Dornier Do 335 Pfeil (1 Viewer)

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juanjose15

Airman
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Mar 23, 2010
Capdepera
The Dornier Do 335 Pfeil ("Arrow")

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6ROSTqm2KQ


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdtzDZI0dAk[/COLOR][/B]
In 1939, Dornier was busy working on the P.59 high-speed bomber project, which featured the tandem engine layout. In 1940, he commissioned a test aircraft to validate his concept for turning the rear pusher propeller with an engine located far away from it and using a long driveshaft. This aircraft, the Göppingen Gö 9 showed no unforeseen difficulties with this arrangement, but work on the P.59 was stopped in early 1940 when Hermann Göring[citation needed] ordered the cancellation of all projects which would not be completed within a year or so

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Fitted with DB 603A engines delivering 1,750 PS (1,287 kW, 1,726 hp) at takeoff, the Do 335 V1 first prototype, bearing the Stammkennzeichen (factory radio code) of CP+UA, flew on 26 October 1943 under the control of Flugkapitän Hans Dieterle, a regular Heinkel test pilot and later primary Dornier test pilot. The pilots were surprised at the speed, acceleration, turning circle, and general handling of the type; it was a twin that flew like a single. However, several problems during the initial flight of the Do 335 would continue to plague the aircraft through most of its short history. Issues were found with the weak landing gear and with the gear doors, resulting in them being removed for the remainder of V1 flights. V1 made 27 flights, flown by three different pilots. During these test flights V2 (W.Nr 230002), Stammkennzeichen CP+UB was completed and made its first flight on 31 December 1943, again under the control of Dieterle. New to the V2 were upgraded DB603 A-2 engines, and several refinements learned from the test flights of V1 as well as further windtunnel testing. On 20 January 1944, V3 (W.Nr. 230004),Stammkennzeichen CP+UC was completed and flown for its first time by Werner Altrogge. V3 was powered by the new DB603 G-0 engines which could produce 1,900 PS (1,400 kW) at take-off and featured a slightly redesigned canopy which included rear-view mirrors in blisters on the slide of the main canopy. Following the flights of the V3, in mid January of 1944, RLM ordered five more prototypes (V21–V25), to be built as night fighters. By this time more than 60 hours of flight time had been put on the Do 335 and reports showed it be a good handling, but more importantly, very fast aircraft, described by Miltch himself as "...holding its own in speed and altitude with the P-38 and does not suffer from engine reliability issues". Thus the Do 335 was scheduled to begin mass construction, with the inital order of 120 preproduction aircraft to be manufactured by DWF (Dornier-Werke Friedrichshafen) to be completed no later than March 1946. This number included a number of bombers, destroyers (heavy fighters), and several yet to be developed variants. At the same time, DWM (Dornier-Werke München) was scheduled to build over 2000 Do 335s in various models, due for delivery in March 1946 as well

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpfJGyA7Y7Q[/COLOR][/B]
On 23 May 1944, Hitler, as part of the Jägernotprogramm directive, ordered maximum priority to be given to Do 335 production. The main production line was intended to be at Manzel, but a bombing raid in March destroyed the tooling and forced Dornier to set up a new line at Oberpfaffenhofen. The decision was made, along with the rapid shut-down of many other military aircraft development programs, to cancel the Heinkel He 219 night fighter, and use its production facilities for the Do 335 as well. However, Ernst Heinkel managed to delay, and eventually ignore, its implementation.
Die Dornier Do 335 teil 1/3

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsqxQAcFEwQ


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At least 16 prototype Do 335s were known to have flown (V1–V12, W.Nr 230001-230012 and M13–M17, W.Nr 230013-230017) on a number of DB603 engines including the DB603A, A-2, G-0, E and E-1. The first preproduction Do 335 (A-0s) starting with W.Nr 240101, Stammkennzeichen VG+PG, were delivered in July of 1944. Approximately 22 preproduction aircraft were thought to have been completed and flown before the end of the war, including approximately 11 A-0s converted to A-11s for training purposes.
Die Dornier Do 335 teil 3/3

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmz7Gi9viXI

The first 10 Do 335 A-0s were delivered for testing in May. By late 1944, the Do 335 A-1 was on the production line. This was similar to the A-0 but with the uprated DB 603 E-1 engines and two underwing hardpoints for additional bombs, drop tanks or guns. It was capable of a maximum speed of 763 km/h (474 mph) at 6,500 m (21,300 ft) with MW 50 boost, or 686 km/h (426 mph) without boost, and able to climb to 8,000 m (26,250 ft) in under 15 minutes. Even with one engine out, it could reach about 563 km/h (350 mph).
Delivery commenced in January 1945. When the United States Army overran the Oberpfaffenhofen factory in late April 1945, only 11 Do 335 A-1 single-seat fighter-bombers and two Do 335 A-12 trainers had been completed.
French ace Pierre Clostermann claimed the first Allied combat encounter with a Pfeil in April 1945. Leading a flight of four Hawker Tempests from No. 3 Squadron RAF over northern Germany, he intercepted a lone Do 335 flying at maximum speed at treetop level. Detecting the British aircraft, the German pilot reversed course to evade. Despite the Tempest's considerable speed, the RAF fighters were not able to catch up or even get into firing position.

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Saludos.
 
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Nice post. Somebody else was running a thread about the Arrow. Pretty good thread.

Always wondered how it handled. Knew it was fast but wondered about the manuverability. Probably a good idea to hydraulically assist the controls. Probably heavy.
 
According to Ekdo 335 assessment maneuverability was good given size and weight, but definetly no match for contemporary allied or german single-engine fighters.
 
7,938 kg. P-47D max takeoff weight.
8,590 kg. Do-335A max takeoff weight.
9,798 kg. P-38L max takeoff weight.

The twin engine Do-335 was about the same size as the single engine U.S. P-47 and considerably lighter then the twin engine P-38. That's quite an achievement.
 
7,938 kg. P-47D max takeoff weight.
8,590 kg. Do-335A max takeoff weight.
9,798 kg. P-38L max takeoff weight.

The twin engine Do-335 was about the same size as the single engine U.S. P-47 and considerably lighter then the twin engine P-38. That's quite an achievement.

From the data I have your weight is a bit light.
Do335A-0
fluggewicht: 9500kg/ 20,994lb

That is the weight given on a Dornier data sheet

P-38L
Loaded weight: 17,500 lb (7,940 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 21,600 lb (9,798 kg)

Max weight for the P-38 would be with external stores. What external stores did the Do 335 carry?
 
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P-38L
Loaded weight: 17,500 lb (7,940 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 21,600 lb (9,798 kg)

Max weight for the P-39 would be with external stores. What external stores did the Do 335 carry?

one source gives 19,854lbs for P-38J with 2155lbs worth of drop tanks and fuel (pair of 165 gal tanks.)

The Do 335 was a great achievement on it's own however.
 
one source gives 19,854lbs for P-38J with 2155lbs worth of drop tanks and fuel (pair of 165 gal tanks.)

The Do 335 was a great achievement on it's own however.

Agreed Shortround.

Subtract the 2155lb and one is very close to the load weight 'clean'.
 
The bigger and more powerful the engine/aircraft, the more hairy the ride. Thinking of the Spitfire. When it was a 1000Hp engine in the original, it was a great ride. By the time they put the Griffon in it, it was a brutal flight. All power. Nothing much you can do about it, the ongoing circle of increased performance - increased power forces the event.

It seems to me that an aircraft with two 1700Hp engines, in line, would need some sort of assist on the controls.
 
I have read the Do-335 had power assisted ailerons. If so it must have rolled very well at high speed, with both engines mounted in the fuselage.

That would sound better. If the engines countered the torque (one going one way, the other going opposite), and it had power assisted controls, it could be a very quick aircraft.

All sorts of options with getting a roll going faster in one direction or the other by killing the power to one engine. Would make it very quick but not a bird for the novice. With the CG somewhere around the back of the cockpit, it would be a real bear in a spin. Probably go flat in a heartbeat.
 
Probably not a good idea. Remember that you have a 400lb or so propeller turning at 1200-1400rpm. getting that to slow down/speed up in fractions of a second isn't going to happen.

Was thinking more of the torque affect of dropping the power to one side or the other. Bird is trimmed for straight and level flight with both engines canceling each other out. Chop power to one engine and throw the controls over to the side the torque is pushing towards on the "power on" engine. Combination torque roll/alerion roll. But it would be dependent on variables such as speed.
 
The Do-335 is one of those great and innovative ideas that almost certainly would have been copied by other piston-engined warplanes had jets not come along and ruined everything. It had all the advantages of two engines providing centerline thrust without the drag and extra weight of a twin boom design or the complications of pairing the engines to drive a single set of propellors (contra-rotaing) as a tractor (Ki-64) or pusher (B-43 Mixmaster).
 
The Do-335 was the fastest piston engine aircraft during the spring of 1945. It also had superior climb, dive and acceleration plus massive firepower. Why would you throw away your speed advantage to engage in a low speed dog fight?
 

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