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The Blohm & Voss BV 155 is a German high-altitude interceptor aircraft intended to be used by the Luftwaffe against raids by USAAF Boeing B-29 Superfortresses. Work started on the design as the Messerschmitt Me 155 in 1942, but the project went through a protracted development period and change of ownership, and prototypes were still under test and development when World War II ended.

Background

Performance estimates of the American B-29 Superfortress reached German command in early 1942. The bomber would cruise at an altitude at which no current German plane could operate effectively. To intercept it, the Luftwaffe would urgently need new aircraft. Work on such a high altitude fighter was begun by Messerschmitt, but in 1943 the project was passed to Blohm & Voss. The result would be the Bv155 prototype that made its first test flight in September 1944.

Me 155

The story of the BV 155 began at Messerschmitt in the spring of 1942. A requirement had arisen for a carrier-based single-seat fighter to be based aboard the aircraft carrier , then under construction. In response, Messerschmitt proposed the Me 409, later renamed Me 155. In the interest of economy and simplicity, it was to use as many Messerschmitt Bf 109 components as possible, being basically a navalized version of the earlier Messerschmitt fighter.

The Me 155 was to be powered by a DB 605A-1 liquid-cooled engine of 1,475&nbsp;PS (1,455&nbsp;hp, 1,085&nbsp;kW). The fuselage was more or less that of the standard Bf 109G, but with an entirely new wing. The undercarriage retracted inwards into wing wells, providing the wider track required for safe carrier landings. Standard naval equipment such as folding wings, catapult spools, and arrester gear were to be fitted. Proposed armament was an engine mounted 20&nbsp;mm MG 151 cannon and two 20&nbsp;mm MG 151 cannons and two 13&nbsp;mm (.51&nbsp;in) MG 131 machine guns in the wings. It had an estimated maximum speed of 649&nbsp;km/h (403&nbsp;mph). Three variants were worked out, the Me 155A with one Junkers Jumo 213, the Me 155B powered by a DB 628, which was basically a DB 605A with a two-stage mechanical supercharger with an induction cooler, and the Me 155C with one DB 605A.

Detail design of the Me 155 was complete by September 1942. However, the numerous delays in the Graf Zeppelin seemed to indicate that the completion of the carrier would be at least two years away. Messerschmitt was told to shelve the Me 155 project for the indefinite future. Work on the Graf Zeppelin carrier was eventually abandoned.

Me 155A

In order that all of that work on the Me 155 project not go entirely to waste, Messerschmitt adapted its design in November 1942 to match a Luftwaffe requirement for a fast single seat bomber. A single 1,000&nbsp;kg (2,210&nbsp;lb) SC1000 bomb was to be carried. All of the carrier equipment and most of the armament was removed from the aircraft. Additional fuel tanks were provided and an elongated, non-retractable tailwheel was added to provide ground clearance for the large bomb. The proposal was designated Me 155A in late 1942.

Me 155B

By the end of 1942, the increasing number of USAAF bombing raids and intelligence coming in about the new American B-29 bomber led the Luftwaffe to revive development of the Me 155B. The engine was to be the DB 628, which was basically a DB 605A with a two-stage mechanical supercharger with an induction cooler. A pressurized cabin was to be provided. It was estimated that a service ceiling of 14,097&nbsp;m (46,250&nbsp;ft) could be attained.

A converted Bf 109G adapted to take the DB 628 engine flew in May 1942 and attained an altitude of 15,500&nbsp;m (50,850&nbsp;ft). However, the Technische Amt concluded that a DB 603A engine with an exhaust-driven turbosupercharger was more promising. The DB 603A provided 1,201&nbsp;kW (1,610&nbsp;hp) for takeoff and 1,081&nbsp;kW (1,450&nbsp;hp) at 15,000&nbsp;m (49,210&nbsp;ft). This engine change required that the fuselage be elongated in order to house the turbosupercharger aft of the pressure cabin. Exhaust gases were carried to the turbosupercharger via external ducts. Air was drawn in through via a ventral trough aft of the wing. Standard Bf 109G wings were to be fitted outboard of a new, long-span, untapered wing center section. Other parts were scavenged from existing Messerschmitt designs – the vertical tail was from the Me 209, and the horizontal tail and the undercarriage were taken from the Bf 109G. The resulting revision of the Me 155B was designated P.1091 by Messerschmitt.

In August 1943, the RLM realised that Messerschmitt was over-committed and transferred the design work to Blohm & Voss. The design team there came to the conclusion that the existing Messerschmitt design had too many weaknesses and a complete redesign would be necessary.

BV 155

In September 1943, an order for five prototypes was placed. Blohm & Voss accepted the order only on condition they had complete design freedom and were not bound by Messerschmitt's work to date.

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General characteristics

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|genhide=

|crew=1

|length m=12

|span m=20.5

|height m=3

|wing area sqm=39

|empty weight kg=4,870

|gross weight kg=5,520

|gross weight note=Proposal A<br />

:::: Proposal B

:::: Proposal C

:::: Proposal D

|max takeoff weight kg=6,020

|fuel capacity=

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Powerplant

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|eng1 number=1

|eng1 name=Daimler-Benz DB 603A

|eng1 type=inverted V-12 liquid-cooled piston engine with TKL 15 turbo-charger

|eng1 kw=1,200

|eng1 note=for take-off<br />

:::: at

:::: at

|prop blade number=4

|prop name=constant speed paddle bladed propeller

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Performance

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|max speed kmh=420

|max speed note=at sea level<br />

:::: at

:::: at

:::: at

:::: at

|range km=460

|range note=at maximum continuous power with of fuel at sea level<br />

:::: with of fuel at

:::: with of fuel at

:::: with of fuel at sea level

:::: with of fuel at

:::: with of fuel at

|ceiling m=16,950

|ceiling note=service ceiling<br />

  • Maximum ceiling

|climb rate ms=11.5

|climb rate note=initial<br />

:::: at

|time to altitude= in 29 minutes

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Armament

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|guns=<br />

::Proposal A

:::* 1 × MK 108 cannon as an engine mounted Motorkanone firing through the propeller shaft

:::* 2 × 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon

::Proposal B

:::* 1 × MK 103 cannon as an engine mounted Motorkanone firing through the propeller shaft with 60 rounds

:::* 2 × MG 151 cannon with 200 rpg

::Proposal C

:::* 3 × MK 108 cannon with 60 rpg.

::Proposal D

:::* 3 × MK 103 cannon with 60 rpg (two mounted in under-wing fairings).

See also

References

Sources

  • Green, William. Aircraft of the Third Reich (1st ed.). London: Aerospace Publishing Limited, 2010. .
  • Green, William. Warplanes of the Second World War, Volume One: Fighters. London: Macdonald & Co.(Publishers) Ltd., 10th impression 1972, p.&nbsp;80-82. .
  • Green, William. Warplanes of the Third Reich. London: Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd., 4th impression 1979, p.&nbsp;88-91. .
  • Hitchcock, Thomas H. Blohm & Voss 155 (Monogram Close-Up 20). Sturbridge, Massachusetts: Monogram Aviation Publications, 1990. .
  • Lepage, Jean-Denis G.G.. Aircraft of the Luftwaffe, 1935-1945: An Illustrated Guide. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, 2009. .
  • Smith J. Richard and Anthony L. Kay. German Aircraft of the Second World War. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1978, p.&nbsp;88-91. .
  • Wood, Tony and Bill Gunston. Hitler's Luftwaffe: A pictorial history and technical encyclopedia of Hitler's air power in World War II. London: Salamander Books Ltd., 1977, p.&nbsp;136. .
  • https://web.archive.org/web/20060517014448/http://www.csd.uwo.ca/~pettypi/elevon/baugher_other/bv155.html#RTFToC2
  • https://web.archive.org/web/20060511171223/http://luftfahrtmuseum.com/htmd/dtf/bv155.htm (in German)