Henschel Projekt P.87

The Henschel Projekt P.87 was a proposed single-engine Schnellbomber design put forth by German aircraft manufacturer Henschel for the Luftwaffe during WWII. It was to utilize the then seldom-used tail-first canard arrangement, swept wings, and two vertical fins mounted on the wingtips.[1]

Henschel Projekt P.87
Role Bomber
Manufacturer Henschel
Number built 0

Design

In general design, the P.87 was a single-engine, tail-first monoplane design. The unusual arrangement allowed for the crew to all be placed in the nose of the aircraft, ahead of the powerplant & propeller, which would have been quite novel for a propeller-driven aircraft of the time.[2] The P.87 was to be powered by a single rear-mounted Daimler Benz DB 610 engine (the same type used on the Heinkel He 177 heavy bomber) in pusher configuration, driving a single or contra-rotating propeller.[1] It featured an unconventional tail-first canard layout, with the tailplane being located towards the nose of the aircraft and the primary wings being at the rear of the fuselage, along with the vertical fins at said wings' tips. The mainplanes were swept at 30°. The landing gear was of tricycle configuration, with a nosewheel positioned directly below the crew and rear wheels retracting into the wing roots. Offensive armament would have most likely consisted of multiple 30mm MK 108 autocannon in the nose, with bombs either being carried directly underneath the fuselage and wings, and/or in an internal bomb bay.[2]

Cancellation

The P.87 was theoretically a sound design, but a combination of a lack of experience among German pilots in flying pusher-configuration aircraft, and the unconventional and relatively untested layout, lead to the whole project being dropped to focus on higher priorities.[2] No mock-up or prototype was ever constructed, and no RLM number was designated, with only paper design work ever being done.

Specifications

Allied bombing destroyed Henschel's archives during the war, so some characteristics are assumed or unknown. Surviving data from [1][2]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 3-4
  • Length: 12.15 m (39 ft 10.7 in)
  • Wingspan: 14 m (45 ft 11.25 in)
  • Wing area: 31.7 m² (341.216 sq ft)
  • Height: 2.8 m (9 ft 2.28 in)
  • Empty weight: 7,000 kg (15,432 lbs)
  • Max takeoff weight: 9,000 kg (19,842 lbs)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Daimler Benz DB 610 24-cylinder liquid-cooled inverted vee piston engine, producing 2,218 kW (2,975 hp)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 750 km/h (466 mph)
  • Range: 800 km (497 miles)
  • Service ceiling: 10,000 m (32,808 ft)
  • Rate of climb: 671 m/min (2,200 ft/min)

Armament

  • Guns: Likely 2 or 4 × 30mm (1.181 in) MK 108 cannon in the nose, 650 rounds/minute each
  • Bombs: Unknown, would be carried externally and/or internally

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related development

Related lists

References
  1. "Henschel Hs P.87 Luft '46 entry". www.luft46.com. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
  2. "Henschel Hs P.87 (Schnellbomber)". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
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