Heinkel He 219 Uhu vol. I

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Despite the RLM’s unfavourable stance on the matter, Heinkel did design a Zerstörer variant of the P 1055 on his own initiative, which he presented to the RLM’s representatives on 19th October 1940. The aircraft was to attain a top speed of 745 kph at 6,000 m, and its planned armament consisted of four fixed MG 151 cannons, two in the fuselage and two more in the wings. Mr Christensen of the RLM pointed out that production of such an aircraft would make sense only if its maximum speed matched that of enemy fighters. For the time being it was decided to continue developing the P 1055 as a reconnaissance aircraft, whilst a possible Zerstörer variant would be designated the P 1056.
Only a few days later, on 24th October 1940, another conference was held to discuss new aircraft projects under development. Ernst Heinkel presented drawings of his reconnaissance P 1055. The aircraft was to fly at a top speed of 735 kph (at 6,000 m). Its range was supposed to be 2,000 km at maximum speed, and 4,000 km at cruise speed, whilst its service ceiling was estimated at 9,800 m. The RLM was generally satisfied with the project, although its representatives demanded that several alterations be made. The aircraft’s ceiling was to be increased to 12,500 m through the use of supercharged engines, whereas its armament of two fixed, forward-firing MG 151 cannons was to be enhanced by the installation of a single, remote-controlled MG 151 cannon mounted in the aircraft’s tail. Due to the anticipated threat from enemy interceptors, Heinkel was also required to make provision for two additional, remotely controlled, ventral and dorsal gun stations. The design was to retain the interchangeable outer wing sections, and furthermore be able to make dive runs at up to 30o angles. As it was to operate over the Atlantic, de-icing equipment was also considered indispensable.
Meanwhile, the P 1056 Zerstörer variant being developed in parallel was to reach a top speed of 720 kph at 9,000 m and have range of 2,000 km. The P 1056’s planned armament consisted of two fixed, forward-firing MG 151 cannons, a pair of twin-mounted MG 131 Z machine guns at a dorsal station, and a pair of twin-mounted MG 81 Z machine guns in the ventral position. The RLM ordered that development of the P 1056 should be continued, provided that it could be fitted with at least three gun stations with flexible mounts, which would enable the aircraft to take on the role of an escort fighter, dubbed ‘Begleitigel’.
On 23rd November 1940, Scheibe of the RLM inspected a wooden mock-up of the P 1055. In his report he underlined that the crew arrangement, the available room inside fuselage, and the periscopic gunsights for the remotely controlled weaponry complied with the RLM’s requirements. He further stated that the design could be considered useful not only as a reconnaissance aircraft, but also as a daylight bomber and a destroyer as well. There was enough room in the aircraft’s fuselage for the bomber variant to carry bombs internally. Dr. Robert Lusser suggested that the P 1055 should carry an increased defensive armament consisting of two gun stations in the dorsal and ventral positions, each station to be armed with two twin-mounted machine guns, as well as one or two fixed cannons mounted in the aircraft’s nose.

On 28th November 1940 the RLM officially announced that the P 1055 bomber and reconnaissance aircraft had been included in its production plans for the Luftwaffe. A complete airframe mock-up was expected to be ready by 15th January 1941. Before the mock-up was completed, the RLM demanded more changes to the project. The wing configuration was altered from low wing to mid-wing (that is, the wings were to be mounted approximately half way up the fuselage sides). Besides this, the engine was to be moved forward, ahead of the wing leading edges, in order to ensure easier access and maintenance on the ground. The aircraft was to be fitted with twin, three-bladed, contra-rotating propellers. Since the development of the prototype was reaching its final phase, it was time to allocate an official designation. Being a direct descendant of the He 119 project, the aircraft was duly designated the ‘Heinkel He 219’.
The modifications demanded by the RLM caused a delay in the construction of a wooden airframe mock-up, which was finally ready for inspection on 4th February 1941. It transpired that the calculated top speed had dropped to 653 – 686 kph (depending on the wing type). The RLM’s representatives agreed on further modifications, which were intended to confer on the aircraft a maximum speed of about 740 kph. Pursuing the goal of a higher top speed, Heinkel’s designers removed, amongst other things, the Fowler flaps (which slid backwards before hinging downwards) and the spacious bomb bay. In addition, the fuselage width was reduced. […]

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