german aircraft designed development described wolf sheep clothing project machine civilian transport conception intended provide nascent luftwaffe fast medium bomber best recognised german bomber distinctive extensively greenhouse nose later versions numerous luftwaffe bomber early stages world war bomber fared weak defensive armament exposed proved capable sustaining heavy damage remaining airborne war progressed variety roles european theatre strategic bomber torpedo bomber atlantic arctic medium bomber transport aircraft western eastern mediterranean middle eastern theatres constantly upgraded modified obsolete war realised forced luftwaffe continue operating combat roles end war manufacture ceased september point engine bomber production largely halted favour fighter aircraft german bomber force virtually defunct logistics production continued war spanish built spain received batch agreement licence build spanish versions airframe produced spain licence design differed significantly powerplant eventually equipped rolls engines descendant continued service design development design conception defeat world war germany banned operating air force treaty versailles german armament began 1930s initially kept secret violated treaty consequently early development military bombers disguised development program civilian transport aircraft designers seeking benefit german armament decided create world fastest passenger aircraft goal met germany aircraft industry political leadership entrusted development fairly new company june visited offices head point germany aviation hoping build new air force constructed required modern force aircraft convinced factory turn mass production force employees began work new design garnered urgency american lockheed boeing began appear features apparent single engined blitz lightning rolled line type immediately started breaking records normal passenger version speed reached mph powered engine designed elliptical wing brothers incorporated joined wing design feature subsequent designs developed drew interest luftwaffe looking aircraft dual bomber transport capabilities twin engine version blitz preserving elliptical inverted wing small rounded control surfaces engines new design called double lightning displaced needed twin engine design match competitors spent man hours designing fuselage length extended wingspan flight flew february piloted chief test pilot ordered land company factory airfield today neighbourhood considered short central test facility ignored orders landed said performed slow manoeuvres danger runway praised high speed period good flight landing characteristics stable cruising gradual descent single engined flight having nose drop operated second test flight revealed insufficient longitudinal stability climb flight power controls required unsatisfactory force end prototypes produced civilian prototype january received recognition fastest passenger aircraft world speed exceeded mph design achieved greater total speed engine powered tenth thirteenth prototypes available forced initially use liquid cooled engine war british test pilot evaluated luftwaffe aircraft forced land forth february brown described impression unique greenhouse nose overall impression space cockpit area great degree visual sighting afforded regarded positive factors important provision relation weather conditions bright sunshine encountered pilot visibility dangerously compromised throwback lack good sighting easy complicated rain pilot needed slide window panel look establish direction brown reported little swing aircraft balanced landing brown noted approach speed mph held touch avoid tendency drop wing especially port competition mid-1930s competed german abbreviated contracts main competitor comparison trials undertaken point equipped engines equipped slightly heavier takeoff weight compared maximum speed aircraft mph higher cruising speed mph mph faster stalemate altered drastically appearance increased power awarded contracts sped development production breathtaking pace financial expenditure huge annual turnover spent appeared flight displays world helped sales abroad competing successful production terms prominent examples produced luftwaffe numerous type beginning second world war basic design design initially conventional stepped cockpit separate pair like panels pilot pilot introduction variant triggered complete design cockpit subsequent production variants fitted fully nose port having greater pilot starboard resulting cockpit feature number german bomber designs war years varying shapes formats longer separate panels pilot pilot view exterior flight environment bullet like navigator pilot seated left navigator bomb right navigator went forward prone bomb aiming position tilt chair rear aircraft cockpit floor pilot feet rudder arms giving good visibility sliding panels manufactured nose allow pilot navigator bomb exit aircraft quickly time consuming retreat fuselage fuselage contained major bulkheads cockpit bulkhead nose fitted rotating machine gun mount offset allow pilot better field forward vision cockpit fully exception lower right section acted platform gunner positioned commonly penetrated cockpit floor protective housing external cockpit area forward rear bulkhead bomb bay constructed double frame strengthen carrying bomb load space bomb bay rear bulkhead radio equipment contained dorsal flexible ventral gunner positions rear bulkhead contained hatch allowed access rest fuselage held series wing design fuselage formed fuselage skin internally frames fixed simpler construction loss wings leading edges swept point engine trailing edges angled forward slightly wing contained gal fuel tanks inner wing main head main oil fitted outer second pair reserve fuel tanks located carrying individual capacity gal fuel outer trailing edges formed flaps met smooth wing tips curved forward leading edge outer leading edge sections installed shape curved strip rib positioned ahead main interior ribs solid exception ribs located rear main flaps solid construction holes control systems innovations control column centrally placed pilot sat port cockpit column extension arm fitted ability swung starboard case pilot control instruments located pilot head ceiling allowed viewing block pilot vision fuel instruments electrified inner fuel tanks closest wing root outer tanks acted reserve tanks pilot alerted fuel level tank gal left manual pump available case electrical power failure delivery rate gal minute demanded pilot fly lowest possible speed fortunately handled low speeds defensive machine gun positions located glass nose flexible ventral dorsal lateral positions fuselage offered significant field fire design nose allowed machine gun position moved upwards horizontal downwards gun traverse dorsal ventral machine guns downwards dorsal position machine gun ventral mount machine guns moved single machine gun mounted fuselage waist positions upwards horizontal downwards early civilian variants prototype flew february followed civilian equipped bomb bay seat smoking compartment seats rear fuselage entered service newly built versions known unveiled foreign press january nazi propaganda inflated performance announcing maximum speed mph reality performance standing mph commercial version took form prototype design machine designated dresden powered engine manage range depending fuel capacity maximum speed mph wing span series fuselage dimensions stood changed diesel type powerplant engine replaced maximum speed remained mph increased slightly engines introduced general problem existed equipped cooled engines german aviation industry lacked produce engines suitable quality kept military use frustrating german airline forcing rely upgraded variant number differences predecessors production leading edge wing straightened like bomber version different engine types variants upgraded new wing modifications new engine called powerplant radial engines wing units engines packed complete operating systems allowing quick change engine powerful fastest commercial version given later variants vary example equipped powered inverted engines given speed mph early variants service maximum number service operated europe flew flights far away south_africa commercial development ended military variants initial reports test pilot favourable flight performance handling impressive dropped wing stall result passenger variants wings reduced military aircraft spanned prototypes equipped line engines succeeded engines prototypes equipped line engines eventually increased fitting engines prototype series models based built proved eventually sold china type lengthened added machine gun nose gun position installed fuselage ventral position exposed turret bomb bay divided compartments carry bombs problem additions weight aircraft reached performance seriously reduced particular engines powerful increased length altered aerodynamic strengths reduced excellent handling landings crews found aircraft difficult fly speed reduced significantly production shut pilots reports reached chinese delegation visiting germany considered fit needs purchased seven machines maiden flight autumn production batch rolled production lines summer seven pre production aircraft built bearing works numbers powered engines fitted variable pitch screws increased output machine gun installed nose carry vertical cells minor improvements installation revolving gun mount nose flexible turret fuselage improvements ordered delivered january variant engines upgraded cases began roll production lines modified trainer ordered production orders impossible fulfill built owing production new handful produced insufficient capacity built series plants respectively series compared favourably capacity series bomb load increased increase maximum speed altitude mph late series entered production engine planned variant instead allocated production lines opted use engines tested engines judged improved powerplant prompted cancellation series altogether concentration design series pre production series built small numbers fitted engines loaded retractable exhaust systems variant carry bombs giving weight development team engines managed increase engine power subsequently bomb load capacity increased speed mph variant engines developed production variant original powerplant replaced engines powerful engines desired ready installation trial aircraft fitted oil necessary installation came production line february time number aircraft serve legion spanish civil war march thought variant enemy fighters spain need upgrade defensive weaponry prove mistaken later years fuselage bomb bay bomb racks later versions standard bomb racks designed carry bomb bombs nose orientation standard bomb racks common feature generation luftwaffe bombers turned limited ordnance selection bombs sizes racks abandoned later designs series produced dropped favour producing modifications external bomb racks design features distinguished improved radio systems series equipped duration series packed variant fitted external bomb racks bomb bay space filled gal tank aviation fuel gal oil tank increased loaded weight increased range modifications allowed perform short range missions internal vertically aligned bomb racks carry variant powered retained gal fuel tank port bomb bay built acquired interest rocket fitted sake simplicity wings heavily loaded bomber cut length runway needed takeoff air parachute reuse firm kiel handled development standing trials tests flights walter liquid fueled held test pilot controls bearing civil registration design quickly ran series minor design revisions obvious changes started models moved elliptical wing straight leading trailing edges manufactured efficiently dimensions new design wing span area industrial capacity limited production delayed machines series exported turkey variant built turkish interest prompted fact tests prototype way prompted order engines machines built entered service early fleet transport group pocket battle time development began powered intended torpedo bomber result lacked internal bomb bay carried external torpedo racks gave order bomb bay variant known powerplant identical final variant series identical rejected production variant owing superior performance low level performance attracted interest kriegsmarine result capable carrying torpedoes mines navy eventually dropped program deemed man crew expensive terms manpower continued production sources claim built sent powered engines carry pre production fitted powerplant instead performance deteriorated torpedo bomber pursued variants training schools utilised test beds radio guided air ground torpedo missiles incorporated updated liquid cooled engine featured newly designed nose section including mounting machine gun replaced stepped cockpit aerodynamic cockpit entire aircraft smooth nose tested january improvements allowed aircraft reach mph cruise speed mph bomb load reduced figure mph design implemented pilot reports indicated problems visibility pilot seat actually elevated pilot eyes level upper complete small panel pilot head level glass tunnel better forward view landings rear facing dorsal gun position enclosed sliding near clear view canopy time ventral rear facing gun position immediately aft bomb bay replaced retractable standard having flown bearing civil registration rivals built october commented apparent externally poor carefully designed components locations especially junction rear fuselage parts impression weak visible wing high left right motor exhaust gas connected fuselage probable warm air fuselage free carbon fuselage subdivided individual segments attached entire length completion wing centre section wings attached universal joints way satisfactory cause failures new design powered engine production aircraft reached luftwaffe units fall went service improved radio equipment variant produced self sealing fuel tanks featured semi retractable tail wheel decrease drag armament consisted nose sliding hood fuselage dorsal stand position installation upgraded iii radio communication devices new iii vertical bomb magazine added overall takeoff weight like later given stronger armour machine guns waist mounts fuselage external bomb racks radio communications consisted radios replaced standard german bombers fitted given field equipment sets upgrade weak defensive armament machine guns bomb capacity raised vertical magazines weight loaded weight increased maximum range powered engines aircraft designed land catapult hook added fuselage cockpit cable examples produced bomb equipment contained changes loads capable considerable variation external bombs air dropped anti shipping mines plus external bomb carried rack depending load variation fuel oil tank added place internal bomb bay armament consisted defensive machine guns later supplemented machine gun radio communications standard direction finding radio devices increase defensive firepower crew numbers increased weight increased takeoff weight increased owing mentioned alterations powered variant trainer production variants produced production ceased fitted meteorological equipment luftwaffe weather units served experiencing technical difficulties formed backbone september luftwaffe records indicate strength variant production model series abandoned production series favour versions series engines needed fighter production remaining redesignated heavy notable difference previous variants upgraded variant history unclear said similar fitted dual controls produced export variant lack engines series terminated summer variants variant series widely produced saw action world war variant owing uncertainty surrounding delivery availability engines switched somewhat greater size weight regarded considerations twin engine design fitted model fitted standard set machine guns bombs armament started production august series gradually replaced eve war new powered improved engines count september revealed luftwaffe total service combat ready including produced mere months production powered began october experiences led increase defensive armament fitted possible number machine guns increased seven waist positions received additional variants belt fed installed tail smaller scale production began virtually identical swapped variant differed carry bombs internally mount external racks carry bombs external racks blocked internal bomb bay doors combination internal external storage possible bomb rack fitted externally gal tank added interior spaces left vacant removal internal bomb bay capable carrying bomb racks modified drop torpedoes later modifications enabled carry max bomb widely series followed february heavier defensive armament like retained bomb rack enable carry heavy bombs fuselage selected special missions aircraft carried bombs acted carry heavy fire bombs heavy containers smaller devices attached carried aerial mines anti shipping operations production aircraft bomb rack removed replaced heavy duty etc rack enabling carry max bomb external etc rack enabled support bomb equipped barrage balloon cable cutting equipment shape cutter installations forward engines cockpit designated later named aircraft difficult fly production stopped initiated overall improvements design engine increased speed defensive armament upgraded cannon nose position ventral turret fuselage windows optional variants carried tail mounted defensive armament performance improved climb rate higher machine reach slightly higher ceiling heavy bomb loads added ceiling reduced weight increased received improved low level speed mph altitude maximum speed mph heavy external loads added speed reduced mph designs mid series included variant designed night bombers installed intention fitted cable cutting equipment barrage leading edge wings built intended trainer dual control columns airframe variant rebuild consisted designated trainer duties rebuilt airframe installed defensive armament including machine guns powered later variants summer based introduced luftwaffe disposal powerful medium bomber heavier armour revised defensive armament drum fed replaced belt fed fully enclosed dorsal position stand gunner protected armoured glass single ventral stand replaced belt fed higher rate fire beam positions originally retained single replaced twin arrangement standardized november port internal bomb racks removed gal fuel tanks installed place equipped new rack fuselage carried bombs additional armour plating fitted crew spaces lower fuselage emergency engines allowing variant carry range built new aircraft type converted summer mass production model entering production late armament differences cannon deleted seldom employed low level missions replaced single flexible installation nose stand aircraft designated dorsal position replaced electrically powered turret armed single beam aft ventral positions provided provided maximum speed mph cruising speed mph service ceiling radio equipment fitted communication navigation night aircraft received radio retained internal bomb cells bomb cells previous versions replaced fuel tank increase range etc racks installed bomb cell openings external weapons carriage weight aircraft weighed fully loaded german factories built end end addition updated standard number variants fitted radar adapted anti shipping day night operations major production variant entered production early planned use engines turning blade wooden bladed variable pitch propellers appear plan developed fully later given remained main power plant built summer upgraded standard contrast equipped powerful armament radio communications defensive armament consisted stand gun pod forward mounted machine gun position gun mount stand standard later machine guns added navigational direction finding gear installed added locate targets blind landing equipment built help night operations radio standard navigating target equipped barrage balloon cable bomb load mounted external etc racks racks sub variant carry bombs external loads design entailed merging design originally conceived tow initially modified resulted twin fuselage engine aircraft tested pilots rated highly batch produced built existing machines joined centre wing formed sections length engines total fuel capacity gal increased addition gal drop tanks tow hours cruising speed remain airborne central failed planned heavy bombers carrying bombs having range etc extensions allowed gal drop tanks installed carry anti shipping guided missiles guided iii missile control equipment load range speed mph maximum increase power fitted armament addition rotating gun mount centre section variant display convincing stable flight performance layout pilot controls port fuselage controls essential equipment remaining starboard section aircraft crew seven pilot mechanic radio operator gunner port fuselage observer second mechanic gunner starboard fuselage reconnaissance version additional fuel tanks increasing range production place bomber production abandoned long range variant designs failed come fruition invasion malta airborne assault soviet cities year battle use cancelled insufficient airfield capacity later helped evacuate german equipment personnel region allied invasion sicily attempted deliver reinforcements island operations power lift fully loaded rocket assisted takeoff units supplemented rocket pods mounted beneath fuselage underneath wing added weight gave additional thrust engines pods released parachute takeoff operational history minimal machine caught raf fighter aircraft france march shot shot destroyed ground production meet demand numbers constructed factory construction began exactly year later rolled production line administration office suggested lend factory established share capital given share factory built belonged german state production plant built year war german production luftwaffe amounted september according memoirs built giving total 1940s production suffered extreme losses bombers lost rival increased production aircraft times number previous year losses considerable previous year balkans compensate production increased increased production figures higher exceeding bomber variants increased aircraft outnumbered production terms figures reached allied bomber particular big week failed stop damage production quarter built produced bomber versions total built compared luftwaffe strategic defensive bomber production suspended production september production month included bombers built variants zero produced built exports bought turks ordered china ordered cost aircraft transported sea end spanish civil war acquired survivors bulgaria given romania received given slovakia hungary given ordered arrived end delivered japanese receive agreement cancelled operational history served german military fronts beginning war medium bomber supported german campaigns field owing western allied soviet air superiority reverted transport aircraft role german built remained service spain end second world war supplemented spanish licence built german built aircraft remained service variants operators military operators bulgaria bulgarian air force china chinese nationalist air force czechoslovakia air force operated aircraft post war germany luftwaffe hungary romania slovakia soviet operated captured world war spanish state spanish air_force operated deliveries remaining use operated captured variants war evaluation purposes discover strengths weaknesses united_states operated captured aircraft war pictured aircraft currently display minus turret civil operators operated single air force fitted radial engines germany operated aircraft civilian user operated converted bomber registration unknown german romanian designation works factory number unknown survivors original german built survivors display stored museums world including major sections code conventional cockpit display del madrid spain complete bomber wing display code aircraft usually documented equivalent code war troop carrying version display london appropriated pilots france end war left britain following unit return taken raf salvaged norwegian lake moved germany restoration specifications data documentary history general characteristics crew pilot navigator nose gunner ventral gunner dorsal gunner radio operator gunner length wingspan height wing area weight loaded weight max takeoff weight powerplant liquid cooled inverted performance maximum speed mph range maximum fuel service ceiling rate climb minutes wing loading power mass armament guns machine guns nose dorsal ventral replaced augmented cannon central nose mount forward ventral position machine gun mounted dorsal ventral rear positions bombs kilograms main internal bomb bay kilograms carried externally external bomb racks blocked internal bomb bay carrying bombs externally increased weight drag impaired aircraft performance significantly carrying maximum load usually required rocket assisted data volume general characteristics crew length wingspan height wing area weight loaded weight powerplant liquid cooled inverted performance maximum speed mph range service ceiling wing loading notable appearances media portrayed german bomber second world war related shows spanish built cousin stand example movie
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