On October 26, 1943, what could have been a fantastic advantage in the German air war against Allied bombers in World War II first took to the air, with the first flight of the Dornier Do 335 Pfeil (Arrow). A 2 engine heavy fighter, the Pfeil was powered by propeller driving engines in the front and the back of the fuselage, a push-pull arrangement unlike any other World War II fighter plane. Alas, for the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) delays in obtaining sufficient engine production and clumsy German bureaucracy meant only 37 of the sleek and fast heavy hitting fighters were ever produced. (See out article of May 15, 1941: 10 Best World War II Planes Too Late to Make a Difference.)
Digging Deeper
The Do 335 was the fastest propeller driven German aircraft of World War II, with a top speed under emergency boost of 475 mph. Armed with a 30mm autocannon in the nose firing through the propeller hub and 2 X cowl mounted 20mm autocannons the Pfeil could pump out enough exploding shells to quickly and efficiently take down tough Allied heavy bombers. Hardpoints for attaching bombs, rockets, or drop tanks were located under each wing, allowing for versatile use of the fighter, with a bomb load of 1000 kilos.
