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| Henschel Projekt P.87 | |
|---|---|
| Role | Bomber |
| Manufacturer | Henschel |
| Status | Unbuilt |
| Number built | 0 |
The Henschel Projekt P.87 was a proposed single-engine Schnellbomber design put forth by German aircraft manufacturer Henschel for the Luftwaffe during WWII. It was to utilize the then seldom-used canard arrangement, swept wings, and two vertical fins mounted on the wingtips.[1]
Design
[edit]In general design, the P.87 was a single-engine, tail-first monoplane design. The unusual arrangement allowed for the crew to all be placed in the nose of the aircraft, ahead of the powerplant & propeller, which would have been quite novel for a propeller-driven aircraft of the time.[2] The P.87 was to be powered by a single rear-mounted Daimler Benz DB 610 engine (the same type used on the Heinkel He 177 heavy bomber) in pusher configuration, driving a contra-rotating propeller.[1] It featured an unconventional tail-first canard layout, with the tailplane being located towards the nose of the aircraft and the primary wings being at the rear of the fuselage, along with the vertical fins at said wings' tips. The mainplanes featured 30° sweep on the leading edge, with a swept trailing edge as well. The landing gear was hydraulically retracted and of tricycle configuration. Offensive armament would have most likely consisted of multiple 30mm MK 108 autocannon in the nose, with bombs either being carried directly underneath the fuselage and/or wings, or in an internal bomb bay.[2]
Cancellation
[edit]The P.87 was theoretically a sound design, but a combination of a lack of experience among German pilots in flying pusher-configuration aircraft, and the unconventional and relatively untested layout lead to the whole project being dropped to focus on higher priorities.[2] No mock-up or prototype was ever constructed, with only paper design work ever being done and no RLM number having been designated
Surviving aircraft
[edit]
- BuNo 139208 (NASA 708) still in NASA markings was part of Merle Maine's private collection in Ontario, Oregon until 2014.[3][4][5] The aircraft currently resides at Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon.[6]
- BuNo 142350 (NASA 802) is a part of the Ohio History Connection permanent collection. The aircraft sits on static display outside of the Neil Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta, Ohio. Neil Armstrong flew the aircraft during the Dyna-Soar research program.[7] This aircraft has returned to static display outside of the museum after undergoing an 8-month restoration in 2017 and 2018. The cockpit is now a display inside of the museum.[8]
Specifications (F5D)
[edit]Specifications
[edit]General characteristics
- Crew: 3-4
- Length: 12.15 m (39 ft 10.7 in)
- Wingspan: 14 m (45 ft 11.25 in)
- Wing area: 31.7 m² (341.216 sq ft)
- Height: 2.8 m (9.19 ft)
- Empty weight: 7,000 kg (15,432 lbs)
- Max takeoff weight: 9,000 kg (19,842 lbs)
- Powerplant: 1 × Daimler Benz DB 610 24-cylinder liquid-cooled inverted Vee piston engine, producing 2,218 kW (2,975 hp)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 750 km/h (466 mph) at 7,000m (22,965 ft)
- Range: 800 km (497 miles)
- Service ceiling: 10,000 m (32,808 ft)
- Rate of climb: 671 m/min (2,200 ft/min)
Armament
- Guns: Likely 2 or 4 × 30mm (1.181 in) MK 108 cannon in the nose, 650 rounds/minute each
- Bombs: Unknown, would be carried externally and/or internally
See also
[edit]Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
- Curtiss-Wright XP-55 Ascender
- Kyushu J7W Shinden
- Dornier Do 335
- Dornier Do 17
- Junkers Ju 88
- De Havilland Mosquito
Related development
Related lists
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Henschel Hs P.87 Luft '46 entry". www.luft46.com. Retrieved 2021-03-15.
- ^ a b c d "Henschel Hs P.87 (Schnellbomber)". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
- ^ "F5D-1 Skylancer". Dryden Flight Research Center. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
- ^ Pizza, Katie (September 11, 2008). "Air Faire fun". Argus Observer. Ontario, OR. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
- ^ "Merle Maine's Warbirds". Ontario Air Faire. 2010. Archived from the original on July 27, 2011. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
- ^ Conner, Monroe (2015-11-02). "Where Are They Now: F5D-1 Skylancer #708". NASA. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-06-12. Retrieved 2015-06-12.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Armstrong's Skylancer returns to Wapakoneta". Lima News. Public Notices Ohio. 24 May 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
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