German Junkers Ju-488 Heavy Bomber

By Crusader1307

Much as the planned ''Amerika'' Heavy Bomber was to be Nazi Germany's attempt at long range bombing of The United States with conventional and later planned Atomic devices, The Junkers Ju 488 Heavy Bomber was in that category as a Heavy Strategic Bomber. Plans were developed in 1944 to create The Junkers 488, with plans to use it against England. The massive Bomber was said to have supported (3) Crewmen. The length of The 488 was 80-feet with a wingspan of 102-feet. (4) Jumo 22A - 24 cylinder, liquid-cooled Engines would have given The 488 2,500-HP each. Capable of ranging over 3,000-miles, The 488 could achieve a maximum speed of 300-mph. It would have been able to operate at a ceiling of 40,000-feet. Armament was speculated at (2) 20mm Machine Guns on the dorsal and (2) .51-inch Machine Guns in the turret. All systems were electrically operated (hence the low crew number). Finally, The 488 was rated to carry up to 12,000-pounds of combined munitions. One such prototype was actually built in late 1944 by Germany, but French Resistance Forces were able to raid the Airbase it was kept and blew it up. No known photographs of The 488 exist, but eyewitness draws and surviving specifications blueprints have allowed for a few drawings of the formidable Junkers Ju 488.