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As the Junkers Ju 88A medium bomber was being built, in 1938 the
Junkers Ju 88B was planned as a heavy fighter. In July 1939 the
first Ju 88 fighter to be built, the C-0, made its maiden flight.
Eventually large numbers of C-series fighters were produced, with Jumo
211 or BMW 801 engines and "solid" noses housing a battery of cannon
and machine guns. After 1943 production centered mostly on the Ju 88G
family, with the bigger tail of the Ju 188 to improve control at
weights as high as 14,704kg (50 percent greater than the bomber
version). The G was a nightfighter, with 801 or 213 engines, speeds
up to 640km/h and typical armament of two 30mm and four to six 20mm
cannon all firing ahead or diagonally upwards to destroy bombers with
a short burst. Many Ju 88s were turned into pilotless missiles in the
Mistel composite aircraft aimed by a piloted fighter originally
carried on top. |
