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Messerschmitt Me P.08.01




In early 1939, Dr. Alexander Lippisch moved to the Messerschmitt Aircraft Company in Augsburg with most of his closest coworkers. Dr. Wurster designed the P.08.01 in September 1941, which was basically a flying wing design. The wing featured two different sweepback angles, and contained the armored fuel tanks. The fuel could also be jettisoned if need be. Four Daimler Benz DB 615 engines (or DB 613 if teh DB 615 engines were not ready in time), mounted on the wing trailing edge, provided the power. The engine radiators were located in the wing's leading edge and a huge bomb bay/cargo area was to be found in the central fuselage area. A tricycle landing gear arrangement was chosen, with the main gear having double wheels. The cockpit was pressurized and a provision was made for remote controlled defensive armament in the nose and tail. Underwing weapons or loads could also be carried. The P.08.01 was designed as per a specification for a super heavy aircraft that could fulfill several different roles. These included:

• Long range bomber with a bomb load of 20000 kg (44092 lbs) and a range of 15000 km (9321 miles)
• Maritime patrol aircraft with a bomb load of 20000 kg (44092 lbs) of radio-controlled glide bombs, mines or torpedoes
• Tactical bomber with 50000 kg (110230 lbs) and a range of 2500 km (1554 miles)
• Long range reconnaissance aircraft with a range of 27000 km (16778 miles)
• Tactical or strategic wide-body transport with a provision to carry at least a 25 ton tank or an equivalent amount of equipment
• Tow aircraft for transport gliders up to 100000 kg (220460 lbs) flying weight
• Flak carrier aircraft for four 88mm flak cannons

Messerschmitt Me P.08.01 Data
Span 50.6 m
Length 15.35 m
Height 8.6 m
Wing Area 300 m²
Takeoff Weight 90000 kg
Max. Speed 645 km/h / 8500 m
Max. Range 27150 km
Fuel 40000 kg