The same Luftwaffe requirement that produced the short-lived Junkers Ju 287 four-engined, jet-powered fast bomber also led the Heinkel concern to try their hand at the specification. In the end, just two Ju 287 airframes (one flown, the other left incomplete by war's end) were realized and the competing Heinkel design never made it past its proposal stage. Nevertheless, the Heinkel He P.1068.01-78 provided an interesting insight into the company's approach into a "what might have been" bomber.
Heinkel engineers elected for a streamlined, tubular fuselage with the crew compartment held at the extreme front end of the design. This left the entirety of the fuselage free for fuel and a war load. The engines themselves were slung under in individual nacelles at each wing mainplane. The mainplanes were low-mounted along the sides of the fuselage (almost at midships) and given slight dihedral. The tail unit was conventional, featuring a single vertical fin with low/medium set horizontal control surfaces. For ground-running, a rather modern wheeled (and retractable) tricycle undercarriage would be used, this providing enough clearance for the engine nacelles.
Internally, a crew of two would have been carried. Due to the expected operating altitudes, a pressurization and oxygen system - and perhaps ejection seats - would have been standard on this German wartime bomber design.
Power would most likely have come from the company's own HeS 011 turbojet engine. However, since these remained in development, the already-available Junkers Jumo 004C series would take their place in the interim.
Dimensions included a running length of 65.7 feet, a wingspan of 62.4 feet, and a height of 6.11 feet. Empty weight (estimated) was 28,285lb against an MTOW of 49,165lb. With its four-engined configuration, the fast bomber was expected to reach a maximum speed of 530 miles-per-hour in ideal conditions up to an altitude of 36,500 feet out to a range of 1,380 miles. With these exceptional qualities (built largely around speed for escaping potential trouble), the bomber would most likely have saved weight by not carrying any defensive-minded armament for protection.
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(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Ground Attack (Bombing, Strafing)
Ability to conduct aerial bombing of ground targets by way of (but not limited to) guns, bombs, missiles, rockets, and the like.
✓X-Plane (Developmental, Prototype, Technology Demonstrator)
Aircraft developed for the role of prototyping, technology demonstration, or research / data collection.
Length
65.6 ft (20.00 m)
Width/Span
62.3 ft (19.00 m)
Height
6.9 ft (2.10 m)
Empty Wgt
28,285 lb (12,830 kg)
MTOW
49,163 lb (22,300 kg)
Wgt Diff
+20,878 lb (+9,470 kg)
(Showcased structural values pertain to the base Heinkel He P.1068.01-78 production variant)
monoplane / low-mounted / straight
Monoplane
Design utilizes a single primary wing mainplane; this represent the most popular mainplane arrangement.
Low-Mounted
Mainplanes are low-mounted along the sides of the fuselage.
Straight
The planform involves use of basic, straight mainplane members.
(Structural descriptors pertain to the base Heinkel He P.1068.01-78 production variant)
Installed:
4 x Junkers Jumo 004C OR Heinkel HeS 011 turbojet engines developing an estimated 2,000lb of thrust each.
(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the base Heinkel He P.1068.01-78 production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)
Unknown conventional drop bomb load.
Supported Types
(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)
P.1068.01-78 - Base Project Designation.
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.
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Nazi Germany (cancelled)
