Junkers' last hope

The first prototype of the Ju 288 V1 in the assembly shop of the Junkers plant in Dessau.

In July 1939, the Technisches Amt des Reichsluftministeriums initiated a new development program for the Bomber B bomber. This aircraft was to eventually replace the Luftwaffe's basic medium bombers and fill the gap between the Junkers Ju 88 and much heavier aircraft. Bombers Heinkel He 177. Bomber Category A aircraft were supposed to represent a new generation of multi-purpose machines, combining the properties of medium and high-speed bombers.

Until now, the Luftwaffe has been divided into three categories: Schnelle Bomber (fast bombers) - for example, Ju 88, Mittlere Bomber (medium bombers) - for example, He 111 and Schwere Bomber (heavy bombers) - for example, He 177. Just bomber B should have combine and replace the first two categories. The new structure had to meet extremely high requirements. A twin-engine aircraft with a pressurized cabin and three crew members was to be equipped with remotely controlled positions for deck weapons, power plants were under development for Daimler-Benz DB 604 or Junkers Jumo 222 engines, which were supposed to provide a maximum speed of 670 km / h and a power reserve of 600 km / h at an altitude of 7000 m with a load of 2000 kg of bombs, which the aircraft could carry at a distance of 1800 km.

Second Ju 288 V2 prototype after forced landing on 22 June 1942

From the very beginning of the competition for the RLM B bomber contract, Junkers had many advantages in store. Back in 1937, the company's designers were working on a high-altitude bomber, the design of which was designated EF 73. The aircraft was also to be equipped with Jumo 222 or Jumo 223 engines. Heinrich Hertel. The new project was given the designation Ju 288, and its first prototype was to be ready in October 1940, and mass production was to begin in early 1942. However, the main creator of the aircraft, head of the design bureau Ernst Zindel, was less optimistic about the process development of Jumo 222. Work on the new engine was carried out for a long time and it was impossible to set a real date for its completion. Accordingly, the first four prototypes of the new aircraft were to be equipped with BMW 801 G engines with a maximum takeoff power of 1730 hp. instead of Jumo 222 with a maximum power of 2000 hp. each.

The model aircraft was inspected by representatives of the Technisches Amt at the end of November 1939 and received a positive conclusion along with a decision to continue work. A complete wooden mock-up of the fuselage was presented to RLM envoys in May 1940, culminating in the signing of a contract for the supply of three prototypes. To save time and speed up testing, the prototypes Ju 88 V2, D-AREN and Ju 88 V5, D-ATYU were equipped with the forward fuselage of the Ju 288 for testing purposes. At the controls of such modernized aircraft, Junkers test pilots flew: Flugkapitänen Holzbauer, Joop and Peuschen . Their results were satisfactory. In this case, two different models of aerodynamic brakes were tested.

Ju 288 prototypes

At the end of January 1941, the first prototype of the Junkers Ju 288 V1, D-AACS, was built, equipped with BMW 801 G radial engines with a maximum takeoff power of 1730 hp. each with variable pitch VDM screws. The vehicle was equipped with a three-seater pressurized cabin, no defensive armament was installed, only B- and C-Stand models of firing positions were placed in the hull. The aircraft had a wingspan of 18,37 m, a length of 16,45 m, and a height of 4,70 m.

The first flight of the prototype took place in the last days of January 1941. Already preliminary tests have shown that, due to too weak engines, it has no chance of meeting the high expectations of the RLM. After several weeks of testing in March 1941, the aircraft burned down.

Junkers Ju 288 V2, W.Nr. 2880002, D-ABWP first flew in March 1941. Also, this aircraft was equipped with BMW 801 G radial engines, had models of shooting positions and a pressurized cabin for three crew members. Additional equipment was dive-flight aerodynamic brakes mounted on the upper and lower landing flaps. Compared with the first prototype, the aircraft received longer wings with a span of 20,20 m. During the tests, the Ju 288 V2 received a military Stammkennzeichen - BG + GR. During testing in January and July 1942, the landing gear was broken. However, it is not clear if the car was repaired after the second accident and returned to testing.

Third prototype, Ju 288 V3, W.Nr. 2880003, D-ACTF, later BG+GS, took off on 18 April 1941. The aircraft was basically identical to the second prototype, but received new wings with an increased span of 22,00 m. In the meantime, factory tests continued until June 1941. , in April the plane went to Erprobungsstelle Rechlin, where the landing gear was damaged during one of the landings. After returning to the Junkers factory, he received a reinforced chassis, but this decision was not entirely satisfactory, so the Ju 88 V16 prototype, D-ACAR, was equipped with various types of chassis for testing purposes, of which the best solution for the Ju 288. Armament tests were carried out at Erprobungsstelle Tarnewitz , including a Hecklafette FA 15 tail trailer. The aircraft also carried mock-ups of B-, C2- and H-Stand firing positions. Shortly after the XNUMXth flight, the aircraft was damaged during a forced landing.

Fourth prototype, Ju 288 V4, W.Nr. 2880004, D-ADVR, later BG+GT flew 17 May 1941. The aircraft, like the earlier prototypes, was powered by BMW 801 engines but did not have pneumatic dive brakes. Its dimensions were identical to those of the second prototype. During one of the first test flights, the left engine caught fire while landing at Dessau Airport. The fire quickly spread to the fuselage, which, after a landing run, led to the separation of the forward fuselage from the rest of the airframe. The crew got out of the accident unscathed, and the repair of the aircraft lasted until November 1941.

Fifth prototype, Ju 288 V5, W.Nr. 2880005, BG+GU completed in June 1941, first flew on 8 October. It was the first prototype with in-line Junkers Jumo 222 A/B engines with a maximum takeoff power of 2000 km each, with four-bladed BC-7 propellers equipped with tunnel caps, which significantly improved the aircraft's flight characteristics. performance. Defensive armament, as on previous prototypes, was not installed; instead, dummies of B- and C-Stand were installed on the vehicle for firing. The crew of three was sitting in a pressurized cabin. The dimensions of the car were identical to the Ju 288 V1: span - 18,37 m, length - 16,45 m, height - 4,70 m.

Sixth prototype, Ju 288 V6, W.Nr. 2880006, D-AFDN, later replaced by BG+GV, fitted with Jumo 222 A/B engines. Due to the requirements of PE for the ability to carry a large payload, the aircraft received new wings with a span of 22,60 m and a lift area of ​​64,70 m². The ailerons have also been changed. For the first time, small arms were installed in the form of one coaxial 131-mm machine gun MG 13 Z, and models of B- and C-Stand shooting positions were additionally installed. The first flight, the sixth prototype, was made on January 18, 1942, but was soon lost as a result of an emergency landing as a result of an engine fire.

Another, seventh prototype, Ju 288 V7, W.Nr. 2880007, BG+GW equipped with two BMW 801 C radial engines with a maximum takeoff power of 1600 hp. each and VDM variable pitch propellers. In place of the shooting positions B- and C-Stand and the tail position, their mock-up was built. The rear fuselage was shaped as expected for the planned Ju 288 B. Aircraft dimensions: wingspan 22,60 m, length 18,10 m, height 5,00 m. Dive tests up to 1942 km/h. Also on this aircraft during the test, an engine caught fire.