Messerschmitt Me 264
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| Me 264 | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Me 264 V1 | |
| Type | Long-range bomber |
| Manufacturer | Messerschmitt |
| Maiden flight | 23 December 1942 |
| Retired | 23 September 1944 |
| Status | Cancelled |
| Primary user | Luftwaffe |
| Number built | 3 |
The Me 264 Amerika (America) was a long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft developed by Messerschmitt during World War II for the Luftwaffe. It was intended to support U-boat operations far into the Atlantic, serving both as a scout to direct the attack, as well as launching attacks of its own. The design was later selected as a competitor in the Reichsluftfahrtministerium's (the German Air Ministry) "Amerika Bomber" programme, which intended to develop a strategic bomber capable of attacking New York City from bases in Germany, although it is highly doubtful that this would have been achieved with a meaningful payload, if at all. One prototype was built, but production was abandoned to allow Messerschmitt to concentrate on fighter production while another design, the Junkers Ju 390, had been selected in its place as a maritime reconnaissance plane.
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[edit] Development history
The origin of the Me 264 design came from Messerschmitt's long range reconnaissance aircraft project, the P.1061, of the late 1930s. A variant on the P.1061 was the P.1062, with only two engines to the P.1061's four, but they were the more powerful DB 606 engines. The progress of these projects was initially slow, but in 1940 the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM) started a programme for a very long range bomber, and the Kriegsmarine (German Navy) separately demanded a long range patrol and attack aircraft to replace the converted Fw 200 Condor in this role. As a result, in early 1941, six P.1061 prototypes were ordered from Messerschmitt, under the designation Me 264. This was later reduced to three prototypes.
The first prototype, the Me 264 V1, was flown on December 23, 1942. It was powered at first by four Jumo 211J engines of 1,340 shp (metric hp, 990 kW) each. In late 1943 these were changed to the BMW 801G which delivered 1,750 shp (1,290 kW). Trials showed numerous minor faults, and handling was found to be difficult. One of the drawbacks was the very high wing load of the plane in fully loaded conditions, e.g. comparable planes such as the B29 Superfortress with 337 kg/m² wing loading at three times the payload or the Ju 390 at 209 kg/m² wing loading had a better design. High wing loading leads to performance problems across the whole flight envelope, in particular bad climb performance, loss of maneuverability and in-flight stability, and the need for high take-off and landing speeds. This first prototype was not fitted with weapons. The following two prototypes, Me 264 V2 and Me 264 V3, were armed and had some vital parts armoured.
In 1943, the Kriegsmarine withdrew their interest in the Me 264 in favour of the existing Ju 290 and the planned Ju 390. As a consequence, in October 1943, Erhard Milch ordered the cancellation of further Me 264 development and focussing on the Me 262 jet fighter-bomber. On July 18, 1944 the first prototype was damaged during an Allied bombing raid and was not repaired. The other two prototypes, which had not been fully completed, were destroyed during the same raid.
On September 23, 1944, work on the Me 264 project was officially canceled.
[edit] Design
It was an all-metal high-wing four-engine heavy bomber of classic construction. The fuselage was round in cross-section and had a crew cabin in a glazed nose. The wing had a slightly swept leading edge and a straight rear edge. The tailplane had double tail fins. The undercarriage was a retractable tricycle gear, with quite large diameter wheels. The planned armament consisted of guns in remotely operated turrets and in positions on the sides of the fuselage. Overall it carried very little armour and few guns in order to increase fuel capacity and range. The Me 264 had four 1,700 PS (1,250 kW) BMW 801G engines. In order to provide comfort on the proposed long-range missions, the Me 264 featured bunk beds and a small galley complete with hotplates.
[edit] Specifications (with BMW 801 engines)
General characteristics
- Crew: six
- Length: 69 ft 9 in (21.3 m)
- Wingspan: 141 ft (43 m)
- Height: 14 ft (4.3 m)
- Wing area: 1,376 ft² (127.8 m²)
- Empty weight: 46,630 lb (21,150 kg)
- Loaded weight: 100,400 lb (45,540 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 123,000 lb (56,000 kg)
- Powerplant: 4× BMW 801 G/H radials, 1,730 hp (1,272 kW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 350 mph (560 km/h)
- Range: 2,500 mi (4,000 km)
- Ferry range: 6,250 mi (10,000 km)
- Service ceiling: 26,000 ft (8,000 m)
- Rate of climb: 390 ft/min (120 m/min)
- Wing loading: 72.9 lb/ft² (356 kg/m²)
- Power/mass: 0.07 hp/lb (0.11 kW/kg)
Armament
- Guns: Four 13 mm (0.51 in) MG 131 machine guns, two 20 mm (0.79 in) MG 151 cannon.
- Bombs: 6,600 lb (3,000 kg) in internal bay
[edit] References and external links
- Pilotfriend.com
- luft46.com
- Neitzel, Söhnke "Der Einsatz der deutschen Luftwaffe über der Nordsee und dem Atlantik"
[edit] Related content
Comparable aircraft
Designation sequence
Me 262 - Me 263 - Me 264 - Fl 265 - Me 265
See also
Timeline of aviation
Aircraft · Aircraft manufacturers · Aircraft engines · Aircraft engine manufacturers · Airports · Airlines
Air forces · Aircraft weapons · Missiles · Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) · Experimental aircraft
Notable military accidents and incidents · Notable airline accidents and incidents · Famous aviation-related deaths
Flight airspeed record · Flight distance record · Flight altitude record · Flight endurance record · Most produced aircraft
