Dornier Do 335
The Dornier Do 335 Pfeil (Arrow) is a heavy fighter built by Dornier for Germany during World War II. The Pfeil's performance was predicted to be better than other twin-engine designs due to its unique push-pull configuration and the lower aerodynamic drag of the in-line alignment of the two engines. It was Nazi Germany's fastest piston-engined aircraft of World War II. The Luftwaffe was desperate to get the design into operational use, but delays in engine deliveries meant that only a handful were delivered before the war ended.
| Do 335 Pfeil | |
|---|---|
| Role | Fighter-bomber |
| National origin | Nazi Germany |
| Manufacturer | Dornier Flugzeugwerke |
| First flight | 26 October 1943 |
| Introduction | 1944 |
| Retired | 1945 |
| Status | Retired |
| Primary user | Luftwaffe |
| Produced | 1944–1945 |
| Number built | 37 |
What made the Do 335 unique was due to its initial planning of a Schnellbomber, it had two engines. These engines were the Dalmier-Benz DB 605 at the front, and its counterpart DB 605 QA at the back.
This design allowed the Pfeil to reach high speeds of almost 500 mph sometimes in level flight, and outrun most of the military aircraft in service at the time, with only first generation jet fighters being faster.