What Happened To Germany’s Own Superfortress?

It’s often forgotten that Hitler fully anticipated going to war with the United States and had been actively preparing for it. For an ambitious aircraft designer like Willy Messerschmitt, this was a rare and exciting opportunity.

Unfortunately, due to internal rivalries and the limitations of his company, he was never able to take the concept beyond a single prototype.

Development

In March 1941, the Nazi German Aviation Ministry issued an order for 24 new long-range bombers that were under development by Messerschmitt. Materials were allocated for the immediate construction of six pre-production test aircraft. This was part of the ongoing saga of what would become the Me 264, one of the proposed American bombers.

This aircraft was both a product of and beset by the intrigues and personality clashes that plagued many of the Third Reich’s development projects. What was ultimately developed, the Me 264, had its roots in pre-war research projects and prototypes that Messerschmitt had been developing, like the Me 261.

Willy Messerschmitt

Willy Messerschmitt, one of Germany’s most renowned aircraft designers, had a particular fascination with range and speed. He led the team that created the legendary Bf 109 fighter, which served as Germany’s primary fighter throughout World War II, as well as other notable aircraft like the Bf 110 heavy fighter. By late 1941, he was already working on what would become the groundbreaking Me 262 jet fighters.

His interest in long-range flight began in 1932 with a radical diesel-powered aircraft concept capable of flying over 20,000 km non-stop, though it never moved beyond a scale model. In 1940, he designed the Me 261, meant to fly from Berlin to Tokyo. However, technical issues and a lack of Luftwaffe interest led to the project’s cancellation.

The Me 264

By late 1941, development of the new bomber continued, with much focus on its engines. Early designs considered linked pairs of Daimler-Benz engines, as used on the He 177. Eventually, the plan shifted to either four or six 2,100hp Jumo 213 12-cylinder engines mounted in shoulder wings. These massive trapezoidal wings, resembling those on the Me 261, spanned over 43 meters (141 feet), significantly larger than the 100-foot wingspan of the American B-17 Flying Fortress.

Messerschmitt was under heavy pressure to maximize Bf 109 production, while also dealing with persistent issues plaguing the Me 210. As a result, the first prototype, Me 264 V1, wasn’t ready for its maiden flight until December 1942. In August 1943, the Me 264 V1 was withdrawn from testing and moved to a hangar at Lechfeld to be refitted with more powerful BMW 801 air-cooled, 14-cylinder radial engines. By then, work had begun on two additional prototypes: the V2, which featured armor protection for the crew and engines, and the V3, designed to include defensive armament and a bomb bay. However, neither aircraft ever completed a test flight.

The partially built V2 was destroyed in a U.S. bombing raid in late 1943. During this time, the tide of the war had already changed, and the German industry shifted its focus to weapons. The destruction of the only flying Me 264 in July 1944 ended the American Bomber Project, but this wasn’t officially cancelled until September. Germany’s lack of resources and the fact that it was, during that time, facing an increasingly defensive air war against Allied air attacks meant that there was little interest in developing a purely offensive weapon.

Conclusion

Could the Me 264 have bombed America? Probably not. The V1 lacked the required range, and although there were plans for an improved six-engine version using more powerful engines, which probably had the range to bomb the United States East Coast, this concept didn’t go beyond the drawing board.