Dornier Do.335

Dornier Do.335
Paese	Germania nazista
Ruolo	Cacciabombardardo
Primo volo	Il 26 ottobre 1943
Costruito	37

Le Dornier Do 335 Pfeil ("Arrow") era un caccia pesante della seconda guerra mondiale costruito dalla compagnia Dornier. La versione da addestramento a due posti era anche chiamata Ameisenbär ("formichiere"). Le prestazioni del Pfeil erano molto migliori di altri progetti bimotore grazie al suo esclusivo layout "push-pull" e alla resistenza aerodinamica molto più bassa dell'allineamento in linea dei due motori. Fu l'aereo a pistoni più veloce della Seconda Guerra Mondiale. La Luftwaffe era disperata di far entrare il progetto in uso operativo, ma i ritardi nelle consegne dei motori significarono che solo una manciata fu consegnata prima della fine della guerra.

fonte: Dornier Do.335 su Wikipedia

Dornier Do.335 A-0 Pfeil Passeggia
Fotografo	Cees Hendriks
Localizzazione	Inconsapevole
Foto	67

Dornier Do.335 01

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Dornier Do 335 A B-2 Pfeil
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Dornier Do 335

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A Radical Approach to Speed

Le Dornier Do 335 Pfeil was a revolutionary heavy fighter that defied conventional twin-engine design. By placing the engines in a “push-pull” tandem arrangement—one in the nose and one in the tail—Dornier eliminated the aerodynamic drag associated with wing-mounted nacelles and solved the deadly “asymmetric thrust” issues that plagued traditional twin-engine planes if one engine failed. The result was a massive, incredibly fast aircraft that could outrun almost anything in the sky.

Attribute	Technical Specification (Do 335 A-1)
Ruolo	Heavy Fighter / Fighter-Bomber
Equipaggio	1 (A-series) or 2 (M-series night fighter)
First Flight	October 26, 1943
Motopropulsore	2 × Daimler-Benz DB 603E inverted V-12s
Horsepower	1,800 hp (1,342 kW) per engine
Velocità massima	474 mph (763 km/h)
Service Ceiling	37,400 feet (11,400 m)
Armamento	1 × 30mm MK 103 cannon (engine-mounted); 2 × 20mm MG 151/20 cannons

The “Push-Pull” Innovation

Tandem Engine Layout: The front engine drove a standard tractor propeller, while the rear engine drove a pusher propeller via a long extension shaft. This kept the frontal area small, giving the Do 335 the drag profile of a single-engine fighter despite having double the power.
The Cruciform Tail: To protect the rear propeller during takeoff and landing, the Do 335 featured a unique four-finned “cross” tail. The lower vertical fin acted as a bumper to prevent the propeller from striking the runway if the pilot over-rotated.
Emergency Separation: Because of the rear propeller, a traditional bailout was impossible. The Do 335 featured an ejection seat; before the pilot was launched, explosive bolts would blow off the rear propeller and the top vertical fin to ensure a clear escape path.
Reversible Pitch Propellers: The rear propeller could be adjusted to provide reverse thrust, significantly shortening the landing run for such a heavy and fast aircraft.

Combat Capability & Late Arrival

The “Anteater” (Ameisenbär): The two-seat night fighter version (Do 335 A-6) featured a second, raised cockpit for the radar operator, giving the aircraft a humped appearance that led to its ungraceful nickname.
Heavy Firepower: The 30mm MK 103 cannon fired through the front propeller hub (Motorkanone), providing enough destructive power to down a heavy bomber with just a few hits.
The “Ghost” Interceptions: While the Do 335 never saw major air-to-air combat, several Allied pilots reported seeing a massive, incredibly fast German plane that simply pulled away from them with ease. Famous French ace Pierre Clostermann once attempted to intercept one in a Hawker Tempest, but the “Arrow” outran him before he could get in range.
Preservation: Only one complete Do 335 survives today. Captured by the Americans, it was returned to Germany for restoration in the 1970s before being placed on permanent display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia, USA.