[point n°4 followed]
What German planners do in 1942 with the wrecks of the Me-210 / Me-110 program is not even that important, providing they do NOT obstinate in the very large scale early plans of production.
The Fw-187 is naturally given a go, even if just as naturally it is a modest introduction in numbers. At this stage a modest, progressive production cannot be a problem, not hampering the Fw-190 in any way, and Daimler-Benz engines have to be available in sufficient numbers (thanks to the Me-210 chaos eventually.)
My guess here would be a quickly engineered 'Fw-187 AO with late marks Db601s' (if that's historically compatible), then soon enough a more reworked version with Db-605, slightly stretched wings especially at wing root to allow for Mg151 installation, 20mil or 15mil pending on availability then.
I would have:
- A standard general purpose single seater with two early Db-605s, four 20mil guns - 2 in fuselage, 2 in wing roots, fair amount of fuel and ammunition, some modern protection. A fuselage (basically unchanged) that's still small, wing aera well harmonized with new weight and power, that should keep the compromise excellent as certainly Kurt Tank's people could. Provision for bomb racks and drop tanks under fuselage and wings. Some clever arrangment in fuselage to slip in a Bf-109 compatible camera in place of smthg else when needed.
This one should be winning a reputation in the fields.
- A long ranged "F for fern" version without the fuselage guns but petrol instead. Perhaps a program for building cheap drop tanks to go along, using non strategical materials.
Long range escorts to VLR possible, long range raids purely on Fw-187 too. New opportunities for the LF, even with little LR Bomber and little fuel for it all. Just a card on the sleeves (using Fw-200 why not.)
Good for reco as well.
Being light when not top-filled with fuel, this version would come in handy for long pursuits against those western reconnaissance intrusions, flying high and fast on changing courses deep into Germany. I'm certain just a few numbers of these, scatered accross north-western Europe and dedicated to long range pursuits with clean surface finish and well timmed engines, would have brought results that no 109 or 190 ever could, or did. A free gift that comes along.
- A variation of the former as a two-seater. Cockpit like the historical ones. Less fuel but perhaps some place found for an 'extra fuel-tank off-balance to be emptied first' somewhere back in the fuselage ?, or leading edge tanks ? to compensate. Anyway a small numbered version, to be flown by experienced 'squadron leaders' only (Staffel fürher?) The idea would have one of them leading three single-seaters along, with the man in the back-seat giving orders, checking navigation, checking the sky or the ground for boggeys, reading battle situations when it unfolded, homing, radioing fellow bombers or ground stations etc. We're talking of long ranged missions, yet of any kind. It could fit in company of standard A versions too, on normal range 'Zestörer' missions why not.
Of course with insight we know that such a two seater would be superfluous, as the 2nd part of WWII witnessed the rule of the single seaters for about everything but strategic bombing. But I think it fitted well the German doctrine of the time, still bent on the 'destroyer' independent concept, marauder of sorts. And not that silly either. One two-seater plus 3 single seaters, a dangerous package certainly... when flying Fw-187s.
- No night-fighter. Too small.
At least not until the much later 'little radar sets for single engined wild boars' (sorry I've swallowed the name) appeared, then yes, as a 1 or 2 seater, it could have given an interesting winter-time wild boar. But that's much later.
- Finally, at the wartime I am considering, there was a big fuss about testing different aircrafts to carry a heavy gun (plus armour?) for anti-tank duties. Mk-101 then Flak 37. We know both the Ju-88 and Me-110 where not dimmed satisfactory for that. Could it be that our 187... No record nor reason to claim that a Fw-187 could handle it well, such a big and heavy new task but sometimes good pupils are really astonishing.
So here we are step #4 the Fw-187 has to be put into some modest production and interesting operational introduction, just because lessons had been drawn, good questions asked and the available 'performance option' given a test run.
And by 1942 that could not be the A0 and its Jumo210 anymore, but some of the designs listed above, more or less. I maintain that Me109, Fw190 would not have suffered from its progressive introduction, while the 210/110 would have had to share something, engines at least.
We dont forget that, whatever, the Fw-187 could only remain secondary to the 109 and 190s even if top performing and proving its worth more and more in combat, because of its price.
Jumo 211 powered should be discarded as performance triggered the decision to give it a go. But for 1942 1st half, into operational squadrons, who knows.
- 5 : War drags on. The modest number of 187 have modest impact on events, but qualitatively it has to be good. Eastern front. Pilots are vocal about it, unanymous, and by the way, they survive... (and One Db-605 mechanical failure don't bring them down.) Other are getting jealous.
Local mission planners and leaders find them most handy, effective too, and after a month they're still there.
What decision to take ? The aircraft is disruptive in a logistical point of view, requires two engines to manufcture and maintain, pilots have to be schooled for multiple engines flight, probably advanced navigation and night flying too if one is to be coherent, just what was being given up at the time... (because of fuel restriction.) Oh yes it does consumme fuel too.
To some RLM wallies, it would have seemed that "there's nothing a Fw-187 does that a Fw-190 can't do", and 'let's forget about this over-engined sports-kite barely able to carry a handbag and concentrate on war-winning tools instead'.
It's just that it could chase Mosquitoes and PR Spitfires, and soon enough F-5s, could and would disrupt soviet supply lines at will with insolent survivability, assasinate Mediterrean Hurricanes and P-40s well into their home bases and treat the appearing American rookie Japanese style.
But appart that, it carried only 4 guns, the 190 had 2 extra mgs, with a load of bomb probably not'overstretched' yet. No way to put it into a night fighter either, the Me-110 is still needed (or eventually the Ju-88 alone, another debate.) Its industrial gearing, modest, would have been easely kileable still.
- 6 : Then comes the Mighty Eigth. And its fellow 9th too. We know that the Luftwaffe in 1942-3 already went into some wild considerations to deal with the thing. Air to air bombs, guns pods, field rockets, heavy guns, various missiles or why not armoured gliders towed into the place or even a rocket interceptor. Later on ther would be 'company front assault' in over-amoured Focke-Wulfs, exploding ill manufactured aircraft into the stream, or manned missiles, collision 'victories'...
There is no reason to think the The Fw-187, in production, would'nt have been given a glance to contribute.
The Mk-103 powerfull 30mil guns was appearing at that time too, at least in the planning stages.
Fighter escorts of the flying fortresses was still not expected above central germany, but everywhere alese it WAS already there. In Mediterreanea, and in shorter range bombing missions over occupied West Europe too.
The Fw-187 could have brought an airplane that, given the right compromise of weight, cleaneness, power and room for 'payload', could :
- meet fighter escort on an equal basis, when and where they couldn't avoid them
- survive the intense defensive fire from the American boxs at least to a decent range, a little time presence, not more
- hammer a viermot bomber fast with decisive results. Good punch, right weapons, good aiming.
- have the range to escape soon enough, manoeuvre the escort and if not too damaged come round again, with similar odds of survivability and efficiency or else go back home safely.
To achieve this :
- Get the latest Db-605s, 1943-brand for this one,
- increase just what it takes of wing aera for warfare at high altitude,
- do add armour for pilot (on sides too), and other carefully chosen parts (ammo). One cannot put too much yet just enough to deflect the first Browning bullets 'at mid range' (whatever that means?), letting the pilot concentrate on singling-out his target and tuning his aim, with little damage at this point to do it again. Then of course if he presses on his charge some damage cannot be avoided. Just the right amount of protection from all quarters.
- make room in the fuselage for one single Mk-103, protruding under belly, and retain wing root 20mils and given them all ample munitions.
- pressurizing the cockpit for comfort why not ? after all a new canopy had to be designed, and cockpit structure reviewed to allow for some integrated armour.
That's it. Then it's all a matter of finding the good compromise for these elements. But it could have been found.
American pressure sure would have helped.
A variation of the above for the night Wild Boar missions, especially at winter times (when single engined did suffer and in fact disappear), with that small radar set that got installed llater even on Fw-190s, and perhaps a second crew member depending on other factors. Not too good news for the Bomber Command either.
And then, here we have, a Fw-187 soldiering on until the very end.
Just another threat that the allies would have had to deal with, as well written in a previous post.
With the final result absolutely unchanged.