                 The Focke-Wulf Ta152H-1/R11
                    High Altitude Fighter

    As early as 1942 the Luftwaffe recognized the need for a
high-performance fighter (Hochleistungsjaeger) and Kurt
Tank, a designer for Focke-Wulf, came up with the Ta152
series of aircraft.  He envisioned the shorter winged Ta152B
version as a "begleitjaeger" (escort fighter) and the long
winged version, the Ta 152H, as a "hohenjaeger" (high
altitude fighter).  It was quite impressive, with a wing
span of 47 feet, 4 and 1/2 inches.  The first twenty pre-
production Ta152H-0s were delivered by November 1944.  The
improvement in the Ta152H-1 was the addition of extra wing
tanks for extended range.  The Ta152H-1 had an engine
mounted Mk108 30mm cannon with 90 rounds, two MG151 20mm
cannon in the wing roots with 175 r.p.g., and 330 pounds of
armor plate protecting the pilot and engine.  The R11
"rustsatze" was the addition of FuG 125 direction finder for
navigation and blind landing, a K23 autopilot, and a heated
windscreen, all for bad weather flying.
SPECS:  Top speed 472 mph at 41,010 feet, range 755 miles
(with drop tank) ceiling 48,550 feet.

This plane designed by Andrew McLaughlin III.
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