[WaltGraham]

"The Lippisch P.13a was an experimental ramjet-powered delta wing interceptor aircraft designed in late 1944 by Dr. Alexander Lippisch for Nazi Germany. The aircraft never made it past the drawing board, but testing of wind-tunnel models in the DVL high-speed wind tunnel showed that the design had extraordinary stability into the Mach 2.6 range.[1]

As conventional fuels were in extremely short supply by late 1944, Lippisch proposed that the P.13a be powered by coal."

Source

I had no idea...

 

[CaptainGyro]

With high speed, short range, and questionable weapons capability, you have to wonder if its intended use was ramming.

A good incentive not to finish last in your pilot training class.

 

[SpecialEd]

With high speed, short range, and questionable weapons capability, you have to wonder if its intended use was ramming.

A good incentive not to finish last in your pilot training class.

Ramming got to be a standard practice for the Russians in WWII as they were flying seriously outdated planes against ME 109s and Focke Wuifs... at least in the beginning.

 

[Diamondback]

The Germans did it too... Google "Sonderkommando Elbe." And the Japanese got real big on it as their last hope against our B-29s...

Then again, Hitler & Co. pushed a kamikaze variant of the V-1 (among Paul Allen's hoard of Nazi Terrorwaffen No Honest Man Needs To Have--see what I did there? ) and even the most hardcore of Nazis generally responded to being asked to strap in on a one-way trip with "er, umm... Go **** Yourself, One-Nut."

 

[Skeptic49]

The Russians usually used ramming only on bombers enroute to target and attacked the tails usually with wingtips or propellers and only after ammo was expended.
There are always exceptions of course.
Geoff
Who notes the Kamikazes were effective, but also caused the first nuclear war, hopefully, the last, but I have my doubts.

 

[Diamondback]

I know of at least one US PTO pilot, can't remember if he was AVG or USN, who similarly used his prop as a buzzsaw after running out of ammo. Worked even better against weaker Japanese structures...

OT, personal @ Geoff: For some reason I can't get TTAG's comment platform to work for me - if you're "Geoff PR" over there, could I ask you for a huge favor in asking Jeremy about using a Precision Armament AFAB shrouded by an Indian Creek BFD in his next round of Muzzle Device Testing?

 

[Skeptic49]

Sorry, not me. I don't know the site.
Geoff
Who is not every where, I give that up in the 1980s when the internet exploded.

 

[Diamondback]

Gotcha, amigo, thanks anyway.

 

[flipper35]

Richard Bong got too close with his P-38 and shopped the tail off of one of the Japanese twins. Don't remember if it was a bomber or transport. He always got very close because he didn't think he could hit anything at a distance. Great pilot none the less.

The British would tip the V1 with their wingtips causing it to crash.