Dornier P 256
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The Dornier P 256 was a turbojet nightfighter proposed by Dornier
for the Luftwaffe
toward the end of the Second World War. It was never built.
Developed from Dornier's unusual centerline thrust fighter project, the Do 335
, the P 256 was to meet a Luftwaffe requirement issued 27 February 1945. It was designed to carry a crew of three (pilot, radar operator, and navigator), with pilot and radar operator together under the canopy, while the navigator was in the fuselage, an idea copied from Arado
. Departing from centerline thrust, it was to have two Heinkel
HeS 011 engines of 1,300 kPs (2,865 lb-fc) each, podded under the wings in the fashion of the Me 262
. The low-mounted wing was unswept, and had an aspect ratio
of 5.8:1.
Designed armament was four 30 mm (1.2 in) MK 108
cannon in the nose; a field conversion kit was to retrofit two MK 108s in a Schräge Musik
configuration. A fighter-bomber variant would have carried two 500 kg (1,102.3 lb) bombs.
Its loaded weight would have included 3750 kg (8,267.3 lb) of fuel, giving a wing loading of 276 kg/m2 (56.5 lb/ft2). Maximum speed was achieved at 8000 m (26,246.7 ft), maximum range at 6000 m (19,685 ft). Endurance with 4000 kg (8,818.5 lb) fuel was calculated as 2.6 hours.
Its electronic suite would have included FuG 24SE with ZVG 24, FuG 29, FuG 25a or c, and FuG 244 Bremen with Gnome weapon triggers.
Criticized for having poor cross-sectional area and unduly large tail surfaces, it was not adopted.
The Dornier P 256 was a turbojet nightfighter proposed by Dornier
Dornier Flugzeugwerke
Dornier Flugzeugwerke was a German aircraft manufacturer founded in Friedrichshafen in 1914 by Claudius Dornier. Over the course of its long lifespan, the company produced many notable designs for both the civil and military markets.-History:...
for the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
toward the end of the Second World War. It was never built.
Developed from Dornier's unusual centerline thrust fighter project, the Do 335
Dornier Do 335
The Dornier Do 335 Pfeil was a World War II heavy fighter built by the Dornier company. The two-seater trainer version was also called Ameisenbär . The Pfeils performance was much better than other twin-engine designs due to its unique "push-pull" layout and the much lower drag of the in-line...
, the P 256 was to meet a Luftwaffe requirement issued 27 February 1945. It was designed to carry a crew of three (pilot, radar operator, and navigator), with pilot and radar operator together under the canopy, while the navigator was in the fuselage, an idea copied from Arado
Arado Flugzeugwerke
Arado Flugzeugwerke was a German aircraft manufacturer, originally established as the Warnemünde factory of the Flugzeugbau Friedrichshafen firm, that produced military hydroplanes during the First World War.-History:...
. Departing from centerline thrust, it was to have two Heinkel
Heinkel
Heinkel Flugzeugwerke was a German aircraft manufacturing company founded by and named after Ernst Heinkel. It is noted for producing bomber aircraft for the Luftwaffe in World War II and for important contributions to high-speed flight.-History:...
HeS 011 engines of 1,300 kPs (2,865 lb-fc) each, podded under the wings in the fashion of the Me 262
Messerschmitt Me 262
The Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe was the world's first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft. Design work started before World War II began, but engine problems prevented the aircraft from attaining operational status with the Luftwaffe until mid-1944...
. The low-mounted wing was unswept, and had an aspect ratio
Aspect ratio
The aspect ratio of a shape is the ratio of its longer dimension to its shorter dimension. It may be applied to two characteristic dimensions of a three-dimensional shape, such as the ratio of the longest and shortest axis, or for symmetrical objects that are described by just two measurements,...
of 5.8:1.
Designed armament was four 30 mm (1.2 in) MK 108
MK 108 cannon
The MK 108 was a 30 mm caliber autocannon manufactured in Germany during World War II by Rheinmetall-Borsig for use in aircraft.-Development:...
cannon in the nose; a field conversion kit was to retrofit two MK 108s in a Schräge Musik
Schräge Musik
Schräge Musik, derived from the German colloquialism for "Jazz Music" was the name given to installations of upward-firing autocannon mounted in night fighters by the Luftwaffe and Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service during World War II, with the first victories for each occurring in May 1943...
configuration. A fighter-bomber variant would have carried two 500 kg (1,102.3 lb) bombs.
Its loaded weight would have included 3750 kg (8,267.3 lb) of fuel, giving a wing loading of 276 kg/m2 (56.5 lb/ft2). Maximum speed was achieved at 8000 m (26,246.7 ft), maximum range at 6000 m (19,685 ft). Endurance with 4000 kg (8,818.5 lb) fuel was calculated as 2.6 hours.
Its electronic suite would have included FuG 24SE with ZVG 24, FuG 29, FuG 25a or c, and FuG 244 Bremen with Gnome weapon triggers.
Criticized for having poor cross-sectional area and unduly large tail surfaces, it was not adopted.
Specifications (projected, per Dornier tender)
Source
- Schick, Walter, and Meyer, Ingolf. Luftwaffe Secret Projects: Fighters, 1939-45, p.123. Leicester: Midland Publishing, 1997 (Eng. tr. ed.).
Related developments
- Dornier Do 635Dornier Do 635|-See also:-External links:*...
- Dornier Do 335Dornier Do 335The Dornier Do 335 Pfeil was a World War II heavy fighter built by the Dornier company. The two-seater trainer version was also called Ameisenbär . The Pfeils performance was much better than other twin-engine designs due to its unique "push-pull" layout and the much lower drag of the in-line...