Messerschmitt Me P.1112

Me P.1112 Final design 3 view     In early 1945, Messerschmitt began work on the P.1112, which sought to eliminate design shortcomings from the P.1111 project. The design went through many changes (see drawings below) in a short time until the final form was reached. The project's final design featured a 40 degree swept-back wing with a self-sealing fuel tank (250 kg- 550 lbs weight capacity) in each wing. One fuel tank (550 kg-1210 lbs weight capacity) was also located in the fuselage ahead of the engine, giving a total fuel capacity of approximately 1900 liters (417 gallons) with a provision for an increase to 2400 liters (527 gallons). A single He S 011A jet engine was planned with provisions made to upgrade to the more powerful He S 011B engine when it became available. Two air intakes were located on each side of the fuselage above the wing roots. The tail unit was changed in the final design to a smaller V-tail from a more conventional large single fin and rudder, this helped to reduce the surface area and thus lessen drag. A tricycle landing gear arrangement was decided upon, with the main gear having a wheel base of 2.1 meters (6' 11") and retracting from the wing into the fuselage. The pilot sat in a pressurized cockpit that was set well forward, with the canopy being fully faired in to the fuselage. An ejection seat was also supplied and the pilot was well protected by the sloping (23 degrees), 100mm (4 inch) thick forward windshield, the side windows were 60mm (2.4 inch) thick. The armament consisted of four MK 108 30mm cannon which were located on the fuselage sides surrounding the cockpit. Two 30mm MK 103 cannon could be fitted in place of two of the MK 108 cannon. A very unusual mounting of either one MK 112 55mm cannon, mounted in the lower fuselage sides, or one Mk 214 50mm cannon (see drawing below) could be accommodated by the barrel protruding through the front canopy.
            Waldemar Voigt, head of the project bureau, estimated this aircraft could start flight tests sometime before mid-1946. Although mock-up construction of the forward fuselage section (see photos below) was under way, Allied troops overran the Oberrammergau workshops on April 29, 1945 and shortly thereafter took possesion of all files relating to the P.1112. It is no coincidence that the U.S. Navy Chance Vought F7U-1 "Cutlass" wing shows features of the P.1112, since Waldemar Voigt soon found employment with that firm after the war.

   Model photo of the Me P.1112
 View Gino Marcomini's Me P.1112 Luft Art images

            Span: 8.74 m (28' 8")                Length: 8.25 m (27' 1")                Max. Speed: 1100 km/h (683 mph) 


 
A cutaway view of the P.1112 showing the 
location of the fuel tanks, jet engine and cannon 
An original 1:10 drawing dated March 16, 1945 showing 
the placement of the MK 214 50mm cannon in the P.1112 
An artist's impression of the Me P.1112,
courtesy of Luftwaffe Secret Projects: Fighters 1939-1945
by Walter Schick & Ingolf Meyer
 
 
Two photos of the Messerschmitt Me P.1112 cockpit mock-up found 
at the Oberrammergau workshops by Allied troops on April 29, 1945. 
«Left  Note the gun locations behind the cockpit, with the gun barrels providing extra pilot protection. 

                                      Right» 
The instrument panel is well placed for visibility and the controls are within easy reach of the pilot.
 
 
 
This sketch is dated March 3, 1945 and was arranged by 
Hans Hornung. Note the resemblance to the Me P.1111  
wing and air intakes in the leading edge wing roots.		  
This is a later updated sketch. Note the wing is still swept 
back at 45 degrees, but has a narrower chord, and the air 
intakes have been moved to the fuselage sides.
In this sketch, the wings have changed again, and are only 
swept back at 40 degrees. The air intake shapes have 
also been slightly altered. 
Although this final sketch is not fully finished, the final shape 
of the P.1112 has taken shape, and the V-tail has been 
added. March 30, 1945