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Re: Intended use for Ju-287 jet bomber ?
Dear Walt,
I am perfectly familiar with the Il-28 thank you and yes there is not only a resemblance but the missing link is the EF-140R developed by Hans Wocke from the Ju-287.
The IL-22 was a much larger four engined type with very conventional wings and the IL-22 had far less resemblance to the IL-28 than did the Ju-287/EF-140R.
The forward swept wings allowed low speed handling whilst permitting high speed flight. The purpose of the Ju-287 clearly did not anticipate fighter like manouvers so wing twist was perhaps not the developmental barrier suggested.
My research into Farm Hall transcripts (evesdropped conversations by captive Nazi scientists postwar) reveals that Gen. Dornberger was recorded relating how he and von Braun (V-2 rocket) went to Lisbon in October 1944 and discreetly negotiated the surrender of nazi scientists to the Americans through talks with General Electric Corporation.
I wonder if the real reason why progress with the Ju-287 and EF131 was slow might have been due to political rather than technical issues ?
Why for example when in 1945, Mustangs were making low level straffing runs over every airfield in Germany, were the experimental aircraft at Reichlin neither damaged by Allied air attacks nor by the nazis themselves ?
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