Here's a pair of interesting Push-Pull aircraft that would have been great to see fly in person, perferably NOT by extending the war though...
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This was going to be Germany's "Twin-Mustang", made from combining 2 DO-335's....Four V-12s, Four props, and lots of GO-GO-GOOOOO......and JUNKERS was going to make it too! Weird how things happen, or DON'T happen in this case.
(The twin horizontal stabilizers and airframes joined only at the main wing remind me a lot of Burt Rutan's White Knight aircraft...)
..................... Junkers JU635 ....................
Did I say "JUNKERS"? Oh yaz.
Read on...
That would make for one lightning-fast machine, but where is it?
"It" isn't. The airframe was never built...
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The second flyer is another push-pull configuration, this time an interesting design from France. At least this one was built in prototype form, twice.
......... Moynet JUPITER ...........Is that a baby B-25 or an oversize Ercoupe? .........
Here's photos of a Jupiter prototype undergoing restoration, clearly showing the engine layout...
Defiant...eat yer heart out.
.
This was going to be Germany's "Twin-Mustang", made from combining 2 DO-335's....Four V-12s, Four props, and lots of GO-GO-GOOOOO......and JUNKERS was going to make it too! Weird how things happen, or DON'T happen in this case.
(The twin horizontal stabilizers and airframes joined only at the main wing remind me a lot of Burt Rutan's White Knight aircraft...)
..................... Junkers JU635 ....................
Did I say "JUNKERS"? Oh yaz.
Read on...
In mid-1944, Junkers inherited the Dornier 335Z long-range reconnaissance (Z for Zwilling, or twin) program from Heinkel, who were brought in to assist Dornier because they lacked the experience in building such aircraft.
After meeting with engineers from Dornier and Heinkel, Professor Heinrich Hertel decided that it would be late 1945 before the first prototype of the Do 335Z would be ready. He then referred back to Project 1075.01-21/W 00304, which would involve a lot less redesign and modification, and gave the date of Febuary 1945 for the first prototype to be ready.
After a few more modifications (new main wheels, lengthened fuselages and an increased center wing both in chord and length), the RLM authorized the use of the 635 number, thus becoming the Ju 635. A purchase order for four prototypes and six pre-production aircraft was received.
The Ju 635 used two modified Do 335 fuselages, joined by a center wing section of constant chord. The outer wing panels were tapered back, and two 1200 liter drop tanks could be carried beneath the wings to increase range.
Four Daimler Benz 603E-1 engines supplied the power, one in each forward fuselage pulling and two in each rear fuselage driving a pusher propeller via a long drive shaft. Fuel was to be carried in ten internal wing tanks, four in the fuselages and possibly one in each fuselage bay. The port fuselage bay carried the two Rb 50/30 cameras (or one camera and one 250 liter (66 gallon) tank for GM 1 power boost) and the starboard bay contained five 60 kg (132 lbs) marker bombs.
A crew of three was envisioned, although this could be stretched to four eventually. The pilot and radio operator sat in the port fuselage and a second pilot sat in the starboard fuselage. The fourth crew member (navigator) was to also sit in the starboard fuselage.
The landing gear was to consist of two nose wheels (one under each fuselage nose), two main wheels which were fitted with mud guards to protect the rear radiator intakes, and a jettisonable fifth wheel located beneath the center wing, which was fitted with a parachute for recovery. The main wheels were modified from the Ju 352 B-1 transport's wheels.
After meeting with engineers from Dornier and Heinkel, Professor Heinrich Hertel decided that it would be late 1945 before the first prototype of the Do 335Z would be ready. He then referred back to Project 1075.01-21/W 00304, which would involve a lot less redesign and modification, and gave the date of Febuary 1945 for the first prototype to be ready.
After a few more modifications (new main wheels, lengthened fuselages and an increased center wing both in chord and length), the RLM authorized the use of the 635 number, thus becoming the Ju 635. A purchase order for four prototypes and six pre-production aircraft was received.
The Ju 635 used two modified Do 335 fuselages, joined by a center wing section of constant chord. The outer wing panels were tapered back, and two 1200 liter drop tanks could be carried beneath the wings to increase range.
Four Daimler Benz 603E-1 engines supplied the power, one in each forward fuselage pulling and two in each rear fuselage driving a pusher propeller via a long drive shaft. Fuel was to be carried in ten internal wing tanks, four in the fuselages and possibly one in each fuselage bay. The port fuselage bay carried the two Rb 50/30 cameras (or one camera and one 250 liter (66 gallon) tank for GM 1 power boost) and the starboard bay contained five 60 kg (132 lbs) marker bombs.
A crew of three was envisioned, although this could be stretched to four eventually. The pilot and radio operator sat in the port fuselage and a second pilot sat in the starboard fuselage. The fourth crew member (navigator) was to also sit in the starboard fuselage.
The landing gear was to consist of two nose wheels (one under each fuselage nose), two main wheels which were fitted with mud guards to protect the rear radiator intakes, and a jettisonable fifth wheel located beneath the center wing, which was fitted with a parachute for recovery. The main wheels were modified from the Ju 352 B-1 transport's wheels.
That would make for one lightning-fast machine, but where is it?
"It" isn't. The airframe was never built...
In early 1945, a wind-tunnel model was tested, and a cockpits mock-up was constructed, but in February 1945, due to the desperate war situation, the project was cancelled.
.................................................. .................................................. ..........
The second flyer is another push-pull configuration, this time an interesting design from France. At least this one was built in prototype form, twice.
......... Moynet JUPITER ...........Is that a baby B-25 or an oversize Ercoupe? .........
The Jupiter was an executive transport with between four and seven seats, depending on engine power. It was designed by André Moynet, a member of the National Assembly of France and a former government minister, while also a test-pilot, and built by S.S. Engins Matra (so it is sometimes referred to as the Matra Moynet Jupiter)
The prototype first flew on 17 December 1963 with the designer and Lucien Tieles at the controls. Its wing had a straight trailing edge, but the centre section had strong taper on the leading edge which continued more weakly outboard. It was of two spar, stressed skin construction, carrying mass balanced ailerons and slotted flaps. The main undercarriage legs, placed at the end of the centre section each carried a single wheel and retracted inwards electrically. A retractable nosewheel completed the landing gear.
One horizontally opposed Lycoming engine was conventionally placed in the nose. The rear fuselage was quite short, and it lacked the normal taper, giving it a boxy look, so that the second, pusher Lycoming could be mounted in the extreme tail. This was cooled by air from rectangular intakes on the upper sides of the rear fuselage.
The straight edged, tapered tailplane was mounted on the fuselage top above the engine, with small end-plate fins carrying balanced rudders. These fins extended above and below the tailplane, with arrow shaped leading edges and straight, swept trailing edges. There was also a long, shallow strake over the rear fuselage.
Only two Jupiters were built. The first, designated 360-4 and initially registered as F-WLKE had two 200 hp (150 kW) Lycoming IO-360-A1A engines driving two-bladed propellers and was configured as a 4-5 seater.
The second prototype was of a more powerful and slightly larger variant designated the model 360-6. This model had a choice of engines, either 290 hp (216 kW) Lycoming IO-540 six cylinder engines driving constant speed, three-bladed propellers, or 310 hp (231 kW) Lycoming TIO-541 engines. The span was increased by 0.37 m (15 in) and length by 0.64 m (25 in). The increased length allowed seats for 6-7, with two rows of two single seats and a bench seat at the rear that could accommodate 2 or 3.
The prototype first flew on 17 December 1963 with the designer and Lucien Tieles at the controls. Its wing had a straight trailing edge, but the centre section had strong taper on the leading edge which continued more weakly outboard. It was of two spar, stressed skin construction, carrying mass balanced ailerons and slotted flaps. The main undercarriage legs, placed at the end of the centre section each carried a single wheel and retracted inwards electrically. A retractable nosewheel completed the landing gear.
One horizontally opposed Lycoming engine was conventionally placed in the nose. The rear fuselage was quite short, and it lacked the normal taper, giving it a boxy look, so that the second, pusher Lycoming could be mounted in the extreme tail. This was cooled by air from rectangular intakes on the upper sides of the rear fuselage.
The straight edged, tapered tailplane was mounted on the fuselage top above the engine, with small end-plate fins carrying balanced rudders. These fins extended above and below the tailplane, with arrow shaped leading edges and straight, swept trailing edges. There was also a long, shallow strake over the rear fuselage.
Only two Jupiters were built. The first, designated 360-4 and initially registered as F-WLKE had two 200 hp (150 kW) Lycoming IO-360-A1A engines driving two-bladed propellers and was configured as a 4-5 seater.
The second prototype was of a more powerful and slightly larger variant designated the model 360-6. This model had a choice of engines, either 290 hp (216 kW) Lycoming IO-540 six cylinder engines driving constant speed, three-bladed propellers, or 310 hp (231 kW) Lycoming TIO-541 engines. The span was increased by 0.37 m (15 in) and length by 0.64 m (25 in). The increased length allowed seats for 6-7, with two rows of two single seats and a bench seat at the rear that could accommodate 2 or 3.
Here's photos of a Jupiter prototype undergoing restoration, clearly showing the engine layout...
Defiant...eat yer heart out.
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