DO-335

Discussions on all (non-biographical) aspects of the Luftwaffe air units and general discussions on the Luftwaffe.
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Zachary
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DO-335

#1

Post by Zachary » 28 Aug 2002, 23:42

I saw the plane on another thread, I thought I would start a new one on this cool plane.
Was it ever mass-produced?
How good was it against other planes?

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Erich
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#2

Post by Erich » 28 Aug 2002, 23:54

Zach :

Sorry but it never saw action ! Multiple stages of developed variants, even a funny looking night fighter as well. Have several photos of the single and two seaters sitting out on an abadoned German airfield in 1945, soaking up some rays ! 8)

E


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Juha Hujanen
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#3

Post by Juha Hujanen » 29 Aug 2002, 17:40

37 Do 335 was build,including prototypes.Erprobunskommando 335 used Do 335 but don't know did they saw combat.

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Erich
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#4

Post by Erich » 29 Aug 2002, 17:56

I think we chatted about this before on an earlier thread Juha. The unit was research and development only with the prototypes. We will even cover a bit on the protrype with the two seater/radar installation in our book. Purely experimental and too many problems.

E

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Christian Ankerstjerne
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#5

Post by Christian Ankerstjerne » 30 Aug 2002, 00:40

Here's a nice link for you. http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/profile/d335top.htm

It has, amongst others, a complete list of the versions build.

Christian

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Christoph Awender
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Clostermann

#6

Post by Christoph Awender » 30 Aug 2002, 05:17

If I remember correctly in the book written by Pierre Clostermann about his combats in WWII he once tried to pursue a Do335 with his Tempest but was not successful.
...must have the book somewhere

Christoph

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Erich
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#7

Post by Erich » 30 Aug 2002, 06:50

As I said before there were NO Do 335's ever used in combat. Another Pierre Closterman fantasy !

E

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Christoph Awender
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Clostermann

#8

Post by Christoph Awender » 30 Aug 2002, 07:06

Oh....its fantasy?
Read his book about ten years ago.... isn´t he writing the truth?

Christoph

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Erich
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#9

Post by Erich » 30 Aug 2002, 07:14

Christoph : Which book ?

In the flying world of WW 2 Pierre has not been given much credibility. We have interviewed his biographer at length about some of his last missions in April and May of 45. Needless to say Pierre has gotten some things quite mixed up. In one case in May of 45 there is a mission where he flys his tempest with his wingman, His wingman is blown out of the sky and he attributes this to flak, and only by sheer tactical manuevring Pierre avoids the same fate. In reality he and his wingman were followed by two Luftwaffe pilots, flying Me 262A-1a's of 10./NJG 11 a night fighter unit. This particular mission we will be covering in our book.
He also makes another point about a Luftwaffe pilot he knows little ablout. An Fw 190D-9 pilot of JG 301 is given claim for 4 Tempests destroyed that Pierre claims he has seen go down due to this pilot. Reality again is that the pilot only score two victories in D-9's and not all on the same date.

sorry.......

E

Zygmunt
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#10

Post by Zygmunt » 30 Aug 2002, 13:31

I am not an expert on this topic, so will only state what I read;
Hans Werner Lerche claims that he was flying a Do335 (fleeing to the west to surrender to the Americans rather than the Soviets) when he was fired upon from behind. I don't know if this would count as combat, but he says it happened. I have no idea where one can get a copy of his book "Luftwaffe Test Pilot", as I'm sure it is no longer in print. The copy I read was lent to me by a friend years ago. I think it was published in the Seventies.

varjag
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Clo-clo Clostermann and Do 335

#11

Post by varjag » 30 Aug 2002, 14:04

As I recall it, Clo-clo sighted an German a/c that evaded his Tempest and upon description of the a/c to his debriefers, they, identified it as having been a Do 335, a type of which Clostermann knew nothing at the time of the encounter.

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kobold
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pics here

#12

Post by kobold » 30 Aug 2002, 19:20

some pics i found of the do 335

http://www.walkerboyz.pwp.blueyonder.co ... waffe.html


Dave

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Do335

#13

Post by Panzer Gunner » 30 Aug 2002, 23:24

Here are some specs on the Do335:
--------------------------------------------
Type: Single seat fighter-bomber

Powerplant: Two 1,800-hp. Daimler-Benz DB
603E inverted piston engines.

Max speed: 475 m.p.h. at 21,000 ft.

Service ceiling: 37,000 ft.

Weights: Empty 16,300 lb.; Loaded 22,000 lb.

Weapons: One 30-mm MK 103 and two 15-mm MG 151 cannon, plus one 1,100-lb. or two 550-lb. bombsinternally and two 550-lb. bombs externally.

Dimensions: Wingspan: 45 ft. 3in.
Length: 45 ft. 5in.
Height: 16 ft. 5in.
Wing Area: 414 sq. ft.
-----------------------------------------------
The Do335 made it's first flight on October 26 1943, although it never officially entered service, U.S. pilots did report seeing the Do335 in battle near the Dornier factory. When the U.S. raced through southern Germany, they overran the Dornier factory at Oberpfaffenhofen and found 15 completed Do335's. However none were ever flown successfully.

I hope this has provided some good information!
Regards,Brandon

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Bail out! Not me!

#14

Post by Custermen » 02 Sep 2002, 04:02

Has anyone discussed the technical details on how you would bail out of a Do-335?
When I built a model of one years ago, I recall that it could shead the props off the rear engine and the tail also. Need details how that was done.

Custermen

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#15

Post by Panzer Gunner » 02 Sep 2002, 04:22

The info I have says: "The Do 335 had one of the first operational ejection seats in the world- made vital by the rear propeller. But the seat often caused terrible injuries."

Sorry this is all I know, I will try to find more info!

Regards, Panzer Gunner

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