Blohm & Voss BV 40

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BV 40
Profile view of the first prototype
Role fighter glider
Manufacturer Blohm & Voss
First flight 6 May 1944
Number built 7 prototypes

The Blohm & Voss BV 40 was a German glider fighter designed to attack Allied bomber formations during the time of the bombing raids over Nazi Germany.

Design[edit]

The BV 40 was conceived in 1944 as an interceptor rammer to attack and disrupt the Allied bomber formations. Its main mode of attack would be to ram the tail section of a bomber, causing it to crash, and thus also to disrupt the close-flying bomber formation. Modest firepower would also be provided, in order to neutralise the bomber's rear gunner.[1] In order to minimise its cross-section as a target for the rear gunner, the pilot would lie in prone position and there would be no engine; it would be released above the bomber formation and approach it in a high-speed dive. As the design evolved it became the smallest glider that could accommodate an armoured cockpit and two cannon with limited ammunition.[2]

The glider was designed to use non-strategic materials and to be built in as short a time as possible by non-skilled workers. The fuselage was constructed almost entirely of wood.[3] It was of conventional layout, having a high-mounted, straight untapered wing with a similarly-shaped tailplane mounted part way up the fin. The pilot lay prone in the nose of the aircraft. The front steel plate was 20 millimetres (0.79 in) thick, and was fitted with a windscreen of 120-millimetre (4.7 in) thick, armoured glass[4] that gave the aircraft a blunt-nosed appearance.

Two 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108 cannon were mounted in the wing roots.

There was no conventional undercarriage. The initial plan was for a towed launch and several prototypes were built to use a twin-wheeled dolly for take-off, to be dropped once the glider was airborne. A skid under the nose was lowered for landing.

Although it was not originally intended as such,[5] during development the original role was abandoned and the BV 40 found a new potential role as a suicide weapon, carrying missiles under its wings in place of the cannon.[1] For this role it was planned to develop a Mistel style launch technique, carrying two BV 40s under the wings of a larger aircraft, but this was never implemented. Rocket propulsion was also considered but judged unsuitable.[1]

History[edit]

Conceived by Dr Richard Vogt, chief designer and technical director of Blohm & Voss,[4] the BV 40 was to be towed by a Messerschmitt Bf 109 to operational altitude and released above the Allied bombers' combat box.[6] Once released, it would dive down at a sharp angle towards the enemy bomber fleet. During its short attack time, the BV 40 would fire its weapons, then glide back to earth. Several prototypes were completed and flown, towed behind a Messerschmitt Bf 110. The BV 40 V1 (PN+UA) first flew in late May 1944.[7] It was found the craft could reach 292 miles per hour (470 km/h) and it was thought to have the potential to go far faster.[4] Various changes to the requirement and to the design were discussed, before the project was cancelled later in the year. In all, seven aircraft were completed and five of them flown.

Specifications (BV 40)[edit]

Data from Warplanes of the Third Reich,[8] Die Deutsche Luftrüstung 1933–1945 Vol.1 – AEG-Dornier[9]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 5.7 m (18 ft 8 in)
  • Wingspan: 7.9 m (25 ft 11 in)
  • Height: 1.63 m (5 ft 4 in)
  • Wing area: 8.7 m2 (94 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 838 kg (1,847 lb)
  • Gross weight: 952 kg (2,099 lb)

Performance

  • Never exceed speed: 900 km/h (560 mph, 490 kn)
  • Landing speed: 125 km/h (78 mph; 67 kn)

Armament

See also[edit]

Related lists

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Sharp, Dan. Secret Projects of the Luftwaffe, Tempest, 2024. pp.60-89.
  2. ^ "Blohm und Voss BV 40". warbird resource group. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
  3. ^ Ford, Roger (2013). Germany's Secret Weapons of World War II. London, United Kingdom: Amber Books. p. 224. ISBN 9781909160569.
  4. ^ a b c James E. Mrazek (5 April 2011). Airborne Combat: The Glider War/Fighting Gliders of WWII. Stackpole Books. p. 315. ISBN 978-0-8117-4466-9.
  5. ^ "German Suicidal Aircraft". discaircraft. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
  6. ^ Miranda, Justo (2017). Axis Suicide Squads: German and Japanese Secret Projects of the Second World War. England: Fonthill Media. p. 35. ISBN 9781781555651.
  7. ^ Munson 1978, p. 28.
  8. ^ Green, William (1972). The warplanes of the Third Reich. London: Doubleday. p. 102. ISBN 0-385-05782-2.
  9. ^ Nowarra, Heinz J. (1993). Die Deutsche Luftrüstung 1933–1945 Vol.1 – AEG-Dornier (in German). Koblenz: Bernard & Graefe Verlag. pp. 119–120, 240–241. ISBN 978-3-7637-5464-9.

Further reading[edit]

  • Green, William (1972). War Planes of the Second World War : Fighters : Vol 1 (1st ed.). London: Macdonald. pp. 78–79. ISBN 0-356-01445-2.
  • Green, William; Swanborough, Gordon (1994). The Complete Book of Fighters (1st ed.). New York: Smithmark. pp. 78–79. ISBN 0-8317-3939-8.
  • Munson, Kenneth (1978). German Aircraft Of World War 2 in colour. Poole, Dorsett, UK: Blandford Press. ISBN 0-7137-0860-3.
  • Smith, J. Richard; Kay, Anthony (1978). German aircraft of the Second World War. London: Putnam & Company Ltd. ISBN 0-370-00024-2.
  • Wood, Tony; Gunston, Bill (1977). Hitler's Luftwaffe : a pictorial history and technical encyclopedia of Hitler's air power in World War II. Salamander Books. p. 138. ISBN 0-86101-005-1.

External links[edit]