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Arado Ar E.560

1945 SECRET WEAPONS OF THE LUFTWAFFE WORLD WAR 2 X-PLANE

History

The Arado E. 560 series of developing high-speed jet bombers made significant progress on paper. The platform's design focuses on the final days of World War II and demonstrates the extent to which the Germans planned to use relatively newly discovered turbojet engine technology to deliver munitions at Allied targets with unquestioned speed and innovative designs. Fortunately for the Allies, many of these systems were put on hold as Germany played defensive games toward the end of the war.

The E. 560 is such an idea, conceived in the last weeks of WWII - any information that survives the machine is a bonus.

From an external point of view, it is easy to see the internal resemblance to the E.560 design, which has essentially the same appearance as the more famous Arado jet product - the Ar 234 "Blitz" - a single-seat twin - The engine scout/bomber was actually produced at the end of the war. The E. 560 incorporates a similar glass cockpit in the forward fuselage and incorporates a two-seat arrangement in a pressurized cockpit (for working at heights). The engines are located under each wing and vary depending on the development model (more on this later in this article). The wings were swept back, which in itself was a revolutionary step towards modern jet fighters. The tricycle landing gear also played an important role in the design.

The Arado Ar E. 560 series was designed and classified as a medium-range high-speed tactical bomber capable of carrying a large internal bomb load. Other unique design features include communications equipment and an automatic heading correction system.

The Arado E. 560/2 series will be equipped with two BMW 803 series twin radial piston engines, each producing approximately 4,000 hp. Each engine will drive two counter-rotating blades for a top speed of over 500 mph. The first model was designed with a T-tail and a basic two-person cockpit. The Arado E. 560/4 was a close second, although this time the design featured four BMW 003E turbojets, each producing 2,646 pounds of thrust - two engines per wing.

The rear wing has been redesigned with a more traditional rear wing, but almost everything else is basically the same as the E. 560/2.

The next famous 560 model became the E. 560/7 with 2 BMW 028 turboprops producing 6,200 hp each - one engine per wing. It was followed by the truly ambitious E. 560/8 with an impressive 6 BMW 003-series turbojets, each delivering 1,984 pounds of thrust.

The two engines would be located on the inside near the root of the wing, with separate engine mounts remaining on the outside. Also of note is a raised bomb bay. The last famous design model became the E. 560/11.

The aircraft is equipped with 4 BMW 018 turbojets with 5,071 pounds of thrust each, the aforementioned two-person cockpit, a single vertical stabilizer and swept wings. Each wing contains two engines.

This particular model also focuses more on defensive armament, including two front-firing fixed MG 151/20mm cannons, two rear-firing fixed MG 151/20 cannons, and a periscope-fired remote-controlled MG 151 20mm cannon (similar to to the rear weapon of the Arado Ar 234 mentioned in the article above). At the time of this design, the bomb load was an impressive 8,818 pounds of internal ammunition.

It is difficult to determine how the Arado E. 560 performs in both forms. The Ar 234's relatively successful foray into turbojet propulsion, with only modest success in its final months of service, leads one to believe that the potential of the Ar E. 560 may actually be given more time in mind project can be realized.

Regardless, a machine like this potentially war-changing high-speed bomber could play a major role in disrupting the progress of the Allied cause. In any case, throughout the war - more precisely - in the final months of the Great Conflict, the E. 560 would be phased out like many of the "what if" products proposed by Germany.

If these machines could keep up with the Allied products available at the time, then air combat would surely take on a whole new look.

Specification

Basic

Year:

1945

Status:

Cancel

Staff:

Production

[0 units]:

Arado Flugzeugwerke - Germany

Roles

- Ground Attack

- X-Plane / Development

Dimensions

Length:

62.66 ft (19.1 m)

Width:

59.06 ft (18 m)

Weight

MTOW:

18,800 kg

(difference: +41.447lb)

Performance

2 x BMW 803 twin radials, 4,000 hp each (some versions plan to use turbojets).

Performance

Maximum Speed:

553 mph (890 km/h; 481 knots)

Maximum range:

1,553 miles (2,500 km; 1,350 nautical miles)

Armor

E.560/2:

Up to 5,120 lbs of internal ammo.

E.560/4:

Up to 6,614 lbs of internal ammo.

E.560/7:

Up to 8,818 lbs of internal ammo.

E.560/8:

Up to 6,614 lbs of internal ammo.

E.560/11:

2 x MG 151 20mm guns in fixed nose position

2 x MG 151 20mm guns in fixed rear position

1 x MG 151 20mm gun in remote rear position (periscope).

Up to 8,818 lbs of internal ammo.

Changes

E. 560/2 - Counter-rotating propellers; 2 x BMW 803 twin radial engines in two nacelles.

E. 560/4 - 4 x BMW 003E series turbojets (2,646 lb thrust each); 2 x MK 103 30mm guns in fixed nose position; 2 x fixed firing rear guns; 1 x RC tail gun ; Maximum internal ammunition capacity of 6,614 lbs.

E. 560/7 - 2 x BMW 028 turboprops (6,200 hp each); 8,818 lb internal ammunition capacity.

E. 560/8 - 6 x BMW 003 turbojets (1,984 lb thrust each); 6,614 lb internal ammunition capacity.

E. 560/11 - swept wings; 4 x BMW 018 turbojets (5,071 lb thrust each); 8,818 lb internal ammo capacity; 2 x MG 151 20mm guns with fixed nose and 200 rounds; 2 x MG 151 20mm gun, located in the rear of the hull, can fire 200 rounds; 1 x MG 151 20mm gun in the remote stern turret position (periscope control).