Messerschmitt Me 264 - ultra-long range reconnaissance and bomber

In March 1941, RLM issued to Messerschmitt an official order to develop a four-engine super-long-range aircraft that could carry out raids into the United States with a load of about 2 and a range of about 15000 km to spread over American cities, for example, propaganda leaflets. RLM, then under the direction of Ernst Udet, ordered three prototypes and 30 production aircraft.

The United States of America has not officially entered the war yet, but as a “neutral state”, Great Britain was greatly assisted by supplying it with various weapons (for example, the British were given about 50 warships), and besides, they very often violated the rules of warfare sea. The official declaration of the war of Germany followed in December 1941, when the position of active neutrality of Americans more and more often remained so only on paper.

Messerschmitt Me 264 VI, equipped with Junker Jumo 109-211 motors

X-ray of Messerschmitt Me 264 in flight

However, before the implementation of the order is not reached. After the death of Udet, RLM's interest in the project noticeably cooled. Work continued, but there was no question of urgency categories and additional staff. And even the positive calculated flight characteristics, which provided the vehicle with a long-range reconnaissance mission or a long-range bomber (as suggested by Messerschmitt), could not raise interest in the project from the RLM. Messerschmitt Me 264 VI still made its first flight in December 1942. With relatively weak engines, he showed good flight data. Further test flights confirmed the high calculated flight characteristics and gave impetus to the further development of the Me 264.

Variants of the aircraft with six piston engines and additional jet engines, samples with four powerful BMW 109-018 TRDs or two BMW 109-02S turboprop engines were envisaged as further modifications to the project.

Color image of Messerschmitt Me 264 with four turbofan engines

However, even with the basic Me 264 variant and the plan envisaged for equipping the machine with more powerful Jumo 109-213 engines, things progressed extremely slowly. In May, 1944 of the year Me 264 VI was completely destroyed by incendiary bombs. Me 264 V2 also suffered from air raids, and the corresponding repair was never carried out because of the constantly deteriorating martial law of Germany.

Tactical and technical characteristics of the Me 264 VI
Wingspan Length Height
Wing area Wing extension Take-off weight Speed ​​Range Engines
43,00 M
20,90 m
4,30 m
127,70 m2
14,5

Armament Shooting point A Shooting point B1 Shooting point B2 Shooting point C Shooting point D
1MG131 1 MG 131 1 MG 151
1MG 151
2MG 151

STROKES TO BIOGRAPHY OF CAPTAIN Karl Baur

1913 - Karl Baur was born on November 13 in Laichingen (Württemberg).
1930 - After school and exams, Karl Baur makes his first glider flight. Together with his friend Wolf Hirt, he belonged to the pioneers of this sport.
1936 - Engineer Experimental Research Institute of Aerodynamics in Göttingen.
1940 - Design Engineer and Test Pilot at Messerschmitt AG in Augsburg. Karl Baur is actively involved in the development of the Me 223 “Giant” wide-body transport aircraft.
1942 - Head of the flight test service of the company Messerschmitt. Test flights on the Me 261 long-range scout and Me 264 long-range bomber (“bomber for America”). There was no such machine Messerschmitt, which would not fly this pilot.
1945 - After the end of the war, Karl Baur goes to the USA, where, as the lead engineer of the VIS, the Vogue Aircraft Company is responsible for the testing of deck bombers. 1963 - Karl Baur died in the USA at the age of 50.

Captain Carl Baur (1913-1963) next to Messerschmitt Me 264 - “bomber for America”. There was no such machine Messerschmitt, which would not fly this pilot.

Comments

[tomket]

it looks like a B-29 with a glazing, and so, well, they would have built a couple of dozen and also in 44 they would be thrown at our tank columns in the afternoon without cover, like XE-177, there they would all have disappeared, although not before in Stalingrad as transport workers would be knocked out.

[Civil]

sorry engineer ubuzhil in the United States, we would also be useful!

[Axel]

Quote: Civil

sorry engineer ubuzhil in the United States, we would also be useful!

You must have your own engineers, not shoot!

[Zerstorer]

Yes, we had like engineers from Junkers. And by the way, they did not complain about life.

[Mik rybalko]

Yes, attack the tank column protected by air defense and fighter jets, do not kill civilians at night

[Thunderbolt]

a four-engine ultra-long-range aircraft that could carry out raids on the territory of the United States with a cargo of about 2 tons and a range of about 15000 km to scatter over American cities, for example, propaganda leaflets. Indeed, why else do you need such a plane?

[does it]

for example, in order to deliver a nuclear bomb to the United States with its subsequent discharge

[Thunderbolt]

Yes, nuclear weapons will be more substantial than informational

[Alex]

for example, in order to deliver a nuclear bomb to the United States with its subsequent discharge

And where to get it, this nuclear bomb? In the future, hit the road and hang from someone?

[Mik rybalko]

What is famous for heavy bombers ?? B-29 plane civilian storm barbaric bombing of Japanese cities with incendiary bombs, savage essentially bombed the outskirts to destroy as many civilians as possible, not to mention the act of barbaric atomic strikes against a defeated enemy!
And in Europe, the B-17 and Lancaster also mainly engaged in this. Rare raids on German factories and the railway network do not count, as did the actions of the 617th Air Force squadron.

[Chicot 1]

The bomber is quite interesting. For its time, it was a good enough car ... And it’s good that the Germans didn’t have enough strength to put it into series. Since, in this case, I do not presume to judge if he would fly overseas with leaflets or not, but he would work for objects on the territory of the Soviet Union for sure ...