Do-335 mystery door under fuselage

[Wirbelwind]

I was looking at pictures of the Do-335 at the Udvar-Hazy Center and noticed that there appears to be some kind of a "door" on the belly just between the rear engine's air intake and the wing roots. I've highlighted this hatch with a red square in the attached photo.

Does anyone know what this door is? Is it a bomb bay?

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Looks like the bomb bay doors. The Do 335 had an internal bomb bay, and could carry up to 2,200 lb of bombs (including the underwing pylons).

 

[Wirbelwind]

Ah, makes sense. I didn't know that the A-0 could carry bombs.

 

[nsmekanik]

Also a spare fuel tank

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Yeap

 

[BiffF15]

I was looking at pictures of the Do-335 at the Udvar-Hazy Center and noticed that there appears to be some kind of a "door" on the belly just between the rear engine's air intake and the wing roots. I've highlighted this hatch with a red square in the attached photo.

Does anyone know what this door is? Is it a bomb bay?

Great shot by the way, lots of interesting planes in the background!

Cheers,
Biff

 

[Wirbelwind]

Great shot by the way, lots of interesting planes in the background!

Cheers,
Biff

Thanks! The photo is from the NASM archive.

Source: Dornier Do 335 Pfeil (Arrow), US Captured. [photograph]

From the description: "Various US Navy aircraft (including Douglas JD-1 aircraft) in background, together with US captured Japanese Imperial Navy Kawanishi H8K Emily (Navy Type 2 Flying Boat)"

 

[GrauGeist]

Great shot by the way, lots of interesting planes in the background!

Cheers,
Biff

Most likely at Wright airfield, as most of the captured Axis aircraft ended up there or at Freeman Field.

 

[Graeme]

And cameras...

 

[Benjdragon]

I was looking at pictures of the Do-335 at the Udvar-Hazy Center and noticed that there appears to be some kind of a "door" on the belly just between the rear engine's air intake and the wing roots. I've highlighted this hatch with a red square in the attached photo.

Does anyone know what this door is? Is it a bomb bay?

It is a bomb bay, but it was mostly used for an extra fuel tank.