JU-87 with retractable undercarriage?

"robert arndt" wrote in message
om...
rb wrote in message
...
I believe that a later model of the Ju-87 was designed with retractable
undercarriage. Probably given a different model number as I think it
might have been a bigger aircraft. I don't believe it ever flew (having
been developed so late in the war). Anyone have any references?
Secondly, why wasn't the original JU-87 ever given retractable
undercarriage, it must have impinged on performance considerably?
cheers
rb

In 1941, work on improving the Ju-87 was started. The new model would
be the Ju-187 with rearward retractable gear, straight tapered wings,
and a 180 degree rotating tail unit that allowed the rear gunner an
unrestricted view for firing the auto-aiming twin MG-151 cannon
turret. Performance would increase in max speed from 186 mph to 242
mph and bombload now up to 4,409 lbs. One full scale mock-up was
completed before the RLM cancelled the project without reason in the
autumn of 1941.


I think the reasons were fairly obvious. The new aircraft was
still nowehere near fast enough and the increase in light flak
made dive bombing more hazardous than it had been
earlier in the war. The fighterbombers such as the FW-190F
promised to be a better solution.

Keith




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