Junkers Ju EF 140 (Amerika Bomber)

History of the Junkers Ju EF 140 (American Bomber)

Junkers' last wartime submission to the Luftwaffe during World War II (1939-1945) - Junkers EF- The 140 (or "Project 140") - was actually a further development of the earlier Horten Ho P. 18A flying wing bomber, which was developed as part of the "American Bomber" program. The initiative stemmed from Germany's need to develop a bomber fleet (hence the program's name) capable of crossing the Atlantic and attacking major U.S. cities along the East Coast.

Bombers will need an inherently excellent range to reach these targets and return home after delivering their war effort. High-altitude operations are necessary to increase efficiency and avoid interception by aircraft or ground fire.

As Allied airstrikes wreaked havoc on German war installations and infrastructure, the Germans lost the opportunity to advance their nuclear weapons program and were forced down a more traditional path using more traditional methods. This brought renewed attention to the long-range bomber, which was used to deliver large drop bombs, and various German airlines entered the Luftwaffe's long-range heavy bomber contracts through their hats.

Despite several design competitions to meet the requirements, no company could guarantee that their new bomber would have the required range.

The

Horten brothers (Walter and Reimar) were contacted in late 1944 because of their experience with large tailless "flying wing" aircraft that might fit the bill. Walter Horten responded to a possible application involving the use of no less than six Junkers Jumo 004 turbojets. Known as the "P.

18A", the design was championed by Luftwaffe commander Hermann Goering himself.

To expedite bomber development, the Air Force decided to bring in talent from several companiespreferring a committee-designed approach rather than letting the small Holden team lead the way. The manufacture of the aircraft would fall to the attention of Junkers, a company with extensive experience in the arrangement of large aircraft before and during the war. Other companies involved are representatives of Arado and Messerschmitt.

Due to relentless Allied airstrikes, it was decided to build the prototype in the cave - adding to the atmosphere of secrecy over the whole plan.

The flying wing design outlined will be a fine delta shape with the main aircraft swept back. The crew will be six, all of whom will be housed in the central section of the hybrid fuselage. Fully retractable multi-wheel landing gear facilitates the stationary design. The engine exhaust ports will be built into the straight section of the trailing edge of the wing, while the trailing edge section of the outboard wing will conform to the curvature defined by the leading edge. Given the sheer size of the aircraft's interior, it could have carried a lot of fuel for the upcoming voyage, as well as crew support systems and bomb loads (all bombs must be stored internally).

Defensive armament includes 4 x remote-controlled turrets armed with 30mm MK-108 automatic cannons - primarily for use against interceptors. Two turrets were located forward close to the nose, and the remaining two turrets faced the stern on either side of the rudder structure.

Specification

Base

Year of Service

1945

Origins

Nazi Germany

Status

Cancel

Development ended.

Crew

6

Production

0

Manufacturer

Junkers - Nazi Germany

Operator

Nazi Germany

Roles

Ground attack (bombing, strafing)

The ability to conduct air strikes against ground targets using (but not limited to) artillery, bombs, rockets, rockets, etc.

X-Plane (development, prototype, tech demo)

Aircraft designed for prototyping, technology demonstration, or research/data collection.

Dimensions and Weights

Width/Span

137. 8 ft

(42. 00 m)

POWER & PERFORMANCE

Installed:

6 x Junkers Jumo 004 OR 6 x BMW 003 turbojet engines developing 2,205 lb of thrust each.

Max Speed

559 mph

(900 kph | 486 kts)

Ceiling

52,493 ft

(16,000 m | 10 mi)

Range

6,835 mi

(11,000 km | 20,372 nm)

RANGES (MPH) Subsonic: < 614mph | Transonic: 614-921 | Supersonic: 921-3836 | Hypersonic: 3836-7673 | Hi-Hypersonic: 7673-19180 | Reentry: > 19030

ARMAMENT

PROPOSED STANDARD:2 x 30mm MK 108 cannons in remote-controlled barbettes near nose section. 2 x 30mm MK 108 cannons in remote-controlled barbettes at base of tail unit. OPTIONAL:Up to 8,000 lb of internally-carried conventional drop ordnance.