Intended use for Ju-287 jet bomber ?

[Richard T. Eger]

Dear Ed,

Good grief! Are you actually claiming the Germans tested an atom bomb???

I've known about the I-400 since the story was presented at the Northeast Aero Historians meeting at the Air Force Museum about 1963. It was a phenomenally good talk and I waited in vain for it to be transformed into a book. It was only when Terry Treadwell published his book Submarines with Wings, followed by an updated version entitled Strike from Beneath the Sea (1985) that the story finally was in print. The NASM has an especial interest in this subject due to the fact that they have an Aichi M6A1 Sieran in their collection. Thus, in no way, was this a mythical endeavor, as both the talk and the book are profusely illustrated. There was also a video that included information on the subject, complete with actual footage.

Nor has there been any question as to the presentation of information by one of the world's leading experts on camouflage and markings. Photos of camouflaged German aircraft abound and having one person attempt to make sense of it all has no mystery, indeed, just hard, diligent effort and a passion to understand.

You and I butt heads whenever the subject of super secret activities that really haven't seen the light of day are built upon, sandcastle by sandcastle. I know that there is a furor, a real thirst for such far out information, in Europe.

Maybe I haven't looked in the right place. What I do look at are reports dealing with aircraft. The subject matter invariably is understandable in terms of the then known technology. There is no Buck Rogering within any of these papers. No super secret aircraft project. Smith & Creek have laid out the history of the Me 262 for all to see. Four volumes worth. 880 pages or so. Find one Buck Rogerism in there, if you can.

Thus, from the practical to the extreme, I have a great degree of difficulty accepting claims that press credulity, especially in light of all the reports out there. Recently, I was given a gift of a 158-page listing of almost all of the CIOS, BIOS, FIAT, and JIOA intelligence reports from 1944 to 1947. I seriously doubt that I will find any report in there suggesting that the Germans actually had constructed an atom bomb, let alone set one off.

This stuff, if it exists, is at least 60 years old. The making of an atom bomb can probably be found in many texts. Had a German atom bomb existed, the technology would be ancient and of no real secretive value. Thus, I would suggest, if you really want to prove your case, to use the F.I.O.A. and obtain the original German records, complete with bomb test results. A sketch of a possible bomb design hardly serves as proof.

As for our first bombs, we've all seen photos and videos of them, so even our government has taken the wraps off of these early bombs. No reason to keep photos of supposed German bombs a secret at this late date, either.

Sorry, Ed, but you press my buttons when you get on this subject.

Regards,
Richard

[edwest]

Thank you for that reply Richard.


I'll be picking up a copy of the book Le armi segrete di Hitler by Luigi Romersa. He was an Italian sent by Mussolini to witness a German atom bomb test during the war. At 14,00 Euros, I doubt he's getting rich.

I'll also be getting copies of some German patent applications filed during the war for a plutonium bomb.



Best regards,
Ed


P.S.
I'm done.

[Richard T. Eger]

Dear Ed,

Documents and photos. Quoting from the movie Jerry Macquire: "Show me the money!"

As for an Italian being invited to witness a German atom bomb test, they stopped testing the Me 262 at Lechfeld briefly while Italian air crew were on the base for training, covering the planes with tarps. I sort of doubt that they'd be invited to watch something "beyond top secret Ultra".

Do you remember Joe Thompson? He was the guy in Australia several years ago who got everyone a-twitter claiming he had a fully functioning Me 262B-1a/U1 secretly shipped from a barn in Switzerland. As with here, photos and documentation were never forthcoming. One poor fellow was so taken with the story that he actually went to Australia to meet the guy. Afterwards, the story imploded.

Regards,
Richard

[Nick Beale]

Note the crucial point about the "reactor" that Ed provided the link to (and which was also depicted in Irving's book): the design couldn't go critical. The German A-bomb project had along way to go…

[Richard T. Eger]

Dear Nick,

Yes, and even if we were to grant that the 3 He 177's with extended bomb bays were intended to carry atom bombs, it would prove nothing.

The RLM was extremely bullish on the HeS 011 jet engine and was pushing for mass production before a useable design had been achieved. Still, they tasked the design bureaus of the various aircraft manufacturers to design advanced aircraft utilizing this jet engine, even though it wasn't available.

Thus, as I said, even if those 3 He 177's were intended to eventually carry atom bombs, that hardly proves that such existed or were anywhere near to existing.

Regards,
Richard

[edwest]

I'm making a list of O.S.S. reports I'll be needing now. No hard feelings if you don't buy my book.



Regards,
Ed