I´m not having enough data/text/pics for complete pages about these planes,
but I want to present them as a stimulation of your interest on them;

Avions Marcel Bloch M.B.157
This was a french high-speed fighter prototype which was near completion at the time of the armistice.Developed out of the
2nd class M.B.152 fighter family, it reached fthe fantastic speed of 710km/h under german control in 1942.
It could have flown already in 1940! It´s best part was its advanced radial engine which was good at high altitude.
It had outstanding flying characteristics. 6 months design time. Destroyed by a bombing raid.
Data: turbosupercharged 1590PS (1700PS at 8000m !!!) Gnome-Rhône-14R-4, 710 (!!!)km/h in 7850m, 1095km, 2390-3250kg,
10.7m wingspan, 9.7m length, 19.4m2 wing area, two 20mm HS404 machine cannons, 2 7.5mm Darne MG

Avions Marcel Bloch M.B.162
This was a french strategic bomber which had its maiden flight on july, 1st 1940. Developed out of the M.B.161 commercial plane
(in service after 1945), its 1:1 mock-up was already shown to the public in 1938. The prototype was captured, tested in 1942 and
then used by the Luftwaffe for secret missions. [Post-war M.B.161 had problems with the undercarriage.]
Data: four 1100PS Gnome-Rhône-14N-48/49 radials, 550 (!!!) km/h at 5500m, 2400km range with 1600kg bombload,
11865-19000kg, 28.1m wingspan, 21.9m length, 109m2 wing area, 7.5mm Darne MG in bow, 20mm HS405 machine cannon
in dorsal position, 20mm HS405 (or the fixed version HS404?) machine cannon and 7.5mm Darne MG in ventral position,
at least 1600kg bombs, crew of five

Flettner Fl 282
German light helicopter. Maiden flight in may, 1939, operational in 1940. Quantity production was decimated by priorities and
bombing raids. The helicopter was especially useful for the navy, pioneers and mountain infantry. It was stable, but both Me109 and
Fw190 failed to shoot it down in a simulated dogfight (no photo hits). One pilot, max. one passenger. 2 rotors. at least 24 built.
Data: 110PS Bramo Sh14A radial, 150km/h at 0m, service ceiling 3300m, 170km, 760-1000kg, 6.56m length, 2.2m heigth, combined rotor area 224.69m2

Focke-Achgelis Fa 223 "Drache" ("Dragon")
German medium helicopter. Maiden flight in 1940, operational in 1941 or 1942. Quantity production was decimated by priorities and
bombing raids. One Fa223 could theoretically replace all the mules of a mountain infantry division! One pilot, six passengers? 2 rotors. 20 built.
2 were captured by the allies, but none survived. Altitude record 7782m in october, 1940. first quantity production order in 1941.
Data: 1000PS BMW301R radial, 175 (or "over 200"?)km/h, 120km/h cruise, max.700km (additional 300l fuel), 2010m service ceiling,
3175-4310kg, 12.25m length, 4.35m heigth, combined rotor area 226.19m, estimated payload over 500kg, MG15 possible

Grumman F5F Skyrocket (XF5F-1)
Experimental U.S.Navy fighter. Maiden flight in april, 1st, 1940. No quantity production. Similar performance like the F6F Hellcat, just 2 years earlier.
The U.S.Navy was scared because this fighter had two engines and high landing speed. Unexpected by me, its dimensions were between them
of F5F and F6F without folded wings. It had possibly the best forward view for the pilot of all WW2 fighters.
Data: two Wright 1217PS XR-1820-40/42 Cyclone radials, 616km/h, 1931km, 3677-4599kg, 12.8m wingspan, 8.75m length, 28.8m2 wing area,
4000ft/min (1300m/min) climb rate (!!!), two 23mm Madsen machine cannons (I think that was a provisional armament).

Heinkel He 118
A german high performance Stuka alternative to the famous Ju87. Built for the same contest, the He118 was aerodynamically far more
advanced and had an internal bomb bay. Udet (an officer responsible for buying Luftwaffe´s aircraft and WW1 top fighter ace) tested it
very uncarefully and destroyed the plane in the air. He survived and bought the Ju87. (The He118 wasn´t able to dive at extreme 90° like
the Ju87 at that time, a question of few months design. I believe that no other dive bomber was ever able to dive at 90°.)
Data: 880PS DB600C liquid-cooled inverted V-engine, 395km/h at 4000m, 1250km, 2450-3775kg, 15m wingspan, 11.8m length,
37.7m2 wing area, two MG17 fixed firing forwards, MG15 in dorsal position firing backwards, internal 500kg bomb, crew of two

Helwan H.A. 300
International supersonic lightweight fighter, 1960`s
Developed by W.Messerschmidt and a team, this fighter was first developed for spain, then for egypt and india. It was comparable to the heavier MiG21
in its performance and to the lightweight fighter Gnat in its size, weight and flying characteristics. A under 5000kg heavy Mach2 turbojet fighter!
It failed because the only suitable turbojet engine (E-300) wasn´t developed to an end and because Egypt wasn´t wealthy enough for such a project.
There was one or two years ago a comprehensive article in the Flug Revue aviation journal because the prototype was transferred to the german
museum in Munich (Deutsches Museum München), I´m searching for this now.

Henschel Hs127
German high-speed light bomber. Maiden flight in 1937 or 1938. First prototype crashed in early testing stadium, second destroyed during
structural tests. The german air force gave the idea of a high-speed bomber without defensive armament up and the third prototype wasn´t
completed, even not as a reconnaissance plane. 580km/h speed and 1500kg internal bombload were planned with a crew of two and two
950PS DB600D liquid-cooled inverted V-engines. The later very similar (a copy concerning the overall concept) de Havilland Mosquito
proved that the german air force had cancelled the best reconnaissance plane and high-speed bomber of the years 1938-1941.

North American XB-28 "Dragon"
Advanced USAAF medium bomber. Maiden flight in april, 1942. Developed as a tactical high-altitude bomber as a replacement for the B-25.
There was no need for such a profile, instead (I believe so) it was the best strategical bomber for european warfare in allied hands.
It wasn´t put into quantity production because its strategical potential wasn´t seen and because B-25 production shouldn´t be interrupted.
Data: Two turbosupercharged 2028PS (1840PS at 7620m) R-2800-11 Double Wasp radials, 599km/h at 7620m, 10000m service ceiling,
3283km range with 2724kg bombload at 7620m altitude with 410km/h cruise speed, 11611-16888kg, 23.4m wingspan, 18.07m length, 60.84m2
wing area, crew of five, 2724kg maximum internal bombload, 3x2 remotely controlled 12.7mm M2 MG, 3 fixed 12.7mm M2 MG firing forward.
Compare this to the B-17G data: crew of nine or ten necessary, 16391-29710kg, same range and bombload with ONLY 293km/h cruise speed!

Tachikawa Ki.74
Japanese extreme range/high altitude bomber. Maiden flight in march, 1944. It reached 570km/h at 8500m and a range of 8000km at 12000m
with two supercharged 2000PS Ha-104-Ru radials. Up to 1000kg bombload, 27m wingspan, one rear-mounted remotely-controlled 12.7mm MG.
It is easy to calculate that even F4U Corsair weren´t able to intercept such bombers (detected in 160km range by radar) if they were
ready on the deck of a CV ON TIME to prohibit the bombers to release the deadly (german) PC1400X "Fritz-X" armour-piercing guided bomb!
Combined with its range, it would have forced the U.S.Navy to have strong F4U high-altitude combat air patrols for days or even weeks
(at daylight), which would have decreased the U.S.Navy carrier forces efficiency a lot even if there was no ship sunk by such a bomber!
The high altitude protected against the 5"L/38 AAA and with the MG also against fighters. Optimal altitude for a Fritz-X release was 4000-7000m.
I believe it was also one of the very few japanese designs that could have been a threat for the B-29 bases in the pacific.

Zeppelin E.4/20
German pioneer 4-engine commercial plane. Maiden flight in october 9th, 1920, successful flying tests.
This plane was probably overpowered (a twin engined version was also planned), but four engines granted quite good
safety, the all-metal construction was revolutionary, the engine mounting was one decade ahead and it looked as a early 1930´s plane.
The profile curve of its wings decreased to the outer wings, a feature that had its breakthrough 20 years later.
The famous Junkers F13, the first all-commercial plane, was successful with one engine of the same class, 1 pilot and 4-5 passengers,
The Zeppelin E.4/20 had 4 engines, a crew of three and 12-18 passengers. On high traffic air routes it could have been successful.
The Versailles treaty forbid such planes for germany, this was probably the only thing that was able to stop it. Prototype scrapped in 1922.
Data: Four 258PS Maybach MB-IVa liquid-cooled V-engines, 230km/h top speed, 211km/h cruise speed, 1200km max. range,
up to 8500kg, 31m wingspan, 16.6m length, 106m2 wing area, crew of three, 12-18 passengers or equivalent freight.

Help! If you like my already existing files (or not) and have pictures, texts, datas or just links about these planes,

send all!

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