Messerschmitt Me 264

Messerschmitt had plans for a six-engine variant of the Me 264, the Me 364, but that design never materialized.

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Whilst the Luftwaffe ordered Messerschmitt to abandon the project on 29 June 1944, a week prior to this RLM ordered the V2 & V3 prototypes to be completed with more powerful BMW-801G engines. Sonderkommando Nebel was given the task. Ob.Lt Wolfgang Nebel from 2 /Versuchsverband b.d.L (aka Kommando Rowhel forerunner of KG200) began this work on 25 January 1944. Nebel commandeered part of the secret Me262 Bergau factory in total secrecy. During construction a team of engineers was assembled known as Kommando Leipheim (aka Lauphiem)This small team asembled the V2 and the V3 which had greater wingspan than the V1. Whilst the Luftwaffe had wanted the aircraft completed as an Amerika bomber, RLM wanted it to operate top secret flights to Japan for the Abwher (later RSHA) It is claimed the V3 was scrapped in June 1944, however SS Lt Gen Wilhelm Mohnke captured by the Soviets in Berlin claimed there was a plan to fly Hitler to Japan using the Me264. This claim would not be feasible had the V3 prototype been scrapped, therefore a genuine question mark exists over the actual fate of the V3 prototype. Sonderkommando Nebel was so secret that the Luftwaffe only learned of its existence when a team from this unit hired a bus and failed to pay the bill. When the bus company complained the Luftwaffe conducted an investigation and were told to mind their own business.

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Hmm Germany never wanted war? I heard it all now!

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I am trying to ignore the comic book history comments,winners propaganda,and childish arrogance.The 264 was a fascinating plane.Germany never wanted a world war,and focused exclusively on tactical bombers.Pressed by the demands of the war when Britain declared war on Sept 1,1939,they could never get it together to produce one.The massive bombing campaign against German cities convinced them to late to develop one.it was this plane,and /or the Junkers 388 which flew across the Artic circle to Japan.

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Messerschmitt Me 264 V1
Crew: 8
Length: 69 ft 9 in (21.3 m)
Wingspan: 141 ft (43 m)
Height: 14 ft (4.3 m)
Wing area: 1,376 ft² (127.8 m²)
Empty weight: 46,630 lb (21,150 kg)
Loaded weight: 100,400 lb (45,540 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 123,000 lb (56,000 kg)
Powerplant: 4× BMW 801 G /H radial engines, 1,730 hp (1,272 kW) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 350 mph (560 km /h)
Cruise speed: 217 mph (350 km /h)
Range: 9,500 mi (15,000 km)
Service ceiling: 26,000 ft (8,000 m)
Rate of climb: 390 ft /min (120 m /min)
Wing loading: 72.9 lb /ft² (356 kg /m²)
Power /mass: 0.07 hp /lb (0.11 kW /kg)

Armament

Guns: 4 × 13 mm (0.51 in) MG 131 machine guns
2 × 20 mm MG 151 /20 cannons
Bombs: 3,000 kg (6,614 lb) bombload in internal bomb bay

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my grampa worked on this project and he has all these documents on this and it a=has a pilot a co-pilot bombadeir and a radio commander an a gunner for the nose with a top speed of about 338 mph

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This kind of looks like the B-29 except for the tail unit

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BMW801E engines plus two BMW 018 turbojets. There was consideration given to a 6000hp Osermachinen steam turbine, but that is another story.

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According to a photograph I saw of the cockpit interior, this airplane had only one pilot; no co-pilot. Hard to see how it could fly intercontinental distances without a dual-control system and a co-pilot aboard to assist in flying the airplane. The Focke Wulf Fw 200 Condor, flying non-stop in 1938 from Berlin to New York, took almost 25 hours against strong head winds to complete the 4,075 mile journey using a pilot and co-pilot. Of course autopilots existed back in the 40's but an autopilot is certainly not equal to another pair of eyes and ears in the cockpit. What did the Germans have up their sleeve?

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Great looking plane, but... I read that it was such a dog that there was no saving it with modifications.
I think that's the plane that the Luftwaffe showed Hitler who was looking for a plane that could bomb New York.
Old kamerade never did have much luck with four engine planes.

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I built new me 262 v1 with 4 engines.
first fligth july 2010.
flies wery good.
now preparin to build bigger me 264 with 6 engines.

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Three models were built. V1 ( RE+EN)flew first in December 1942 with Junkers Jumo 211J-1 engines developing 1425 hp, it flew again again on 2nd May 1944 with more definitive BMW 801G-2 engines. With a take off weight of 22000kg (48,400lb) it obtained a speed of 490km /h.at sea level. It spent a short time with Transportstaffel 5 and was eventually destroyed in an air raid at the end of the war.V2 had BMW801G-2 engines, but was destroyed before it's first flight in an air raid in 1943.V3 was the forerunner for the Me264 A0 and was armed with MG131 and MG151 guns and had 3 Rb50 /30 cameras, but was scrapped before the end of the war.
The "B" model was planned with 6 DB603 engines or with 4 BMW801E engines plus two BMW 018 turbojets. There was consideration given to a 6000hp Osermachinen steam turbine, but that is another story.

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really cool plane!
i made a model of me 264 v1... had 4 engines...
first flight-july 2008
last flight-may 2009
my me 264 crashed on landing
it was severely damaged... :(
the fuselage was smashed and wings and other parts too...
where i can find rc model of me 264? :l

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mira nunca habia oido sobre este avion pero pence que era un modelo nuevo del he 111

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In April 1944 Allied Intelligence interrogated a German POW who had been at Lechfeld during summer 1943. He claimed the Me 264 had regularly flown to Japan from a base in northern Finland operated by Sonderkommando Nebel

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Absolutely fascinating. Never even heard a peep about this thing! Looks like a nazified B-29

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Thank god they didn't use those in the blitz is all I can say. When you look at the incredibly short development times of aircraft in this era, the incalculable importance of the faults in luftwaffe strategy seems all the more scarily random.

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I didn't know that the Germans built 3 Me-264s. I only knew of the two. But I did know they were prepping one prototype to carrry Hitler to Japan if the coup had worked in June 1944.

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This is copped from he-111

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DANKE SHER!

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