| Type | BV 155 Single seat fighter |
| Engine | 1 Daimler-Benz DB 603A 4-bladed constant speed paddle bladed propeller |
| Dimensions | Length 12 m , height 3 m , span 20,5 m , wing area 39 m2 , |
| Weights | Empty 4870 kg, loaded 5520 kg , max. take off weight 6020 kg 5,125 kg Proposal B 5,100 kg Proposal C 5,440 kg Proposal D, fuel 1200 l |
| Performance | Max.. speed 420 km/h at sea level , 520 km/h at 6,000 m , 600 km/h at 10,000 m 650 km/h at 12,000 m , 690 km/h at 16,000 m ,cruising speed , range 460 km at maximum continuous power with 595 L of fuel at sea level 560 km with 595 L of fuel at 10,000 m , 590 km with 595 L of fuel at 16,000 m 1,080 km with 1,200 L of fuel at sea level , 1,350 km with 1,200 L of fuel at 10,000 m , 1,440 km with 1,200 L of fuel at 16,000 m , endurance , service ceiling 16,950 m service ceiling , maximum ceiling 17,100 m , climb 11.5 m/s , initial 3.92 m/s at 16,000 m time to altitude: 16,000 m in 29 minutes |
| Armament | Proposal A 1 30 mm MK 108 cannon as an engine mounted Motorkanone firing through the propeller shaft 2 × 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon Proposal B 1 30 mm MK 103 cannon as an engine mounted Motorkanone firing through the propeller shaft with 60 rounds 2 × 15 mm MG 151 cannon with 200 rpg Proposal C 3 30 mm MK 108 cannon with 60 rpg. Proposal D 3 30 mm MK 103 cannon with 60 rpg (two mounted in under-wing fairings). |
| Type | Werk.Nr | Registration | History |
| V1 | |||
| V2 | |||
| V3 |
In September 1943, an order for five prototypes was placed. Blohm & Voss accepted the order only on condition they had complete design freedom and were not bound by Messerschmitt's work to date.[3] The redesign was named the BV 155. B&V gave it a new laminar flow wing and tail unit, landing gear from the Ju 87 and many other parts of the plane. Further wind tunnel testing showed that there was a serious problem with the overwing radiators, at high angles of attack the wing "blanked" them from the airflow and cooling would suffer. Work moved to a revised B model.
The first prototype, BV 155 V1, took off for its maiden flight on 1 September 1944. Tests with the V1 showed that the outboard radiators provided inadequate cooling, especially at high angle of attack. The intakes on the next prototype were enlarged and underslung beneath the wing rather than placed over it. However, the enlarged radiators changed the aircraft's center of gravity which required moving the pressurized cockpit forward. The Blohm & Voss team took this opportunity to replace the original Bf 109G canopy with an aft-sliding all-round vision canopy, and the rear fuselage decking was cut down. This in turn required that a larger rudder be fitted. The ventral radiator bath was also enlarged.
With these changes, the BV 155 V2 flew on 8 February 1945. Blohm & Voss was still not satisfied with the design, and before the V2 began its flight trials they proposed that the engine be switched to the DB 603U having the larger mechanically driven supercharger of the DB 603E. The DB 603U promised a power of 1,238 kW (1,660 hp) for takeoff and 1,066 kW (1,430 hp) at 14,935 m . The ventral turbosupercharger was retained. The Technische Amt decided to accept this proposal, and abandoned all work on the BV 155B in favor of the revised design, which was designated BV 155C.
The BV 155 V2 was damaged beyond repair during a bad landing. It was to be replaced in the test program by the BV 155 V3. The BV 155 V3 differed from the V2 in having the DB 603U intended for the BV 155C. However, the engine cowling and turbosupercharger were unchanged.
Various armament schemes for the BV 155B were proposed. One proposal had an engine-mounted (or Motorkanone) 30 mm MK 108 cannon and two 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons. Another had a Motorkanone-mount 30 mm MK 103 cannon and two wing-mounted 20 mm MG 151 cannons. Estimated maximum speed was 650 km/h at 12,000 m (39,370 ft) and 690 km/h at 15,999 m . Service ceiling was to be 16,950 m . Empty weight was 4,869 kg . Normal loaded weight ranged from 5,126 to 5,488 kg , depending on the armament provided.
V1 and V2 were both provided to the RAF after the war. V1 was flight-tested until it was written off. The fate of V3 is not known, except that it was left half-finished by the end of the war. V2 is in storage at the Smithsonian's National Air And Space Museum's storage facility.
BV 155C Project
In parallel with the prototype development, Blohm & Voss had been working on additional changes under Project 205. P.205 replaced the underwing radiators with an annular one around the front of the engine, a design feature commonly found on a number of German designs. With the wings now free of clutter, they were considerably simpler and were reduced in span. This also had the side effect of reducing the track, which would later prove to be a welcome change. The new design would be simpler, lighter and faster, and plans were made to make it the standard version of the aircraft. During the October re-evaluation, it was agreed that V1 and V2 would be completed as B models, while the V3 would be the prototype for the BV 155C.
The BV 155C was to be significantly different in appearance from the BV 155B. The clumsy wing-mounted radiators of the BV 155B were eliminated, and the main landing gear leg attachment points were moved inboard to retract inwards. Cooling was provided by an annular frontal radiator as in the Focke-Wulf Ta 152. Large circular intakes were attached to the fuselage sides above the wing roots. 30 were ordered but none were built. The V3 was 75% complete when it was captured. Intended armament for the 155C was two wing-mounted 20mm MG 151/20 cannons and a 30mm MK 108 cannon firing through the spinner.
The first prototype, BV 155 V1, took off for its maiden flight on 1 September 1944. Tests with the V1 showed that the outboard radiators provided inadequate cooling, especially at high angle of attack. The intakes on the next prototype were enlarged and underslung beneath the wing rather than placed over it. However, the enlarged radiators changed the aircraft's center of gravity which required moving the pressurized cockpit forward. The Blohm & Voss team took this opportunity to replace the original Bf 109G canopy with an aft-sliding all-round vision canopy, and the rear fuselage decking was cut down. This in turn required that a larger rudder be fitted. The ventral radiator bath was also enlarged.
With these changes, the BV 155 V2 flew on 8 February 1945. Blohm & Voss was still not satisfied with the design, and before the V2 began its flight trials they proposed that the engine be switched to the DB 603U having the larger mechanically driven supercharger of the DB 603E. The DB 603U promised a power of 1,238 kW (1,660 hp) for takeoff and 1,066 kW (1,430 hp) at 14,935 m . The ventral turbosupercharger was retained. The Technische Amt decided to accept this proposal, and abandoned all work on the BV 155B in favor of the revised design, which was designated BV 155C.
The BV 155 V2 was damaged beyond repair during a bad landing. It was to be replaced in the test program by the BV 155 V3. The BV 155 V3 differed from the V2 in having the DB 603U intended for the BV 155C. However, the engine cowling and turbosupercharger were unchanged.
Various armament schemes for the BV 155B were proposed. One proposal had an engine-mounted (or Motorkanone) 30 mm MK 108 cannon and two 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons. Another had a Motorkanone-mount 30 mm MK 103 cannon and two wing-mounted 20 mm MG 151 cannons. Estimated maximum speed was 650 km/h at 12,000 m (39,370 ft) and 690 km/h at 15,999 m . Service ceiling was to be 16,950 m . Empty weight was 4,869 kg . Normal loaded weight ranged from 5,126 to 5,488 kg , depending on the armament provided.
V1 and V2 were both provided to the RAF after the war. V1 was flight-tested until it was written off. The fate of V3 is not known, except that it was left half-finished by the end of the war. V2 is in storage at the Smithsonian's National Air And Space Museum's storage facility.
BV 155C Project
In parallel with the prototype development, Blohm & Voss had been working on additional changes under Project 205. P.205 replaced the underwing radiators with an annular one around the front of the engine, a design feature commonly found on a number of German designs. With the wings now free of clutter, they were considerably simpler and were reduced in span. This also had the side effect of reducing the track, which would later prove to be a welcome change. The new design would be simpler, lighter and faster, and plans were made to make it the standard version of the aircraft. During the October re-evaluation, it was agreed that V1 and V2 would be completed as B models, while the V3 would be the prototype for the BV 155C.
The BV 155C was to be significantly different in appearance from the BV 155B. The clumsy wing-mounted radiators of the BV 155B were eliminated, and the main landing gear leg attachment points were moved inboard to retract inwards. Cooling was provided by an annular frontal radiator as in the Focke-Wulf Ta 152. Large circular intakes were attached to the fuselage sides above the wing roots. 30 were ordered but none were built. The V3 was 75% complete when it was captured. Intended armament for the 155C was two wing-mounted 20mm MG 151/20 cannons and a 30mm MK 108 cannon firing through the spinner.
