JUNKERS JU 388J (NIGHT FIGHTER)

The first prototype of the aircraft was flown in the spring of 1941, the second one less than a year later. The tests were successful and the plants received an order for serial production, with the proviso that the plane was to be adapted to both BMW-801 and Jumo-213 in-line engines, without any changes in the airframe structure (the aim was to avoid production disturbances in the event of temporary Suspension of deliveries of one of the engines). In February 1942, deliveries to Ju-188 E-1 units with BMW-801 ML engines with a capacity of 1632HP began. By the end of the year, 283 copies of this aircraft were produced. In January 1944, production was started in two new factories. A variant of Ju-188 A-2 appeared with in-line Jumo-213 A-1 engines with a power of 1802KM, which could be temporarily increased to 2271KM by methanol injection by methanol injection. The A-3 torpedo variant was also built. Soon after, the reconnaissance variants Ju-188 D-1 and D-2 with Jumo-213 engines and the corresponding Ju-188 F-1 and F-2 variants with BMW-801 engines entered production. When the B (Ju-288) bomber program was finally canceled, it was decided to develop a Ju188 altitude variant equipped with engines with two-speed compressors. Work on three variants was started: Ju-188 J (hunting); Ju-188 K (bomber) and Ju-188 L (reconnaissance), which were later renamed the Ju-388 J, Ju-388 K and Ju-388 L. Noteworthy is the Ju-388 J Störtebeker night fighter with a covered nose, armed with 4 fixed cannons (2 x 30 mm, 2 x 20 mm) in a fairing under the fuselage (forward firing) and 2 MG-151 fixed cannons (20 mm) in the rear part of the fuselage (firing upwards forward). Technical data (version Ju-388J): length: 16.29 m, wingspan: 22 m, height: 4.35 m, maximum speed: 616 km / h, climb speed: 6.3 m / s, maximum ceiling 13,400 m.