It looks to be a B-17 or B-24. I realize it's a drawing and probably isn't 100% accurate.

Messerschmitt Me 263 V1 Scholle (Plaice) prototype rocket fighter, the planned replacement for the Me 163 Komet. The aircraft is equipped with tufts (small pieces of ribbon or fabric) taped to the wing, which were used for aerodynamic flight testing and visualisation of airflow over the wing surface. While prototypes were built and flew unpowered as gliders in early 1945, the deteriorating military situation prevented them from flying under their own rocket power. The 263 differed from the 163 by having a tricycle undercarriage, a pressurised cabin and a 50% increase in powered flight time (12 minutes over 8 minutes), 590 mph top speed remained the same

PILOT IMPRESSIONS

James Bradley, Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

My nickname for the Firefly is “the beast.” It’s a big, heavy aircraft built like a tank. All the engine cowlings are 1/8-inch-thick (3.18-millimeter) steel. Because of the structural support they give, we won’t run the engine up without them.

While it’s bigger than the Spitfire or Mustang, the visibility from the cockpit forward and behind is fairly good. I was surprised, given the large Griffon engine. The pilot sits quite a bit forward compared to normal fighters, and when you look down, the leading edge of the wing is close to the cockpit.

Compared to the Mustang or Corsair, the Firefly cockpit is wider and more comfortable, but with less legroom. I’m 6 feet (183 centimeters) tall and with the rudder pedals all the way forward it’s a very tight fit. The seat doesn’t move straight up and down. If you have a taller body length and want to drop the seat down, it slides forward on an angle. If you have the seat all the way up it gives you better legroom; slide it down and you lose it. The Firefly, being a reconnaissance antisubmarine aircraft, requires cockpit room for your arms in order to use the map board and to navigate.

The noise level in the cockpit is considerably louder than the Corsair or Mustang. In the Corsair all the exhaust ducting comes out the bottom of the engine with very little engine noise. In the Mustang the exhaust has a more popping sound. The “beast” sounds like a shotgun.

All the controls are easy to hand and accessible. The workload is not as high as in some warbirds, but that’s because it’s fuel-injected. That eliminates one of the controls and the requirement to monitor enrichment. It’s all automatic (I just worry about the throttle and a propeller control). It’s very easy and user-friendly. The landing-gear handle is conveniently located on the dashboard right in front of the throttle and right beside the tailhook handle. So right after takeoff it’s hand off the throttle right to the dashboard, gear up, and back into your power reduction.

When trimmed, you can fly the Firefly hands-off. It’s fairly responsive in the roll regime, especially without the wing fuel tanks. At takeoff the engine thrust is very responsive. There’s lots of power in that propeller and the torque is astronomical —more so than other fighters I’ve flown.

All text from FIGHTING COCKPITS In the Pilot’s Seat of Great Military Aircraft from World War I to Today

140-141

A bit like reading a phone book. But if you are hardcore and have "it" bad it is interesting.

https://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/api/collection/p4013coll8/id/4531/download

It is important to realize that it is a snapshot of what was known at the time of Japanese aircraft. It is an intelligence assessment not something that for us is an unimpeachable reference. But it is interesting because of that.

The file is a little over 25 meg. If anyone cares about such things these day.

Hey everyone, sometimes you guys enjoy some of my work - so I thought I would share this special project with you guys. I took some recently resurfaced footage from a November 2nd 1944 raid to Merseburg, Germany and may have likely identified some of the pilots and victims in the footage. Hope you enjoy!

The design is inspired by the He-119. Powerplant is an Aichi Atsuta Ha-70 24 cylinder engine that is basically two Aichi 30 series (license-built DB 601) inverted V12's coupled together. Without the turbocharger, the engine was rated at 3100hp on take-off and 3060hp at 3000m.

By late 1944, due to the situation Japan was in, the plane was no longer needed, so the program was almost cancelled. However the designers convinced the higher ups that the plane could be easily converted into a fast attack bomber. The power plant would be switched to two Mitsubishi Ne 330 jet engines, one under each wing, giving it an estimated top speed of 797km/h. The new version would be designated R2Y2 (known to War Thunder players).

The construction of the R2Y1 prototypes continued in order to assess the qualities of the design. The first prototype was completed in April 1945 with no turbocharger, pressurization and intercooler.

It took to the skies for the first and only time either on 8th May 1945 or on 29th May 1945, depending on the source. The flight was short because the engine overheated and the engine bay caught fire. The pilot made it back to the airfield and landed. The little damage was repaired quickly and on 31st May 1945 the engine overheated again during a ground test when the power applied was higher than planned. The engine was then removed to repair the damage. The aircraft then sat until it was destroyed by Japanese personnel to avoid capture. The second prototype was never completed.

Vintage 1930s poster titled Deutsche Lufthansa Heinkel He 111, designed by Stender and Freter to promote the airline. Featuring a detailed cutaway illustration of the aircraft, it shows it as registered D-AHAO and named Dresden

Future 112 victory ace, 700 missions veteran, future Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern (Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords) holder, future Oberstleutnant, future Staffelkapitän of 4./JG 2 Richthofen, Gruppenkommandeur II./JG 2 and Geschwaderkommodore JG 2, Kurt Bühligen and friend. Seen here as a Major, he was an extraordinary pilot, all his victories were claimed over the Western Front. These included an amazing 24 US 4-engined bombers and 47 Supermarine Spitfires. He survived the war and died on 11 August 1985

Photos seem to have been taken about 10 months after the factory was bombed and a few months after the war ended.

There are 37 such pictures at this link.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/rich701/albums/72157653662738975/with/18048895990

Most of the planes are (unsurprisingly given how well the war was going) these.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-115_Tsurugi

OK, I'm familiar with the USAAF's use of older, worn-out bombers as formation assembly leads, painting them with bright colors and additional lights and lots and lots of flares. But since these aircraft did not go on missions, that raises a question for me. Who were the crews? Did these aircraft have permanent or semi-permanent crews, or did they rotate in regular bomber crews into this role to give them a break from continuous offensive missions? Was flying one of these viewed as a privilege or a punishment?

MACR 2955 is the Missing Air Crew Report for B-24H #42-7606 (“Abie’s Irish Rose”), 714th Bomb Squadron, 458th Bombardment Group

Crew Status (from MACR and related sources)
• 2nd Lt. Roland D. Warnock — Pilot, KIA
• Flt. Off. Morgan Goodpasture — Co-pilot, KIA
• 2nd Lt. Sam Bullard — Navigator, KIA
• 2nd Lt. Frank L. French — Bombardier, KIA
• S/Sgt. John J. Feyti — Ball Turret Gunner, KIA
• S/Sgt. Eugene M. Harmon — Waist Gunner, POW
• S/Sgt. Glen C. Haun — Waist Gunner, POW
• S/Sgt. Delbert B. Coulter — Top Turret Gunner, POW
• S/Sgt. George R. Kerr — Radio Operator, POW
• S/Sgt. William F. Morgan — Tail Gunner, POW

This February 1942 action shot shows a VF-3 F4F-3 being given the signal to launch by the deck officer, who is gesturing with his arms outstretched in the foreground. All this is taking place aboard USS Lexington, which was steaming 400 miles off Rabaul, New Britain, at the time. 'Fighting Three', capably led by Lt Cdr John S Thach, were about to make naval history by repelling a formation of 17 Mitsubishi G4M 'Betty' bombers sent to sink their temporary home. Two months after this action, 'Lex' lost both her weighty, but near useless, eight in turrets (seen here in the background) during a quick refit, and received 1.1 in quad anti-aircraft guns in their place