The Arado E.381 (Kleinstjäger – "smallest fighter") was a proposed parasitefighter aircraft. Conceived by Arado Flugzeugwerke in December 1944 for Germany's Luftwaffe during World War II, the E.381 was to have been carried aloft by and launched from an Arado Ar 234 "mother" aircraft. It would then have activated its rocket engine, which would have propelled it to attack Allied (mainly American and British) bombers. Development was cancelled due to lack of funds and official support.[1][3][4]
Arado E.381
Model of an Arado Ar 234 V21 carrying an Arado E.381 at the Technikmuseum Speyer
There were three proposed variants; each had fuel capacity for only two target runs, after which the pilot would have been required to glide without power to a landing on underbelly skids.[3] To survive close pursuits, the E.381 was designed with the narrowest frontal cross-section possible to increase its chances of surviving shots from the front. This also forced the pilot to lie in a prone position. The cross-section was 0.45 square meters (4.8 sq ft), or approximately a quarter of the cross-section of the Messerschmitt Bf 109.
A computer-rendered image of an Arado E.381 suspended under the belly of the Ar 234C mother ship
Near the end of World War II, in December 1944, the German aircraft manufacturers Arado, BMW, Gotha, Heinkel, Henschel, and Zeppelin submitted design proposals for small rocket- or jet-powered aircraft intended for pursuit or ground-attack duties. All these proposals exploited the Luftwaffe's concept of "gaining a tactical advantage by placing excessive stress on the man in the cockpit (the German pilot)".[5] The g-forces envisioned in these proposals were feasible for aircraft structures but exceeded human capabilities in a normal sitting position. The designers attempted to alleviate this constraint by placing the pilot in the prone position, which increased the sustainable g-force limit. This also allowed a reduction in fuselage size, weight, and drag. A smaller cross-section also decreased the likelihood of being hit by enemy gunners, and Arado exploited this opportunity to the fullest. According to their "specific design philosophy",[5] the fighter was designed to fly close to bomber formations and open fire from its MK 108 cannon at point-blank range.[5]
The E.381 began in a proposal from Arado Flugzeugwerke to the Air Ministry for a parasite fighter, carried underneath another aircraft, to destroy Allied bombers.[3] Three variants of the E.381, named Mark I, II and III, were designed. Each version was essentially an armored tube provided with armament and a Walter HWK 109-509rocket engine for power. The aircraft would have carried enough fuel for two approaches to the target as well as only sixty[6] (some say forty-five) 30 mm (1.2 in) rounds.[5] After using all his fuel during an attack it was intended that the pilot would glide the fighter to the ground, deploy its drogue parachute, and land the aircraft on a primitive skid landing gear.[5] None of the designs were ever completed due to its cancellation, though some wooden airframes and a single mockup were constructed in 1944 to provide prone-position training for pilots. The E.381 was cancelled due to a lack of funds and interest by the Ministry of Aviation, along with a scarcity of mother Ar 234 aircraft[1][2][7][8] — the Arado Ar 234C four-BMW 003 jet engined aircraft intended for this purpose was never flight tested before the war's end.
Variants
An "x-ray" sideview drawing of the Mark II's fuselage interior. The main features outlined are present in all versions.
Comparison table
Version/Mark
Length
Wingspan
Height
Wing area
Empty weight
Loaded weight
Wing load
Maximum speed
I
4.69 m (15.4 ft)
4.43 m (14.5 ft)
1.29 m (4.2 ft)
5 m2 (54 sq ft)
830 kg (1,830 lb)
1,200 kg (2,600 lb)
240 kg/m2 (49.1 lb/ft2)
900 km/h (560 mph)
II
4.95 m (16.2 ft)
5 m (16 ft)
1.15 m (3.8 ft)
5 m2 (54 sq ft)
0 kg (0 lb)
1,265 kg (2,789 lb)
235 kg/m2 (51.8 lb/ft2)
885 km/h (550 mph)
III
5.7 m (19 ft)
5.05 m (16.6 ft)
1.51 m (5.0 ft)
5.5 m2 (59 sq ft)
0 kg (0 lb)
1,500 kg (3,300 lb)
272 kg/m2 (55.8 lb/ft2)
895 km/h (556 mph)
Arado E.381/I
Arado E.381/I
The first design, the Mark I, had a fuselage with a circular cross-section and a small round window in the nose for pilot vision. A 5-millimeter (0.20 in) armored shell protected most of the fuselage. The pilot would have been in a prone position in the very cramped cockpit (the cross-section was 0.45 square meters (4.8 sq ft), or approximately a quarter of the cross-section of the Messerschmitt Bf 109.[nb 1]) behind a removable 140-millimeter (5.5 in) bullet-resistant glass screen mounted in front of the pilot. Two small bulges were located on the sides of the fuselage for the pilot's elbows. Three C-Stoff tanks surrounded the pilot, with the T-Stoff oxidizer tank in the center section between the pilot and the engine. The aircraft had straight wings, mounted at the top of the aircraft. In the dorsal area (at the wing mounts), the fuselage humped to accommodate a blister for a single MK 108 30 mm (1.2 in) cannon and 60 (other writers say 45) rounds.[5][6] The Walter HWK 109-509A[5] single-chamber rocket engine was mounted beneath the aft fuselage, which also carried a twin-fin empennage and the drogue parachute housing.[3][5]
Landing the aircraft required the extension of the retractable landing skid and the deployment of a braking drogue parachute. As pilots could access the plane only from a hatch above the cockpit, the pilot would have to enter the E.381 before it could be attached to the carrier Ar 234C and had no way to escape in case of an emergency, while attached to the carrier.[10]
Arado E.381/II
The second design, the Mark II, was very similar to the Mark I, aside from being larger and having smaller fins[1] The variant was planned to have a deeper and shorter 5 m (16 ft 5 in) fuselage and a high mid-wing layout. It was to be powered by a Walter HWK 109-509 A-2 engine. The unit was rated at 1,700 kg (3,700 lb) of thrust. About a quarter of the way back from the nose, the fuselage deepened in the form of a hump which extended to the tail. This hump housed a single MK 108 cannon with 45 rounds.[3][5]
Arado E.381/III
The third design, the Mark III, was also similar to the Mark I, aside from being larger than any of the preceding variants. The circular cross-section of the previous variants became more triangular and the 30-millimeter (1.2 in) MK 108 cannon was replaced with six rockets of an unspecified type. Although the landing procedure was unchanged, a hatch was added on the side to provide for simpler pilot entry and exit.[1]
Specifications (E.381/I)
A three-view of an Arado E.381/I
Data from Aircraft of the Luftwaffe 1935–1945: An Illustrated History[6] for the Arado E.381/I
Albrecht, Ulrich (2002). "Military Technology and National Socialist Ideology". In Renneberg, Monika; Walker, Mark (eds.). Science, Technology, and National Socialism. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. pp. 88–125. ISBN978-0-521-52860-3.
Ford, Roger (2000). Germany's Secret Weapons in World War II. Osceola, WI: MBI Publishing Co. ISBN978-0-7603-0847-9.
Green, William (1971). Rocket Fighter. Ballantine's Illustrated History of World War II: Weapons Book, No. 20. New York, NY: Ballantine Books. ISBN978-0-345-02163-2.
Griehl, Manfred (1998). Jet Planes of the Third Reich: The Secret Projects, Volume 1. Sturbridge, MA: Monogram Aviation Publications. ISBN978-0-914144-36-6.
Kay, Antony L.; Smith, J.R. (2002). German Aircraft of the Second World War. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN978-1-55750-010-6.
Krantzhoff, Jörg Armin (1997). Arado: History of an Aircraft Company. Atglen, PA: Schiffer. ISBN978-0-7643-0293-0.
Lepage, Jean-Denis (2009). Aircraft of the Luftwaffe 1935–1945: An Illustrated History. Jefferson, NC: McFarland. ISBN978-0-7864-3937-9. Retrieved 2013-12-13.
January 09, 2023
arado, kleinstjäger, smallest, fighter, proposed, parasite, fighter, aircraft, conceived, arado, flugzeugwerke, december, 1944, germany, luftwaffe, during, world, have, been, carried, aloft, launched, from, arado, mother, aircraft, would, then, have, activated. The Arado E 381 Kleinstjager smallest fighter was a proposed parasite fighter aircraft Conceived by Arado Flugzeugwerke in December 1944 for Germany s Luftwaffe during World War II the E 381 was to have been carried aloft by and launched from an Arado Ar 234 mother aircraft It would then have activated its rocket engine which would have propelled it to attack Allied mainly American and British bombers Development was cancelled due to lack of funds and official support 1 3 4 Arado E 381Model of an Arado Ar 234 V21 carrying an Arado E 381 at the Technikmuseum SpeyerRole Parasite fighterNational origin GermanyManufacturer AradoStatus AbandonedPrimary user LuftwaffeNumber built 0 powered aircraft 1 4 unmanned wooden airframes 2 There were three proposed variants each had fuel capacity for only two target runs after which the pilot would have been required to glide without power to a landing on underbelly skids 3 To survive close pursuits the E 381 was designed with the narrowest frontal cross section possible to increase its chances of surviving shots from the front This also forced the pilot to lie in a prone position The cross section was 0 45 square meters 4 8 sq ft or approximately a quarter of the cross section of the Messerschmitt Bf 109 Contents 1 Development 2 Variants 2 1 Arado E 381 I 2 2 Arado E 381 II 2 3 Arado E 381 III 3 Specifications E 381 I 4 See also 5 Notes 6 References 7 BibliographyDevelopment Edit A computer rendered image of an Arado E 381 suspended under the belly of the Ar 234C mother ship Near the end of World War II in December 1944 the German aircraft manufacturers Arado BMW Gotha Heinkel Henschel and Zeppelin submitted design proposals for small rocket or jet powered aircraft intended for pursuit or ground attack duties All these proposals exploited the Luftwaffe s concept of gaining a tactical advantage by placing excessive stress on the man in the cockpit the German pilot 5 The g forces envisioned in these proposals were feasible for aircraft structures but exceeded human capabilities in a normal sitting position The designers attempted to alleviate this constraint by placing the pilot in the prone position which increased the sustainable g force limit This also allowed a reduction in fuselage size weight and drag A smaller cross section also decreased the likelihood of being hit by enemy gunners and Arado exploited this opportunity to the fullest According to their specific design philosophy 5 the fighter was designed to fly close to bomber formations and open fire from its MK 108 cannon at point blank range 5 The E 381 began in a proposal from Arado Flugzeugwerke to the Air Ministry for a parasite fighter carried underneath another aircraft to destroy Allied bombers 3 Three variants of the E 381 named Mark I II and III were designed Each version was essentially an armored tube provided with armament and a Walter HWK 109 509 rocket engine for power The aircraft would have carried enough fuel for two approaches to the target as well as only sixty 6 some say forty five 30 mm 1 2 in rounds 5 After using all his fuel during an attack it was intended that the pilot would glide the fighter to the ground deploy its drogue parachute and land the aircraft on a primitive skid landing gear 5 None of the designs were ever completed due to its cancellation though some wooden airframes and a single mockup were constructed in 1944 to provide prone position training for pilots The E 381 was cancelled due to a lack of funds and interest by the Ministry of Aviation along with a scarcity of mother Ar 234 aircraft 1 2 7 8 the Arado Ar 234C four BMW 003 jet engined aircraft intended for this purpose was never flight tested before the war s end Variants Edit An x ray sideview drawing of the Mark II s fuselage interior The main features outlined are present in all versions Comparison table Version Mark Length Wingspan Height Wing area Empty weight Loaded weight Wing load Maximum speedI 4 69 m 15 4 ft 4 43 m 14 5 ft 1 29 m 4 2 ft 5 m2 54 sq ft 830 kg 1 830 lb 1 200 kg 2 600 lb 240 kg m2 49 1 lb ft2 900 km h 560 mph II 4 95 m 16 2 ft 5 m 16 ft 1 15 m 3 8 ft 5 m2 54 sq ft 0 kg 0 lb 1 265 kg 2 789 lb 235 kg m2 51 8 lb ft2 885 km h 550 mph III 5 7 m 19 ft 5 05 m 16 6 ft 1 51 m 5 0 ft 5 5 m2 59 sq ft 0 kg 0 lb 1 500 kg 3 300 lb 272 kg m2 55 8 lb ft2 895 km h 556 mph Arado E 381 I Edit Arado E 381 I The first design the Mark I had a fuselage with a circular cross section and a small round window in the nose for pilot vision A 5 millimeter 0 20 in armored shell protected most of the fuselage The pilot would have been in a prone position in the very cramped cockpit the cross section was 0 45 square meters 4 8 sq ft or approximately a quarter of the cross section of the Messerschmitt Bf 109 nb 1 behind a removable 140 millimeter 5 5 in bullet resistant glass screen mounted in front of the pilot Two small bulges were located on the sides of the fuselage for the pilot s elbows Three C Stoff tanks surrounded the pilot with the T Stoff oxidizer tank in the center section between the pilot and the engine The aircraft had straight wings mounted at the top of the aircraft In the dorsal area at the wing mounts the fuselage humped to accommodate a blister for a single MK 108 30 mm 1 2 in cannon and 60 other writers say 45 rounds 5 6 The Walter HWK 109 509A 5 single chamber rocket engine was mounted beneath the aft fuselage which also carried a twin fin empennage and the drogue parachute housing 3 5 Landing the aircraft required the extension of the retractable landing skid and the deployment of a braking drogue parachute As pilots could access the plane only from a hatch above the cockpit the pilot would have to enter the E 381 before it could be attached to the carrier Ar 234C and had no way to escape in case of an emergency while attached to the carrier 10 Arado E 381 II Edit The second design the Mark II was very similar to the Mark I aside from being larger and having smaller fins 1 The variant was planned to have a deeper and shorter 5 m 16 ft 5 in fuselage and a high mid wing layout It was to be powered by a Walter HWK 109 509 A 2 engine The unit was rated at 1 700 kg 3 700 lb of thrust About a quarter of the way back from the nose the fuselage deepened in the form of a hump which extended to the tail This hump housed a single MK 108 cannon with 45 rounds 3 5 Arado E 381 III Edit The third design the Mark III was also similar to the Mark I aside from being larger than any of the preceding variants The circular cross section of the previous variants became more triangular and the 30 millimeter 1 2 in MK 108 cannon was replaced with six rockets of an unspecified type Although the landing procedure was unchanged a hatch was added on the side to provide for simpler pilot entry and exit 1 Specifications E 381 I Edit A three view of an Arado E 381 I Data from Aircraft of the Luftwaffe 1935 1945 An Illustrated History 6 for the Arado E 381 IGeneral characteristicsCrew 1 Length 4 69 m 15 ft 5 in Wingspan 4 43 m 14 ft 6 in Height 1 29 m 4 ft 3 in Empty weight 830 kg 1 830 lb Gross weight 1 200 kg 2 646 lb Powerplant 1 Walter HWK 109 509A liquid fuelled rocketPerformance Maximum speed 900 km h 560 mph 490 kn Armament Guns 1 30 millimeter 1 2 in MK 108 cannon Rockets 6 RZ 73 rockets Mark III only 2 See also Edit Aviation portal World War II portalEmergency Fighter Program List of rocket aircraft Sombold So 344Notes Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Arado E 381 This figure is from Arado The Bf 109 had a cross section of 1 8 square meters 19 sq ft 5 9 References Edit a b c d e Krantzhoff pp 153 156 a b c Herwig and Rode p 207 a b c d e Kay and Smith p 388 Albrecht p 101 a b c d e f g h i j Albrecht p 103 a b c Lepage pp 257 258 Ford p 17 Green pp 145 146 Herwig and Rode p 206 Griehl pp 150 155Bibliography EditAlbrecht Ulrich 2002 Military Technology and National Socialist Ideology In Renneberg Monika Walker Mark eds Science Technology and National Socialism Cambridge UK Cambridge University Press pp 88 125 ISBN 978 0 521 52860 3 Ford Roger 2000 Germany s Secret Weapons in World War II Osceola WI MBI Publishing Co ISBN 978 0 7603 0847 9 Green William 1971 Rocket Fighter Ballantine s Illustrated History of World War II Weapons Book No 20 New York NY Ballantine Books ISBN 978 0 345 02163 2 Griehl Manfred 1998 Jet Planes of the Third Reich The Secret Projects Volume 1 Sturbridge MA Monogram Aviation Publications ISBN 978 0 914144 36 6 Herwig Dieter Rode Heinz 2003 Luftwaffe Secret Projects Ground Attack amp Special Purpose Aircraft Hinckley UK Midland Publishing ISBN 978 1 85780 150 7 Kay Antony L Smith J R 2002 German Aircraft of the Second World War Annapolis MD Naval Institute Press ISBN 978 1 55750 010 6 Krantzhoff Jorg Armin 1997 Arado History of an Aircraft Company Atglen PA Schiffer ISBN 978 0 7643 0293 0 Lepage Jean Denis 2009 Aircraft of the Luftwaffe 1935 1945 An Illustrated History Jefferson NC McFarland ISBN 978 0 7864 3937 9 Retrieved 2013 12 13 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Arado E 381 amp oldid 1108474885, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
