In mid 1944 the Nazi Ministry of Aviation launched a Volksjäger program and in the months that followed Focke-Wulf presented two consecutive projects. The variants presented were a turbojet and a rocket-powered design, corresponding to project number one and project number two. Neither of them was given an RLM aircraft designation.[1]
Variantsedit
Volksjäger 1edit
The initial Volksjäger competition in the second half of 1944 required the use of the BMW 003 powerplant. The Focke-Wulf Volksjäger 1, the first model of the Focke-Wulf project, was an innovative-looking single-jet aircraft. It was designed to be powered by one BMW 003 A1 turbojet as an actual contract competitor to the Heinkel He 162A Spatz, the winner of the Volksjäger design competition and the selected Volksjäger aircraft to be mass-produced.
The air intake of the turbojet engine was placed in the front and the engine itself in the lower fuselage. Two possible shoulder wing configurations were designed for the Fw Volksjäger 1, straight and swept back. The wings of the swept back version spanned 7.5 m (26 ft 7 in) and had an area of 13.5 m² (161 ft²). The tail was supported by a projecting boom over the exhaust of the engine. This fighter aircraft was planned to be armed with two MK 108 cannon, placed in a frontal position on both sides of the air intakes.[1]
In some postwar English language publications, the Fw Volksjäger 1 project is referred to by the bogus name "Volksflugzeug", a name that is not found in any German-language source referring to this aircraft, but referring instead to a very different Nazi aviation project.[2]
Volksjäger 2edit
Designed for early 1945 RLM requirements the Focke-Wulf Volksjäger 2 was a small rocket-powered interceptor. It had a wingspan of 4.8 m (15 ft 9 in) and a length of 5.3 m (17 ft 5 in). Power was to be provided by a Walter HWK 109-509 A-2 rocket engine that would enable it to reach speeds nearing 1000 km/h. Armament was to be two 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108 cannon located under the fuselage.
In order to save strategic materials, the wings of the Fw Volksjäger 2 were built of wood and covered with a thin metal layer. The wings, swept back and mounted on mid-fuselage, as well as the T-tail, were similar to those of the Focke-Wulf Ta 183. The aircraft had no wheels, only a landing skid. It was designed to take off on a detachable dolly. Once airborne it would speed almost vertically towards the bomber combat box where it would fire its cannon.
Although the Fw Volksjäger 2 was planned to reach an altitude of 5,900 m in one minute, its effectiveness as an interceptor was curtailed by the fact that it would have only about 15 minutes of combat action time.[clarification needed] Test flights for this aircraft were scheduled to be carried out between May and June 1945. Three units of the Fw Volksjäger 2 were under construction at the time of the Surrender of Nazi Germany.[3]
Walter Schick , Geheimprojekte der Luftwaffe- Jagdflugzeuge 1939–1945, Motorbuch Verlag; 1st edition (1994) ISBN978-3613016316
Referencesedit
^ abcdefgJean-Denis G. G. Lepage, Aircraft of the Luftwaffe, 1935–1945: An Illustrated Guide, McFarland, ISBN978-0786439379 p. 256-257
^FliegerRevue March 2010, p. 56-59, Erla-Gerner-Gotha – Autobauer versuchen sich am Volksflugzeug
^Ernst Heinrich Hirschel, Horst Prem, Gero Madelung et al. Aeronautical Research in Germany: From Lilienthal Until Today, Volume 147
External linksedit
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December 15, 2023
focke, wulf, volksjäger, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, se. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Focke Wulf Volksjager news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Focke Wulf Volksjager meaning People s Fighter in German was a German emergency fighter project for the Luftwaffe It was designed by Focke Wulf industries towards the end of World War II as part of the defense effort against the devastating Allied bombing raids 1 Focke Wulf VolksjagerFw Volksjager 2Role InterceptorManufacturer Focke WulfStatus Terminated by end of warPrimary user LuftwaffeNumber built Three units under constructionDeveloped from Focke Wulf Ta 183 Contents 1 History 2 Variants 2 1 Volksjager 1 2 2 Volksjager 2 3 Specifications 3 1 Volksjager 1 3 2 Volksjager 2 4 See also 5 Bibliography 6 References 7 External linksHistory editSee also Emergency Fighter Program In mid 1944 the Nazi Ministry of Aviation launched a Volksjager program and in the months that followed Focke Wulf presented two consecutive projects The variants presented were a turbojet and a rocket powered design corresponding to project number one and project number two Neither of them was given an RLM aircraft designation 1 Variants editVolksjager 1 edit The initial Volksjager competition in the second half of 1944 required the use of the BMW 003 powerplant The Focke Wulf Volksjager 1 the first model of the Focke Wulf project was an innovative looking single jet aircraft It was designed to be powered by one BMW 003 A1 turbojet as an actual contract competitor to the Heinkel He 162A Spatz the winner of the Volksjager design competition and the selected Volksjager aircraft to be mass produced The air intake of the turbojet engine was placed in the front and the engine itself in the lower fuselage Two possible shoulder wing configurations were designed for the Fw Volksjager 1 straight and swept back The wings of the swept back version spanned 7 5 m 26 ft 7 in and had an area of 13 5 m 161 ft The tail was supported by a projecting boom over the exhaust of the engine This fighter aircraft was planned to be armed with two MK 108 cannon placed in a frontal position on both sides of the air intakes 1 In some postwar English language publications the Fw Volksjager 1 project is referred to by the bogus name Volksflugzeug a name that is not found in any German language source referring to this aircraft but referring instead to a very different Nazi aviation project 2 Volksjager 2 edit Designed for early 1945 RLM requirements the Focke Wulf Volksjager 2 was a small rocket powered interceptor It had a wingspan of 4 8 m 15 ft 9 in and a length of 5 3 m 17 ft 5 in Power was to be provided by a Walter HWK 109 509 A 2 rocket engine that would enable it to reach speeds nearing 1000 km h Armament was to be two 30 mm 1 18 in MK 108 cannon located under the fuselage In order to save strategic materials the wings of the Fw Volksjager 2 were built of wood and covered with a thin metal layer The wings swept back and mounted on mid fuselage as well as the T tail were similar to those of the Focke Wulf Ta 183 The aircraft had no wheels only a landing skid It was designed to take off on a detachable dolly Once airborne it would speed almost vertically towards the bomber combat box where it would fire its cannon Although the Fw Volksjager 2 was planned to reach an altitude of 5 900 m in one minute its effectiveness as an interceptor was curtailed by the fact that it would have only about 15 minutes of combat action time clarification needed Test flights for this aircraft were scheduled to be carried out between May and June 1945 Three units of the Fw Volksjager 2 were under construction at the time of the Surrender of Nazi Germany 3 Specifications editVolksjager 1 edit General characteristics Crew one Length 8 8 m 28 ft 9 in Wingspan 7 5 m 26 ft 7 in 1 swept back Height 2 85 m 9 ft 4 in Wing area 13 5 m2 145 sq ft swept back Gross weight 3 050 kg 6 723 lb Powerplant 1 BMW 003 A1 turbojet 5 87 kN 1 320 lbf thrust at 8 000 rpmPerformance Maximum speed 820 km h 509 mph 442 kn Armament 2 30mm MK 108 cannons in nose 1 Volksjager 2 edit General characteristics Crew 1 Length 5 3 m 17 ft 5 in Wingspan 4 8 m 15 ft 9 in 1 Height 2 7 m 8 ft 10 in Empty weight 180 kg 396 lb Powerplant 1 Walter HWK 109 509 A 2 rocket engine 16 6 kN 3 740 lbf thrustPerformance Maximum speed 1 000 km h 620 mph 540 kn 1 621 Mph Armament 2 30mm MK 108 cannons in the lower fuselageSee also editRelated development Focke Wulf Ta 183Aircraft of comparable role configuration and era Bachem Ba 349 He 162 Volksjager Messerschmitt Me 163 KometRelated lists List of German aircraft projects 1939 45 List of military aircraft of Germany by manufacturer List of rocket aircraftBibliography editWalter Schick Geheimprojekte der Luftwaffe Jagdflugzeuge 1939 1945 Motorbuch Verlag 1st edition 1994 ISBN 978 3613016316References edit a b c d e f g Jean Denis G G Lepage Aircraft of the Luftwaffe 1935 1945 An Illustrated Guide McFarland ISBN 978 0786439379 p 256 257 FliegerRevue March 2010 p 56 59 Erla Gerner Gotha Autobauer versuchen sich am Volksflugzeug Ernst Heinrich Hirschel Horst Prem Gero Madelung et al Aeronautical Research in Germany From Lilienthal Until Today Volume 147External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Focke Wulf Volksjager Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Focke Wulf Volksjager amp oldid 1147611762, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
