Part of the German problem in the mid to late World War II period (1939-1945) was the shipping lanes used to supply Allied forces to Europe from the United States and elsewhere. As such, these routes became battlegrounds for German aircraft, warships, and U-boat attacks to derail or halt future shipments of much-needed war materiel.
Along with this consideration, German aircraft engineers (such as Alexander Lipisch) proposed several novel approaches to develop bomb delivery systems for use against surface ships. The Lippe "glider bomber" -- or "GB" -- was one of the solutions that was promoted, but nothing came of it until the proposal was closed.
The
GB was designed to provide a low-cost solution for the Luftwaffe - the aircraft had no internal engines, had a useful cockpit, and relied on basic aerodynamics and controls to get the job done. At its core is a bomb glider designed to attach to a "mother ship" in order to travel to its target. Aircraft such as Junkers Ju 88/Ju 188 or similar bombers will take on the carrier role.
When approaching the target area, the GB will be released, from where the pilot controls high-speed dive maneuvers and bombs. Its return range was reliant on the inherent properties of the glider, as no official method of salvage was planned at the time - which would certainly limit the GB's range and tactical value if it were to be used in warfare.
GB's design is fairly simple, but also unique. The pilot pushes forward in the fuselage compartment that makes up the cockpit. The rear end of the pod was fitted with a rod extending aft, leading to the stern control surface. These surfaces include four planes arranged in a cross and provide basic flight controls.
Attached to the fuselage compartment is the main swept-wing aircraft, which adds other necessary flight controls. Since the aircraft is supposed to slide back into friendly territory on its own power, the fuselage can be kept very compact and no landing gear installed (landing may have been by belly taxiing in an open field).
A massive bomb weighing 1,000kg will be dropped under the GB's hull.
Theoretically, GB attackers should be released at an altitude of around 8000 meters in front of the target area. Diving from this altitude allows the GB to reach speeds in excess of 800 mph, provided the airframe can withstand the pressures involved.
The crash would occur about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from the target, and once the war load had left the dive bomber, balloons behind the cockpit would slowly inflate and open, delaying the GB's high-speed fall somewhat.
Although this Lippisch design was never fully pursued, it is considered one of the most unique of all German fighter proposals. Its practical effect in large-scale warfare is left to the imagination, but clearly many hurdles (technical and operational) need to be overcome before the GB design can be considered feasible.
In any case, it shows that as the Berlin war draws to a close, despair is brewing among the Germans. His years of continued success on the battlefield (and beyond) are clearly over, and it's clear that a design like the GB has some chances to make things better in Germany.
- Ground Attack
- Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW)
- X-Plane / Development
28.48 ft (8.68 m)
13.48 ft (4.11 m)
1.85m
2,500 kg
3,500 kg
808 mph (1,300 km/h; 702 knots)
26,247 ft (8,000 m; 4.97 mi)
1 x 2,200 lb (1,000 kg) conventionally dropped bomb placed under the abdomen.
Glider Bomber - Base item name