He-177 and derivatives

[jcf]

An AWACS?  No, not enough space on board for all the radar gear and the operators.  There's a reason why most AWACS are converted airliners. 

For the era you would be looking, why not something akin to the Shackleton AEW.2?

... or perhaps a Wellington? 

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=23065&mode=threaded&pid=252375

http://gregers.7.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=11045&sid=42ced955a7f97de3f8aa4534024fee61

[GTX]

Thanks - forgot about them.

Regards,

Greg

[The Wooksta!]

Except the Wellington is a low/mid wing aircraft and designed with crew access from nose to tail so there's built in space for a couple of radar operators.  The 177 was a shoulder/mid wing and the rear isn't intended for crew access - the gun positions were accessed directly via a hatch underneath for the mid upper and the canopy for the tail.  There's no crew access from the cockpit to the rear - aft of the cockpit is full of fuel or bombs.

Had the Luftwaffe lasted long enough and gone down the AWACS route, it would most likely have been either a converted Condor, Ju 290 or Ju 352, possibly transport He 111s.  Oodles of space for black boxes and their operators and less tendency for the engines to burst into flames.

[Rheged]

Sweet how about an Air Sea Rescue Version? that work for you? Dan

At the risk of being cynical, at least you could use them for illuminating a wide sea area to allow others to search. Weren't they known as the "Reichslighter" ?  .......... or was it just the early versions caught fire ?

[The Wooksta!]

No, pretty much all of them.

[Tuck]

At one point, Designer Hertl (who did the initial design) returned to Heinkel to try to iron out the bugs.  They identified 40+ design modifications/corrections that would have alleviated much of the fire issue, but it was felt the modifications would disrupt the production lines too much.  Heinkel wanted to switch to 4 separate engines early on but they kept assuring him the twin coupled powerplants were on the verge of reliability (false).  The 177 was alot like the B-29, only in terms of innovative design.  The difference was that America worked tirelessly to resolve the bus of the B-29 whereas the Luftwaffe didn't.

[GTX]

AEW Derivatives - both piston and turboprop:



Regards,

Greg

[Taiidantomcat]

At one point, Designer Hertl (who did the initial design) returned to Heinkel to try to iron out the bugs.  They identified 40+ design modifications/corrections that would have alleviated much of the fire issue, but it was felt the modifications would disrupt the production lines too much. 

We would not like to disrupt full production of our aircraft that doesn't work LOL

[The Wooksta!]

Yes. Impeccable Nazi logic. 

[rickshaw]

Rather like the logic that decreed that the UK should keep producing 2 Pdr anti-tank guns well after their utility was questionable and should concentrate exclusively on Spitfires and Hurricanes over other, promising designs.  Then we have the debacle of the Manchester bomber.  The debacle of the Hereford bomber.  The debacle of the Albermarle bomber.  Remember, Voltair suggested that "the perfect is the enemy of the good".

The Nazis applied the same rationale - better to have some aircraft than none, just as the UK did in 1940.   Logically, it would have been better for them to have halted production, made modifications and then restarted it but that would have disrupted upstream production as well with consequent flow on effects.  Remember, when they decided to put the He177 into production, they were winning the war.  When its faults became apparent, they had started to lose it and they, in their opinion, needed every aircraft they could lay their hands on.   It was unfortunate for them that the faults were so bad that they couldn't fix them with either incremental changes (which they tried) or remanufacture (which they also tried).   It was fortunate for us, the Allies that was the case.  While the He177 wouldn't have won the war for the Nazis it would have prolonged it, allowing them to strike at targets considerably further away and have complicated the defence against them.

[Doc Yo]

  Greg- Love the AEW profiles. If you don't mind, I'm going to borrow the concept for another manufacturer...

[GTX]

  Greg- Love the AEW profiles. If you don't mind, I'm going to borrow the concept for another manufacturer...

Go for it!

Regards,

Greg

[GTX]

Another one thrown together:



Regards,

Greg

[Gary F]

Greg,

  Nice one ... like the engines 

Gary F

[Taiidantomcat]

Whoa!