The Ju-287 Junkers and its derivatives II. Tests of Junkers 287 |
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With the results of blower obtained, the stage of the flight tests could be undertaken. Ju-287-V1 was thus built to test the configuration of wing of the EF-122. To obtain faster results, the Ju-287 prototype was built with components of several existing types of plane. The fuselage is that of Heinkel He 177A-3, the tail was taken on Junkers Ju-188 G-2, whereas the landing gear came from an American bomber B-24 Liberator captured above Germany. Only the wing entirely new and was signed Junkers. This wing carried only two turbojets Jumo 004. But the enormous experimental apparatus required more power to take off and accepted one second pair of engines assembled on the sides of the fuselage, forwards. The installed capacity working being still too weak for takeoff, an auxiliary engine-rocket was placed in " pod " under each turbojet under aerofoil. These engine-rockets were released after takeoff. When the prototype Ju-287 V1 was ready, it was transported to Leipzig-Held up, because the tracks of Dessau were too short for takeoff. August 16, 1944, Siegfried Holzbaur carries out the first flight of Ju-287 V1 in Leipzig. The flight tests will be satisfactory and validate the concept of the wing with opposite arrow. Parachutes were used to reduce speed to the landing. A total of six Ju-287 of preproductions had been projected:
While the second prototype was in construction, the RLM decides to stop the work of development of Ju-287. But, in March 1945, the program is started again by the RLM and a request for series production of 100 apparatus is emitted. The series production of these plane was to be carried out by Allgemeine Transportanlagen GmbH in Leipzig. The standard appliance was to be equipped with Jumo 012. |
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Sources: I Soviet X-Plane of Y. Gordon & B Gunston. II Secret Lufwaffe Projects of D. Herwig & H. Rode. III Luft' 46. |
The Ju-287 Junkers and its derivatives |