it was not smart

[Njaco]

or the designers who want to be first.

 

[evangilder]

If one looks at the many poor decisions made by Herr Hitler, this would really be a minor one.

 

[SoD Stitch]

Nearly as good (or bad - depending on your point of view!) as the early Napier Sabres and R-R Vultures! And I don't recall the R-3350 have the best of reputations for longevity in their early days either.

This is true; in real life, there is little point in designing an engine that will run longer than 10-12 hours, when it is more likely to get shot-down before that. And, as you pointed out, the R-3350 was originally designed as a "replacement" (read: upgrade) for the R-2800, but it never really acheived that.

 

[Thorlifter]

If one looks at the many poor decisions made by Herr Hitler, this would really be a minor one.

Well said, Eric.

 

[plan_D]

I believe Hitler's request for bomb-racks did not stall the Me 262 development as much as everyone likes to believe. The main stall was the engines which ran into development troubles and then production troubles, both of which held the Me 262 deployment up a lot more than Herr Hitler's bizarre request.

 

[wm3456]

The Me262 loaeded with bombs would have been a great idea. And if you based them three miles from the front, with a full bomb load they just might have had enough fuel to return to base as long as they didn't have to fly anything but straight and level.

 

[Thorlifter]

If they were three miles from the front, they wouldn't last 10 minutes. They would be harassed on the ground, taking off, in the air, landing, and all over again. If you have a "special" or "secret" weapon, you don't put in right on the front.

At the point where the 262 came into existance, the Luftwaffe had bigger problems to deal with than having their most advanced air weapon equipped to hold a whopping 2 bombs. Now, if you dedicate 262's, 190's, 109's, and eventually Dora's, to repelling and defence, then the allies are going to have a whale of a time getting through that. It doesn't take too many hits for a 30mm cannon to do incredible damage to a bomber. Have the 109's and 190's keep the escorts busy and let the 262's kick the bombers in the butt.

 

[Njaco]

Hitler had an unhealthy fascination with bombing...the Blitz Bomber, the Ural Bomber, the Amerika Bomber. He never did grasp some fundamentals of war along with his obsessive dislike of his generals. Aerial artillery is fine but not at the expense of everything else.

fly boy, did you get some of the answers you wanted?

 

[Matt308]

Nice try 3456, but war is a bit more sophisticated. 3 miles? Mortars could hit that airfield!

 

[SoD Stitch]

Nice try 3456, but war is a bit more sophisticated. 3 miles? Mortars could hit that airfield!

Plus, hanging a couple of bombs on the -262 pretty much negated it's advantages; it's take-off run, which was already long enough (and slow enough!) to begin with, was increased by 25%, and it's top speed was decreased by 50mph, which made it much easier prey for Allied fighers.

If you wanna hang bombs on something that's got jet engines, do it with an Ar 234, that's what it was designed for (and it wasn't much slower than a -262). The Me 262 was designed, from the outset, as a bomber destroyer, pure simple, not a fighter/bomber.

 

[Velius]

If you wanna hang bombs on something that's got jet engines, do it with an Ar 234, that's what it was designed for (and it wasn't much slower than a -262). The Me 262 was designed, from the outset, as a bomber destroyer, pure simple, not a fighter/bomber.

I wonder why he was trying to make the 262 a bomber then?

 

[fly boy]

If memory serves (which it probably doesn't ) the 50mm cannon was shown to be so prone to jamming that it was basically worthless. Plus the strain it put on the airframe was incredible. Or am I thinking of another big cannon they mounted to an airframe.

Heck, I can't remember. Someone help!!!!!!

dude the 50mm cannon never relly worked the flash was so big and it would only hold like 20 rounds in it so they went with 20mm or 30mms

 

[Thorlifter]

Dude?????

 

[fly boy]

don't ask

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Then dont say it!

 

[Njaco]

.

 

[Thorlifter]

.

 

[Aussie1001]

stop taking the piss out of him guys.

 

[wm3456]

Nice try 3456, but war is a bit more sophisticated. 3 miles? Mortars could hit that airfield!

I'm sorry, the word I was looking for was sarcasm with my post.

 

[kool kitty89]

On a serious note, Hitler's insistance on the use of the Me 262 as a fighter-bomber, while not having a major effecton on development, did have a significant effect on the number of Me 262's to see use as interceptors. (even though the first Schwalbe deliveries did precede the first Sturmvogel ones)