Messerschmitt Me 115 fake aircraft

[hesham]

Hi,

misidentification in Flightglobal Magazine,called Messerschmitt Me 115
as a new fighter.

http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1943/1943%20-%200053.html

 

[Apophenia]

There is a mention of the "Me-115" in FM 30-35 "Military Intelligence - Identification of German Aircraft - March 11, 1942", from the US War Department.

No images or details other than an armament of two cannon and two mgs, 400 mph top speed, and one 2000 hp DB605. The last item makes me wonder if "Me-115" was an assumed new designation for the upcoming Bf-109G?

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/ref/FM/PDFs/FM30-35.PDF

Presumably the engine on the Flight "Me-115" is based on descriptions of the DB604 but that X-24 engine is bigger and more powerful than the 2000 hp listed in FM 30-35. Perhaps at the time there was confusion between the DB604 and DB605?

http://www.airventure.de/hkeilpics/db604.jpg

BTW, FM 30-35 does list the Heinkel He-115 as well.

 

[Jemiba]

"BTW, FM 30-35 does list the Heinkel He-115 as well."

Well, why not ? During WW II at least one He 115 was even used by the RAF !

But it's an interesting document indeed and could lead to a new thread : " WW II aircraft
misidentifications" .

Me 115, Fw 198 ...

 

[Antonio]

Me 115, Fw 198 ...

Why not? I'm very interested to know more about that misidentifications from Allied Powers. And would be great to know if never existed misidentifications from the Axis Powers too...

 

[Graham1973]

Apologies for bumping this old thread, but I just had a look at the original flight global article and the so called 'X-engine' appears to be a confusion between the Rolls-Royce Vulture and the DB-606 both of which are mentioned in the article. As I remember correctly the only Hawker Typhoon fitted with a Vulture was one of the few aircraft to not have problems with that powerplant.

 

[Apophenia]

If there is any basis in truth to that Flight report, the X-24 engine in question was more likely the DB 604. Smaller than the DB 606, the DB 604 was also intended as a bomber powerplant -- not for fighters.

The DB 604 was abandoned in Sept 1942, some months after Me 155 development began. It's a long shot, but is it possible that "Me 115" was a garbling of the Me 155 designation?

BTW, the Vulture-powerd Typhoon analogue was the Hawker Tornado.

 

[Jemiba]

.. but is it possible that "Me 115" was a garbling of the Me 155 designation?

Maybe , but in 1943, there wasn't a Me 155 anymore, as it had become the Blohm & Voss Bv 155 nearly
two years ago then.
Looking at this drawing, with its much wider nose, I could imagine, that it was based on a misidentification
of the radial powered Bf-109X.
(drawing from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bf109Sternmotor_3Seiten_neu.jpg)

 

[Graham1973]

Anyone willing to rustle up diagams showing how to mount a DB-606 or DB-604 in a Bf-115?

 

[hesham]

And from Le FANA magazine.