Germany's Junkers Ju 287 jet bomber

Design
Prototype
Variants
Specifications

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Design

The Junkers Ju 287 was the first jet bomber to fly.

Engines

The Junkers Ju 287 had two engines under the wing and two on the sides of the fuselage near the cockpit.

Wings

The wings swept forward 25°.

Prototype

The Junkers Ju 287 prototype first flew on August 16, 1944, by Flugkapitän Siegfried Holzbauer at Brandis. Seventeen test flights were conducted when the project was cancelled until March 1945 when it was started again.

Variants

Junkers Ju 287 V1: The fuselage was from a He 177. Used a tail unit from a Ju 388. Main wheels from a Ju 352. Used a nose wheel from a B-24.
Junkers Ju 287 V2: Six jets.
Junkers Ju 287 V3: Could carry 8,818 lb / 4,000 kg in bombs. Defensive armament was in the tail.

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	Junkers Ju 287
Type	Bomber
Crew	2 - 3 Pilot, Bombardier / Navigator, Radio Operator / Gunner
Engine (Type)	2: Junkers 4: Junkers Jumo 109-004 B-1, Junkers Jumo 0004
OR	6: BMW 003 A-1
OR	4: Heinkel-Hirth 011
Thrust	2,000 lb each 5,500 - 7,000 lb
Dimensions
Span	66', 67' 20.1 m
Length	60' 18.3 m
Wing area	628 sq ft 58.3 sq m
Weight
Loaded	47,500 lb 21,565 kg
Performance
Speed at Sea Level	509 mph 814 kph
Speed at 16,400' / 5,000 m	527 mph 859 kph
Speed	350 mph
Climb to 19,680' / 7,000 m	10.5 minutes
Range with 4,400 lb / 2,000 kg	1,325 miles 2,120 km
Range with 6,600 lb / 3,000 kg bombs	1,175 miles 1,880 km
Range with 8,000 lb / 4,000 kg bombs	985 miles 1,576 km
Armament
Turret - Tail	2: 13 mm MG 131
Bombs	9,900 lb 4,500 kg

	Junkers Ju 287 V1
Type	Heavy Bomber
Engine (Type)	4: Junkers Jumo 109-004B-1
Thrust	1,984 lb 900 kg
Dimensions
Span	65' 11.75" 20.11 m
Length	60' 0.5" 18.3 m
Wing area	627.3 sq ft 58.3 sq m
Weight
Empty	27,579 lb 12,510 kg
Maximum load	44,092 lb 20,000 kg
Performance
Speed at 19,865' / 6,000 m	347 mph 559 kph
Service Ceiling	35,435' 10,800 m
Range	930 miles 1,500 km

Sources:

World War II Airplanes Volume 1, Enzo Angelucci, Paolo Matricardi, 1976
Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II, 1989
The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Chris Bishop, 1998