rate of climb: m/min (ft/min)
Wing loading: kg/m² (lb/ft²)
Power/mass: W/kg (hp/lb)
Armament
2 x 20 mm MG 151/20
2 x 7,92 mm MG 17
2 x 13 mm MG 131 for defense
2,200 lb (1000 kg) of bombs

[gooba]

Thanks for the reply - I don't think the 'Wespe' i'm looking for is the Me-410 Hornisse, though.

I found a reference to a Me 'Wespe' turbojet project on this page: Messerschmitt Projekt "Wespe" Luft '46 entry

However, the info I'd like to find may not exist, as it is unclear whether this 'Wespe' ever flew. Two fuselages were built for it, according to the luft46.com page.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Aha that one.

I have it in one of my books called:

Luftwaffe Secret Projects: Fighters 1939-1945 by Walter Schick and Inolf Meyer

Good book by the way.

You will not find any info on that aircraft such as speed and what not because it was not built. It never left the drawing board.

The design eventually led to the Messerschmitt P.1011 which was almost ready for first flight when the factory was captured.

Estimated Stats on this aircraft.

Max Speed at 7,000m: 671mph/1080kmh
Service Sealing: 48,500ft/14,800m
Range at 7,000m: 435mi/700km

Again these are just estimations and not sure if they would have been that fast or that far because the aircraft was never built.

Now the P.1101 which was built and almost flew probably would have reached a speed (based off of tests conducted by the US after the war) of 652 mph/1050kmh, a ciecling of 44,000ft/13,500m.

[gooba]

Vunderbar! Thanks for the info

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

No prob.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

The thing about that Luft 46 site is that most of the aircraft on that site are just pipe dreams.

[gooba]

Yes, I've come to that conclusion also