Dornier Do 635 (Zwilling) / (He 635 / Ju 635)

History of Dornier Do 635 (Gemini)/(He 635/Ju 635)

Several German WWII aircraft manufacturers were convinced of the merits of connecting two aircraft through a common central wing section. The most famous attempt was Heinkel's production of the He 111Z "Zwilling" ("twin") with their He 111 medium bomber, and the idea of ??the post-war North American F-82 "Twin Mustang" found greater success in the United States.

In Served in the Korean War. The existence of the Dornier Do 635 is another brief attempt by German engineers to create a new "super plane" from existing designs.

The Do 635 was proposed in 1944 and the idea was simple on paper - combine two examples of the promising Do 335 heavy fighter with a common central wing section, while retaining the high performance fighter all other original aspects. The Do 335 is a unique design of a large World War II fighter with two engines mounted side by side in a streamlined cylindrical fuselage. One engine was mounted on the nose in a traditional "pull-rod" arrangement, and the other was mounted aft of the fuselage in a "push-rod" arrangement (behind the pilot's position).

This power combination made the Do 335 the fastest German propeller-driven aircraft of the war, but delays in procuring the necessary engines meant fewer than 40 prototypes were delivered before the end of the conflict in Europe in May 1945.

In the Do 335 "twin" design, designated Do 635, the aircraft will retain service with all four engines in their respective locations around the fuselage. Each engine produces 1,777 horsepower for a total output of 7,108 horsepower. Two crew members are natural as each fuselage is designed to accommodate one under its respective frame canopy. The combined hull span was 90 feet, but the overall length (45.4 feet) and height (16.4 feet) were about the same as the original heavy fighter.

Gross weight is estimated at 72,532 pounds, and performance specs include a top speed of 447 mph and a range of up to 4,722 miles.

The unique layout of the aircraft provides a wide operating range, as power output and fuel storage are shared between the two airframes. This plays nicely with the intended role of a long-range reconnaissance platform, with 2 Rb 50 series cameras to be mounted on the port hull on board.

In addition, five target-marking bombs will be carried to mark targets of opportunity. Due to the weight of the aircraft, 2 x Walter rocket units are recommended for Rocket Assisted Takeoff (RATO). Landing will be routine as each airframe will retain its respective tricycle landing gear.

The Do 635 initiative had no progress beyond the wind tunnel model, as it was cancelled in February 1945 amid the deteriorating situation in Germany. The value of this large aircraft is unclear, as the Germans were engaged in a largely defensive war at this time and fighter/interceptor/night fighters were the main force at the time.

Specification

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Performance

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