Wellington vs Ju88 over Atlantic

[the lancaster kicks ass]

you say that but most planes germany were designing back then they CLAIMED were for civilian use as they weren't allowed to develop military aircraft, so the designers were's totally oblivious to the fact that she might be used by the military.........

[cheddar cheese]

Exactly, the designers didnt know it would be used by the military, so didnt factor that in to the design specifications.

[Glider]

I was aware of the basic design being based on the civilian use but with some thought the strengh issues could ahve been resolved and more powerful engines would have been of assistance.

[the lancaster kicks ass]

Originally Posted by cheddar cheese

Exactly, the designers didnt know it would be used by the military, so didnt factor that in to the design specifications.

but i'm saying the exact opposite is true! they would've know that the military were proberly gonna use it..........

[Gnomey]

Originally Posted by the lancaster kicks ass

but i'm saying the exact opposite is true! they would've know that the military were proberly gonna use it..........

That is what I always believed, the aircraft were designed as commercial airliners but were able to be converted into bombers in a short space of time. This was done to keep up the appearences of Germany not rearming, however the aircraft were changed into bombers (for example the FW-200), although they were not very good. Remember though they were designed as commercial airliners that could be converted into bombers for wartime.

[cheddar cheese]

Exactly, they were always going to be compromised in their design, it had to have some airliner aspects in the first place...

[the lancaster kicks ass]

but they still could've factored in the strength it'd need for military use.........

[Gnomey]

Originally Posted by the lancaster kicks ass

but they still could've factored in the strength it'd need for military use.........

Maybe they thought they had but when it was finally tested as a military aircraft they found it was too weak and underpowered etc...

[Glider]

We can debate the pros and cons over the Germans using the Fw200 as a bomber. However they were desperately short of transport planes and I will never work out why they didn build as many of these as they could. it was everything the Ju52 wasn't, Modern, fast, had a range and a payload. The Ju52 had a role certainly but they were crying out for planes such as the Fw200

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I agree the Fw-200 would have made a fine transport however its main role as a Maritime Patrol aircraft was done very well. She even sank a good number of ships in that role.

[v2]

During one of the first briefings before flight over Atlantic, an intelligence officer memorably “elaborated” to the Poles, the situation there:
“Our ships full goodies like food, troops and munitions cross the Atlantic. Against these ships, the enemy sends out U-boats. They are full of bad stuff. Against these U-boats we send out our Wellingtons and Sunderlands. Against these Wellingtons and Sunderlands, Hun sends out Junkers 88s and Messerschmitt 110s. Against these Ju-88s and Me-110s we send out Beaufighters and Mosquitoes. Against these Beaufighters and Mosquitoes the enemy send out Focke-Wulfs. Against these Focke-Wulfs we’re going to send out Tempests or Mustangs. That’s it. Now you know what to look for and what to avoid.”

[the lancaster kicks ass]

you gotta love the beaufighter though, it could proberly rip the Fw-200 to shreads in just a couple of bursts i agree though the -200 was a good maritime recon plane where she's unlikely to meet much opposition, but i don't think she'd cut it as a heavy bomber over england..........

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I agree, the Fw-200 was too vulnerable and the structure too week. The Germans best bet was to design an outright bomber for the job. If they had started the Me-264 program sooner I think she would have been fine for the job.

[V-1710]

In the case of the He-111, it was first shown as a commercial airliner, but I think it was intended to be a bomber from the start. The Fw-200, on the other had, was designed as a commercial airliner, and later pressed into service as a maritime patrol aircraft, simply because it was about the only aircraft Germany produced at the time that had sufficient range for patrol duty. I think had the He-117 been given 4 separate engines at the start the Luftwaffe may have had a good long range bomber and maritime patrol aircraft.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Are you talking about the He-177? It may have, had they started the program sooner but for the Germany by late 1943, there really was no more point to having a large bomber.