Focke-Wulf Ta 400

__NOTOC__Infobox Aircraft
name=Ta 400


caption=
type=Amerika Bomber
manufacturer=Focke-Wulf
designer=Kurt Tank
first flight=
introduced=
retired=
status=
primary user=Luftwaffe
more users=
produced=
number built=1 prototype, never completed
variants with their own articles=

The Focke-Wulf Ta 400 was a large six-engined bomber prototype developed in Nazi Germany in 1943 by Focke-Wulf as a serious contender to for the Amerika Bomber project. One of the first aircraft to be developed from components from multiple countries was also one of the most advanced Focke-Wulf designs of World War II. Designed as a bomber and long-range reconnaissance plane by Kurt Tank, the Ta 400 had a shoulder-mounted wing with 4° dihedral. One of the most striking features was the six BMW 801D radial engines, to which two Jumo 004 jet engines were later added.

In response to the RLM guidelines of 22 January 1942, the Focke-Wulf company designed a bomber powered by either six DB 603 or six Jumo 222 engines. Like the American B-29 Superfortress the Ta 400 was to have a pressurized crew compartment and tail turret, connected by pressurized tunnel, as well as multiple remote-controlledturrets. The plane used a staggering 32 fuel tanks. Another design feature was tricycle landing gear. The crew of nine was protected by a heavy defensive armament including ten MG 151 20 mm cannons.

Maximum bomb load was to be convert|24|t|lb|abbr=on|r=3. With a gross weight of convert|80.27|t|ST, the Ta 400 with DB 603 engines would have had a range of convert|12000|km|mi|abbr=on|r=-3 in the reconnaissance role, cruising at convert|325|km/h|mph|abbr=on. The two bomber versions would have convert|76.07|t|ST and convert|80.87|t|ST gross weights with ranges of convert|4500|km|mi|abbr=on|r=-3 and convert|10600|km|mi|abbr=on|r=-3 respectively. The projected Jumo-powered aircraft would have had a maximum range of convert|14000|km|mi|abbr=on|r=-3 for long range reconnaissance and convert|13000|km|mi|abbr=on|r=-3 as a bomber. [Griehl 2006, p. 60-61.] The Ta 400 was to have twin vertical stabilizers mounted at the tips of the tailplane, a long straight center section extending to the middle engine on each wing, and highly tapered outer wing panels. The Ta 400 was essentially a backup design for the Me 264. As the design required more materials and labor than the Me 264, the RLM became convinced that further development of the Ta 400 was a waste and on 15 October 1943 notified Focke-Wulf that the program would be terminated [Griehl 2006, p. 138.] .

pecifications

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop

ref=Fact|date=April 2008

crew=6
capacity=
payload main=
payload alt=
length main= 28.7 m
length alt= 94 ft 2 in
span main=45.8 m
span alt= 150 ft 3 in
height main=
height alt=
area main=
area alt=
airfoil=
empty weight main=
empty weight alt=
loaded weight main= 60,000 kg
loaded weight alt= 132,000 lb
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=

engine (prop)= BMW 801D
type of prop=
number of props= 6
power main= 1,700 hp
power alt= 1.3 MW
power original=

max speed main= 635 km/h
max speed alt= 343 kt
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main= 9,000 km
range alt= 4,860 nm
ceiling main=
ceiling alt=
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=

guns=10 × MG 151/20 in five twin turrets
bombs=10,000 kg total

avionics=

ee also

aircontent

related=
* Fw 300

similar aircraft=
* B-29 Superfortress
* Ju-390
* Me-264
* Victory Bomber

sequence=
* ← Ju 390 - Fw 391 - Ar 396 - Ta 400 - Me 409 - Me 410 - Do 417 →

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Griehl, Manfred. "Luftwaffe over America". London: Greenhill Books, 2006. ISBN 978-0-7607-8697-0.
* Herwig, Dieter and Rode, Heinz. "Luftwaffe Secret Projects: Strategic Bombers 1935-45". Earl Shilton, UK: Midland Publishing, 2000. ISBN 1-85780-092-3.

External links

* [http://luft46.com/fw/fwta400.html Complete specifications and three way blue prints.]