This is my entry to the wonderful Luftwaffe Challenge.

The Arado Ar-1337a V-1 (pre-production model 1) Amerika Bomber.

I rushed this one a little, as I really wanted to enter with an "Amerika Bomber" but have limited time for now. She is more or less fully operational, however.

So - it goes like this;

In the late 30's, Herman Goering, as well as Hitler himself had expressed a great interest in procuring a bomber that could reach out and touch the main land USA from bases in western Europe.

"I completely lack the bombers capable of round-trip flights to New York with a 4.5-tonne bomb load. I would be extremely happy to possess such a bomber, which would at last stuff the mouth of arrogance across the sea." Goering is quoted as saying.

To this end, in 1942 a plan was completed and submitted to the Luftwaffe high command, approved and in turn issued to the RLM for action. Each of the major players in German aeronautics was invited to submit a proposal for a bomber that could carry 4,5 tons of bombs from mainland Europe, to the USA, and return.

The Arado Ar-1337 was one of those proposals.

*Note that this is all true, except Arado was never invited and did not submit a proposal - the Ar-1337 is fiction.

The Ar-1337 is a conventional, though large, all metal monoplane. Powered by six Daimler - Benz DB 606 power systems (making a total of 12 DB-601 inverted V12 engines, coupled in pairs) powering 115 inch, three blade counter rotating props in a conventional tractor arrangement.

The bomb load was to be in the region of 4,5 metric tons, but in the
pre-production phase, it was found that a miscalculation at the draftsman's table had resulted in a safe carrying capacity of 7,5 metric tons. Goering was pleased by this happy accident and ordered three pre-production models (v-1, v-2 and v-3), with varying equipment configurations for further testing.

The V-1 has a single pilot, sitting centrally in the glazed nose, a bomb aimer position directly under the pilot and three gunners, one in a forward dorsal position and two in rear ventral and dorsal positions. Heavy automation of the engine systems removed the need for a team of flight engineers, thus reducing crew requirements.

As this is a prototype, there are some teething issues. The hydraulic systems that operate the front turret are a little sensitive. It can happen that the turret will not slew (rotate), but it will elevate.

Controls;

AG1 - landing lights plus "GEAR" to cycle landing gear
AG2 - plus "GEAR" to cycle bomb bay doors
AG3 - plus "GEAR" to deploy bomb aimer perescope (cockpit view to use, activate AG4 for cross hairs)
AG4 - activate upper front turret (pitch and roll to maneuver)
AG5 - activate lower rear turret (pitch and roll to maneuver)
AG6 - activate upper rear turret (pitch and roll to maneuver)
AG7 - release bomb load
AG8 - activate / deactivate stability control.