# This 262 is towing a ?



## beaupower32 (Aug 26, 2009)

Anyone have any idea what this is. Im thinking it might be something to release in or near a bomber stream.


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## Colin1 (Aug 26, 2009)

In picture 1
an Me262 V10 W.Nr 130005 is towing a 2,205lb (1,000Kg) bomb. These tests were postponed when it was found that the bomb tended to 'porpoise', becoming so bad during one flight that the test pilot, Gerd Lindner, was forced to bail out. The programme got a new aircraft but the issues were never fully resolved.

In picture 2
the same Me262 V10 W.Nr 130005 is on this occasion towing a 1,102lb (500Kg) bomb. Both tests were carried out at Lechfeld late 1944. Gerd Lindner once again at the controls.


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## beaupower32 (Aug 26, 2009)

Sweet, thanks for the info Colin, I was wondering what that was.


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## BikerBabe (Aug 26, 2009)

A Deichselschlepp winged bomb?


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## Colin1 (Aug 26, 2009)

The coupling located beneath the rudder of the Me262 V10 W.Nr 130005 which served to hold the 13ft (4m) rigid tow-line


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## beaupower32 (Aug 26, 2009)

You got any more pictures of this project Colin?


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## Colin1 (Aug 26, 2009)

During the middle of October 44, proposals were made for towing both extra fuel and ordnance behind the Me262 in the _Deichselschlepp_ rigid tow arrangement. In this, the bomb or drop tank had an auxiliary wing mounted above it and was fitted with a two-wheeled take-off dolly. It was attached to the aircraft by a 19ft 8in (6m) hollow pole, this having a double joint to allow both vertical and horizontal motion.

After take-off the wheels were jettisoned by exploding bolts and on reaching the target, the aircraft was put into a shallow dive, the weapon being targetted using the normal Revi sight and launched via another exploding bolt.

When a fuel tank was used, the line passed through the centre of the hollow pole.

Following the repair of the W.Nr 130005 which had been damaged by an air attack on the Leipheim field on 12Sep44, the aircraft flew the first test with a towed 500Kg bomb on 22Oct44. It later tested a 1,000Kg weapon but this caused many problems. Messerschmitt test pilot Gerd Lindner, who conducted trials with the _Deichselschlepp_ arrangement found that the larger bomb tended to 'porpoise' disconcertingly.
On one occasion the explosive bolts failed to jettison the bomb and Lindner had to land with the bomb still attached.
During another test, putting the aircraft into too tight a turn caused the towing swivel to break away and damage the rear fuselage.

Despite this Lindner considered that with an improved wing and the addition of a vertical fin, good results could have been obtained with towed bombs.


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## Colin1 (Aug 26, 2009)

beaupower32 said:


> You got any more pictures of this project Colin?


One or two
just looking around


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## beaupower32 (Aug 26, 2009)

Colin1 said:


> During the middle of October 44, proposals were made for towing both extra fuel and ordnance behind the Me262 in the _Deichselschlepp_ rigid tow arrangement. In this, the bomb or drop tank had an auxiliary wing mounted above it and was fitted with a two-wheeled take-off dolly. It was attached to the aircraft by a 19ft 8in (6m) hollow pole, this having a double joint to allow both vertical and horizontal motion.
> After take-off the wheels were jettisoned by exploding bolts and on reaching the target, the aircraft was put into a shallow dive, the weapon being targetted using the normal Revi sight and launched via another exploding bolt.
> 
> When a fuel tank was used, the line passed through the centre of the hollow pole.
> ...




Great info


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## Colin1 (Aug 26, 2009)

A 2,205lb (1,000Kg) bomb attached to the tail of the Me262 V10 using the rigid tow pole method. This photograph shows the auxiliary wing mounted above the bomb and the jettisonable wheeled dolly below. Taken just before the damage caused on the third flight.


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## imalko (Aug 26, 2009)

Yep, I've seen it before. Some ideas that German engineers came up with towards the end of war were just bordering with crazy...


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## beaupower32 (Aug 26, 2009)

Looks like the 262 is pulling its little ba$tard child behind it. Just like the parents at the airport who have a leash on their kid so they dont get lost.


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## Colin1 (Aug 26, 2009)

imalko said:


> Some ideas that German engineers came up with towards the end of war were just bordering with crazy...


Lindner rated it despite the tribulations it gave him


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## ccheese (Aug 26, 2009)

That's quite interesting. I never knew the Luftwaffe tried this sort of thing.

Charles


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## Colin1 (Aug 26, 2009)

ccheese said:


> That's quite interesting. I never knew the Luftwaffe tried this sort of thing


Just realised
I didn't actually answer BP's question
it seems it was used against ground targets BP (hence the shallow dive/Revi targetting), not for bomber streams.

I'm just wondering how accurate it would have been. If the pilot had to really walk it to the target then he's laying himself open to all manner of flak whilst on the targetting run-in. Would it/could it have been any more accurate than say, a Mistel combination? It wouldn't have had the same yield, that's for certain.


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## Gnomey (Aug 26, 2009)

Interesting! Certainly I don't think it would be that effective, either through poor accuracy or through easy target for flak.


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## beaupower32 (Aug 27, 2009)

I wouldnt think it would be too accurate. Givin the speed of the dive, altitude at which to drop, plus other things like wind and so, would make it pretty difficult to hit anything. Probably ending up being more of a terror weapon than anthing.


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