R4M Racks

What kind of effect did these have on the performance of the 262 and Dora. They look to my nearsighted eyes like they're a pretty low drag and weight fit, but I thought someone here might have have actual info.

Hi Silence, I just saw this while I was browsing the forums for something different. From my reference books, the slim wooden racks caused minimal airflow disturbance over the slim profile of the Me 262 wings. There appears to be no effect on overall speed or performance that was actually measurable, although with todays technology I'm sure some boffin could find something Compared to the other hardware carried, drop tanks etc, it would have been far less obtrusive. The ones fitted to the FW190 appeared to have had little effect as well. If you consider the devastating effect these rockets had on bombers, their bang for buck was pretty efficient. Even without a direct hit, they dispersed the bombers out of formation and finished the job with the 30mm cannons. If you like, I can look up my books and give you some references.

"Boffin", heh - sounds like one of he dwarves from "The Hobbit".

References are always welcome; thank you for offering.

silence said:

"Boffin", heh - sounds like one of he dwarves from "The Hobbit".

References are always welcome; thank you for offering.

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Hi Silence, "Boffin" is Australian slang for some- one really smart, like a scientist or research engineer. They are the ones that can figure out an Apollo moon shot on a slide rule, and all that brainy stuff. Never read "The Hobbit"; maybe there is one in there some where! One source for R4M's is in Vol. 2 and 3 of Creek and Smiths ' "Me 262", the 4-volume series on the plane. About as comprehensive as you can get on the 262, it primarily states the effectiveness of the R4M from the pilots perspective, as well as detailed drawings and description in Vol 2 in the weapons section. In Dieter Harmanns book on the Ta 152 ( which I only just read), it is mentioned that they were fitted to at least 3 Ta 152's, and a small number of D-9's, but there was no direct evidence of them being actually used in combat, only tested. In Hugh Morgans "German Jet aces", there is a small excerpt showing a standard fitment of 12 R4Ms' on their rails under the wing of a 262, with the caption stating that they had "little detrimental effect" on the airflow of the wings. It is a little ironic that these weapons were fitted to "crude wooden rails", considering that everything else on the 262 and Ta 152 was deemed so advanced for the time. Desperate times more likely. The Germans had an enormous amount of advanced missile systems in the pipeline, but time, and the rest of the world, were against them.

Desperate times make a cheap, easy build ideal.

Thanks for the references, sir!