Arado E.555

Arado E.555
	; Arado E.555-1 model picture
Type:	bomber
Design country:	German Empire
Manufacturer:	Arado
First flight:	-
Commissioning:	-
Production time:	-
Number of pieces:	-

The Arado E.555 was the concept for a long-range bomber from Arado Flugzeugwerke , which was to be developed as part of the America bomber project of the Reich Ministry of Aviation (RLM).

history

In response to the drafts requested by the RLM Technical Office , the Arado Aircraft Works in Landeshut / Silesia used draft E.555, which had already been started in December 1943. This development was made under the direction of Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Lute performed. A meeting was held on April 20, 1944, at which the final requirements for a high-speed long-range bomber were determined. With a range of 5,000 km, a bomb load of 4,000 kg should be carried. In the summer of 1944, various concepts were drawn up. These concepts were mostly designed as jet-powered flying wings. In mid-1944, an order was placed to prepare a design study. Here Arado proposed a two-seat bomber with up to eight jet engines in fourteen different versions. In addition to flying wing designs, several conventional designs with a central fuselage have also been proposed.

On December 22, 1944, the Reich Aviation Ministry ordered the project to be discontinued. No information is available on a prototype and there are some discrepancies in the sources for the version number.

Versions

E.555-1

The E.555-1 was to be designed as a flying wing in delta form and in all-metal construction with a pressure-ventilated cockpit. The span should be 21.2 m. The planned wing area should be 125 m². Six or eight engines of the type BMW 003 were intended as propulsion , which were to be mounted on the top and bring the machine to a speed of up to 860 km / h. The range should be 4,800 km. The maximum take-off weight was 24,000 kg. Three men were provided for the crew. The main landing gear , designed as a tandem landing gear with four wheels on each side, should be pulled inwards during the flight. The nose landing gear attached under the cockpit should have two wheels and be retracted to the rear.

E.555-2

The 555-2 was also designed as a flying wing. The drive was to consist of four Heinkel HeS 011 engines .

E.555-3 and -4

These two designs were also flying wing concepts that were to be equipped with two or three BMW 018 engines. The -3 should have a length of 18.7 m and a wingspan of 21.2 m. The wing area was intended to be 125 m². The maximum speed should be around 915 km / h. The take-off weight should be 25,200 kg, 10,000 kg of which is fuel. Two men were planned for the crew.

E.555-6

The concept envisaged a flying wing in V-shape with a wingspan of 28.4 m and a length of 12.35 m. The wing area should be 160 m². Three BMW 018 engines were intended to drive the aircraft up to a speed of 920 km / h. One engine should be placed above and two engines below the wings. With additional tanks, the range should be 7500 km. The crew should be three men.

E.555-7

The concept for the -7 also envisaged a V-shaped flying wing. The length should be 8.8 m and the span should be 25.2 m. The wing area should be 160 m². The propulsion was to be provided by three BMW 018 engines, with two engines above and one below the wing to bring the machine to a speed of 950 km / h. The weight should be 41,300 kg, of which 15,700 kg for fuel. A crew of three were also planned here.

E.555-8 and -9

The -8 and -9 were to be equipped with three BMW-018 engines each, with two engines above and one below the wing. Both designs were designed as flying wings and had two tail booms. At -8 these were connected.

E.555-10

The design provided for a flying wing with two tail booms. The length should be 19.2 m and 23.66 m. The wing area should be 140 m². It was to be powered by three BMW 018 engines and to reach a speed of 920 km / h. The engines should be placed above the wing. The weight should be 47,845 kg. Three men were planned for the crew.

E.555-11 (14)

The design used the classic layout of fuselage, wings and tail unit. The propulsion should take place with three engines of the type BMW 018 or four engines of the type Jumo 012, which were to be arranged above the wings. The speed should be 1,020 km / h. The range should be 7,000 to 8,000 km and the weight 47,000 kg with a bomb load of 6,000 kg. Two men were planned for the crew.

literature

Jörg Armin Kranzhoff: The Arado aircraft - from biplane to jet aircraft. Bernard & Graefe Verlag, Bonn 2001, ISBN 3-7637-6122-5 .

Web links

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o Heinz J. Nowarra: The German air armor 1933-1945 . Bernard & Graefe Verlag, Koblenz 1993, ISBN 3-7637-5464-4 .
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h luft46.com
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Dieter Herwig, Heinz Rode: Strategic Bomber 1935-1945. Secret Projects of the Air Force Volume II . Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 1998, ISBN 3-613-01788-1 .

[Nowarra-1] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o Heinz J. Nowarra: The German air armor 1933-1945 . Bernard & Graefe Verlag, Koblenz 1993, ISBN 3-7637-5464-4 .

[luft-2] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h luft46.com

[HerwigRode-3] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Dieter Herwig, Heinz Rode: Strategic Bomber 1935-1945. Secret Projects of the Air Force Volume II . Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 1998, ISBN 3-613-01788-1 .