Why Some German Fighters Had Engines In The Front And Back

The Dornier 335 Pfeil or “Arrow” was one of the most inventive designs ever produced during WWII. It’s powered by two engines instead of one on each wing, another in the nose, and one in the tail. Turns out it was a genius idea, and it was the fastest piston-engine aircraft throughout the war.

Origins

The origins of this plane came from Cladius Stonia who produced the push-pull engine design. This aviation concept allowed the plane to have the power of two engines with less drag and greater maneuverability.

By placing one engine in the nose and one in the tail, both fixed with propellers and keeping the engines as close to the center line of the plane as possible, the plane’s roll rate is increased. By 1943, the Luftwaffe desperately needed a multi-purpose plane and Dornier submitted a proposal for a fast bomber with an additional ability as a fighter.

The first of the 335 prototypes powered by a V12 engine was chosen to propel the aircraft one positioned in the nose and one in the tail. Each liquid-cooled engine had about 1750 hp, translating to an aircraft capable of huge speeds.

Fastest Piston Engine Plane

The fastest recorded 335 was said to have hit a top speed of 474 miles or 762 km/hr. This was important as it made the 335 faster than any other piston-engine plane. Test pilots indicated that the 335 had exceptional flight performance in acceleration and its turning radius as well as docile handling with no dangerous spin characteristics.

Another interesting characteristic of the aircraft is its sheer size, it was extremely tall at 16 ft. Meaning, a person of regular height can easily walk under the plane without needing to duct. It also has a wingspan of 45 ft. or 13 meters.

Far too Late

The aircraft intended for combat would feature a main 30 mm cannon and two additional 20 mm autocannons. It also has 1,000 main bombs and two 500 lb. bombs fixed to the wings. Around 30 would be built. Unfortunately for the 335, the US army would overrun the production facility before the war’s end. None of these planes would see combat.

The only reported interaction with an Allied plane and a 335 took place in April 1945 over Norther Germany when a group of Hawker Tempest saw a fast-moving aircraft flying just above the trees. This plane took off at an incredible speed and its description by the pilots matched that of the 335.

Had a fighter plane capable of these kinds of speeds been available much earlier in the war, it could have changed the course of many aerial battles.