The four 20mm cannons in front balance it out. Little known German 'vengeance' weapon the Focke-Wulf 169 Luftpanzerblitzvagon was only used on the Russian front and thus unknown to Western Allies. Wings would be fitted on the plate underneath. A happy finding was the same plate acted as elevation making the Fw 169 a ground fighting weapon against troops and light vehicles. Everyone preferred it this way, for reasons. Usually towed if not flown as the Russian dirt road system and its high speed made the Fw 169 inadvertently airborne within 100 meters to universal detriment. Decidedly frisky flying after ammo expended and fuel used made landings risky due to tail heaviness although the propeller was stopped in a horizontal position a few feet above the ground to prevent a 'ground anchor' effect. If too much front braking was applied then the engine could break loose and would roll over the occupants. Also required longer runway as takeoff had to be almost level to keep propeller off ground. The Soviets captured some and reverse engineered for their own use following the war's end but substitution of iron and steel for aluminum killed the airworthiness and the road system prevented groundworthiness. The Soviets never revealed the Fw 169 to the other Allies.
Due to the perceived shortcomings of the early Luftpanzerblitzvagon, a Crash Program was initiated in late 1943. Among the alternate powerplants investigated was the rocket motor which had been in development since 1941 as part of the Me 163 project. This "Donderpfluegenwagen" had a short but spectacular life but was scrapped as the vehicles had a very short range and frequently exploded without warning. By late 1944 the Luftwaffe was desperately seeking advanced platforms to achieve superiority in the air. One of these was the sleek and elegant Me 262 "Schwalbe." Wayne Krulka, a small polish immigrant, suggested using a single Jumo 004 on some of the few remaining Dpf 163A testbeds. Mounting the large jet engine posed a problem which was solved by attaching it to a roof rack secured by clamps at the rain gutters. (This proved unsatisfactory.) But what killed the project was limited fuel capacity, approximately 8 US gallons.
Ultimately the platform was resurrected. Given an air cooled 4-cylinder pushrod motor by Dr Porsche it went on to be produced by the millions, a world phenomenon. Fukengruven!
Entirely correct.German engineers are fanatics that know in their hearts and marrow that any engineering project can be brought to a successful conclusion. SUCCESS IS CERTAIN! The only ways I know of to stop a German engineering project is to either transfer the engineers to another project with the explanation the current team is stymied (ego appeal) or else shoot them.
Anecdotal reports* suggest the Kriegsmarine considered this platform for use as a two-man minisub. (This submittal forwarded by the aforementioned Wayne Krulka.) Admiral Donitz thought the concept had some merit and approved the production of prototypes. The project was abandoned when it was found that due to the buoyancy provided by the seals of the cockpit, the vehicles were unable to submerge.
By this time, the OKW found they had no further use for Mr. Krulka. In the nick of time, he was extracted by "Wild Bill" Donovan's agents. His subsequent history is a matter of speculation. Some say he was a consultant on various projects of Dr. von Braun. We may never know the full story.
*Related documents, plans etc. were apparently "liberated" by Russian operators shortly after the fall of Berlin, about the time they acquired Hitler's brain.
I hope the pic is reversed, because that’s a puller prop & it’ll be damn hard to go forward. Not a lot of tip clearance either…watch them speed bumps. Radials siund wonderful, but they suck to work on.
That would sure cut down on the tailgating in traffic.
ReplyDeleteThe noise alone would deter tailgating... :)
DeleteI'm just surprised the damned thing doesn't tip over with all the weight hanging off the back end!
ReplyDeleteThe four 20mm cannons in front balance it out. Little known German 'vengeance' weapon the Focke-Wulf 169 Luftpanzerblitzvagon was only used on the Russian front and thus unknown to Western Allies. Wings would be fitted on the plate underneath. A happy finding was the same plate acted as elevation making the Fw 169 a ground fighting weapon against troops and light vehicles. Everyone preferred it this way, for reasons. Usually towed if not flown as the Russian dirt road system and its high speed made the Fw 169 inadvertently airborne within 100 meters to universal detriment. Decidedly frisky flying after ammo expended and fuel used made landings risky due to tail heaviness although the propeller was stopped in a horizontal position a few feet above the ground to prevent a 'ground anchor' effect. If too much front braking was applied then the engine could break loose and would roll over the occupants. Also required longer runway as takeoff had to be almost level to keep propeller off ground.
DeleteThe Soviets captured some and reverse engineered for their own use following the war's end but substitution of iron and steel for aluminum killed the airworthiness and the road system prevented groundworthiness. The Soviets never revealed the Fw 169 to the other Allies.
The story continues:
DeleteDue to the perceived shortcomings of the early Luftpanzerblitzvagon, a Crash Program was initiated in late 1943.
Among the alternate powerplants investigated was the rocket motor which had been in development since 1941 as part of the Me 163 project. This "Donderpfluegenwagen" had a short but spectacular life but was scrapped as the vehicles had a very short range and frequently exploded without warning.
By late 1944 the Luftwaffe was desperately seeking advanced platforms to achieve superiority in the air. One of these was the sleek and elegant Me 262 "Schwalbe."
Wayne Krulka, a small polish immigrant, suggested using a single Jumo 004 on some of the few remaining Dpf 163A testbeds. Mounting the large jet engine posed a problem which was solved by attaching it to a roof rack secured by clamps at the rain gutters. (This proved unsatisfactory.)
But what killed the project was limited fuel capacity, approximately 8 US gallons.
Ultimately the platform was resurrected. Given an air cooled 4-cylinder pushrod motor by Dr Porsche it went on to be produced by the millions, a world phenomenon.
Fukengruven!
Related content:
https://youtu.be/9280ALzFwcY
https://youtu.be/JCkOiKWrkWc?t=806
Thanks. I knew there was more as the body looked so familiar. Fukengruvent for sure!
DeleteEntirely correct.German engineers are fanatics that know in their hearts and marrow that any engineering project can be brought to a successful conclusion. SUCCESS IS CERTAIN! The only ways I know of to stop a German engineering project is to either transfer the engineers to another project with the explanation the current team is stymied (ego appeal) or else shoot them.
DeleteAnecdotal reports* suggest the Kriegsmarine considered this platform for use as a two-man minisub. (This submittal forwarded by the aforementioned Wayne Krulka.)
DeleteAdmiral Donitz thought the concept had some merit and approved the production of prototypes.
The project was abandoned when it was found that due to the buoyancy provided by the seals of the cockpit, the vehicles were unable to submerge.
By this time, the OKW found they had no further use for Mr. Krulka. In the nick of time, he was extracted by "Wild Bill" Donovan's agents.
His subsequent history is a matter of speculation. Some say he was a consultant on various projects of Dr. von Braun.
We may never know the full story.
*Related documents, plans etc. were apparently "liberated" by Russian operators shortly after the fall of Berlin, about the time they acquired Hitler's brain.
Brilliant! And I don't mean Mr. Kulka.
DeleteI hope the pic is reversed, because that’s a puller prop & it’ll be damn hard to go forward. Not a lot of tip clearance either…watch them speed bumps. Radials siund wonderful, but they suck to work on.
ReplyDeleteDepends on which way the prop spins P2...
DeleteWhile radials are cool, you ain't gonna beat the simplicity and power of a gas-hog turbine! Go ahead- axe me how I know!🤗
ReplyDeleteReversing the pic won't change rotation of the prop.
ReplyDelete