Best German option for long range naval reconnaissance

Dornier Do 26. 6,000-9,000 km range. Diesel engines. Can be refueled by U-boats.


Kris

Do-26 needed to be catapulted for those longer ranges. It might also suffer from some of the same problems as the Fw 200. It was designed as a long range, special use MAIL airplane. It might do alright as a pure reconnaissance plane but it's ability to perform bombing attacks may be suspect. It may be stressed for a catapult launch but that is not the same stress load ( in direction or location) as needed for evasive maneuvers. Those long ranges are also for the smooth civil version, adding lumps and bumps like turrets, defensive gun positions and lookout stations is going to affect speed and range.

I said 6,000 - 9,000 km to show the military vs civilian range. I wouldn't consider the Do 26 as a bomber aircraft: it was not designed with this in mind. I would keep it as a pure reconnaissance aircraft. I am a bit puzzled by the catapult comment. Without catapult it would require a longer take off and a longer time to reach speed/altitude but surely it wont cut the range by all that much. Or am I to believe that the Do 26 was unable to take off at full load? That would be hard to believe.

But if you want one that can bomb? I have one for you: the Blohm Voss BV 222C: range of 6,000 km and powered by Jumo 207 diesel engines. The BV 222 could also be used to supply the U-boats with mail ... and fresh vegetables/fruit Also, a sub refuelled BV 222 could be used to bomb target along the American East Coast. Nuisance attacks only but effective in tying up American air defence forces.

Also the BV 138 had excellent flight endurance.

As a side note, I absolutely adore the Me 261 (especially the 1943 version with DB 610's) as I could see it as the perfect courier aircraft between Norway and Sakhalin.
Kris

since the heading of the thread has no date whatsoever I am including the proven Ju 290A variants with incredible range and stealthness with FAGr 5 in 2 staffeln it should of replaced the Kondor much earlier in the war.

The Wiking was plagued by engine fires, though

Too late?

Me 261 was flying 2 years earlier and had longer range.

Less weapons load, but we are talking reconnaissance.

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The scenario for the thread is by 1941, and the Me264 was being developed as a long range reconnaissance aircraft (project P.1061) in the 1930's. With the 6 BMW 801 radials, it had a range of 9,500 miles (15,000 km)...

Civettone said:

I said 6,000 - 9,000 km to show the military vs civilian range. I wouldn't consider the Do 26 as a bomber aircraft: it was not designed with this in mind. I would keep it as a pure reconnaissance aircraft. I am a bit puzzled by the catapult comment. Without catapult it would require a longer take off and a longer time to reach speed/altitude but surely it wont cut the range by all that much. Or am I to believe that the Do 26 was unable to take off at full load? That would be hard to believe.

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The first 3 used 660hp engines and needed the catapult launch to to take-off at full weight. the later ones had 880hp engines and may have ahd had better take-off but according to WiKi: "V5 was lost on 16 November 1940, killing its crew, after being launched at night from the catapult ship Friesenland[9] in Brest, France."

Long range flights in the mid to late 30s often resorted to strange schemes. See this for a British version.

Short Mayo Composite - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Civettone said:

Also the BV 138 had excellent flight endurance.

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See this web page?: Technical details

A lot of the MAX ranges given for aircraft are not any where near their practical ranges.

I don't see this thread going anywhere except total speculation right from the go the KM and LW were not in agreeance as to whom should be involved and head of maritime recon or any aviation over the See.

GrauGeist said:

The scenario for the thread is by 1941, and the Me264 was being developed as a long range reconnaissance aircraft (project P.1061) in the 1930's. With the 6 BMW 801 radials, it had a range of 9,500 miles (15,000 km)...

Click to expand...

The Me 264 was schemed as a bomber with 4 DB 603s. When V1 first flew in late 1942 it had 4 Jumo 211s. These were later changed to BMW 801s, but I can't remember if that was for both V1 and V2.

The 6 engined versions were proposed when it became clear that the DB 603, and other similarly powerful engines, would not be available to the program.

Long range naval reconnaissance was role mooted to keep the project alive, it wasn't the primary goal.

I think it was the Me 264v1 as I do not think the Me 264V2 or V3 were done.At one point Messerschmidt wanted to give the Me264 the db604c its hp 4000hp.