Ramjet powered interceptor

[gjs238]

Did the Germans ever attempt to field a ramjet or pulsejet powered interceptor, or supplement an interceptor with ramjets or pulsejets?

 

[Thorlifter]

I believe they did from the little searching I did. I also found this pic.

Also, the book Luftwaffe Aviation History mentions the Me-262 and the Skoda-Kauba SK P. 14-01 being tested with ramjet engines.

But I do look forward to learning from those that know more about it than I do.

Also found a few more pics....

 

[mike siggins]

do you know what plane that was

 

[Thorlifter]

Do-17 and Do-217

 

[johnbr]

The Skoda Kauba P.14 was said to be almost done when is was ordered destroyed.
RAMJET FIGHTER
ine. It was perhaps- fitting that Kauba's last project should be his most spectacular-the SK P14 ramjet-driven interceptor.
The SK P14 fighter was designed around a 31 ft 2 in (9,5 m) ramjet developed by Eugen Saenger and intended to operate on diesel oil or powdered coal! Saenger had been working on ramjets for a number of years and in 1944, with some RLM support, Kauba began to evince interest in the possible application of this revolutionary power plant as the prime mover of a fighter. The sheer size of the ramjet rendered its installation in a small fighter difficult, and Kauba elected to build the power plant as an integral part of the aircraft, housing the pilot, armament and all fuel in a superstructure built above the ramjet. The pilot lay prone above the narrow neck of the ramjet, a single 30-mm MK 103 cannon being mounted above the pilot with a single large fuel tank of 297 Imp gal (1 3501) capacity immediately aft and conforming
in shape to the contour of the diffuser portion of the power plant. The intake was carried forward slightly beyond the nose, and the diffuser gradually tapered to the parallel-sided combustion chamber which possessed a diameter of 4 ft 1 I in (1,5 m), conventional wings spanning 25 ft I lin. (7,9 m) and having an area of 134 sq ft (12,5 m') were fitted, and the diminutive tail surfaces were also conventional. For take-off it was intended that a three-wheel bogie would be used, this being jettisoned as soon as the SK P14 was airborne and the landing being effected on an extensible skid.
It was estimated that the Sänger ramjet would provide 9,680 Ib thrust (4 390 kgp) at sea level at 630 mph (1010 km/h) and 2,970 Ib thrust (l 350 kgp) at 33,000 ft (10 060 m) at- 545 mph (880 km/h), loaded weight being 6,270-6,820 Ib (2 845-3 090 kg). Estimated performance included the ability to reach a service ceiling of 59,880 ft (18 250 m), initial climb rate being 26,500 ft/min (134,6 m/sec) and altitudes of 19,685 ft (6000m) and 32,810 ft (10 000 m) being attained in 1.7 and 6.3 min respectively. Maximum endurance was expected to range from 28 min at 230 mph (370 km/h) at sea level to 43 min at 355 mph (570 km/h) at 32,810 ft (10000 m).
Unfortunately, the ramjet enjoyed little popularity at the RLM as a potential power plant for manned aircraft, and with the demise of the research programme late in 1944 also came the demise of Kauba's ambitious fighter, and during the final months of the war, the Skoda-Kauba facilities were occupied in adapting a number of Fw 190 fighters and Horten Vill flying wings to take the Skoda-Kauba-Banweise tubular spar. Shortly before the termination of hostilities, Otto Kauba fled Prague. On April 30, 1945 at the offices in No 13 Na Florenci Street, all documentation and project drawings were carefully burned and three years after its appearance, the Skoda-Kauba Flugzeugbau nameplate was finally removed.

 

[tyrodtom]

The Skoda Kauba P.14 was said to be almost done when is was ordered destroyed.
RAMJET FIGHTER
ine. It was perhaps- fitting that Kauba's last project should be his most spectacular-the SK P14 ramjet-driven interceptor.
The SK P14 fighter was designed around a 31 ft 2 in (9,5 m) ramjet developed by Eugen Saenger and intended to operate on diesel oil or powdered coal! Saenger had been working on ramjets for a number of years and in 1944, with some RLM support, Kauba began to evince interest in the possible application of this revolutionary power plant as the prime mover of a fighter. The sheer size of the ramjet rendered its installation in a small fighter difficult, and Kauba elected to build the power plant as an integral part of the aircraft, housing the pilot, armament and all fuel in a superstructure built above the ramjet. The pilot lay prone above the narrow neck of the ramjet, a single 30-mm MK 103 cannon being mounted above the pilot with a single large fuel tank of 297 Imp gal (1 3501) capacity immediately aft and conforming
in shape to the contour of the diffuser portion of the power plant. The intake was carried forward slightly beyond the nose, and the diffuser gradually tapered to the parallel-sided combustion chamber which possessed a diameter of 4 ft 1 I in (1,5 m), conventional wings spanning 25 ft I lin. (7,9 m) and having an area of 134 sq ft (12,5 m') were fitted, and the diminutive tail surfaces were also conventional. For take-off it was intended that a three-wheel bogie would be used, this being jettisoned as soon as the SK P14 was airborne and the landing being effected on an extensible skid.
It was estimated that the Sänger ramjet would provide 9,680 Ib thrust (4 390 kgp) at sea level at 630 mph (1010 km/h) and 2,970 Ib thrust (l 350 kgp) at 33,000 ft (10 060 m) at- 545 mph (880 km/h), loaded weight being 6,270-6,820 Ib (2 845-3 090 kg). Estimated performance included the ability to reach a service ceiling of 59,880 ft (18 250 m), initial climb rate being 26,500 ft/min (134,6 m/sec) and altitudes of 19,685 ft (6000m) and 32,810 ft (10 000 m) being attained in 1.7 and 6.3 min respectively. Maximum endurance was expected to range from 28 min at 230 mph (370 km/h) at sea level to 43 min at 355 mph (570 km/h) at 32,810 ft (10000 m).
Unfortunately, the ramjet enjoyed little popularity at the RLM as a potential power plant for manned aircraft, and with the demise of the research programme late in 1944 also came the demise of Kauba's ambitious fighter, and during the final months of the war, the Skoda-Kauba facilities were occupied in adapting a number of Fw 190 fighters and Horten Vill flying wings to take the Skoda-Kauba-Banweise tubular spar. Shortly before the termination of hostilities, Otto Kauba fled Prague. On April 30, 1945 at the offices in No 13 Na Florenci Street, all documentation and project drawings were carefully burned and three years after its appearance, the Skoda-Kauba Flugzeugbau nameplate was finally removed.

How did they get the aircraft up to speed for the ramjet to operate?

 

[johnbr]

CIOS report XXVI-6 "Focke-Wulf Designing Offices and General Management Bad Eilsen", contained several blueprints of the Focke-Wulf Triebflugel and its engines. The Triebflugel was a vertical-takeoff, ramjet-powered, helicopter-plane hybrid, bomber interceptor developed by Focke-Wulf. ramjet
From the Archives: Focke-Wulf Triebflugel Blueprints