Chapter 38

After careful consideration, Wilhelm eventually drew up the design draft for the Bf 109.

Despite its flaws, what fascinated him about the Bf 109 was its incredibly simplified production process. Due to its simple structure and low cost, it was suitable for mass production. Even in the late stages of the war, when most weapons and equipment production had become difficult, the Bf 109 could still be manufactured. This was nothing short of a miracle (Spain continued to use it until the 1960s). By the end of the war, the total production of various Bf 109 models exceeded 35,000 aircraft, while the Fw 190 had a total production of just over 20,000.

Wilhelm couldn't help but worry that if they focused solely on the Fw 190, they would likely fall far behind in terms of quantity. They would lag significantly behind others in production numbers (Hawker Hurricane: 14,583; P-51 Mustang: 15,586; P-47 Thunderbolt: 15,660; Yak-9: over 16,000; Spitfire/Seafire: 20,351). Moreover, they couldn't achieve a significant performance advantage over other aircraft, which would ultimately lead to a dead end.

Additionally, the Bf 109 was an advanced fighter aircraft in its early stages and was virtually unmatched. It wasn't until Rolls-Royce introduced high-power engines that upgraded the Spitfire that the Bf 109 started to face some difficulties. Although it was surpassed in all aspects of performance, it could still hold its own.

On the Eastern Front, thanks to the chaos in the Soviet Union's military forces after the Great Purge, they had a large number of La-3 and MiG-1 fighters at the start of the war. As a result, they were nearly wiped out by the German forces. The Soviet aviation industry couldn't recover as quickly under the German onslaught. It wasn't until mid-1943 when improved versions of the Yak-9 and La-5 entered service that the Soviet Air Force had the capability to challenge the Bf 109. It wasn't until the introduction of the La-7 fighter in 1944 that Soviet fighter aircraft surpassed the German Bf 109 in combat effectiveness.

In other words, the Bf 109 developed in this alternate timeline would have at least a decade of dominance. With further improvements in fuel quality, engines, and superchargers, it might even remain formidable.

After discussing the fighter aircraft, Wilhelm moved on to talk about attack aircraft. "An attack aircraft needs to have fierce firepower for ground attacks, primarily targeting tanks and various vehicles. Since it's involved in ground attack missions, it will inevitably face various ground-based anti-aircraft weapons. Therefore, this type of attack aircraft needs excellent protection. It should be able to withstand strafing from 20mm anti-aircraft guns."

The most powerful force on land is undoubtedly the tank. Tanks are tracked armored vehicles known for their direct firepower, off-road capabilities, and armored protection. Since tanks are considered the "generals" of land warfare, is there an aircraft in the air force that can rival their power?

During World War II, the Soviet Union had such an aircraft, specially designed to counter tanks. It was not only called the "flying tank" by the Soviet military but also known as the "Black Death" by the German forces.

This was none other than the famous Il-2 attack aircraft of the Soviet Union.

On July 1, 1941, the Il-2 made its combat debut in the Berezina River and Bobruysk region of Belarus, demonstrating its powerful attack efficiency and durability. From then on, the Il-2 became the backbone of the Red Army's ground attack aircraft and played an extremely vital role in the Great Patriotic War.

Unlike contemporary dive bombers, the Il-2's armor was an integral part of the aircraft's load-bearing structure, making it exceptionally sturdy without the need for additional armor plates that would significantly increase its weight. The armor could withstand hits from small-caliber bullets, artillery shell fragments, and shrapnel, allowing the pilot to conduct multiple attacks on targets with ease. In the hands of skilled pilots, the Il-2 could even engage enemy fighters in aerial combat.

When Wilhelm mentioned that there were no specific speed requirements for this aircraft, only a need for robust armor and a certain payload capacity, the people did not show any difficulties and nodded in agreement.

"You should know that with the current technology, when bombs are dropped horizontally, they have initial velocity, are affected by gravity and air resistance, and their flight trajectory becomes uncertain, resulting in low accuracy. Even if you drop thousands of bombs in one go, you may not hit the target. Therefore, I need an efficient bomber that can destroy a target with just one bomb."

To achieve this high-precision bombing capability, this aircraft needs to approach the target from a near-vertical angle, drop the bomb at a height of 500 to 200 meters, and then pull up safely. It doesn't need exceptional climbing ability, but stability during the dive is crucial. Additionally, it needs to have sufficient payload capacity. I hope it can carry one to two tons of bombs." When the payload capacity of one to two tons was mentioned, everyone's expressions showed difficulty again. Wilhelm reluctantly added, "The payload capacity is not a strict requirement, but it should not be below half a ton. That's the minimum threshold."

As for the last option, there are plenty of choices for twin-engine bombers. There are excellent options from Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Soviet Union, and even from France and Italy. After careful consideration, Wilhelm selected the DH98 "Mosquito" bomber from de Havilland Aircraft Company in the United Kingdom.

This particular bomber was hailed as one of the most successful aircraft designs of World War II.

Firstly, the "Mosquito" was a fully wooden aircraft. Secondly, between 1939 and 1945, it was the most widely used twin-engine military aircraft in the world, only rivaled by Germany's Ju-88. In an era dominated by all-metal aircraft, the wooden construction of the "Mosquito" may have seemed outdated. However, it achieved astonishing results during the war: flying nearly 40,000 sorties and dropping 100,000 bombs, with only 254 aircraft shot down. Its combat loss rate was 0.63%, less than one-third of other bombers.

The "Mosquito" was not only capable of bombing but also engaging in combat. The lightweight version, without bombs, surpassed almost all enemy fighters in terms of speed. It possessed formidable firepower with four 20mm cannons and four 7.7mm machine guns. The wooden structure also made it difficult to detect by radar, placing German forces in a difficult situation where they couldn't detect, catch up to, or overpower it. Later on, the "Mosquito" was even equipped with radar, becoming an exceptionally capable night fighter, further enhancing its invincibility during nighttime operations.

With the design tasks finally assigned, Wilhelm let out a sigh of relief. As the meeting adjourned, he called out to Ferdinand Porsche. "Dr. Ferdinand, please stay for a moment."

"Your Highness Wilhelm, what can I do for you?" Now Wilhelm was his superior. On the board of directors at Mercedes-Benz, Porsche had advocated for the development of compact cars but received no support and even faced rejection, leading him to eventually part ways with Daimler. Just when he was feeling disheartened and lost, His Highness sent someone to ask him to become the Chief Designer and Technical Advisor. This meant that his dream of creating a small car would finally have a place to shine, which made him deeply grateful to Wilhelm.

"Dr. Ferdinand, I would like you to design another tank weighing over 150 tons." In the original timeline, the super-heavy Maus tank was designed by Porsche as the Chief Designer. Unfortunately, during the final defense of Berlin, the Maus tank that was preparing to be deployed experienced a malfunction and had to be destroyed. However, due to its thick armor, it wasn't completely destroyed, and the wreckage was taken back by the Soviets for further study and later exhibited in their museums.

Porsche gasped in astonishment, "You said 150 tons?!" He had no idea where to start with the 15-ton tank that His Highness mentioned earlier, and now he was suddenly asked to design a 150-ton tank?!

Wilhelm nodded with certainty. "Exactly, it's 150 tons. The thinnest part of the armor should be over 50mm, and the thickest part over 220mm. The main gun will be a 128mm naval cannon, and the secondary gun will be 75mm. As for the power, you can try installing the electric drive system you designed. Don't worry about heat dissipation; the tank's interior space is more than enough."

In the original timeline, both Henschel and Porsche competed to develop the Tiger II tank. Porsche's Tiger II had a significant innovation in its electric drive system, which was advanced for its time. However, Dr. Porsche couldn't solve the heat dissipation problem with this electric drive system, resulting in the generator and electric motors easily overheating and burning out. As a result, his design was naturally rejected. On the other hand, the Maus tank was truly a behemoth, weighing more than three times that of the Tiger II tank and providing even more internal space.

Observing Dr. Porsche's pensive expression, Wilhelm added, "But don't focus all your energy on this tank. I only intend to use it as a deception tactic against the enemy, at most producing a prototype." Considering the keen interest the Soviet Union's big mustachioed leader had in such a super tank, Wilhelm sincerely hoped that he would order the production of dozens or even hundreds of them.