Ju 88 vertical stabilizer : opinions needed

[RT]

Flammenwerfer ...

[Max Wünsche]

I found some text related to that image with the flammenwerfer attachment.

" a highly unusual modification was carried by this Ju 88A-4 (9K+FB) werk-nr 1050 of II/KG 51 in rumania during 1941, the bomber was field modified with two flame thrower tubes mounted under the rudder. Altough successfully tested, the oil fed flame thrower never reached operational status on the ju88."



Learnt something new today...

[Richard Aigner]

What was the purpose of the flame thrower attachment? To attack ground targets or to scare pursuing fighter planes? From the photo, it looks unlikely burning oil reached the ground.
Richard

[Max Wünsche]

Originally Posted by Richard Aigner

What was the purpose of the flame thrower attachment? To attack ground targets or to scare pursuing fighter planes? From the photo, it looks unlikely burning oil reached the ground.
Richard

I believe it was to scare / deter pursuing fighters.

[Rottler]

Hello Richard,

the cloud of soot should protect a bomber against fighter attack from behind obscuring the view of the fighter pilot and also completely cover the aircraft’s windscreen in soot, making the fighter blind.
The fifth picture shows the Ju 88 A-4 WNr. 1050. This aircraft was flown by the Gruppenkommandeur of I./KG 51 Hptm Heinrich Hahn. It was equipped with the flamethrowers in October/November 1941 during the Russian campaign.
On 3 Feb 1942 Hptm Hahn was killed during a courier flight when the plane crashed at the Tiraspol airfield in Moldavia. The flamethrower Ju 88 was completely destroyed.
Sources:
Luftwaffe im Focus Edition No. 19 „The Ju 88 Flamethrower Aircraft of I./KG 51“
Gen.Qu. loss return 19 Feb 1942 item 36.

Regards
Leo