# Heinkel He 343 jet bomber



## Kiwikid (May 23, 2009)

The Hienkel He-343 evolved from the 1942 RLM specifications which gave birth to the Ju-287. Heinkel embarked upon responding to the RLM specification without being invited. Later in 1943 RLM issued new specifications for a bomber with two crew in a pressurised cockpit with a 2000kg bomb load, speed of 430 knots and a range of 2500km. 

Originally the P.1068 was intended to use six He S 011 turbine engines on a straight wing. The aircraft had Fowler flaps which as they extended increased the wing area as well. Wind tunnel testing proved the clustering of so many engines had disastrous effect on the aerodynamics. 

In January 1944, RLM funded 20 aircraft including a series of 4 prototypes The eventual He-343 A1 bomber was operated by 1/KG76 at Burg near Magdeburg. No unclassified records survive about the aircraft's operational career. 







An airframe production facility commenced work near Gardermoen airport near Oslo. The aircraft was manufactured largely from wood for cheap and simple construction. 

On 28 April 1944 an air strike by 51 Lancasters of RAF 5 Group and some Mosquitos destroyed the facility. RLM would not renew funding to rebuild the production facility. Instead RLM favoured stretching the Arado Ar234 for the same specification, resulting however in an inferior 4 engined compromise airframe. 

The He-343 story however did not end there. In August 1944, Himmler took a passionate interest in developing nuclear weapons and Kammler took charge of all jet fighter production. The He-343 was re-christened as a fighter project and work resumed at Reisenbirge near Schweidnitz (Swidnica) where it was referred to as the Vergeltungswaffe V-7 and also as the Reisenbomber. 

After the war at least one copy appears to have been test flown at Dryden Test Centre in USA


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## Capt. Vick (May 23, 2009)

In May?


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## Flyboy2 (May 23, 2009)

Cool stuff, I had not heard of this aircraft... How many were actually built?


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## Waynos (May 23, 2009)

None at all, don't be fooled.

It was a real project though. One aircraft which bears a strong resembance to the He 343 which really did fly was the Ilyushin Il-22, the first Russian jet bomber to fly which appeared in 1947. Whether there is a link or not I do not know, but the resemblance is there.

Ilyushin IL-22 - bomber


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## Flyboy2 (May 23, 2009)

Then is Kiwikids information incorrect? He says one was flown at Dryden


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## Waynos (May 23, 2009)

Yes its incorrect. none was ever built, Heinkel was still studying 4 and six engined layouts for it when the war ended. They did get an order for two prototypes (another order for 18 aircraft was cancelled, but they had only built the mock ups and a few components when the RLM ordered work to be stopped. The He 343 was a 1.5 times scale up of the Ar 234 according to Grehl and Jessel in their book 'Bombers of the Luftwaffe'.


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## Flyboy2 (May 23, 2009)

So what is that second picture of?


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## Waynos (May 23, 2009)

The Il-22 perhaps? If you follow the link you will see how close it is in shape.


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## Flyboy2 (May 23, 2009)

Ya it looks like the Il-22


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## HealzDevo (May 23, 2009)

Not necessarily, there was a lot of records lost and release of information that the sides wanted to release. It is possible that a prototype or two did survive the bombing. 

Alternatively, Himmler could have made two or more up to an almost flying basis on the surviving records from the RLM station destruction to improve on the design. These ones weren't necessarily totally complete and one was found by the US somewhere almost complete. The US finished it and this is what underwent testing in Dryden Testing Centre USA. Another one was secretly found by the USSR that was nowhere near complete. However, Russia may have captured engine drawings and gradually worked out its own engines and everything and finished it.


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## Flyboy2 (May 23, 2009)

It is possible.. But for sure those pictures are not legitimate... The first one doesn't even look legit, you can see the detail difference between the plane and the rest of the picture and the fuzzy outline....


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## Graeme (May 24, 2009)

Flyboy2 said:


> It is possible.. But for sure those pictures are not legitimate... The first one doesn't even look legit, you can see the detail difference between the plane and the rest of the picture and the fuzzy outline....



Even Wikipedia accepts that as a composite photo (obviously). See here...

File:Heinkel He 343.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



Flyboy2 said:


> So what is that second picture of?



More than likely something like this rumbling down the runway...





..and then the image has been "shopped" or altered by computer enhancement. I'd say it comes from this book...

Luftwaffe Project Aircraft #2: He-343

...which clearly states...



> What has been added from the last edition are a number of doctored images where other aircraft have been replaced by the He-343. A very nice addition and one that makes the book much more fun to read.



Early April Fools Day.


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## Waynos (May 24, 2009)

HealzDevo said:


> Not necessarily, there was a lot of records lost and release of information that the sides wanted to release. It is possible that a prototype or two did survive the bombing.
> 
> Alternatively, Himmler could have made two or more up to an almost flying basis on the surviving records from the RLM station destruction to improve on the design. These ones weren't necessarily totally complete and one was found by the US somewhere almost complete. The US finished it and this is what underwent testing in Dryden Testing Centre USA. Another one was secretly found by the USSR that was nowhere near complete. However, Russia may have captured engine drawings and gradually worked out its own engines and everything and finished it.



While it is only one source, the book I cited previously clearly states that only two mock ups and a few components were actualy made. If you are claiming that actual airframes were built it would be helpful if you could support that.


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (May 24, 2009)

The photo is obviously photo shopped and fake people.

From all of my studies, none of these aircraft were ever completed and flew. The Russians however did use the designs to design the Il-22.


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## Maximowitz (May 24, 2009)

Anybody fancy a thread about the Nazi Haunebu I Flying Saucer?

It's ok, I was only joking honest!


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## johnbr (May 24, 2009)

I did see a book on Hienkel many years ago that had a photo of the he 343.In it they said it was the only now en photo of it.


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## HealzDevo (May 25, 2009)

I don't, all I am saying is that I wouldn't be surprised if Himmler was able to build two He-343s for his own testing. This guy was pretty powerful! Also he may have the plans and info copied. Surely you don't expect me to believe that all the information would be kept in one place when there is large scale bombing going on! I just find it startling that is all how the Ilyushin Il-22 and the Martin Baker Canberra are almost identical in external shape while other aircraft are so different.


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## FLYBOYJ (May 25, 2009)

HealzDevo said:


> Surely you don't expect me to believe that all the information would be kept in one place when there is large scale bombing going on! I just find it startling that is all how the Ilyushin Il-22 and the Martin Baker Canberra are almost identical in external shape while other aircraft are so different.


Well ya better start believing it pal. The Il-22 connection is evident, but not the Canberra. BTW it was English Electric that first built the aircraft, not Martin Baker. The Canberra program started in 1944 and the initial contract signed in 1945.

Himmiler had more important things to worry about.



HealzDevo said:


> The US finished it and this is what underwent testing in Dryden Testing Centre USA. Another one was secretly found by the USSR that was nowhere near complete. However, Russia may.


Ok - WHO from the US "completed" this aircraft???? Again the picture was photo shopped. I think the original photo showed a P-59 taking off. Healz, you have a great imagination.


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## johnbr (Jun 2, 2019)

There was one built a lot of years a go I so a photo of it in a hanger.


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## johnbr (Jun 2, 2019)




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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jun 2, 2019)

No 343’s were built in the US or Soviet Union. The Soviets used the design in the Il-22, but it was influenced only.


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